Deep Impressions

Venturing down the bone-crushing depths of the ocean is just the tip of the iceberg for Bell & Ross.

- Celine Yap

In 1997, when Bell & Ross was just five years old, it made a watch that defied all odds. Called Hydromax, it is waterproof to 11,000m. At such dizzying depths, there is no light and the amount of pressure acting on the watch would measure nine tonnes per square inch.

Despite the hostile environment, the watch functions perfectly thanks to the use of a transparent silicone oil called Hydroil which was specially formulated for this timepiece. Two tiny holes on the inner flange allow the oil to seep in or out, allowing room for it to expand or contract as temperature fluctuates. In addition, a flexible rubber gasket within the case absorbs differences in compression, expansion and temperature as the watch dives. This watch had been tested by the French Marine Research Institute to 1,110 bar.