The Journal
Stories from the branch
Royal Navy clearance diving, the MilSub era, and the paperwork our watches are named after.
1952 — The order
The order that created a branch: Admiralty Order 857/52
In 1952, a single Admiralty order formally established the Royal Navy Clearance Diving Branch. The story behind the number on our dial.
12 July 2026
B.R. 2806
Article 3334: the manual that told the Navy what to wear underwater
Rolex or Omega for the divers. A Lemania for the supervisor. The paragraph of the Royal Navy diving manual our field watch is named after.
12 July 2026
The branch
What does a Royal Navy Clearance Diver actually do?
Bomb disposal in zero visibility, mine clearance by touch, hull searches at midnight — and why the watches had to be instruments, not accessories.
12 July 2026