WT_2009_06: TEST: IWC AQUATIMER AUTOMATIC 2000

DEPTHBY JENS KOCHPHOTOS BY NIK SCHÖLZELDUTYWe test IWC’s newest version of itsAquatimer divers’ watch, which iswater-resistant to 2,000 meters andhas a rotatable sapphire bezel.December 2009 WatchTime 131

TESTIWC Aquatimer Automatic 2000The Aquatimer Automatic2000 belongs to IWC’sAquatimer family of divers’watches, first introduced in1967 and revamped thisyear. The most obvious innovationon the new model: thering with the dive times isnow positioned on the outside,along the bezel.This particular watch fromthe new collection also hasthe distinction of being theAquatimer most suited forprofessional divers. An allimportantcriterion for a divers’ watch is its ability to keep timeunderwater — where the static pressure of the water’s depth isincreased by the dynamic pressure from the diver’s movements— without stopping or suffering damage. At a minimum, sucha watch should be water-resistant to a depth of 200 meters.IWC built the Aquatimer Automatic 2000 to be water-resistantto fully 2,000 meters (hence its name), or a pressure of200 atmospheres (ATM).The Automatic 2000 is the only true “deep diver” inthe Aquatimer family, because the other models in thecollection are designed to remain water-resistant toonly 120 meters. The watch’s designers opted not toinclude a chronograph or a mechanical bathymeter,preferring instead to concentrate primarily on theindication of time and recording of diving time.Since the watch’s owner is likely to spend most ofhis time on land rather than underwater, they alsoincluded a date display.To measure the time spent underwater, thewearer of a divers’ watch adjusts the index of therotatable bezel to correspond to the tip of theminute hand. During a dive, wherever its tip istangent to the bezel’s calibrated scale indicateshow long the diver has been submerged. This ispotentially life-saving information, because thereserve of oxygen is finite and decompression intervalsvary depending on the dive’s duration anddepth. For safety reasons, the rotating bezel on adivers’ watch can only be turned counterclockwise.This way, if the rotatable ring is accidentally repositioned,the incorrect reading can only be longer than theactual duration of the dive, not shorter, which means thediver would begin his ascent too soon rather than too late. Althoughno professional diver would take the plunge nowadayswithout a diving computer to indicate the dive time and the decompressionstops, most prefer to wear a watch as an additionalback-up timekeeper for greater safety.The tough sapphire-crystalscale on the rotating bezel canwithstand impacts withoutgetting scratched.Pros+ High water resistance+ Quick-change system forthe straps+ Classic divers’ watch designCons– Not a manufacturemovement– A few sharp edges on thebuckle132 WatchTime December 2009

TESTIWC Aquatimer Automatic 2000The Aquatimer Automatic2000 is the only model inIWC’s revamped divers’ watchcollection water-resistant to2,000 meters.WHEN IWC introduced its first Aquatimer in 1967, it includeda special feature: the periphery of the watch’s dial was calibratedwith a diving scale on a rotating ring positioned beneath thecrystal and adjusted by turning a second crown. Later modelshad calibrated divers’ bezels outside the watch’s crystal, such ason the legendary Ocean 2000 (launched in 1982 and styled byPorsche Design), and GST Aquatimer (which debuted in 1997).The advantage here is the greater security against inadvertentrepositioning. The return to a design with an outer rotating ringwas prompted by the fact that the additional crown used to re-SPECSIWC AQUATIMER AUTOMATIC 2000Manufacturer: IWC Schaffhausen, Baumgartenstrasse15, CH-8201 Schaffhausen,SwitzerlandReference number: IW356802Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date,stop-seconds functionMovement: ETA 2892 “Top,” automatic;28,800 vph; 21 jewels, Incabloc shock absorption;Etachron fine adjustment;Glucydur balance; 40-hour power reserve;diameter = 25.6 mm, height = 3.6 mmCase: Stainless steel, sapphire crystal withnonreflective treatment on both surfaces,sapphire-crystal inset in the rotatingbezel, fully threaded stainless-steel caseback,water-resistant to 200 ATMStrap and clasp: Rubber strap withpronged, stainless-steel buckle, quickchangesystem for the strapsRate results:(Deviations in seconds per 24 hours)Dial up: +5Dial down: +1Crown up: +3Crown down: +3Crown left: 0Crown right: +4Greatest rate deviation: 5Average deviation: +2.7Average amplitude:Horizontal positions: 298°Vertical positions: 275°Dimensions: Diameter = 44 mm, height =14 mm, weight = 147 gramsVariations: With stainless-steel bracelet($5,400)Price: $4,400134 WatchTime December 2009

