# Caravelle Sea Hunter - patina heaven!



## iheartnola (Jan 16, 2013)

Hey y'all. I was so thrilled to have found this fantastic patined Caravelle Sea Hunter with snake hands. I'm in love with it and can't get over how comfortable it is.

With that said, wasn't able to find a ton of info about this particular model. Would love if someone could enlighten me! Thanks in adavance!










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## simpletreasures (Apr 22, 2012)

Cool watch, glad you're happy with it!

Just out of curiosity, where did you come up with "Sea Hunter" as the model name?


----------



## lazernips (Mar 27, 2017)

Beautiful diver! I'll give you a rough breakdown of what I know about these watches and hope someone chimes in with more info because I would also like to know more about the evolution. From '66 to '69 they said Waterproof 666 Feet on the dial (manual wind) then from '70 to '74 they changed the hands and text on the dial to Water Resistant 666 Feet (three lines), then in '75 (this is were it gets foggy) they added the date and another change of hands followed closely by an automatic version (were they dropped the 666 rating, this is your version around '79ish?) and yet another hand change, then around '80 they dropped the lugs and re-added the 666 rating. From what I've found you have a ETA 2472 movement. This explanation is just an estimate from what I've seen around the internet and is in no way accurate haha. I have the first version, a '66. and that sparked my interest in the evolution of these beauties. Someone verify/correct this?


----------



## SAM2 (Apr 14, 2010)

It sold for $29.95 in 1970 and came on a black plastic Tropic strap that was hard as rock or it turned that way. Today the straps, if you can find one, sell for more that the original price of the watch. I like your steel bracelet better.


----------



## ccm123 (Feb 8, 2010)

Looks great!


----------



## powasky (Jun 25, 2011)

What bracelet is this? I'm looking for a bracelet for my '70 Sea Hunter.


----------



## Headster (Feb 9, 2019)

lazernips said:


> Beautiful diver! I'll give you a rough breakdown of what I know about these watches and hope someone chimes in with more info because I would also like to know more about the evolution. From '66 to '69 they said Waterproof 666 Feet on the dial (manual wind) then from '70 to '74 they changed the hands and text on the dial to Water Resistant 666 Feet (three lines), then in '75 (this is were it gets foggy) they added the date and another change of hands followed closely by an automatic version (were they dropped the 666 rating, this is your version around '79ish?) and yet another hand change, then around '80 they dropped the lugs and re-added the 666 rating. From what I've found you have a ETA 2472 movement. This explanation is just an estimate from what I've seen around the internet and is in no way accurate haha. I have the first version, a '66. and that sparked my interest in the evolution of these beauties. Someone verify/correct this?


You seem to know a lot about these watches. Can you point me to any sources where I can learn more? I've been trying to pin down the date on a very similar model. Thanks!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## WichitaViajero (Feb 22, 2013)

Absolutely a gem! Congrats on your find! I love the hour hand


----------



## Headster (Feb 9, 2019)

SAM2 said:


> It sold for $29.95 in 1970 and came on a black plastic Tropic strap that was hard as rock or it turned that way. Today the straps, if you can find one, sell for more that the original price of the watch. I like your steel bracelet better.


This particular variant (reference 49482) was sold for $59.95 in 1969. If you look at the movement, I bet it is stamped M9 (indicating 1969). The dial is marked water-resistant as watch manufacturers could no longer market their watches as waterproof after a 1968 ruling.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## hkspwrsche (Mar 3, 2007)

powasky said:


> What bracelet is this? I'm looking for a bracelet for my '70 Sea Hunter.


Didn't see this answered but, I found bracelets of the aftermarket type from the usual places work fine. I went with jubilee.


----------



## klokketor (Mar 22, 2020)

Mine says:
Caravelle
AUTOMATIC
WATERPROOF
666 FEET

It does not have the M or N on the backside. What year is it from?


----------



## dannyranch (Mar 26, 2020)

Headster said:


> This particular variant (reference 49482) was sold for $59.95 in 1969. If you look at the movement, I bet it is stamped M9 (indicating 1969). The dial is marked water-resistant as watch manufacturers could no longer market their watches as waterproof after a 1968 ruling.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Wondering about the ref "49482" for this. I can't find anything on this specific reference. Do you have the ad? I was under the impression that this is a ref 665-1. Also trying to unpack these glorious divers.


----------



## dannyranch (Mar 26, 2020)

dannyranch said:


> Wondering about the ref "49482" for this. I can't find anything on this specific reference. Do you have the ad? I was under the impression that this is a ref 665-1. Also trying to unpack these glorious divers.


Okay here's my analysis. 
The "49482" should speak to the no-date "devil diver" with dauphine hands (left pic), while its sister watch with baton hands and lollipop sec. hand is referenced 41585 (see tag on right box-pic). I can't personally confirm the 49482 ref.

















My previous impression was that these were referenced as 2876-DP (left pic below, N0 - baton), but that is now competed by "637" as found in right pic below (M9 - dauphine). Quite confusing still, but I feel like the 5-digit refs are clearer. 
If the stamped numbers in the caseback isn't ref, what is it? If it is ref, does 49482/41585 only speak to dial/hands combination?

















The forementioned Sea hunter should be a 665-1 (see below), at least for now. 

















Maybe @tayloreuph could confirm? 
/ ranch


----------



## dannyranch (Mar 26, 2020)

I stand corrected! Seems that the dauphine, no-date watch is 41585, and the 49482 is in fact the automatic date-watch.
So based on this here ad, the tag in the previous pics is incorrect, as well as my first analysis.

Found this through Caravelle Watches – Zero to Hero, Murph's Minutes: 
"_Sounds like an advert for a Yorkie chocolate bar. This fantastic Canadian advert for the Caravelle Sea Hunter really shows off the rugged accessibility of their new watch. This advert also features model *49482 *– the automatic variant with a full *coffin *stainless stretch link bracelet." _


----------



## tayloreuph (Mar 9, 2015)

From the 1969 line book 








From 1971. There is also a “B” variant of this with a fumé dial in gray gradient 








From 1973








I can’t find the 665-1 in the line books I have access to. I also can’t find a reference to 49482. As we see it in advertisements, it obviously existed, but not officially?!?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## tayloreuph (Mar 9, 2015)

The ad for the 665-1 is from Canada. So if it’s not a US Domestic model, that might say something. I’ve never seen the international line books. I’d like to


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## tayloreuph (Mar 9, 2015)

New today. Fantastic shape for an old watch. But missing the standard year mark. Looks like a box with a 9 inside. 69?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## tayloreuph (Mar 9, 2015)

Sea Devil, Sea Hunter, and Scuba


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## deepsea03 (Apr 3, 2018)

I have the bezel, I’m enjoying it as it is for now


----------



## tayloreuph (Mar 9, 2015)

deepsea03 said:


> I have the bezel, I’m enjoying it as it is for now


I was gonna ask…
But if you’d like to move that bezel, I know a guy 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## wristwatchwrangler (Aug 22, 2021)

Beautiful! Love these. They use the ETA 2472. The earlier versions had three lines of text above 6 o'clock (ie water proof instead of water resistant). I somewhat regret selling mine (sold it to Eric Wind), but didn't get much wrist time due to it's smaller diameter.


----------



## tayloreuph (Mar 9, 2015)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------

