RALF TECH
The RALF TECH watch brand was founded by a member of France’s elite special forces and has since completely devoted itself to creating timepieces with a strong DNA and distinctive character which are accurate, reliable and nearly indestructible – perfect for professional scuba diving and extreme adventures.
Over the years RALF TECH’s reputation for unparalleled durability and accuracy has earned it the right to supply timepieces to elite Special Forces teams of the world’s most advanced militaries including France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Singapore. Only recently has the company begun making its products available to the general public.
RALF TECH has been completely dedicated to the manufacture of equipment for Professional scuba diving since 1998. The 5th of July 2005, RALF TECH has broken the diving world record with an immersion lasting 10 hours at minus 330 metres. On that day, the diver was wearing the very first RALF TECH Watch, the WR1. The record remains inviolate in such conditions and, to this day, no other watch has been as deep on the arm of an unassisted diver.
In 2008, RALF TECH completely devoted its efforts to creating timepieces with a strong DNA and an ambitious plan: design, develop and manufacture accurate, reliable and robust timepieces with strong design connotations and a distinctive character.
RALF TECH is a run by a small group of passionate devotees of fine watchmaking. The Commando Hubert operators and the members of the GIGN Special Forces, the General Staff of the SOC (Special Operations Command), VENDÉE GLOBE skippers, support and participate in the development of RALF TECH watches and their constant improvement.
The Franco-Swiss brand RALF TECH was born in 1998 from the passion of its creator, Frank Huyghe, for the ocean in general and scuba diving in particular. Completely dedicated to the manufacture of equipment for Professional scuba diving, it was in 2005 that his watchmaking history begins.
The 5th of July 2005, in Corsica, the French diver Pascal BERNABÉ broke the World Record for independently depth diving (without assistance and without the possibility of rescue in case of accident at the bottom).
On that day, in addition to its diving computers, he was wearing the first watch made by RALF TECH, the WR1, according to the name of the record. Pascal BERNABE reached 330 meters after 35 minutes of descent into total darkness and he took nearly nine hours to go up by changing oxygen tanks 26 times while making as many decompression stops along the way up.
The record remains inviolate to this day and constitutes an exceptional human and technological achievement. No other watch has been as deep on the arm of an unassisted diver as the RALF TECH WR1.
In 2008, the brand completely devoted its efforts to creating timepieces for marine sports in general and deep diving in particular. The brand understanding of the challenge posed by deep diving and extreme environments allowed RALF TECH to become a favourite partner of the French Special Forces and in particular of the professional combat swimmers of the famous Commando Hubert of the French Marine Nationale.
Spearheading the French Special Forces, the Commando has been deployed in the greatest secrecy on all continents at the request of the General Staff of the Special Operations Command (SOC).
In 2010, after a joint development with the technical staff of RALF TECH plus one year of testing in the hardest environments on the planet, the men of the Commando Hubert have adopted the WRX “A” to accompany them in all their combat missions.
In 2012, RALF TECH inaugurated with the GIGN (intervention group of the National Gendarmerie) the WRX “A” Hybrid Black series.
It is a fact, even if RALF TECH is initially very famous in the scuba diving world, that the brand is deliberately coming closer to the surface of the oceans. After equipping the adventurer Christopher DUPUY who crossed the Atlantic Ocean by rowing in the early 2012, it makes sense that RALF TECH approximated the VENDEE GLOBE, the offshore race by definition. In that way, establishing itself as the brand of reference in terms of extreme marine events, RALF TECH sustained its commitment to the marine world alongside the best and sets a new challenge by becoming Official Timekeeper of the Vendée Globe 2012-2013.
One of the main ideas, dear to RALF TECH, beyond its mission as Official Timekeeper, was to provide for skippers to test the WRX “A” Hybrid during the race. Indeed, nothing replaces experience. It must be noted that all the VENDEE GLOBE participants have adopted and use their WRX A every day, including the winner of this edition, François Gabart.
Combativeness and experience, spirit of adventure and reflection, surpassing oneself and respect for others, many values carried by the Vendee Globe skippers who are close to RALF TECH philosophy.
RALF TECH Watch Collection
From a powerful and indisputable DNA, RALF TECH develops watches technically accomplished and aesthetically offbeat. One of the special features of RALF TECH products is to declare the real and tested values of water pressure that the timepieces can endure; the majority of Watch brands declare only theoretical and untested values. The quality standard ISO 6425 for Dive Watches is not only met but exceeded by RALF TECH with complete and exclusive control of the testing process.
RALF TECH watches are available in three distinct collections: WRX, WRV and Manufacture Limited Editions.
WRX: the X stands for EXTREME. This collection is made for the adventurers, the risk-takers and the renegades. WRX watches have domed sapphire crystals almost 6mm thick and cases almost a centimetre thick at their widest points, they can dive to depths of 1000 meters where not even sunlight can penetrate.
WRV: the V stands for Vintage. This collection’s aesthetic can best be described as 1970’s chic, each watch in the collection walks a fine line between brutish masculinity and urbane sophistication.
The Manufacture Limited Edition collection is the place where, once per year, RALF TECH flexes its muscles and reaches for the stars with watches that have distinctive design, exceptional craftsmanship and extremely limited hand production.
RALF TECH is not intended as a brand for the mass market. All RALF TECH watches are issued in limited editions of 22 to 500 pieces. They are only available at RALF TECH authorized dealers in Switzerland, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, United States, Australia and Japan.
Website: http://www.ralftech.com/
