La Chaux-de-Fonds-based watchmaker Graham recently introduced a very interesting and unique diver’s wristwatch — the Chronofighter Prodive Professional.
The Prodive is capable of withstanding water pressure down to an impressive 600 meters — but more impressive — is that the chronograph operates at those depths. Yes, the Breitling Superocean M2000 Chronograph which we recently covered, can be started/stopped/reset at 600 meters, well beyond that actually, but it is a quartz timepiece.
Even Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced a mechanical diver’s watchthis year with chronograph functionality as deep as 100 meters. But the Graham Prodive is a true professional mechanical dive watch.
What special design features make it unique?
1- The 60-minute unidirectional dive time bezel which cannot be accidentally reset, and with 120-click preciseness, is pretty standard among quality divers. What is special are the grooves (at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock) which greatly improve the wearer’s ability to turn the bezel, even wearing gloves.
2- The luminous material is the latest, brightest, non-radioactive Superluminova available. Again, pretty standard. However, the use of two different colors of lume, to help better visually separate the differentiate functions (blue and green) set this diver apart from many others.
3- The automatic helium valve (which automatically releases helium from the case when resurfacing in a helium-rich environment such as a diving bell) is standard on the best dive watches. Something you don’t see every day, though, is the automatic locking system (bayonet). And a red safety ring (gasket) which notifies the wearer when the crown is unlocked. Not to mention, the oversized crown sits at 10 o’clock, at a 45-degree angle, much easier to access at this position than the standard 90 degree angle in our opinion.
4- The chronograph is a mono-pusher (a single push-piece, as opposed to two push pieces, is used to actuate the start/stop/reset functions of the stopwatch), which in itself is cool. But that is just the beginning. As mentioned above, this is not an ordinary chronograph, it works underwater you see. That by itself is something very, very few watches can claim. And to do so at 600 meters (almost 2,000 feet) is impressive, to say the least.
Also, the chronograph/stopwatch has a 30-minute counter specifically designed to time decompression, critical in professional diving. The gauge is between 6 and 9 o’clock on the dial and is very easy to read, with an oversized arrow hand, with a significant amount of lume to make it easy to read, even in murky waters. Furthermore, the chronograph push piece uses one of Graham’s signature fast-action triggers, making underwater chronograph actuation a breeze.
The Prodive is housed in a 45 mm stainless steel case, and powered by automatic caliber G1705, which is not a manufacture movement, although considering it is a customized version of the Valjoux 7750, it’s just as reliable. After all, this is a diver’s watch (a tool watch) and so it is the functionality and reliability are what matter most.
Screwed down stainless steel case back with shark engraving and limited edition serial number. Integrated yellow rubber strap, steel folding buckle with diver extension. Steel and black PVD bezel with a luminous indicator at 12 o’clock. 48-hour power reserve. Propeller-shaped small seconds counter. Date at 9 o’clock. Domed sapphire crystal with inside and outside anti-reflective coating. (Ref. 2CDAV.B01A)
