Summer? A desire for the sea and for a watch

The sea has returned to play the lion's role in the watch offer of the year. A trend, according to the experts, nurtured by many factors, starting from the materials, which see numerous unprecedented solutions flanking the ever-fashionable steel, such as those that use titanium or carbon, ideal for supporting aesthetic and technical needs.

Then there is the passion for vintage, a current that finds extremely fertile ground in marine-themed proposals.

Last but not least, the goodwill of some companies to work towards protecting the oceans. A good example is Blancpain's initiative in presenting its new series of limited edition Blancpain Ocean Commitment watches. Launched in 2014 and renewed two years later, this project contributes actively to ocean protection through the sale of one of the special series' 250 models. For every watch sold, the company will donate one thousand Euros (to a total of 250,000) to finance scientific research into finding solutions to stem marine environment pollution problems.

A unique watch, the Fifty Fathoms Ocean Commitment III has vintage elements reminiscent of the first 1953 model. The satin steel, 40 mm case is guaranteed to be waterproof for up to 300 metres and the sapphire glass back provides a view of the oscillating gold weight engraved with Ocean Commitment.

Then there is Officine Panerai, which has developed a material based on carbon fibre, perfect for creating the 47 mm case of the new Luminor Submersible 1950 Carbotech. Water-resistant up to 300 metres, this timepiece has a P.9000 automatic mechanical movement.