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36
Helium escape valve
Specific sections/general information
4
Your
OMEGA
Seamaster Professional Diver is the watch for pro-
fessional and amateur divers, as well as demanding sportsmen and
–women. A robust design, the new helium escape valve (exclusive
OMEGA
patent), together with all the protection systems, offer
optimal security and reliability. In order to ensure that your watch
remains watertight, we recommend that you have it checked by an
authorised
OMEGA
partner every year.
Helium escape valve (fig. 1)
Why a helium escape valve? Air
cannot be used for deep-sea
dives, since nitrogen (a consti-
tuent element of air) becomes
toxic at a depth of 60 metres.
Therefore, when carrying out
work at great depths, professio-
nal divers stay in a diving bell
for several days, breathing a mixture of gases containing a high
proportion of helium. The pressure is gradually increased to reach
the pressure at the working depth. The divers, still inside the bell,
are then lowered to the working site. They leave the bell to carry
out their work.
once their work is complete, they re-enter the bell, which is then
raised to the surface. Pressure is then returned to atmospheric levels
and this is when the valve must be opened (only for deep-sea dives
lasting several days).
The helium molecules diffuse and penetrate the material of the
gaskets. The quantity is sufficient to push out the crystal during
the return to atmospheric pressure. To avoid this, the Seamaster
Professional Diver is equipped with a valve specially developed
by
OMEGA
.
30
40
35
30
25
60
45
50
55
15
5
10
30
10
20
60
20
40
12
6
9
3
PROFESSIONAL
CHRONOMETER
300m/1000ft
8
SWISS
MADE
fig. 1
q
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