Hublot and Zegg&Cerlati unveil an exclusive special edition: The “Oceanographic 4000 Jeans”, a diving watch designed to withstand the extreme pressure found at depths of 4,000 metres, yet boasting a high fashion look featuring denim for a summery feel.
18 February 2013
Based on an idea by Tina Zegg and Carlo Cerlati, leading figures in luxury watchmaking based in Monaco, and backed by Hublot Chairman Jean-Claude Biver and the company’s CEO, Ricardo Guadalupe, this is the first ever ultra-technical diving watch to be adorned with denim. And we haven’t settled for any old denim! The dial and strap are made by an Italian denim manufacturer who supplies the world’s biggest luxury and fashion names. The “Oceanographic 4000 Jeans” is a special limited edition of just 21 numbered watches available exclusively from Zegg&Cerlati boutiques, at Place du Casino in Monte-Carlo, Ischgl in Austria and Samnaun in Switzerland.
The launch of this ultra-technical watch, which combines fashion with the quality craftsmanship of an Haute Horlogerie timepiece, took place on the 18th February 2013 at the Wellness Hotel Chasa Montana in Samnaun in the heart of the Swiss Alps (Zegg Hotels & Stores), and was attended by the German Double Olympic and World skiing champion, Maria Höfl- Riesch, a Hublot ambassador since 2011. She was joined by Jean-Claude Biver, Chairman of Hublot, who made the trip, and Tina Zegg and Carlo Cerlati, representing Zegg&Cerlati.
A perfect fusion of technologies developed for the extremes found at depths of 4,000 metres, this special edition watch, designed to push the boundaries of what is possible while retaining echoes of high fashion, with its carbon case, dial made from genuine pressed denim wrapped in epoxy and strap featuring denim stitched onto black rubber, has summer written all over it.
A real instrument with efficiency built into its ergonomics, this watch has been conceived and designed to test the limits of rationality.
It has taken 18 months of research, development and testing to present the Oceanographic 4000, a watch which can be worn on dives to depths of 4,000 metres, under extreme pressure – an exceptional technical achievement.
Almost all the features of the Oceanographic 4000 are exceptional, in terms of design, development and manufacturing. To be described as a “montre de plongée” (diver’s watch), resistant to the pressure exerted at the record depth of 4,000 metres, the watch had to meet the exacting specifications of the international standards of Swiss watchmaking (NIHS).
Starting with its seal, tested by Hublot in a Roxer tank, submerged and pressurised to the equivalent of 5,000 metres. To ensure the watch is water resistant and can withstand this pressure, the synthetic sapphire crystal is 6.5 mm thick.
This is thicker than normal, but is reasonable for this level of resistance. The case back is screw-down, essential for reaching such depths. It is made of grade 2 titanium, an extremely strong stainless material.
The chunky, 48 mm diameter case is made from carbon fibre designed and produced entirely by Hublot.
In terms of brightness, the time and elapsed time measured by the flange must be legible from a distance of 25 cm in the dark. To meet this requirement, the dial, the flange and the hands of the Oceanographic 4000 have been optimised to have a larger surface area treated with SuperLuminova™, a luminescent material that emits a grey colour.
The display principle has been made as safe as possible, using an internal rotating flange which is unidirectional and rack-driven, with a dive time indicator. The dive time indicator is placed as close as possible to the dial to minimise the risk of inadvertently altering the dive time. It also makes the dive time easier to read. In accordance with the standard, the Oceanographic 4000 has a minute scale on which the five-minute periods are clearly highlighted.
The watch is fitted with two screw-down crowns (a protective measure that helps ensure water resistance by compression of an O-ring seal). The flange crown which sets the dive time is placed at the 2 o’clock position for easy access and more comfortable use. It is unidirectional, again for safety reasons, with a bayonet fitting, and protected by an oversized crown guard, for extra safety and easy operation when handling diving equipment. The second crown, for winding and setting the time and date, is positioned at 4 o’clock to avoid obstruction.
Finally, the Oceanographic 4000 has a helium valve, a feature essential to any diving watch capable of descending to great depths. An essential feature when the watch is used in diving chambers, the helium valve allows gases that have infiltrated the watch during the descent to safely escape during the ascent. The valve fitted to the Oceanographic 4000 is made of stainless steel, positioned at 10 o’clock, visible from the left-hand side lug.
The watch is supplied with two straps: The “City” strap, in denim stitched onto black rubber, and the “Diver” strap, longer than a standard strap, which has been developed to be worn over a diving suit up to 8 mm thick. Both feature ardillon buckles. This type of fastening is more secure than a folding clasp for this type of use, and is also easier to handle and close when using gloves. Note that the design of this buckle is original (because the use of a tongue is rare in the normal Hublot collections) and that its method of attachment to the case is even more so with two small push buttons built into each end of the case to allow the strap to be changed instantly without the use of a screwdriver.