As if the existing range of diving computers was not enough, Linde Werdelin felt it necessary to expand their “Instrument” lineup with the Sea Instrument to compliment the Land Instrument. Sounds reasonable enough. If you recall, the Linde Werdelin Land Instrument (discussed here) is a high-end computer that sits on your wrist either in a little watch harness or on top of a Linde Werdelin Biformeter watch (they don’t come together). While the Land Instrument covered such areas such as weather, altitude, and heart rate (among other functions), the Sea Instrument is meant to be a diver’s companion thus showing different important pieces of information related to being underwater.

Included among the Sea Instrument’s features are depth gauges, dive times, decompression times, temperature, and other important data. Unlike the Land Instrument, this new model has a color display, and shares the nice sapphire crystal. The case itself comes in anodized aluminum, as well as a limited edition 18k gold case (just what every styling diver needs). The module itself has a battery rated to last for 28 hours, and presumably can be shut off when not in use. The unit comes with harness so that i can be worn like a watch along with a recharging station.

Prices are high, but not “crazy” high. The aluminum version will run you about $3,000 – $4,000, and I don’t really want to think about the cost of the limited edition gold version. Well, then again, prices are high for diving computers, roughly 3 to 4 times the prices of other well featured units out there. The pricing is more inline with other luxury designed watches, not diving computer watches.

However, unlike most diving computers that go on your wrist, the Sea Instrument has a very inviting display. Well spaced information and charts take the 12 week training course out of diving computer use. Suunto for example, has an excellent range of diving watches. The top ones connect to your computer to sync all types of data. While this is interesting, I don’t see how it helps you in dire situations. If the Sea Instrument has its use, it will be in easy of use and legibility. That is where Linde Werdelin can expect to collect such a high premium, not on looks and materials alone.

Despite the above, one has to ask themselves what market this watch is made for. Tech couture divers? Sure. Movies wanting to depict futuristic diving tools? Sure. Mainstream divers with enormous diving equipment budgets? Sure. That seems to be just about it. Liden Werdelin will be happy selling 1000 of these watches a year. Watches like this are not designed to be mass produced. In fact most watches are not. That is part of the beauty of many watches, ownership is entrance into a small selective club. Here however, you best like the Sea Instrument from the bottom of your heart, which you may. Just don’t expect to find a ton of use for it on the surface.

See Linde Werdelin items on eBay here.