TESTIWC Aquatimer Automatic 2000THE NEW AQUATIMER INCLUDES A DIVERS’ BEZEL.THE PREVIOUS MODEL POSITIONED THE DIVINGSCALE ALONG THE PERIPHERY OF THE DIAL, ANDNEEDED A SECOND CROWN FOR RESETTING.set the inner scale was difficult to operate while wearing gloves.Both the Ocean 2000 and GST Aquatimer had bezels that couldnot be rotated unless pressure was simultaneously applied totwo opposite points along its rim — an additional safety featurethat is unfortunately not included on this watch.Another advantage of the exterior ring is its greater width(four millimeters), which accommodates larger numerals andimproves legibility. Another problem that frequently plaguesdivers’ watches — their tendency to get scratched in the courseof rigorous underwater use and lose their printed aluminum inlays— has also been solved here. IWC gives this watch ascratch-resistant ring of sapphire crystal printed with six layersof Super-LumiNova on its underside. The first 15 minutes of thecalibrated scale are highlighted in yellow. Individual minutesaren’t easy to read in the dark, but are easy to estimate. Theminute numerals, placed at five-minute intervals, gleam brightly.The time is easily legible thanks to the large, clearly designedindices.The rubber strap can beeasily switched with asteel bracelet by pushingon the small lever andpulling downward.WE WERE PLEASED with the accuracy of this watch’s rate: itsdaily gain ranged between zero and five seconds in all positionson the timing machine. The average deviation was calculated at+2.7 seconds. And the balance oscillated with a strong and stableamplitude.The Aquatimer 2000 does not contain a manufacture movement:IWC’s caliber 30110 uses a large-series ETA 2892 as itsbase. However, many parts of this caliber are post-processed tonarrow their tolerances. The base movement is already wellknown for its reliability and for the accuracy of its rate. Furthermore,it is thin enough that the watch’s designers could fit itinside a case that’s pleasantly slender and reliably waterproof toa very great depth. In comparison, the manufacture movementthat animates IWC’s Ingenieur Automatic is 7.2 millimetersthick — twice as thick as the ETA 2892.When we removed the massive, fully threaded caseback, wediscovered a variety of decorative engravings on the movement.These include a cloud pattern, circular graining and a sunburstmotif. Also, the heads of the screws are polished and the engravedlettering is inlaid with gold.The movement is equipped with a quick-adjustment functionfor the date display, as well as a stop-seconds function,which stops the balance when the crown is pulled out, making it136 WatchTime December 2009

SCORESIWC AQUATIMER AUTOMATIC 2000Caliber 30110 begins as an unassembledkit for ETA Caliber 2892. IWC assemblesthe components according to its ownstricter assembly guidelines.easier to set the time and date. The crown that you use to do thisis easy to grasp, screw, and unscrew. It can be extracted into twodifferent positions for setting the watch’s displays. The bezelturns smoothly enough, but not as easily as we’d like.The rubber strap has a waffle pattern on the underside thathelps to minimize, though not entirely prevent, perspiration.IWC’s typical pronged buckle — here with a wider prong — is agood match for the strap. Like the case, the buckle is very wellcrafted, with alternating polished and satin-finished surfaces,though we found a few of its edges a bit too sharp. As an alternativeto the rubber strap, IWC offers a stainless-steel braceletwith a folding clasp, as well as a nylon strap with a hook-and-loopfastener that is long enough to fit over the sleeve of a diving suit.THE AQUATIMER’S STRAP and bracelet options can bequickly switched thanks to a beautifully made and easy-tooperatechanging system, the latest version of one patented byCartier. The wearer simply pushes a lever on the underside ofthe strap, and then pulls downward to remove it, along with thefixed metal crosspieces between the lugs. This clever solution isvery sturdy and highly secure.The levers don’t detract from the high level of wearing comfort,which is primarily due to the suppleness of the strap and theprominent forward curvature of the lugs. Considering the extremedepth to which it resists water pressure, this timepiece isStrap and clasp (max. 10 points): Thebeautiful, thick rubber strap smoothlyguides the prong through diagonally orientedholes and is securely held in placeby a matching well-crafted buckle. Thequick-change system is an added benefit. 9Operation (10): The large crown is easyto grasp and to turn, as is the divers’bezel. 5Case (10): Highlights include the attractivealternation between polished andsatin-finished surfaces, and the scratchresistantsapphire-crystal scale along thebezel. 9Design (15): The dial layout, influencedby previous models, is both professionaland chic. 14Legibility (5): The time and the remainingdive time are easy to read under alllighting conditions. The numerals on thedive-time scale are very luminous. 5Wearing comfort (10): The supple strapis firmly attached to the watch and has aprominent curvature to ensure a good fitaround the wrist. Some of the buckle’ssurfaces are a bit too sharp. 8Movement (20): IWC reworks the reliable,technically mature, large-series ETA2892 and assembles it according tostricter standards. 13Rate results (10): The Aquatimer had amaximum difference of five secondsamong the several positions, an averagedeviation of +2.7 seconds per day, and avery stable amplitude. 8Overall value (15): The price of the Aquatimer2000 puts it in IWC’s entry-levelclass, but the processing and attention todetails are comparable with those of therest of the collection. 13TOTAL:84 POINTS138 WatchTime December 2009

IWC FREQUENTLY CHANGES THEDESIGN OF ITS DIVERS’WATCHES,BUT CLEAR REFERENCES TO THEPAST ARE UNMISTAKABLE.comparatively slim, which means that it won’t get snagged on ashirt cuff despite its stately diameter of 44 millimeters.The Aquatimer 2000’s dial design can be traced to the GSTAquatimer of 1997. Its color scheme —yellow minute hand andyellow 15-minute scale on the bezel — comes from its directpredecessor, which debuted in 2004. The wider, longer hourhand gives the current model a more modern appearance, butone less typical of IWC watches. The dial is now much moreelaborately crafted: the applied luminous indices are surroundedby silver frames and enthroned atop little platforms on the dial.The yellow minute-circle is printed on a raised surface. Theseare expensive features that contribute to an overall high-qualityappearance. The typography of the numerals on the rotatingbezel is a modern interpretation of those used on the first Aquatimerin 1967. This typeface, like the rounded “Aquatimer” insignia,is a good match for the themes of water and diving. Thelugs are particularly attractive, with their combination of polishedand satin-finished planes.This watch is reasonably priced at $4,400: the owner getshigh-quality processing; a scratch-resistant, rotatable diver’sbezel; an ingenious system for switching straps; and an extremelywater-resistant case. Though not as instantly recognizableas an IWC product as some of the brand’s other models, thenew Aquatimer 2000 combines some of the best attributes of itstwo predecessors in a watch that should hold up well in a professionaldiving situation as well as look great on dry land. The elegant buckle has satinfinishedand polished surfaces,as well as a wide, milled prong.December 2009 WatchTime 139