At Free Car Mag we love watches, especially divers that are automatic and have a story to tell. This really is a proper Diver’s timepiece. We will have more images and details in the next issue, 118. Please read on.
The Fleuss Automatic Marlborough Limited Edition is a tribute to the Fleuss collection’s namesake, celebrated diving pioneer Henry Fleuss (1851–1933).
Fleuss was born in Marlborough, in the county of Wiltshire in the United Kingdom.
At the age of sixteen he went to sea, eventually becoming an officer with the P&O Company. Whilst watching divers recovering lost cargo in their heavy and cumbersome apparatus, Fleuss was inspired to find a way of making the diver independent of the surface, dispensing the heavy pump and the large crew of men needed to operate the apparatus. Applying a knowledge of physiology and chemistry, Fleuss worked to incorporate a source of compressed oxygen and for absorption of carbon dioxide – in doing so, he was freeing the diver from any external support needed while diving. He proved to be both resourceful and innovative, building much of the apparatus himself and without any previous experience of diving he would nonetheless test his equipment by himself to much acclaim and publicity.
Eventually, as engineer and Master Diver for Siebe, Gorman & Co., he developed the self-contained diving apparatus further. The Davis Submarine Escape Apparatus developed with Robert Davis was a neat and compact derivative of the Fleuss apparatus, recognized as the first practical closed-circuit breathing apparatus. This crucial piece of equipment would pave the way for the Frogmen and Human Torpedo riders of World War II.
The Fleuss Marlborough diver watch, limited to just 500 pieces in total, explores an aesthetic and design language of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Cathedral style hour and minute hands are applied on the dial are cohesively matched with a set of hour indexes lathered in Swiss Super-LumiNova for optimal visibility in low-light conditions. A semi see-through dial delivers a clear and legible view of the time, with a date window positioned at 6 o’clock. A solid marine grade stainless steel case, 43mm in diameter is topped with scratch resistant sapphire lens and features an updated custom built 7-link solid stainless steel bracelet with fold over diver clasp.
In addition, this limited edition features an extra genuine leather water resistant strap for added versatility and wear. The Fleuss Marlborough features an era-appropriate “pumpkin” style crown accentuating an early 19th-century vibe to the watch. All of this comes together within the resolute, robust, and reliable engineering synonymous with Spinnaker’s purpose-built dive watches.
The watch is water resistant to 15 ATM (150M) and is powered by the workhorse, reliably enduring quality of a TMI NH35 automatic movement.Available in two colours, each watch is only produced to a limited edition run of 250 pieces and is available for purchase right now.
This watch is also wonderfully packaged making it a great gift for someone, but mostly to yourself. Hurry before the Limited Edition becomes the sold out one. Spinnaker Watches
