Take a deep breath. Now hold it.
The first minute or so is usually a cake walk. But once you start entering two minute territory and above, your lungs will start to burn, your heartbeat gets louder and the seconds hand on your wristwatch gets slower, and slower … and slower, until your lungs cramp and you have no choice but to gasp for air.
Welcome to the life of a freediver!
Professional Freedivers are athletes who are able to dive to mind-boggling depths with one, singular breath. In 2003, Omega partnered up with professional Freediver Jacques Mayol, a world-record holder and legend in his sport, who was the first to hit a depth of 100 meters, to create a dive watch specifically for Freedivers called the Seamaster Professional Apnea Chronograph.
This model, a Reference 2595.50, features a 41.5mm stainless steel case with a sapphire crystal, a steel elapsed-time bezel with a ‘scalloped’ edge, screw-down chronograph pushers and a signed crown. Appropriately named the Apnea (cessation of breathing), the black dial features seven disc apertures that gradually turn red in 2 minute increments, counting a total elapsed time of 14 minutes. This quick-reference features allows a Freediver to quickly gauge how long they’ve been diving, and more importantly, how much time they have left to reach the surface, based on their tested lung capacity.
Fitted to its original multi-link stainless steel bracelet with a push-button deployant clasp equipped with a wetsuit extension, it’s powered by a self-winding Omega Calibre 3601 movement. Well-loved showing light normal wear throughout, this one definitely has some stories to tell …
… and plenty left in its lungs to accompany you as you write your own stories into it as well.