black pearl

[waterwraith]

I saw the black pearl for the first time over the Thanksgiving holidays. This has got to be one of the nicest looking regs I have ever seen. The LDS owner said he had only ordered five because he did not think they would sell. He sold the first four in 48 hours. After he and I drooled over the last one for about five minutes I glanced at the price and promptly needed CPR ($750.00).

Oh well I had to go with the ATX50, but I would love to hear from anyone who has used the black pearl. How does it perform? How does the outside hold up to wear and tear? Is it identicle to the ATX 200?

maybe I will get one when my rich uncle gets out of the poor house ;-)

 

[ReeseTD]

HEHE that is kelw that you got to see one already i have not even got that close to it yet. But its the same as that ATX 200 in function. Thy just make that already great looking ATX 200 look better for there 30th year of making reg's. I think that if i was able to get one i dont think i would be diving with it much. I would have to go agains my wife and have it displayed on the wall as a peace of art! Well for now i guess i will have to do would you were doing "DROOLing" over owning one!

Happy diving!

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

I have to admit its a nice looking regulator but I have two ATX 200 and cant afford another, other wise hum guess I would buy one, not sure how the out side would hold up, but the inside is suppose to be same as ATX 200.

 

[Scubaroo]

What's with all the plastic hardware on it? Looks like a bloody Scubapro!

I've heard it's just a special edition of the ATX200, obviously with some different external trimmings, like the plastic DIN wheel.

 

[Cave Diver]

I saw it at DEMA and talked to the rep about it. Very cool looking graphics on it, but that is all that differentiates it from the normal reg.

It's comsetic thing only, for commerative purposes.

 

[SeaJay]

Sorry to rain on everyone's parade, but I'd take a plain ol' ATX200 over the Black Pearl any day.

I explained on another thread that it reminded me of a piece of jewlery... To me, it looked more "Cartier" than anything else... Design with no purpose other than design. The concept of underwater jewlery, to me, says, "wrong priorities in scuba."

I mean, who doesn't like to look good? It only makes sense to "pretty everything up" and make art out of gear. But to me, the plain ATX200 looks "Bang and Olefson" or "Sharper Image"... Utilitarian in function, and beautiful for it. To turn it into "Cartier," IMHO, is a crime.

I consider it no different than painted (same color of the car) wheels, holographic automobile tint, and shoes with lights in them. Talk about bringing attention to the wrong place!

What are they going to come up with next? Floral prints on your BC? Mask skirts with racing stripes? Vanity air hoses? Little "H's" all over your 2" webbing? Wait...

Yuck. Why mess with the beauty of the satin-finished ATX200? To me, they took an engagement ring of a first stage and turned it into an anniversary "cluster."

 

[d33ps1x]

I'm suprised it's not gold embossed and inlayed with Cubit zirconias.

 

[waterwraith]

SeaJay once bubbled...
I explained on another thread that it reminded me of a piece of jewlery... To me, it looked more "Cartier" than anything else... Design with no purpose other than design. The concept of underwater jewlery, to me, says, "wrong priorities in scuba."

It was not my intention to imply that someone should by a regulator because it looks cool. Apeks reputation proceeds them in this case. If the atx200 and the black pearl are functionally the same and you like the design of the black pearl, why not go for it?

As for gold embossed and set with cubit zirconias, for the price that would be put on that reg they better be real diamonds .

 

[SeaJay]

waterwraith once bubbled...

If the atx200 and the black pearl are functionally the same and you like the design of the black pearl, why not go for it?

*Shrug* Sure... If you like the design, then go for it. I'm just not a fan of it - rather I like the plain design better than the busy one.

Functionally, they're identical... Which means that you'll get a great-breathing reg.

Do you like it enough to pay $350 for the design? The going rate for a "plain" ATX200 is $400. For the price of that Black Pearl, you could afford an ATX200 first and second, an ATX50 as your backup, a brand new tank, and still have $50 left over for a day dive charter.

...Or you could just get the ATX200 with a design on the first stage... Which I personally think is ugly. But hey, that's just an opinion, and you know what they say about those.

I can understand why a Lamborghini is $250k. I can understand why a Lexus is twice the price of the average new car. I can understand why a Gavin scooter is $4k, and I can understand why I just blew $1500 on new computer parts. An extra $350 wouldn't break my bank, but I just couldn't justify it... Even if I did like the design on the first stage.