Bühlmann’s Decompression 02 is not another retro diver with a scientific backstory added after the fact.
Its whole reason for being is printed into the watch, with decompression data from Professor Albert A. Bühlmann’s ZH-L16 tables displayed through a rotating mechanical dial.
The independent Swiss brand has now added two new First Editions in Black and White, each limited to 20 numbered pieces and priced at CHF 4,500.
At a glance
- Bühlmann has introduced Black and White First Editions of the Decompression 02 mechanical dive watch.
- The watch uses a rotating decompression dial with 17 ZH-L16 dive profiles plus a mechanical Fly-No-Fly segment.
- Each colour is limited to 20 numbered pieces, priced at CHF 4,500 and sold through Bühlmann and Watch Angels.
A decompression table built into the dial
Albert A. Bühlmann’s decompression work has long sat behind modern diving practice, with his ZH-L16 algorithm forming the basis for many dive computers and decompression tables.
The Decompression 02 brings that logic into a fully mechanical watch, developed with his son Thomas Bühlmann rather than relying on a battery or screen.
The central idea is a Twin Decompression Dial, where a second rotating dial sits beneath the main dial and is read through a sapphire opening at 6 o’clock.
That lower dial carries 17 common dive profiles derived from Bühlmann’s tables, along with an 18th segment for a mechanical Fly-No-Fly reference after diving.
It is a specialist function, and Bühlmann has made the minute indication the priority with an oversized minute hand and a reduced hour hand.
Two bezels for two timing jobs
The Decompression 02 also uses what the brand calls its Twin Safety Bezel, a system with two counter-rotating bezels.
One bezel is intended to measure total dive time, while the other times decompression stops, separating two jobs that would otherwise demand more mental arithmetic underwater.
Each bezel has its own fail-safe mechanism, reinforcing the watch’s role as a mechanical backup instrument rather than simply a desk-diver design exercise.
Black and White change the character
The Black and White editions are mechanically identical, but they give the Decompression 02 two very different personalities.
The Black version pushes the instrument-watch side of the design, with a darker, more technical presence suited to the watch’s professional-diving intent.
The White edition makes the dial architecture more visible, putting the decompression data and layered indications closer to the centre of attention.
Bühlmann CEO Guido Benedini describes the design approach succinctly, saying, “Its character comes from its purpose.”
A 48.5 mm case built for serious diving
At 48.5 mm, the stainless steel case is unapologetically large, though Bühlmann has worked several ergonomic details into the architecture.
The case is inclined by 5 degrees for legibility, the caseback is concave, and the strap connects through an articulated joint at 12 o’clock to help it sit more naturally on the wrist.
A detachable strap extension is included for wetsuit wear.
The watch is rated to 575 metres, a number Bühlmann chose to match Albert Bühlmann’s own hyperbaric record.
Other dive-watch hardware includes a ceramic bezel, sapphire crystal and helium escape valve, while the movement is a Swiss Sellita SW300 automatic.
Bühlmann says a portion of proceeds from every Decompression 02 goes to the DAN Europe Medical Research Fund, which supports research into decompression physiology and more personalised approaches to dive safety.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Bühlmann |
|---|---|
| Model | Decompression 02 First Edition Black and First Edition White |
| Case size | 48.5 mm |
| Case material | Stainless steel |
| Case architecture | 5° inclined case, concave caseback, articulated strap joint at 12 o’clock |
| Bezel | Ceramic Twin Safety Bezel with two counter-rotating bezels |
| Crystal | Sapphire, with sapphire window at 6 o’clock |
| Dial | Twin Decompression Dial with rotating ZH-L16 sub-dial |
| Functions | 17 dive profiles plus Fly-No-Fly segment |
| Movement | Swiss Sellita SW300 automatic |
| Water resistance | 575 m |
| Additional dive equipment | Helium escape valve and detachable strap extension for wetsuit wear |
| Packaging | Dedicated dive travel box |
| Edition | 20 numbered pieces per colour |
| Price | CHF 4,500 |
| Availability | buhlmannwatches.com and watchangels.ch |
The Decompression 02 First Edition Black and White will make the most sense to divers, instrument-watch collectors and anyone drawn to mechanical watches that still try to solve a real-world problem.
It is large, specialised and deliberately niche, but that is also what separates it from the many dive watches that borrow the look of the sport without engaging much with the science behind it.
