It takes over a month, and the hands of at least six craftsmen from Diving Equipment & Supply (DESCO), to create this “Mark V” diving helmet – a style first produced in 1942 that has become the Third Ward company’s most popular model. “Iconic” even, says owner Christian Koellner.
This 68-pound helmet is just one the many styles DESCO makes, but the brass-and-copper beauty has gotten some extra attention over the last 70 years.
All military branches have a supply of them (they were decommissioned by the Navy in 1984) and a version was produced for Cuba Gooding Jr.’s diving biopic Men of Honor. Today your best chance of seeing one in person is to find a discerning collector (or fork over roughly $7,000).
