Underwater, where pressure increases, nitrogen bubbles are compressed and become smaller. On the surface (where pressure is 1 bar), nitrogen is exhaled in the quantity it is inhaled. Since nitrogen is totally inert, it does not react chemically with our bodies. This is mainly contained in the bubbles that a diver expels in the deep. While breathing, the oxygen is transformed into carbon dioxide and exhaled from our body. The air our tank feeds our lungs contains 79% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. The deeper we go, the more pressure our body withstands (add 1 bar to every 10 meters of depth). Image by Derek Haager for MONOCHROME Why is diving complex? Most underwater images were taken by our resident dive-watch editor Derek Haager.

Love travelling and exchanging with people.” Whilst engaged in pursuing a career in business, I had always tried to balance interests between diving, cycling, tennis and photography. “ Born in Piraeus, Greece, surrounded by the sea, in 1992, I followed my longtime friend Nikos Tzanoiudakis’ school and started exploring under the surface. This article was written by Tassos Tzanos. This leads us to the question all watch enthusiasts might have… What do divers really need underwater when it comes to timekeeping instruments? How relevant a mechanical dive watch is nowadays, compared to a diving computer? Once the diver clears all the obvious dangers, they still have to fight the invisible and life-threatening risk of decompression sickness (DCS). This technology, though, has its limitations and risks. The technology developed during the second half of the 20th century lets us fathom and remain in previously unreachable depths. The dangers are countless: animals, risk of drowning, disorientation, to name but a few. In short, we are somewhere where we are not supposed to be. Humans cannot breathe underwater like fish, cannot swim like fish and cannot seek their food like fish. Going underwater exposes our bodies to an environment that is not designed for humans.

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