Nature documentaries and the red beanie cap on top of an elderly man’s head. That’s how I remember Jacques Cousteau. However, this remarkable man was so much more. He was a pioneer of scuba diving, as well as a full-time adventurer. I can’t help but think that a person like him certainly needed a watch that could keep up with all the different environments he visited.

The man

Jacques-Yves Cousteau was a French naval officer who delved into a wide variety of occupations in his lifetime. He was an explorer, a filmmaker, a photographer, a marine conservationist, an inventor and a writer. Most of us are familiar with him through his marine conservation work, as well as underwater filming.

Although these feats are surely impressive, we are perhaps even more indebted to him for his invention – the Aqua-Lung. Essentially, this was the first fully functional and commercially viable scuba apparatus, developed in the 1940s. Without Mr. Cousteau, the underwater exploration would definitely be much more difficult. If you add his work on underwater cameras, it becomes clear that the field of underwater filming we are so accustomed to today would be virtually non-existent without his contributions.

The conditions

Right off the bat, you can assume that a pioneer diver and sea explorer will be in contact with water; a lot. And not just any kind of water, either. Salt water is particularly unforgiving towards metals and will corrode them if they aren’t protected correctly. All the while, the watches used on his expeditions needed to be very accurate, since they were a lot more important as measuring tool in this era before the ubiquitous use of computers. Furthermore, Jacques Cousteau and his team spent a large portion of their time under water. This changes the playing field. Simple waterproofing is no longer enough. You need a special kind of watch to withstand the water pressure. You need a dive watch.

Dive/diving/divers watches

Dive watches are, as their name suggests, designed to be worn by divers. They need to be water resistant and withstand the pressures of at least 1 MPa, which is equivalent to the depth of around 330 feet or 100 meters under water. Typically, however, these watches are made to withstand much deeper dives. Dive watches often feature a variety of other technologies suited for scuba divers such as highly visible dial markings, elapsed time measuring, and a beefy clasp that won’t accidentally come undone. Being resistant to magnetic fields, corrosive chemicals, and shock are also indispensable for these devices.

IWC Aquatimer

In honor of the famous explorer, the Swiss watchmaker IWC has issued a special model of its Aquatimer series, named Aquatimer Automatic Edition “Expedition Jacques-Yves Cousteau.” This particular watch is an impressive dive watch, with water resistance up to 300 meters, sapphire crystal, as well as automatic movement to ensure it never lets you down when you need it due to low battery. It is actually the sixth Aquatimer watch to bear the name of Jacques Cousteau since IWC partnered with the Jacques Cousteau Society in 2004. Even though it is an impressive device in its own right, this watch banks on the beautiful design and connection to the French explorer as much as it does on its features.

How can you get a Jacques Cousteau watch in San Diego? Visit Leo Hamel’s at our San Diego jewelry store and ask our sales representatives about the amazing and beautiful watches inspired by this intrepid explorer, or any other watch that tickles your fancy!