Both brands launch diver watches to aid ocean conservancy efforts on World Oceans Day.

by James Buttery

Dive watches with a social conscience are like buses it would seem, you wait for a new one to arrive and two turn up in a single morning. Although the fact that today is World Oceans Day probably explains it.
While Bremont, with its bright and breezy new Waterman, is new to the field of philanthrophic divers Blancpain further extends its impressive credentials with a third Blancpain Ocean Commitment watch.

On the surface the Bremont Waterman is a Supermarine 500 like any other, a 43mm stainless steel dive watch water resistant down to 500m, however turn it over and you?ll find the first sapphire crystal caseback that Bremont has used on its divers revealing a COSC-certified 4hz automatic movement with 42 hour power reserve. Bremont is in the habit of handing its prototypes over to some of the world?s most experienced adventurers for testing (polar explorer Ben Saunders can certainly attest to the robustness of the Endurance) and the Waterman is no different, having been put through its paces by Hawaii-based free-diver, big wave surfer and ocean environmentalist Mark Healey. While Healy may not have yet troubled the Waterman?s depth rating just yet, he has worn it during 50m free dives as well as while surfing the infamous Jaws wave on Maui.

Not only does the Waterman feature a perennially useful GMT hand (which tracks against a 24-hour scale on the chapter ring),...