# Altofondale from Italy



## scubafox

Goodevening, this is my first post here even if i follow WS since long time. 
I' m glad to present to you our project. It consist of 20 pz of a professional diver watch we are making in Italy. All the suppliers are italian and we are a group of diving watches enthusiastic. We are going to test it as per ISO 6425 procedures to 1000m and we are engineering the system to test it for a saturation diver.
The watch has a ETA 2824-2 standard grade inside, Stainless steel 316 L, 44 mm with Verlux saphir 4 mm cristal.
Any comments or suggestion are greatly appreciated.
Up to date will follow.
Thank you

This is our forum in italian:
Professional Diver Project
This is our Facebook page:
Professional Diver Project | Facebook
Her are some pictures:


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## DEPA

looks fantastic, i just think there is a small problem with the crown and the topring. the crown looks like beeing fixed on the topring. how do you rotate the topring?


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## scubafox

DEPA said:


> looks fantastic, i just think there is a small problem with the crown and the topring. the crown looks like beeing fixed on the topring. how do you rotate the topring?


Yes, you are right. The rendering is not correct. I'll post Some other drawing that will clarify the real crown position.


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## Chronopolis

Handsome design!
Looking forward to seeing the finalized drawings!
But what is 'GAS BREAK COUNT UP'? (Mi dispiace, ma non sono diver.)


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## scubafox

Hi, here are some other drawings also for the case back. Here you can see the crown in the correct position.


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## scubafox

scubafox said:


> Hi, here are some other drawings also for the case back. Here you can see the crown in the correct position.
> 
> View attachment 784075
> View attachment 784083


The case back in the final configuration will be whit more rounded shape, non flat.


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## DEPA

yes understand what you mean but the crown will still stuck on the bezel once you start rotating it. i am sure you guys will do the right things in order to avoid that.


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## scubafox

A 2° model is engineering, 2000 m. We have just started with it. Any suggestion is really very much welcome and strongly appreciated.


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## joey1320

scubafox said:


> A 2° model is engineering, 2000 m. We have just started with it. Any suggestion is really very much welcome and strongly appreciated.
> View attachment 784198
> View attachment 784199


I like the designs, they look insanely nice.

A couple of things I would say tho, I would remove the strident, it has been used plenty already. The 
brands Sottomarino and Prometheus(by Invicta) both use the trident.

Also I would place the scuba mask above the extreme, it is more pleasing to the eye, in my opinion.

Gold luck with the project.
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


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## Chronopolis

+1

Having the Trident AND the mask - and both are roughly the same size - seems not like a good idea.



joey1320 said:


> I would *remove the trident*, it has been used plenty already. The
> brands Sottomarino and Prometheus(by Invicta) both use the trident.
> 
> Also I would place the *scuba mask above the extreme*, it is more pleasing to the eye, in my opinion.


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## DEPA

hi fab, just made some tweaks and corrected some bugs on the sideview. let me know what you think of it.


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## Demoman

I love the design and would buy one now. I hope you offer some to us WUS members?


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## scubafox

Demoman said:


> I love the design and would buy one now. I hope you offer some to us WUS members?


Hi, we are making 20 pzs for us; We are 20 people. But we are thinking to build some more to cover the extra requests.
You can go to our forum and contact the admin.


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## scubafox

New 3D rendering, the bezel is to be revised but the rest it is like should be.
There are also some pictures of the first prototype case, finally is materializing our dream!


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## Chronopolis

Che bello!! Auguri! Looks great! 
Something very 'architectural" in feeling about this.
Is it the rendering? or the way the bezel sits, cantilevered over the crown?
The dial is also very nice, Really bellissima! The muted gray for the text. Molto raffinato.
But the font you used is just hits the spot!

The only thing I question is the angled bezel ring - the steepness of the angle. Makes it harder to see, no?



scubafox said:


> New 3D rendering, the bezel is to be revised but the rest it is like should be.
> There are also some pictures of the first prototype case, finally is materializing our dream!
> View attachment 836334


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## scubafox

Chronopolis said:


> Che bello!! Auguri! Looks great!
> Something very 'architectural" in feeling about this.
> Is it the rendering? or the way the bezel sits, cantilevered over the crown?
> The dial is also very nice, Really bellissima! The muted gray for the text. Molto raffinato.
> But the font you used is just hits the spot!
> 
> The only thing I question is the angled bezel ring - the steepness of the angle. Makes it harder to see, no?


Grazie!
yes, the crown will be protected by the bezel but not so much as showed by the rendering, the dial is matt black and the muted gray is really a shadow black that you can see as you observe the dial from the different angle of the light,because it it shiny black on black matt.
the bezel will be flat and much larger like the first rendering i 've posted. The studio is working for us is not specialized in watch design, so every time there is something to correct, but will be ok, at the end!
we've changed the christal with a thicker 5 mm shapir instead of 3 mm due the results of our calculation for the resistance for the ISO saturation diver test on going, since we are not going toput any helium release valve.


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## scubafox

Work in progress...


