# Post your skin divers/skindivers!



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

I could be wrong, but I didn't see a thread dedicated to sharing skin divers/skindivers pictures and information.

Since there's not all that much research out there about them, nor a universal definition, whatever the term means to you works.

Vintage. Modern. Squared lugs. Non-squared lugs. "I'm not sure." All are welcome!

-

To kick it off, I thought I'd share my path to skin diver appreciation and a little collecting.

I became enchanted by the Seiko 6217-8000/1 (62MAS) about a year ago.

https://www.fratellowatches.com/seiko-62mas-the-first-professional-diver-watch-by-seiko/

I had a chance to check one out in the metal at the 2019 NYC Windup Watch Fair, and the thought to splurge on a vintage watch crossed my mind.

https://wornandwound.com/windup-watch-fair-new-york-city-2019-meet-the-brands-part-3/

https://www.thosewatchguys.com/soldwatches/seiko-62mas

I learned more about the ubiquitousness of the general style.

https://wornandwound.com/love-skin-youre-lightweight-skin-diver/

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/best-entry-level-vintage-watches


__
https://soundcloud.com/thegreynato%2Fthe-grey-nato-ep-48-collection-inpsection-vol-5

Leaning toward modern build and WR, I decided to build an homage by modding a FiftyFour 6217-8000, tweaking parts a bit before I settled on this.










I ended up wearing it a lot as my GADA sports watch, and I just really grew to love the squared lugs and modest sized aesthetic.

I like to travel.










So my interest was piqued by the Wolbrook Skindiver Worldtimer, and I hopped in on the preorder (I went with the bottom right).

https://get.wolbrook.watch/skindiver/










Enjoying travel, I'm partial to travel complications of any sort.

So I began trying to find a 12-hour bezel insert for my mod, but I couldn't find one that fit.

Since I couldn't find anything else new either (at least in the size range I was looking for, ≤ 38mm), I started searching for a vintage skin diver with just such a bezel.

As I don't tend to get my watches all that wet, low WR (originally or due to age) wasn't particularly concerning. And since the style was so ubiquitous, with many brands getting in on the action back when, the name on the dial wasn't really a criterion either.

Serendipitously, I was fortunate to soon find a rare vintage Hilton with a dive/12-hour bezel in great condition. It was reminiscent of the 62MAS that kicked off my love affair with skin divers in the first place, and it's the only 12-hour bezel skin diver I've yet come across.

So I snatched it up.

I decided I could live with the 19mm lug width, as I was able to find 19mm vintage leather, waffle, tropic, NATO, and shark mesh straps that I liked. I also decided I could live with the lack of drilled lugs. Although I did float the idea past my watchmaker of drilling them and brushing the case back and underside of the lugs. But we decided against it.























































That's where I'm at thus far with skin divers.

What do you guys have in your collections?

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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

Unimatic U1-FM


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## VL123 (Jan 28, 2020)

If I've figured out correctly what a skin diver watch is, then I hope this counts?










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## yankeexpress (Apr 7, 2013)

3 Helson Skindivers, each different





















62mas reissue SLA017



Bronze 62mas homage with Seiko movement


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## drumcairn (May 8, 2019)

Not sure if this qualifies as a 'skindiver' style but seems to be the same case


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> Unimatic U1-FM
> 
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200214/0d2a757e976a1f016d00b83f3b8055fe.jpg[/IMG]


Unimatic's unmistakable design language is so damn cool!



VL123 said:


> If I've figured out correctly what a skin diver watch is, then I hope this counts?
> 
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200214/9d46b237918220438a68e2d2bd583986.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk


Nice! The first ever mod I tried my hand at was a gilt Seiko SNZH57 Fifty Five Fathoms. (A CW Trident Pro C60 was also a grail watch for me at the time; hence the seconds hand.)












yankeexpress said:


> 3 Helson Skindivers, each different
> 
> [/IMG]http://s5.postimg.cc/4wtcl1m5j/image.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> ...


A micro with skindiver in the name, a contemporary reissue Seiko skin diver grail, and one of the most popular 62MAS homages in bronze. Very nice collection right there!



drumcairn said:


> Not sure if this qualifies as a 'skindiver' style but seems to be the same case
> 
> [/ATTACH=CONFIG]14868885[/ATTACH] [/ATTACH=CONFIG]14868887[/ATTACH]
> 
> [/ATTACH=CONFIG]14868889[/ATTACH]


Beautiful! I love that dial (light silver dial and light green lume is a lovely mix that you don't see all too often), and the unique bezel insert and handset.


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## drumcairn (May 8, 2019)

It is more of a kind of champagne colour... its bright and light in the daylight (it almost glows!), indoors its darker and the chrome hands become a little hard to see. These Super Submarinos were made with quite a few different trade names but same dial (this colour, black and blue), case and bezel. There is something very Squale-like about the case and bezels so I wonder if they made them. A cheaper version of the Jenny/O&W Caribbean perhaps.


