OWNERS MANUAL

D-1 Diver

The D-1 Diver is inspired by robust tool watches created in the 20th century expressly for underwater workers. Able to withstand sustained deep dives, these proved life savers for salvage divers, combat frogmen and explorers alike. Later, as scuba became a popular sport, the Diver crossed into the public domain, both above and below the surface. In design terms, it is still defined by its primary function, monitoring oxygen use.

The D-1 Diver case is made from a high grade 904L Stainless steel which offers superior resistance to corrosion and pitting over time than the industry standard 316L stainless steel. We also chose it for the unique lustre of the steel when it is brushed. See below for the specifications, setting instructions, maintenance tips and servicing.

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D – 1 Diver Specifications
Key features
  • Diameter 44mm
  • Swiss self-winding movement
  • Case and buckle in 904L stainless steel
  • Water resistance 30ATM/300m
  • Swiss made
  • First edition run of 300 pieces
  • 3-year warranty*
  • Interchangeable straps with quick release bar 
Casing
  • Case diameter 39.7mm
  • Lug-to-lug 49.8mm
  • Lug width 22mm
  • Case thickness 16mm
  • Weight (without straps) 94 grams
  • Screw-in 904L brushed stainless steel caseback
  • Caseback engraved with key specifications
  • Matching serial numbers on caseback and rear of bottom right lug 
  • Unidirectional, 120-click bezel in 904L brushed stainless steel with matt black ceramic insert
  • Water resistance 30ATM/300m
Movement
  • Sellita SW200-1 Automatic movement
  • 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)
  • 38-hour power reserve
  • 26 jewels
  • Hacking seconds
Display
  • Matt black dial with white markers
  • Blue accents (daylight) on bezel, seconds hand and crown
  • Swiss Super-LumiNova® blue emission on dial, hands and crown
  • Domed sapphire crystal with double-sided anti-reflective coating

Winding and Setting Your Watch

All Aera watches come with a screw-down crown to maximise water resistance. To wind your watch, first gently unscrew the crown anticlockwise until it pops out to the first position.

Always remove your watch from your wrist to wind it to prevent putting lateral pressure on the winding stem.

Winding

Gently wind the watch in a clockwise direction to energise the mainspring. A minimum of 27 full rotations is needed to fully wind the mainspring. We do not recommend winding beyond 40 rotations to avoid stressing components. However if you are wearing the watch immediately, as an automatic, half that number will suffice to get it running; it will also energise the mainspring simply with the movements of your arm.

Once set, return the crown to the first position, and wind the crown in until it stops, a gentle tightening is all that is required; excess force can damage the crown, case and movement. 

Time Setting

From the first position, gently pull the crown out for two clicks. From this position, you are able to set the hour and minute hands. A hacking function built into the movement also freezes the second hand, allowing you to make precise to-the-second settings.

Once set, return the crown to the first position, and wind the crown in until it stops, a gentle tightening is all that is required; excess force can damage the crown, case and movement. 

Aera Straps

All Aera watches come with a screw-down crown to maximise water resistance. To wind your watch, first gently unscrew the crown anticlockwise until it pops out to the first position.

Always remove your watch from your wrist to wind it to prevent putting lateral pressure on the winding stem.

–– 01 Remove Your Strap

Each strap-end has a tab-operated spring bar mounted inside.

To remove a strap, slide the tab towards the middle of the strap and gently pull away from the tab side first. 

–– 02 Fitting A Strap

To add your chosen strap, repeat step 1 in reverse. Insert the pin, furthest from the tab side into the hole in the lug. Keep your thumb on the tab, so that it’s fully retracted into the strap, before aligning it with the hole in the lug. Check the pin is fully aligned before releasing. You should hear a light click as the tab engages with the case.

–– 03 Check Your Strap Is Secure

Using a light touch, attempt to pull each strap away from the case. If the strap is fitted correctly, there should be little to no movement. If there is a gap visible between the strap end and the case, the pins may not have engaged correctly.