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## Omegapassion

scubafox said:


> Hi, we are making 20 pzs for us; We are 20 people. But we are thinking to build some more to cover the extra requests.
> You can go to our forum and contact the admin.


I'm the number twenty.....:-d


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## scubafox

Hi everybody, few more days and the prototype should be ready for the test ISO. On the 2* week of Gen 2013 we have planned to run it with a R.O.V. to the bottom of the Mediterranean sea @ 1600 m. Everything will be registered on CD. 
Up date will follow soon!


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## workaholic_ro

A waste of money IMHO. I don't remember who was the first, Rolex perhaps, but today it is something usual for the watch companies to carry their products in the most unusual places as supersonic airplanes, to the bottom of the sea, in active vulcanos, in a satelite, in two satelites, to meet conditions that can be easily simulated in a common laboratory. Years ago was enough to tell something about a grandfather who had a passion for blacksmithing and a grandmother with origins somewhere in Jura mountains. 
I wonder, why people are so keen to buy a beautiful story instead a good product.
BTW, your renderings look good but the actual product seems to be a little bit different. I would vote for the renderings if I was asked. Good luck!


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## scubafox

No this is incorrect, we will test the watch following the ISO requirements and as saturation diver, in our lab, but nothing will replace the real situation in water. There are many timepieces ( the new Hublot 4000m, the Aquatimer 2000m, the Breitling Seawolf, the Doxa Sharkhunter ...and many others) that failed the real test in the water at the same depth than declared in their dial and even at more shallow depths....for many reason that you cannot replay in a test lab. 
Furthermore, you run the test in your lab, as well as the ISO standard procedures, and you do not have an impartial external laboratory that tests for you the watch and consider promoting it or not. We may write or tell everything on the watch but only the true depths tell if you're telling the truth.
So, now you know why we are people so keen to built as we are doing and not so keen to buy a watch which never seen any real depth.
A member of our team is a ROV pilot and supervisor, so the test it will be free, i will personally follow on board of the installation all the procedures to adopt from surface to the depth, and viceversa, others of our team are professional divers and military diver, and they asked for a test like this, they will use the watch as a tool watch, not as desk diver.


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## workaholic_ro

scubafox said:


> ....for many reason that you cannot replay in a test lab.


I am an engineer, sir, not a manicurist, I can appreciate the influence of an octopus tentacle from a distance of 1000m and the gama radiation of a coral reef.
My previous post was not meant to start a debate around vacuum philosophy and the always returning dynamic pressure. Just reflecting my personal opinion about wristwatch related literature.


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## scubafox

workaholic_ro said:


> I am an engineer, sir, not a manicurist, I can appreciate the influence of an octopus tentacle from a distance of 1000m and the gama radiation of a coral reef.
> My previous post was not meant to start a debate around vacuum philosophy and the always returning dynamic pressure. Just reflecting my personal opinion about wristwatch related literature.


Ok, ok!, Our dream is to see our watch surrounded by mermaids.


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## Janne

It will be difficult to wind up the movement.

Just sayin'


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## scubafox

Yes, that's correct, we 've planned to put the watch on one of the two manipulators, in order to keep the watch running by turning the manipulator , during the entire duration of the experiment.


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## Quasimodo

I for one am very excited about this. I'd love to know what happens next. Do keep us informed and clued in!


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## scubafox

Hello all,
here are some pictures of the 1° case for the prototype we are going to test, the bezel insert is missing, but it is ready togheter with the dial.
What do you think about it? Do you like it? We wish to know your opinion. 






ù


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## scubafox

Here are the bezel insert and the dial type 2, we are still thinking about what will be the final one, the dial you can see into the case or the type 2 with the bezel insert...


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## callfriday

Hello Scuba Fox,
I like this design. Even though there is nothing new or surprising about the dial and bezel insert design, I like what you did to the watch case and bezel design. The watch has a strange effect of appearing flat from the top view yet from the side one can see that the bezel is narrow but the main body of the watch is thick. I think that this is a cleverly designed watch which has well balance in proportions, a clear and clean cut design, with good design sophistication which has been simply executed. The eta 2824 movement is a good, but traditional choice - just like other classical diver watches. What will be interesting to see is if the size of the bezel insert text is strong and bold enough to be clearly seen, in the dark and at depth. This watch looks like you took the best of classical diver watch design, and brought it all to a new, fresh watch case. 

I think you have done a good job so far. It would be interesting to know what sort of price you are expecting for this watch. For example, is it going to be around the $500.00 - $800.00 dollars price range?

Callfriday


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## scubafox

hello Callfriday, thank you for your comments,
you have captured the essence of our design, a tool watch and not a watch that is worn under the cuff of his jacket. We like to imagine our watch not a necessary a beauty over the sea, but a really a working tool under the sea. 
I was inspired by many dive watch especially from the past so, you can see on it many reminiscences of other watch, but for sure it is not a object of pure design, Basically, was not 'designed to be beautiful, but functional.


