HUBLOT have made a Special Edition of their über-diver, the King Power 48MM Oceanographic 4000 in tribute to the work of the team of scientists behind the incredible ‘Return to Antikythera’ adventure as well as the futuristic dive suit, EXOSUIT that was piloted by some of them. Introducing the Oceanographic EXO4000 ref. 731.QX.EXO14. There is one part of our planet that we know very little about – the ocean floor. To enable explorations at ever-greater depths, engineers, inventors and technicians work tirelessly to keep pushing the boundaries of the rational and the possible. Hublot have also pushed those boundaries to create a dive watch that is resistant to the extreme pressure, found at 4000 meters.
Whilst it is unquestionably over-engineered to the point of looking a little odd outside of its natural habitat, the Oceanographic 4000 is a genuine diving instrument and is equipped with the most highly-developed technology available, today, which includes superbly designed ergonomics for efficiency and ease of handling. It took a full 18 months of research, development and tests throughout 2010 and 2011 before the first Oceanographic 4000 was unveiled at the Monaco Oceanographic Museum; since then there have been a number of variants and special editions released.
Almost all the features of the Oceanographic EXO4000 are exceptional, in terms of design, development and manufacturing. To be described as a ‘dive watch’ with a resistance to the pressure exerted at the depth of 4000 meters, the watch had to meet the exacting specifications of the international standards of Swiss watch making – NIHS. Starting with its water-resistance, tested in the Hublot manufacture in a ROXER tank, submerged and pressurized to the equivalent of 5000 meters. To ensure the watch was water-resistant and could withstand this pressure, it was fitted with a Grade 2 Titanium screwdown caseback and a 6.5mm thick Sapphire crystal, thicker than normal, but reasonable for this level of resistance.
As its case is made of Carbon Fiber, a material prized for its extreme strength and lightness, the Oceanographic EXO4000 is very easy on the wrist despite its diameter of 48mm. The elapsed dive-time measured by the internal-bezel must be legible from a distance of 25cm in the dark. To meet this requirement, the dial, bezel and hands of the Oceanographic have been optimized to have a larger surface area treated with SuperLuminova. The lume of the EXO4000 emits a red color.
The reading method has been made as safe as possible, using a rack-driven, unidirectional internal rotational divers-bezel with a dive-time indicator. The dive-time indicator has been placed as close as possible to the dial to minimize the risk of inadvertently altering the dive-time. It also makes the dive-time easier to read. In accordance with the NIHS standards, the Oceanographic 4000 has a minute scale on which the five-minute periods are clearly highlighted.
