Which Watch Would Doc (or Tomlinson) Choose?
Rolex Submariner
$$$$$
Like Doc Ford, RWW, wore (and still wears, occasionally) a Submariner, but the watch is unreadable at night.
Bell & Ross Phantom
$$$$
RWW said this was the coolest watch he’d ever seen. One problem: tough to read even during the day. At night, impossible.
Graham Chronofighter
$$$$$$
A very distinctive watch, bright at night, and an interesting history. RWW liked it a lot, but decided that Doc probably wouldn’t pay $13,000 for a watch that Tomlinson would try to use as a lighter.
Blancpain Fifty Fathom
$$$$$
Another very expensive timepiece that RWW expected to like, but didn’t. Tougher to read than his Rolex, and not as good looking.
Luminox Blackbird
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RWW liked this enough to buy one, and wore it a lot before buying his Bathys.
Luminox (like the other quartz watches below) uses luminous Tritium capsules on hands and numerals. It is very bright at night -- excellent (but could be dangerous if someone is tracking you with night vision!)
Traser Chronograph
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According to the literature, Traser invented the self-powered lumination system, and RWW also bought one of these, and gave it to his son.
Reactor Trident
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Another very bright watch, although RWW said the minute markers between 12, 3, 6 and 9 were difficult to decipher underwater at night.
Below: NIVSYS underwater MUM-14 night vision system RWW used during testing watches.
BATHYS BENTHIC
$$$ ($900-$1600)
Bathys Hawaii Watch Co. was founded in 2005 by a marine biologist John Patterson PhD. (a great fit for Doc Ford) who, judging from his webpage, also has a soft spot for surfers and beach bums -- a natural for Tomlinson. (We’ll understand the connection when we read DEEP SHADOW Randy says.
RWW tested this watch under and above water, including how it looks in infrared light using night vision gear. The Bathys Benthic was bright enough to read underwater, in total blackout. RWW also says he likes the fact that it’s a small company, and obviously devoted to producing a kick-ass dive watch that’s not too gaudy to wear to dinner.
"Hawaii is a place where mistakes can have consequences. My watches are designed to work regardless of the amount of abuse they have to take. Here in Hawaii you might be at 13,000 feet up Mauna Kea one day and 100 feet underwater the next. There's not many places on Earth where such extremes are a routine part of life."-- John Patterson, Founder Bathys Hawaii Watches
Randy considered at a lot of watches, and he tested several in low light conditions (and even checked-out their visibility underwater, at night, using a mask-mounted night vision monocular) before deciding that the Bathys Benthic (left) was the best choice for the new book, DEEP SHADOW which will be published in March 2010. Because much of the action takes place in a submerged cave, the watch is important.
No, he’s not getting a fee for this, and he purchased the Bathys he now wears (wholesale RWW said to mention) but he thought it would be fun to share the results of his research. Steve Grendon
