Carl F Bucherer was founded in 1888, in Lucerne. They are known for making high quality, robust timepieces. Part of the Patravi collection, the Patravi Scuba-tec Manta Trust is a limited edition diver, with a special cause behind it. Only 188 pieces will be made.
Limited Design
The Patravi Manta Trust is very similar to many of the watches you will find in Carl F. Bucherer’s Scubatec collection. It has a fairly large case. The piece has a diameter of about 44.6mm and a height of 13.45mm. The case is a made of a very smooth, brushed stainless steel. The size and texture of the steel give the effect that this piece is very heavy, and can withstand a lot of damage. Although this piece does have the design of a normal diving watch. Its size and sudden curves and cutoffs give it the appeal that it is very distinct and special.
Photo courtesy of swisswatchesblog.de
The brands logo can be found on the crown. The crown is very large on this piece, which is ideal for usability. It’s also a screwdown type and has a crown guard. The crown guard only covers half of the crown due to its enormous size. The size of the crown can make wearing the watch uncomfortable at certain times, this is due to the crown digging into your wrist. This piece also has an automatic helium release valve to avoid damage when diving, and can go down to a depth of about 500 Meters or about 1640 Feet.
The dial and bezel on the Manta Trust is really where you will start to notice the differences compared to the normal scuba tec. Unlike the normal Scuba-Tec the Manta Trust comes in one and only one color combination. This is grey and black. The bezel has a very unique notched pattern. This notched pattern occurs 8 times on the bezel, and allows for easy grip especially if you are wearing gloves while diving. The bezel has a black and grey ceramic insert. This insert has indicators for the first 15 minutes and is followed by numerals for 20-50 minutes. 60 minutes is marked by an arrow with a luminous dot in it. The numerals on the bezel are quite large, but fit in very nicely with the theme of the watch.
The dial is dark grey, almost black. On the dial you will find two black manta ray silhouettes, when looking closely. The manta ray’s on the dial have the appearance that they are above the water’s surface. Unlike the honeycomb pattern you would find on the dial of the normal Patravi Scubatec, the Manta Trust has a horizontal linear pattern on the dial. The indices on this piece rather large, and shaped to have a 3d look to them. The hands on this piece are also on the large side, which makes for enhanced viewing. All of the indices and hands are coated in a bright super-luminova to allow the watch to be seen deep underwater. A sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating covers the dial which also allows for a clear view.
The band is like a piece of modern refined machinery, and very consistent with the overall design of the case. The black rubber band is sturdy and thick, yet has enough flexibility to be comfortable on the wrist. The deployment is sophisticated and durable. It can be easily resized to fit your wrist. It also has the ability to make fine adjustments with a zip tie type arrangement with a release on the clasp and small teeth on the deployment. The deployment can be released with buttons on each side. The clasp is a heavy brushed stainless steel which closes in a vault like manner. The clasp ends are thick and solid and fit together with precision.
A special custom caseback will be found on this piece. On the caseback you will find a Manta ray engraved. Each manta ray engraving has a different pattern on its base because each manta ray was engraved from a photo taken by Guy Stevens, Manta Trust CEO. On the caseback you will also find which number watch of 188 pieces created. You will also find the Carl F Bucherer serial number.
Conclusion
This is an amazing piece. It has a great design and is very strong and robust. I would recommend this piece for divers or serious watch collectors, as it does have a large size. The pricing starts around $6000usd or £4400Gbp.
To view Carl F. Bucherer’s entire collection visit their official website here.
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