Introducing The New Ball Engineer Master II Ballistic Diver

BALL is a Swiss brand founded in 1891, and carries a legacy rooted in American railroad history. The brand's aim is to create timepieces that can withstand extreme conditions and remain at its core throughout the years. We’ve talked more about the history of BALL [here], but today, we turn our focus to their latest release, the Engineer Master II Ballistic Diver. 

In August 2023, a police officer found himself in a life-threatening situation. During a critical incident, the Officer was wearing his BALL Engineer Master II Diver when a 9mm bullet struck the watch. While the timepiece was shattered, it played a crucial role in saving the officer’s wrist, hand, and forearm from serious injury. As the officer himself stated, the watch’s build quality “undoubtedly saved my wrist, hand and lower forearm from life-changing injury.” This real-life testament to the resilience of BALL’s design is now etched into the legacy of the brand. It also serves as the inspiration for their latest release.

The 42mm case is crafted from stainless steel and designed with a thickness of just 13.5mm, making it both rugged and wearable for daily use. This size is ideal for those who need a tool watch that performs flawlessly in both aquatic environments and day-to-day situations. The case is equipped with a 2.6mm sapphire crystal, and it ensures water resistance up to 300 meters. The closed case back, along with fully screwed-in crown and gaskets, guarantees the timepiece’s ability to withstand the harshest of underwater and surface environments.

The black dial standout feature is the inner rotating diving bezel, which can be operated underwater, a rarity in most diving watches. This bezel is controlled via a “push-and-turn” crown at 2 o’clock, enabling effortless adjustments even when fully submerged. The dial features a date window at 3 o'clock, and is illuminated by micro gas tubes that provide instant and automatic luminosity, ensuring excellent readability in total darkness. This self-powered illumination is not only featured on the bezel but also on the hands, indices, and Arabic numerals at 6, 9, and 12 o’clock. 

The watch is powered by the caliber BALL RR1101 (non-chronometer) automatic movement or the RR1101-C COSC-certified movement. What sets this watch apart is the Amortiser anti-shock system, which absorbs impact forces to protect the internal movement. Additionally, the watch is equipped with a mu-metal shield, providing anti-magnetic protection up to 1,000 Gauss. Both calibers operate at a frequency of 28,800 vph (4Hz) and offer 42 hours of power reserve. 

The watch is paired with a stainless steel bracelet, and is a limited edition timepiece, with only 1,000 pieces being made available for pre-order. The pre-order price starts at CHF 1,617 / AED 6,520, with the retail price set at CHF 3,014 / AED 12,150 once the initial batch is sold.

For more information, you can visit the official website of BALL.