What does a helium release valve do on a watch?
The purpose of a helium escape valve is to allow the trapped helium molecules to safely vacate the watch case in a controlled manner before the built-up internal pressure reaches a point that risks damaging the watch.
What watches have a helium escape valve?
Models that feature a helium release valve include most of the Omega Seamaster series, Rolex Sea Dweller, Tudor watches Pelagos, some dive watches from the Citizen Watch Co., Ltd, Breitling, Girard-Perregaux, Anonimo, Panerai, Mühle Rasmus by Nautische Instrumente Mühle Glashütte, Deep Blue , all watches produced by …
At what depth do you need a helium escape valve?
Unless you’re a professional diver, chances are you won’t ever have to use the helium escape valve. Mostly, the feature is there for professional divers diving to depths greater than 250 feet for extended periods of time. At depths greater than 250 ft, the gasses in water become toxic.
How do you use Omega helium valve?
How to Use The Helium Escape Valve on Omega Watches
- In its normal position (fig.
- During the decompression phase, unscrew the crown of the valve in order to release the mechanism (fig.
- This operation is automatically repeated several times during the decompression phase.
What is a saturation dive watch?
When extensive construction, maintenance, or inspection work is required in deep water, saturation divers are often called in. Saturation divers live in pressurized dry chambers on diving support vessels or barges for roughly a month at a time, taking a once-daily diving bell ride to a work site on the ocean floor.
Who invented helium escape valve?
The Rolex helium escape valve was first introduced for the Rolex Sea-Dweller, but did you know that Rolex was part of inventing this feature? In fact, Rolex co-created the helium escape valve together with the watch brand Doxa in the 1960S.
Why does the Omega Seamaster have 2 crowns?
The Omega Seamaster Professional Diver 300M, commemorative edition for the 40th anniversary of James Bond with 007 logos. The second crown (at 10 o’clock) is a Helium release valve to allow helium out of the watch after wearing the watch in a diving bell with an atmosphere rich in helium.
Do saturation divers wear watches?
While many scuba divers no longer wear watches, instead allowing diving computers to calculate their decompression schedule and required stops, commercial saturation divers often wear watches in their unique pressurized workplace.
How does the helium escape valve work Omega Seamaster?
The valve is now watertight from the outside. As the interior pressure becomes greater than the exterior pressure, it pushes the gasket (A) out of its seating, thus releasing the gas (fig. 2.3). Once the pressure is equalised, gasket (A) returns to its original position, pushed by the spring ( C ) (fig. 2.2).
Why does Omega Seamaster have two crowns?
What watch do Navy divers wear?
Luminox Navy Seal Watches are the most dependable watches for night missions because of their self-powered illumination capabilities. Each watch has been individually tested and proven to be water-resistant for 200 meters.
What is a helium release valve?
A helium release valve, helium escape valve or gas escape valve is a feature found on some diving watches intended for saturation diving using helium based breathing gas. When saturation divers operate at great depths, they live under pressure in a saturation habitat with an atmosphere containing helium or hydrogen.
Is a helium release valve necessary for an undersea watch?
While much real and virtual ink has been spent proclaiming the necessity of the helium release (i.e., “escape”) valve for any professional diver’s watch, this subtle and relatively simple case feature remains one of the most misunderstood complications in the undersea watch world.
How do helium diving bell watches work?
For the trapped helium gas, volume increases as pressure decreases – and as the pressure inside the diving bell returns to its normal sea-level values, the helium molecules that are stuck inside the case begin to expand. This creates a significant internal pressure that can be strong enough to force a watch crystal clear from its case.
How does a helium purge valve work?
These one-way valves are kept closed by a specialized internal spring, and when internal pressure becomes great enough to compress the spring, the valve quickly opens and lets the trapped helium purge out.