INTRODUCING: The Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Original is a bulletproof diver with a brutal point of difference

Nick Kenyon

Just when you thought it was safe to go in the water with your diver of choice, there’s yet another iteration to consider, and it lurks not only in the deep, but in our marketplace, where you can buy it as of today… Dive watches are perhaps the best served category of watches in the market in terms of sheer variety. But there always seems to be new contenders from known and unknown brands. One collection that is not new by any stretch, but a little more under the sonar than usual is the Engineer Hydrocarbon from the Ball Watch Company.

Featuring a 40mm steel case that sits a proud 14.55mm tall, this watch packs in just about everything you could want in a dive watch. Offering a guaranteed water resistance of 200m, it also features 80,000A/m of antimagnetic resistance and 7500Gs of shock resistance. Basically, bulletproof. On top of that, the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Original also has an inbuilt hairspring anti-shock system SpringLOCK, and another anti-shock system protecting the regulator called SpringSEAL. The final piece of the armour that protects this watch against unwanted ingress is the swivelling crown protector that locks in place, making it one of the most heavily fortified watches on the market.

If you are familiar with the Ball Watch Company, you might know that they don’t do lume like most watch manufacturers. Instead of applying luminous paint to the dial and hands of their watches, Ball watches feature tiny inbuilt tubes filled with tritium gas that glow brightly in low light conditions. The Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Original contains 30 of these small gas tubes in the hands, dial and bezel to ensure it is always legible, no matter the circumstances.

The watch features a closed caseback with the engraved image of a historical diver on it. Behind this engraving is the automatic caliber BALL RR1102-CSL that powers the watch. To guarantee the level of accuracy that Ball demands, the movement is chronometer certified COSC, ensuring it is among the most accurate dive watches on the market.

The watch comes on a stainless steel three-link bracelet that is closed with a double button butterfly folding clasp. To ensure comfort while diving with the watch over your wetsuit, it also has an inbuilt diving extension that adds a small amount of bracelet length without requiring the use of tools.

So if you’re interested in exploring the deep, diverse world of the dive watch, the Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Original is one that needs to be a part of your research. And, if after investigating, you decide you need to add one to your collection, this is certainly a strong option if you are attracted to no-nonsense, cleanly designed and bulletproof dive watches.

Price and availability:

The Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon Original ref. DM2118B-SCJ-BK has an RRP $4630AUD and can be purchased from the Time+Tide Marketplace right here. For international sales enquiries, email [email protected]