According to evolutionary scientists, humanity emerged from the depths of the ocean. They are confident that human ancestors had gills and quickly cut through the expanses of water, moving in the space of three dimensions in a state of absolute freedom. Jacques-Yves Cousteau once said that “under water, a person becomes an archangel,” capable of “flying in any direction.” Having reached land, we found ourselves chained to the surface for hundreds of thousands of years, in slavery to a rigid system of two-dimensional coordinates. It is not surprising that we are all so attracted to the sea and its bottomless depths.
And, as a result, this is why many of us are so fond of “divers” - watches designed for scuba diving. In my opinion, the products of small Swiss watchmakers are often much more interesting than the models of famous manufacturers. Especially when you realize that a fair portion of the cost of watches comes from advertising and marketing costs for brands. It was all the more interesting to study the DAVOSA Argonautic BGBS model that came to me for a test drive.
A bit of history
Davosa is a Swiss watch company that celebrated its centenary six years ago. The brand's path to success began with a small family business called Terminages d'Horlogerie Paul Hasler. Its founder, Paul Hesler, turned out to be a talented watchmaker and a brilliant entrepreneur who was able to quickly bring the company to the US market, where the young brand successfully competed with the venerable “dinosaurs”. Unlike many, DAVOSA successfully survived the “quartz crisis” and focused on producing watches with mechanical calibers in a classic style.
Davosa launched its flagship Argonautic line back in 2008. During this time, the model managed to become a cult favorite and gain a significant clan of fans. You probably remember the story about the Argonauts and the Golden Fleece from your school course, and here the name of the Argonautic collection comes from the word “navigator”.
However, instead of banal gold, a unique material called BEYOND STEEL is used to produce the Davosa Argonautic BGBS Automatic watch, which, according to experts, is close to gold in density. Add to this exceptional heat resistance and a stainless steel-like appearance. The watch is water resistant to 300 meters (1000 feet) plus the price is around a thousand euros. The result is simply a unique product for the watch market.
But let's take a look at the new generation of divers. Davosa decided to rethink its classic model and release it in four colors. I came across a version with a white dial for a test drive. And I don’t even remember such models for diving from competitors. Despite the choice of revolutionary material, the Davosa Argonautic BGBS Automatic watch has a very classic look. The Diver showcases a timeless design that fits today, but would also look at home in the mid-1960s.
Laconic beauty
The brand's craftsmen have preserved in this model all the best that was previously invented - a laconic design, a case with a diameter of 43 mm and a height of 13,5 mm. Plus one of the important points is the length of the case, which from lug to lug is 51,2 mm. As a result, these dimensions make the model suitable for almost anyone: there is no danger that the watch may be too small or too large.
Versatile diver! I have already talked about their timeless design, which allows you to easily integrate the watch into any look, be it smart casual clothing or a formal office suit. That's what's great about classic steel divers - they go with everything. Especially with the white dial color.
As for the BEYOND STEEL material, I, of course, did not subject the watch to heating to a temperature of 2950 °C, chemical exposure or putting it under a press (by the way, its hardness is almost like that of diamond). But the technical data is impressive and the density of the material is close to that of gold, so the Davosa Argonautic BGBS Automatic weighs a whopping 208 grams and is quite heavy on the wrist.
The helium valve also speaks about the functionality of the watch (we remember about the water resistance of 300 meters). As you know, when surfacing from great depths, it releases helium from the watch, preserving it from destruction and preventing sea water from entering it. All professional divers use such watches. I think that few of our readers have such a profession, but it is better to have a watch with some unique feature than not to have one.
Inside the case is an automatic caliber called DAV 3021. Behind this mysterious name is a Swiss Sellita movement (more precisely, SW200-1 Elaboré). This is the basic caliber Sellita SW-200, seriously modified by the company's engineers, which has higher accuracy and a power reserve of 38 hours. The new generation Argonautic dial features satin-brushed hand-applied indexes and looks very expensive. In addition to the main functions, there is a date display at the 3 o'clock position.
As for readability, it is not bad, plus in poor lighting conditions the situation is saved by the BG W9 Super-LumiNova composition applied to the indexes and hands. And orange accents on the arrow-shaped tip of the second hand and on the Argonautic BG inscription add the necessary brightness to the watch's appearance.
The watch features a TriaLink stainless steel metal bracelet with a diving extension so it can easily be attached to any wetsuit.
To summarize. The DAVOSA Argonautic BGBS 1000 ft is a premium watch at a budget price. If you are looking for a diving watch that will become your daily companion, then pay attention to the models in this collection. Argonautic keeps pace with its competitors, impressing with Swiss quality and a reliable automatic caliber. A universal watch that will find its place in any collection.
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