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.....and for this reason should be TWO versions of

In Response To: You have a significant misconception here... ()

.....and it is for this reason (that so few actually need the feature).....that Omega should offer TWO versions of the SMP.

Basically that's what Rolex does, by offering the Sea Dweller as better suited to deep diving with a thicker crystal and sans magnifying window (which dosn't work with a thicker crystal anyway, from what i read). The Submariner for everyone doing more casual water sports and scuba.

True......only one of the Rolex "Diving" watches has a Helium escape valve, (the Sea Dweller has an automatic valve built into the side of the case.....and unabtrusive as such). So the Submariner could be subject to a crystal popping off in a drastic pressure change situation. But could not the crown be loostened in a diving bell to ease the pressure? Of course! Certainly you can't open the Helium valve on the Omega under water anyway! A crown loosening would make more sense......provided the watch was wipped down a bit and not saoking wet. Also would require remembering to reseal the crown!

In any case......that stupid looking valve on the Omega SMP is a real turn off to me, and i'd venture a whole lot of other Omega folks.

Omega......offer it to those that really need it, .... and leave it off for the rest of us!

: The Helium Relief valve has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
: to do with making the watch more water
: resistant.

: It is an accessory feature needed only in
: obscure diving-bell situations that use a
: highly helium-based air. Because the 300M
: watches are so water resistant -- and
: therefore airtight too -- they cannot adjust
: to the AIR PRESSURE changes during diving
: bell decompression. So the HRV is there to
: allow the air pressure inside the watch to
: equalize faster so the crystal doesn't pop
: out.

: Both ROLEX and OMEGA include this obscure
: feature on some of their diving watches
: almost totally for the sales value of
: impressing the Average Joe. Only about 50
: people on this entire planet will ever be in
: the situation that actually calls for that
: feature.