IWC

Aquatimer Automatic 2000 Ref. IW3568

 

The diver’s watch from Schaffhausen has found a new form – and a new peak form at that. In a manner of speaking, the Aquatimer Automatic 2000 is still the “nec plus aqua” of the family. It is pressure-resistant to 200 bar.

When first introduced by IWC Schaffhausen in 1967, the Aquatimer caused a sensation with its water-resistance of up to 20 bar. Even then, its name was already a buzzword for this still-young sporting activity. Nothing has changed in this respect.

Remaining underwater with scuba equipment is an adventure of limited duration. Safe diving demands the precise observation of specific rules. To slightly adapt the old, familiar saying: time is not money, but life or health. It is reassuring to know that there are now handy dive computers, which relieve the diver of the need to calculate the depth, dive duration and even decompression times. But never without the reliable reserve of a dependable diver’s watch!

With the new Aquatimer Automatic 2000 as its basic model, the diver’s watch from Schaffhausen has found a new form – and a new peak form at that. This relates not only to its pressure resistance of up to 200 bar, but also to the increased case diameter of 44 mm. Because underwater, greater size also always means greater clarity. The newly developed external rotating diving bezel, which has taken the place of the previous inner bezel, is primarily responsible for the new face of the 2009 Aquatimer generation. There are good reasons to support these new design amendments and IWC, has extensive experience of case manufacture. Now, for reasons of functionality, it has opted for the “external” variant of this crucial component part of a diver’s watch. This was an almost “evolutionary” step was facilitated by new materials. Functionality ranked foremost in all the associated considerations: the rotating bezel had to be easy to operate under water, even when wearing gloves– of course only in the anti-clockwise direction for safety’s sake – and capable of indexing in steps of one minute. It also had to make a further significant improvement to the legibility of the recorded dive time, even under the poorest lighting conditions.

The engineers at IWC came up with a compelling idea: a rotating diving bezel with “background lighting”. Pressed into the multi-component bezel is a 4-mm wide sapphire crystal ring, to which a concentrated coating of Super-Lumi-Nova®* luminous pigment is applied to its underside. The system is thus particularly suited to night dives.

The minute hand corresponding to the marker triangle of the rotating bezel is strongly highlighted in colour in order to eliminate any possibility of confusion. The Aquatimer Automatic 2000 is available in two different dial variants: in black, with a signal yellow quarter segment for the first 15minutes on the rotating bezel, and with a yellow minute hand and a yellow arrow tip for the central seconds hand. Its kinship with the previous Aquatimer family is immediately obvious in this colour combination. Signal yellow also has a functional significance – it is filtered out under water only at a very great depth. A second variant of the Aquatimer Automatic 2000 has a white dial, the quarter segment on the rotating bezel is white and has orange numerals, and the hour hand and the tip of the seconds hand are also orange. The family name “Aquatimer” also appears in the “small print” on the dial.

From a technical point of view, the new Aquatimer Automatic 2000 – like its predecessor – is equipped with the reliable 30110 calibre automatic movement. It has a date display, and the seconds hand can be stopped for adjustment of the watch by pulling out the crown (screwed-in in normal operation).

Two bracelets and straps are available for both models: the practical and rugged IWC bracelet system in stainless steel, or a black (depending on the model also blue) rubber strap with a pin buckle. An innovative bracelet quick-change system** is also used for the completely new Aquatimer family: a locking catch – located directly within the bracelet or strap lug on the inner, protected side of the bracelet or strap –can be released by finger pressure, and the bracelet or strap can be exchanged in a matter of seconds. An optional, extended hook-and loop strap, allowing the watch to be worn over the diving suit, can also be fitted conveniently in this way.



* IWC Schaffhausen is not the owner of the Super-LumiNova trade mark. The rights of the third party to this trade mark are protected.
** The Aquatimer bracelet quick-change system has been developed by IWC under a patent license from Cartier.









Features
 
Diver’s watch, pressure-resistant to 200 bar, with a mechanical movement and automatic winding, with a newly developed external rotating bezel for optimal legibility and  the new bracelet quick-change system**,  date display, central seconds hand.


Movement

Calibre 30110
Vibrations 28,800/h
Jewels 21
Power reserve 40 h
Winding automatic

Case
Material stainless steel
Glass sapphire, convex, antireflective
Crown screw-in
Water-resistant 200 bar
Diameter 44 mm
Height 14 mm

Weight

Watch in stainless steel with stainless steel bracelet 211 g
Watch in stainless steel with rubber strap 147 g


** The Aquatimer bracelet quick-change system has been developed by IWC under a patent license from Cartier.