ReviewCarl F. Bucherer Strengthens Its Sustainability Efforts With The Patravi ScubaTec Maldives Edition
Independent Swiss player, Carl F. Bucherer’s association with the Manta Trust, a non-profit organisation that supports the conservation of manta rays and their marine ecosystem is further consolidated this year with the launch of their new dive timer—the Patravi ScubaTec Maldives. Here’s a closer look
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Carl F. Bucherer is among those brands in the watch industry that have been making sustained efforts towards achieving a greener and a cleaner planet. What started out in 2013 has been just one of the few initiatives taken by the brand to contribute towards this cause; and they go from strength to strength. Focusing on the future generations, Carl F. Bucherer entered into a long-term partnership with the Manta Trust, eight years ago, and have been able to support and build a solid foundation to protect the manta rays—one of the largest sea creatures that are as magnificent as they are vulnerable. The Manta Trust—a non-profit organisation, founded in 2011 by marine biologist, Guy Stevens, is on a mission to save these endangered species from extinction by preserving their natural habitats through research, education, and collaboration. For nearly a decade, this foundation has been raising awareness about these enigmatic creatures and providing education not only to the general public, but also to community stakeholders.
To celebrate the partnership this year, the Lucerne-based independent brand have launched the Patravi ScubaTec Maldives dive watch that honours Carl F. Bucherer’s illustrious association with the Manta Trust. This is the newest member to join the Patravi ScubaTec family—which happens to be the brand’s line-up of dive watches that offer impressive features meant for professionals, and are an important part of the company DNA. This is the fourth timekeeper, which marks this collaboration; the first one being launched in 2017, the second in 2019, and a third edition, which was launched last year. “We are proud that, with the new Patravi ScubaTec Maldives, we are able to continue our support of the Manta Trust, which has been close to our hearts since 2013. The Patravi ScubaTec Maldives will help raise awareness of the urgent global need for marine preservation, and it will also support an important initiative: the creation of a game-changing floating research station,” says Carl F. Bucherer, CEO Sascha Moeri.
Distinct for its all-blue look, the Patravi ScubaTec Maldives was presented during the digital edition of Watches & Wonders earlier in April, this year, and is pleasing to the eye with its fresh and vibrant new design. While a portion of the proceeds from the sales of each previous model was donated to the foundation, the contribution from the sale of the Patravi ScubaTec Maldives edition is specifically dedicated to the Manta Trust’s new floating research station project that aims to identify new areas within the Maldives archipelago, which have remained inaccessible so far.
For The Greater Good: The Patravi ScubaTec Maldives Timepiece
The case
When you first look at this timekeeper, the Patravi ScubaTec Maldives edition immediately strikes you as an archetypal, modern-day dive watch. It comes in a generous 44.6mm stainless steel case, topped by a unidirectional rotating steel bezel with blue and white ceramic inlays. A 60-minute scale with luminous markings makes it easy to calculate elapsed time underwater, thanks to the bold font, which is actually quite beneficial for sportspersons and professional divers. There’s a screw-down crown on the right side of the case protected by two crown guards, and on the opposite side, at the eight o’clock position there’s also an automatic helium escape valve. This feature is essential to all dive timers offering a considerable water resistance, which is this case is up to a depth of at least 500m. On reversing the watch, one can see the solid stainless steel caseback, decorated with a motif featuring two manta rays, aligned almost to resemble a yin/yang symbol. This also ensures a higher waterproofness for the timepiece.
The dial
The watch also stands out for it vibrant, blue dial with a lacquered wave pattern, which looks contemporary and young. The large case dimensions allow the watch face to occupy a sizeable chunk, and features applied luminous indexes. Even the oversized hands are coated with Super-LumiNova, which makes the watch particularly easy to read under all lighting conditions. The blue bezel is also perfectly in sync with the dial’s colour scheme, and one can see the square date window positioned at three o’clock here. The central seconds hand is slightly longer and slimmer, and sweeps smoothly across the dial.
The movement
At the heart of the watch lies Carl F. Bucherer’s automatic calibre CFB 1950.1, a COSC-certified chronometer that offers a power reserve of 38 hours. With a diameter of 26.2mm and thickness of 4.6mm, this powerhouse contains 25 jewels and beats at a frequency of 28,800vph to offer three-hand timekeeping through its centrally mounted hands. The hacking seconds also allow for precision time setting for this dive timer.
The strap
The Patravi ScubaTec is secured onto the wrist by a unique blue strap made of natural rubber where its fabric insert is made of 100 percent recycled bottles recovered from the Mediterranean Sea. The chunky lugs of the case angle downwards to better accommodate the strap, which is fitted with a finely adjustable folding clasp that extends the length of the bracelet to ensure that is secured comfortably, even around a diving suit. There’s also an option available with a stainless steel bracelet, which features a fine adjustment function—where it can be extended to suit the wearer’s comfort.
The Patravi ScubaTec Maldives Supporting The Floating Research Station
With this latest addition to the Patravi family, Carl F. Bucherer will be able to support a remarkable new initiative undertaken by the Manta Trust: the creation of a floating research station in the Maldives, which is home to the largest population of manta rays in the world. Unlike most research bases that are centralised and hence limit the accessibility for further studies, the Manta Trust’s vision is to be able to break this mould with the new floating research centre. This will provide an opportunity for new discoveries in parts of the Maldives that have so far been unexplored due to various constraints. In this ideal environment, the specialists will be together in one place, and will be able to conceptualise new strategies, devise plans, and brainstorm ideas for further research and conservation efforts, not only in the Maldives, but also on a global scale. This further consolidates the partnership that’s working towards a common goal so that the coming generations are able to reap the benefits of these endeavours.
Over the years, Carl F. Bucherer have generated an enormous amount of interest in these majestic sea creatures, and have helped spread awareness about their habitat and also around preservation of the marine ecosystems. The new Patravi ScubaTec Maldives edition is yet another prolific step in the right direction to help build a solid foundation for a sustainable future for our oceans and the diverse aquatic life found in their deepest depths.
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