 If unsure, repeat the process.

–– 01 Remove Your Strap

Each strap-end has a tab-operated spring bar mounted inside.

To remove a strap, slide the tab towards the middle of the strap and gently pull away from the tab side first. 

–– 02 Fitting A Strap

To add your chosen strap, repeat step 1 in reverse. Insert the pin, furthest from the tab side into the hole in the lug. Keep your thumb on the tab, so that it’s fully retracted into the strap, before aligning it with the hole in the lug. Check the pin is fully aligned before releasing. You should hear a light click as the tab engages with the case.

–– 03 Check Your Strap Is Secure

Using a light touch, attempt to pull each strap away from the case. If the strap is fitted correctly, there should be little to no movement. If there is a gap visible between the strap end and the case, the pins may not have engaged correctly.

 If unsure, repeat the process.

Automatic Movement

On a basic mechanical watch movement, after hand winding, the mainspring power slowly drains as the watch runs until it’s wound again. As the mainspring winds down, the accuracy of the watch's timekeeping quality drops off slightly, which means keeping it wound is better for its performance.

An automatic or self-wound watch, like Aera’s P-1 Pilot and D-1 Diver, however, is designed to top up the stored energy in the mainspring with the movements of your body. The movement’s oscillating weight rotates with every movement, keeping the mainspring topped up with its potential energy.


The stored energy - referred to in watch circles as the power reserve - only starts to reduce once the wearer becomes inactive, or removes the watch. If you wear your watch every day, there is no need to wind it. From fully wound, even if you don’t wear them, Aera’s P-1 and D-1 watches have an optimum power reserve of 38 hours.

Caring For Your
Aera Watch

This is the basic part. You need to have a common knowledge of the do’s and dont's when cleaning and maintaining the proper working conditions of any automatic watches. Click onto each title to find out things to do with your watch and things to avoid.

Correct Care Of
Your Aera Watch

It may sound obvious, but when fastening your watch, do it over a soft surface like a sofa or bed in case it slips out of your hand. We know from experience that watch cases and sapphire crystals don’t like marble floors.

Store your watch at room temperature. Extreme heat or cold can cause expansion and contraction, putting wear and tear on critical parts and shortening the life of the water-resistant gaskets.

Always rest a watch on it’s caseback or on its side if possible. Resting on the crown risks the watch rolling over. Resting face down can scratch the sapphire crystal when you move or pick it up again. 

When travelling, if you’re not wearing your watch, store it in a soft suede pouch, a dedicated travel case (on its own) or even a (preferably clean) sock. Just don’t forget which sock.

Actions To Avoid

Never put your watch in a pocket that also contains keys, coins and other daily necessities.

Never leave watches in checked baggage on planes.

For the same reason, if you like wearing bracelets next to your watch, consider having them in softer materials like leather rather than steel. Constant movement on your arm - and against your watch case - can create repeat patterns of scratching on the side of your watch case.

Never leave a watch face down on a surface, as particles of dust can scratch the sapphire crystal when you move it or pick it up again.

Avoid leaving your watch on objects that create magnetic fields, things like radios, speakers, cell phones and tablets. These can interrupt the oscillations of the regulating unit or balance - the heart of the movement that keeps it ticking consistently.

Water Resistance

Water is everywhere and it’s the nemesis of mechanical watches. Water resistance has naturally been a horological hot potato for almost a century and has been a driving force in research to make watches that are more protected against the damaging effects of water. 

Although modern watches are far more protected against the ingress of water or moisture than most of their 20th century forebears, the industry almost overwhelmingly still uses the term “water-resistant” rather than “waterproof”. Given the widely varying ambient conditions (humidity and heat) to which a watch may be subjected once it’s on the wrist of a customer, such absolutes are rarely given. 

The D-1 Diver Water resistance is 30ATM/300m, 300m watches are suitable for swimming, snorkelling, impact water sports, scuba diving etc

What  does  water  resistance  mean?

