In 1863, German-American inventor and engineer Julius Hermann Kroehl founded the Pacific Pearl Company with the goal of profiting from pearl fishing in the Pacific. To streamline this labour-intensive process, he began constructing a submarine specifically designed to aid in oyster collection.
Traditionally, pearl diving relied entirely on human divers operating without breathing equipment. These divers descended to depths of 20 to 40 feet, gathering as many oyster shells as possible before surfacing—often holding their breath for up to a minute. Work typically occurred during low tide, which allowed access to deeper parts of the seabed. However, the diving window was short, lasting only two to three hours. Within this limited timeframe, divers made an exhausting 12 to 15 trips to the seabed. The pursuit of pearls and shells was not only gruelling but also perilous. Recognizing the risks and inefficiencies of this method, Kroehl sought to revolutionize the process, sparing his divers from unnecessary danger while improving yields.
A member of the Kuwaiti diving team searches for pearls during the annual Pearl Diving festival in Kuwait, in 2012. Photo credit: Raed Qutena
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