Watch The Beast Manufacture Automatic Black First Edition TBM 1101

The Watch

For over 17 years, Ralf Tech has dedicated its knowledge and expertise to crafting timepieces exclusively for deep-sea diving - serving both professional explorers and passionate watch enthusiasts alike. If there's one frontier on Earth still largely uncharted, it's the ocean - a realm where mysteries run deep. To help you conquer it, Ralf Tech presents the ultimate underwater exploration watch: the The Beast Black PVD Steel, a limited edition of just 77 pieces worldwide. Conceived by Frank Huyghe, the brand's president, it was manufactured in Morteau, in the French Jura. Its case fuses a cushion shape with a circular form. Combined with straight lines, the overall design projects an unmistakable sense of robustness. That distinctive look makes the The Beast Black PVD Steel instantly recognizable among any crowd. Crafted entirely from 316L stainless steel, the case delivers outstanding shock resistance - a non-negotiable for any extreme-exploration timepiece. A black PVD treatment coats the case, lending it an undeniably sporty edge. In terms of dimensions, the diameter is 47.70 mm and the thickness is 17 mm. A true diver's tool, it features a unidirectional 120-click rotating bezel "Diamond Shape". Its knurled finish provides an excellent grip - especially underwater and when wearing diving gloves. The bezel features a 60-minute graduated insert crafted from matte black Céramfine® ceramic. This material makes it highly resistant to scratches and everyday wear. This function gives divers a critical safety tool: the ability to time their dive and track decompression stops. To protect the dial, a sapphire crystal with anti-scratch treatment was selected. A noteworthy detail: it is currently the thickest crystal available on the market, at 6 mm thick - a true shield. The crown is positioned at 4 o'clock. It is screw-down to prevent any water infiltration, and its placement was engineered for maximum comfort during wear. Its ridged finish ensures a firm grip. Built using the proprietary "integral encapsulation" technology developed in-house by the brand, the case back is the cornerstone of the watch's water resistance to 3,000 meters depth. It hermetically seals the case to provide exceptional pressure resistance - and eliminates the need for a helium escape valve, a more fragile component. Thanks to this architecture, this extraordinary timepiece operates across a wide temperature range, from -10°C to +55°C, and is highly resistant to shocks and vibrations.

The Dial

To create The Beast's dial, Ralf Tech's watchmakers started from a blank slate. The goal: a dial with a large open face that offers outstanding legibility while staying true to a dive watch identity. From that premise, the brand developed a dial that is 95% black for maximum contrast with the indices. True to the "dive watch" aesthetic, the hour markers take a rectangular shape at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock. The 12 o'clock marker is rendered as a large inverted triangle. All remaining markers are circular. Every index is rimmed in polished stainless steel and treated with SuperLuminova "Old Radium" - a luminescent material that ensures legibility in low-light conditions and gives the watch a distinctly "retro" character. Supporting these indices, a minute track in matching SuperLuminova "Old Radium" runs along the dial perimeter. The hour and minute hands are of the "arrow" type, crafted in black PVD stainless steel. Their generous proportions ensure effortless time reading. The seconds hand features an arrow tip - beyond its aesthetic appeal, it serves as a practical tool allowing the diver to confirm the watch is running. It is aptly called the "running indicator". Proudly displayed at 6 o'clock is the mention "Made in France". Above it, a reminder of the watch's water resistance to 3,000 meters/9,900 feet and the word "Automatic". At 12 o'clock, the brand signs this timepiece with its name and logo.

The Movement

An exceptional timepiece demands an exceptional movement. This watch houses a 100% French manufacture movement, the RTM001, built on a Pequignet movement architecture. It is the only manufacture movement entirely designed, developed, and assembled in France using parts machined in France. Combining bi-directional automatic winding, a frequency of 28,800 beats per hour, and a proprietary escapement, the power reserve reaches up to 77 hours. The movement also features a stop-seconds function and the ability to be hand-wound via the crown.

The Strap

Crafted from black fabric, this strap delivers both durability and flexibility. Striking yellow topstitching runs along its length, reinforcing its structure while accentuating its "raw" aesthetic. The strap is held firmly in place by anti-pull threaded bars. A solid pin buckle in brushed stainless steel with the brand's logo serves as the clasp.

Water Resistance

The Beast by Ralf Tech is simply the ultimate deep-sea exploration watch, boasting water resistance to 300 ATM - that's 3,000 meters deep. With that kind of spec, this is a watch you can take anywhere: from a few laps in the pool to saturation diving. One tip from Ocarat: before any dive, always make sure the crown is fully screwed down - failing to do so will void the water resistance of this model!