The radical Ploprof
In 1970 OMEGA launched the Seamaster 600m Professional to the public. The “PloProf”, as it came to be known, had already been in use by professional divers around the world since the beginning of 1969. It is a true diving legend, revered for its radical design, its practical professional diving features and its performance. A generation later, a new Ploprof was born, combining its ancestor’s best features with OMEGA’s Co-Axial technology.
The OMEGA Seamaster 600m Professional
In 1970 OMEGA launched a watch created to withstand the crushing pressures endured by divers working deep below the ocean’s surface. It was the Seamaster Professional 600, the so-called “Ploprof” (the first letters of plongeur professionnel – the French words meaning “professional diver”) and it was one of the most rugged, robust and seaworthy divers’ wristwatches ever manufactured.
The Ploprof’s unmistakable shape was a result of positioning the crown at 9 o’clock for easier wrist movement and to reduce the chance of any inadvertent manipulation. The bidirectional rotating notched bezel is protected by a locking system controlled by a special pusher which prevents accidental rotation.
The most important dial features for divers working at great depths are the minute hand and the bezel. The Ploprof’s minute hand is oversized and the bezel is a perfect example of uncluttered legibility.
The Seamaster 600m Professional was, as its name suggests, water resistant to 600 metres (2000 feet). The imperviousness of the watch was such that it effectively resisted any penetration by helium atoms.
The rebirth of a diving legend – the OMEGA Ploprof 1200M
In 2009 OMEGA introduced an updated version of the classic and instantly recognizable wristwatch. Equipped with a Co-Axial calibre 8500, the new Ploprof 1200M is water resistant to an astounding 1200 metres (4000 feet) and it artfully combines its ancestor’s legendary features with OMEGA’s state-of-the-industry Co-Axial technology.
The Ploprof’s case, like that of its predecessor, cannot be mistaken for that of any other watch: the screwed-in crown is located at 9 o’clock under a protective buffer and, as with the original Ploprof, it allows freer wrist movement and prevents unintended manipulation.
Designed for divers
The time and date adjustments are made by unscrewing the crown to release the protective buffer and then pulling the crown to the appropriate position. The Co-Axial calibre 8500 makes it possible to adjust the hour hand separately to accommodate different time zones or for the changes to daylight savings and back to standard time.
At the 2 o’clock position is the Ploprof’s characteristic bezel-release security pusher with an orange anodised aluminium ring. Pressing the pusher allows the bezel to be rotated in either direction and then locked firmly in position, ensuring that it cannot be accidentally shifted during a dive. The Ploprof has an automatic helium escape valve located on the side of the case at the 4 o’clock position. This feature allows helium atoms to escape during decompression, and is particularly useful for professional divers operating from diving bells.
On your wrist; on your wetsuit
The Ploprof 1200M is available either with a brushed mesh "Sharkproof" bracelet or on a rubber strap in a choice of black or orange. The bracelet, with its double extension system, is fitted with OMEGA’s new diving safety clasp whose pinned links allow precise adjustments to 18 positions. It also features an extra divers’ extension to 26 mm so that the watch can be worn comfortably over a diving suit.
Respecting the past, defining the future
The OMEGA Seamaster Ploprof 1200M bears a strong physical resemblance to its famous ancestor and it carries on the traditions of robust reliability and water resistance which have always defined OMEGA’s divers’ watches. But there are also some remarkable improvements: for example, the watch is driven by the OMEGA Co-Axial calibre 8500 with a free sprung balance. This movement, launched in 2007, was created from inception by OMEGA and is one of the key elements in the revolution in mechanical watchmaking which has been taking place at the company since 1999.
