The diver is one of the most popular categories of wristwatches, originally conceived as a tool for explorers and military divers. In its early years, it was built purely for function – waterproof cases, legible dials and rugged construction were essential.
Today, the diver watch is as likely to surface in a boardroom as it is to plunge into the ocean’s depths.
Omega was the first to dive in. In 1932, it released the Marine, the world’s first diver’s watch, worn by renowned explorers and oceanographers including Jacques Cousteau and Charles William Beebe, one of the inventors of the bathysphere, a deep-diving vessel.
That pioneering watch was followed in 1948 by the Seamaster, which went on to become one of the most recognisable dive watches in history.
Blancpain, another watchmaker with a storied heritage, introduced the Fifty Fathoms in 1953. Named for its water tightness up to 50 fathoms (about 91 metres), it quickly became popular, adopted by French naval divers, as well as by Cousteau and marine conservationist and photographer Laurent Ballesta. Its reputation was not only technical, but cultural. It was a watch that spoke to the romance of the sea.
Other houses soon joined the current. Panerai developed the Luminor, instantly recognisable for its oversized crown guard, sandwich dial and luminous numerals. Breitling launched the Superocean.
These, like the Rolex Submariner, were conceived as pure tool watches – sturdy, practical and uncompromising. But their functionality did not prevent them from becoming style icons. Omega’s Seamaster was strapped to James Bond, and Steve McQueen was forever linked to the Rolex Submariner. The diver’s aura of toughness and adventure became inseparable from its allure.
That enduring appeal has allowed the dive watch to evolve beyond its utilitarian roots. Increasingly, models are being designed for lifestyle wear and for a broader audience. One clear trend is smaller sizing, appealing to both women and men with slimmer wrists.
Tudor’s Black Bay 54 Lagoon Blue, for instance, shrinks to a well-balanced 37mm case, with a dial inspired by Tudor’s 1950s divers. It’s a nod to the Oyster Prince Submariner reference 7922, adopted by the French and US navies, but inside beats the modern Calibre MT5400, engineered for robustness.
Colour is another force reshaping the category. Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms Tech line, for example, makes a bold statement with new orange rubber straps. Still substantial at 45mm, the titanium case houses a unidirectional bezel with 120 clicks for use with gloved hands.
For Blancpain chief executive Marc A Hayek, innovation is central. “When we developed the Fifty Fathoms Gombessa in 2023 [a watch named after Ballesta’s scientific expedition to research the coelacanth fish, thought extinct for 70 million years], it came from a question I asked myself: ‘If the Fifty Fathoms were invented today, what would it look like?’”
The answer is the new Fifty Fathoms Tech BOC, which brings advanced technology into a more wearable form. “Now, I love that we can bring colour and style into the Tech line, proving that a serious diver’s watch can also have a lifestyle side,” says Hayek.
Omega has also embraced vivid hues in its Seamaster Aqua Terra series. The latest release is a striking turquoise, available in both 38mm and 41mm cases. With ceramic bezels, a turquoise varnish dial shaded with a black gradient and Super-LumiNova markers, the watch is as stylish as it is capable, water-resistant up to 150 metres.
It carries forward the DNA of the original Seamaster while nodding to the technical refinements of the modern Seamaster 300M.
Montblanc, better known for its mountaineering-inspired timepieces, has moved decisively into diving with its Iced Sea Automatic Date collection.
These are ISO 6425-certified divers watches, thanks in part to the brand’s O Oxygen technology, which eliminates fogging under extreme temperature shifts and prevents oxidation so the components last longer.
The line now comes in a smaller 38mm size, broadening its appeal, and offers glacier-patterned dials in crisp white and ice blue, paired with rubber straps or a steel bracelet.
Breitling’s relationship with the sea goes back to 1957, when it debuted the Superocean. Then, as now, the model was as much about design as utility. Today, it has been reimagined as the Superocean Heritage.
The collection includes a 42mm chronograph and automatic models in 40mm, 42mm and 44mm, equipped with the new B31 movement, plus a more compact 36mm version with the Calibre 10 automatic movement in mint green.
“It’s our most elegant sea watch and this update is about refinement,” says Breitling chief executive Georges Kern. “Details have been perfected, but the spirit stays the same. It’s about style at sea.”
Oris, meanwhile, continues to champion accessibility and conservation. The Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph is a vintage-inspired piece with ocean-green accents, retro pump pushers and 100-metre water resistance.
In its bestselling Aquis line, Oris has launched the Aquis Date in a fashionable New York Harbour aqua-green, paired with a rubber strap. Released last month, it supports the restoration of oyster reefs in New York Harbour.
Marine conservation has become a rallying cry for many watchmakers, tying the diver’s tool-watch heritage to today’s environmental concerns.
Ulysse Nardin has just released the Diver Hammerhead Shark chronometer, a muscular 44mm model in blue PVD-coated titanium, its case-back engraved with a hammerhead motif. It continues the maison’s Shark series, which supports ocean protection.
Panerai, too, has integrated sustainability into its identity. The brand has forged partnerships with causes such as manta ray conservation and Ocean Literacy With All, making each watch purchase feel like a contribution.
This year, it revisits the Luminor Marina of the 1990s, originally a military instrument, reinterpreted for civilians in lighter titanium and with a thinner case profile. The result is a watch that remains faithful to its military toughness, while offering clarity and lightness for those venturing below the surface.
From Omega’s pioneering Marine to Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms, and from Panerai’s rugged military instruments to today’s vibrant, conservation-minded designs, the dive watch has continually evolved.
What began as a practical solution for professionals, is now an icon of style, adaptability and purpose. Whether strapped on in the depths of the ocean or peeking out from under a shirt cuff, the diver remains one of watchmaking’s most enduring creations.
Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs
Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 7-speed automatic
Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km
Price: Dh235,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Real Madrid (2) v Bayern Munich (1)
Where: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
When: 10.45pm, Tuesday
Watch Live: beIN Sports HD
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
THE SPECS
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Transmission: 8-speed automatic
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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