The higher a rating - in metres or ATM - the more your watch is engineered to keep out moisture. Most watches come with a resistance rating that’s given in meters usually starting at 5ATM (or 50 meters). If you have a watch that says that, best stay indoors if you see clouds outside. Definitely don’t attempt to go swimming with it.

It is not recommended to expose your watch to places with both hot water and steam/moisture, like showers, saunas or hot tubs. The heat can in some cases cause moisture to permeate gaskets and seals.

Air and its moisture content inside the case will be affected by external influences and can lead to condensation. Soaps and chemicals in public swimming pools affect the condition of the seal, while heat can harden the gaskets prematurely shortening their effective lifespan. 

Maintaining and caring for your watch
Cleaning

First, check that there is no damage to your watch and check the crown is fully screwed down and, as this may cause moisture ingress, resulting in damage to the movement. Never clean or wash your watch with the crown in any other setting than fully screwed down.

  1. Remove the strap and set aside (and see separate note below on cleaning straps). Using a cold, slightly damp cloth, wipe over the watch, this will help moisten and loosen any particles, making removal easier. Do this for a couple of minutes allowing the moisture do its job. This process will already be making a difference.
  2. Using a soft bristle brush, gently remove any particles that may lie in hard-to-reach areas, like the teeth of the bezel or between the lugs. Rinse the brush regularly with a trickle of room temperature water, tapping off the excess thoroughly.
  3. Once your case is clean, dry using a microfibre cloth to help remove any water marks, or left-over droplets. Leave in a fully dry environment before attempting to reset the time or hand winding your watches.
  4. If your watch has a rotating bezel (D1 Diver), to keep the bezel operating correctly, it is recommended after each time the watch has been submerged in water that the bezel is rotated a couple of times. By doing this, any particles of sand or grit that has made its way under the bezel will be shaken out during rotation. Follow this by wiping around the bezel with a clean damp cloth, removing any dislodged dirt. If you have been in a pool or the sea it is recommended that you rinse your watch soon after in tap water and towel dry immediately to wash away any salt or chemical agents.
Strap care

All materials used in straps react differently to their environment. Leather should not be immersed in water for anything but short periods, preferably not at all. Rubber is much more resistant to water which is why of course it’s typically used in dive watches, Cordura is impervious to water but can become dirty. Luckily there are tips for maintaining all your straps in good condition. It's worth taking the time to care for your straps to lengthen their useful lives.

Rubber

Place the strap in warm (not hot) soapy water and leave to soak for a couple of minutes. Using a soft bristled brush, or even a toothbrush, remove the strap from the water, shake off and gently brush it with. A circular motion works well to massage out any particles. Once complete, rinse under cold fresh water, and dry with a soft cloth.

Leather

Wipe the strap clean using a damp cloth, moistened slightly with warm water. Remove any moisture left behind by using a clean microfibre cloth, then allow it to dry fully. Do not use soap. Once it’s completely dry use a leather conditioner or saddle soap to help replenish the oils removed during the cleaning process. Be aware that some leather conditioners may darken the colour of your strap.

If you have worn your watch all day, especially on a hot day, but don't have time to wash it, swap out your strap and give the leather a day off to fully dry out in a ventilated space.

Suede

Suede is more susceptible to dust and moisture than leather. Use a cloth or very soft suede brush to work the surface loosening any dirt. Bear in mind that suede used in watch straps is usually much more fine than the kind used for shoes. Treat it very gently and do not use any products on it.

Cordura

Use a soft brush to agitate the fibres to help loosen any dirt.

We’d love to hear how you get on with your Aera watch

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Owners@aera.co is a dedicated email address for you to contact us. Think of it as a hotline to the Aera team for any questions, comments, photos you may want to send us of you enjoying your new watch, moans and groans or of course unlimited praise. In any case, we look forward to hearing from you. We feel rewarded to see our first watches come to life and can’t wait for you to experience them too.