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## Medusa

Great write up on Oceanictime, Congratulations 

OceanicTime: PROFESSIONAL SAT Divers Project ALTOFONDALE


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## Quasimodo

Scubafox

I find this incredibly exciting!! Just to give my 2 cents worth:

Looking at this dial, I find the design a little busy with the width of the minute indices just a bit too thick.
That in turn reduces the contrast around the key indices and cardinal indices, making time telling at a glance just a fraction more difficult. If you squint when you look at the dial, so that it becomes defocused, you will find that all the minute markers blend into a thick fuzzy white ring.

I don't mean to offend your sense of aesthetics; I come from over 20 years as a graphic designer and art director and I'm just humbly offering an opinion.

In the meantime, GREAT JOB! What price are you expecting to retail this beauty at? I'm going to need to start putting some funds away. 

View attachment 960468


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## scubafox

totally agree with you, we have another dial with the minutes indices empty and only surrounded by a line of luminova, we are deciding if is better or not. I personally beleive that they are too thick, but maybe could be good in a bad visibility conditions or darkness, i'm not sure, we will assembly the prototype completely tomorrow and i will post the pictures, we may see the watch complete and have a more complete view. I will wait your comments  
You do not offend my sense of aesthetics, on the contrary, i will learn from it! and thank you for offering your opinion.


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## scubafox




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## Quasimodo

The new dial is a lot less distracting but personal sentiment is that it the minute indices still reduce contrast, affecting legibility. But I'm liking the layout a lot with the trident and the dive helm. I love how the cardinal indices at 3, 6 & 9 echo the design of the hands! |>

I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of illustrating what I meant by a cleaner dial:









Another alternative:









Have dropped Fabrizio an email asking about purchasing a piece when you guys have finished production.


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## scubafox

Quasimodo said:


> The new dial is a lot less distracting but personal sentiment is that it the minute indices still reduce contrast, affecting legibility. But I'm liking the layout a lot with the trident and the dive helm. I love how the cardinal indices at 3, 6 & 9 echo the design of the hands! |>
> 
> I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of illustrating what I meant by a cleaner dial:
> 
> View attachment 964746
> 
> 
> Another alternative:
> 
> View attachment 964747
> 
> 
> Have dropped Fabrizio an email asking about purchasing a piece when you guys have finished production.


Thank you Quasimodo for posting your suggestions,
the problem with the minutes indices is that we are forced to put they on because we have to offer to a potential user a precise indication of minutes passed and coming, in order to plan the immersion and we have also the innovative indicator of the gas break which will work only if there are minutes indices on the dial.
The dial without the minutes indices are more clear but useless for the divers.


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## Quasimodo

scubafox said:


> Thank you Quasimodo for posting your suggestions,
> the problem with the minutes indices is that we are forced to put they on because we have to offer to a potential user a precise indication of minutes passed and coming, in order to plan the immersion and we have also the innovative indicator of the gas break which will work only if there are minutes indices on the dial.
> The dial without the minutes indices are more clear but useless for the divers.


Ah. Thank you, scubafox. I am humbly schooled.


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## scubafox

Goodmorning all!
Here are some pictures of the final version complete ( only the luminos dot at 12 o'clock isn't real, we are going to put on it next days)
We are testing the watch but we haven't pass yet the test for the two glasses tested on the watch: 4 mm thikness (mineral) and 4 mm thikness (mineral but tempered) cracks at 600m each! We are working with a new supplier and testing the new kit with sapphire; according to our calculations, 4 mm of thikness should have been enough and with a margin of safety......!!
What do you think? 
View attachment 983400

View attachment 983401

View attachment 983402

View attachment 983403


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## scubafox

Cracked @ 60 bar 4 mm thick mineral glass :

View attachment 983663

Cracked @ 60 bar 4 mm thick tempered mineral glass :

View attachment 983667


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## scubafox

The waterproof test @ 1,250 meters has passed! The next step will be to run the test for saturation diver. 
Test impermeabilità orologio fino a 1250 mt - YouTube
Follow us to see what we will achieve!


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## Quasimodo

scubafox said:


> The waterproof test @ 1,250 meters has passed! The next step will be to run the test for saturation diver.
> Test impermeabilità orologio fino a 1250 mt - YouTube
> Follow us to see what we will achieve!


Congratulations!!!!!!


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## scubafox

Many thank's Quasimodo!! 
Now, next challenge will be the test for saturation diver, 50 hours with 125 bar inside the watch with Heliox!!! Will see..


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## scubafox

Hello everybody!
this is just to inform you that Altofondale si not anymore a project! 
Our dreams comes true! We have been starting to deliver the 22 watches to their owners since yestarday....!


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## Quasimodo

scubafox said:


> Hello everybody!
> this is just to inform you that Altofondale si not anymore a project!
> Our dreams comes true! We have been starting to deliver the 22 watches to their owners since yestarday....!
> 
> View attachment 1170896


Woohoo! Very nice, scubafox!! When do I receive #23 for me? Hahahahahaha!


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## scubafox




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## spain72

Molo bello!
Congratulazioni per l'impresa ed in bocca al lupo...di mare, in questo caso!


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