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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

I only have the one Seiko diver from that era, maybe this meets your criteria









But I love the "skindiver" style I guess, because I have several of the modern remakes.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

drumcairn said:


> It is more of a kind of champagne colour... its bright and light in the daylight (it almost glows!), indoors its darker and the chrome hands become a little hard to see. These Super Submarinos were made with quite a few different trade names but same dial (this colour, black and blue), case and bezel. There is something very Squale-like about the case and bezels so I wonder if they made them. A cheaper version of the Jenny/O&W Caribbean perhaps.


Gotcha. Looks great. Will definitely be adding them to the list of "look further into"s.



slorollin said:


> I only have the one Seiko diver from that era, maybe this meets your criteria
> 
> [/ATTACH=CONFIG]14868929[/ATTACH]
> 
> ...


I don't think I really have a definition 

I tend to think of squared lugs, but vintage Zodiac Sea Wolfs, Oris models, Longines models, etc., negate that definition. So I don't see a reason to exclude tonneau cases (see also below).

https://wornandwound.com/review/affordable-vintage-zodiac-sea-wolf/

https://www.fratellowatches.com/1960s-oris-diver-oris-divers-sixty-five/

https://www.fratellowatches.com/hands-on-longines-skin-diver-review/

Then I think relatively low WR of 50-100m, but some of the watches that come to mind for me had 150-200m WR (Seiko 62MAS, some Squale cases, and the like). So the low-WR definition is negated.

I guess you just know one when you see one. #subjectivity

Love those vintage-styled modern Oris and Yema models of yours. I've come relatively close to pulling the trigger on them, and enjoyed handling both brands in the metal at Windup.

https://wornandwound.com/review/oris-divers-sixty-five-review/

https://gearpatrol.com/2019/03/04/yema-superman-heritage-review/

https://www.fratellowatches.com/hot-take-first-gmt-yema-superman/

https://windupwatchshop.com/blogs/chronicle/the-yema-superman-gmt-is-back-in-three-new-colors

Also, awesome hybrid diver/12-hour bezels. Glad to see that there are a few others out there that I hadn't come across. It's one of the reasons I started the thread-I'm genuinely curious to learn about more models!

Thanks for posting the Zoretto. I had never heard of the brand. Some great looking homages they've put out.

https://www.zoretto-watches.com

The Resco brand connection to the original Jaws film is very WIS cool. And to my point earlier about tonneau cases, your Hooper watch is a great blend of squared lugs with an overall barrel shape.

https://wornandwound.com/resco-watches-hooper/

And you gotta love the NTH Subs. I've had a few but this is my keeper.

http://www.thetimebum.com/2016/07/nth-amphion-vintage-nacken-vintage-and.html?m=1










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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

One more....


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> One more....
> 
> [/ATTACH=CONFIG]14869073[/ATTACH]


Nice! I haven't ruled out eventually trying a HyperChrome LE. So cool looking.

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/rado-hyperchrome-captain-cook-limited-edition-hands-on

It was definitely the inspiration for trying this as a sloped-bezel alternative at one point.










https://www.noduswatches.com/retrospect

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## Biginboca (Mar 7, 2006)

I'm not sure if there's an official definition of Skindiver but for me this kind of fits that genre.


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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

If you do get a CC I highly recommend getting the bracelet. It's only a few dollars more and is high quality on a par with Breitling or Omega. It is silky smooth. You can get leather anywhere. BTW, don't know if you noticed , but the Zoretto is also a "Hooper" though they call it a "Dino". A couple of years ago I can remember thinking what idiotic lengths the industry goes to striving for the most obscure references and connections to hawk a watch to the gullibles. Now I have 2 Hoopers!


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## tommy_boy (Jul 11, 2010)

Late '60's "affordable" that may qualify:


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Biginboca said:


> I'm not sure if there's an official definition of Skindiver but for me this kind of fits that genre.
> 
> [/img]https://i.postimg.cc/W3v7WztR/4-D143472-9172-42-D7-AD05-88-EAC222-E9-BE.jpg[/img]
> 
> [/img]https://i.postimg.cc/DfJ77zzk/DE303129-9-C98-4554-8-E39-D03860-C71-D0-E.jpg[/img]


Nice. Raven was a brand like NTH that I didn't immediately bond with in terms of design language, but came to over time. Almost hopped in on the gilt W&W Solitude LE.

I often see the term used in passing. E.g.,

https://twobrokewatchsnobs.com/traska-freediver-watch-review/

https://wornandwound.com/review/hands-on-emg-hked-nemo-diver/

So perhaps a skin diver is a dive watch that one subjectively feels isn't a "tank" (professional diver), nor does one subjectively feel that it leans toward the dressier side either (dress diver).



slorollin said:


> If you do get a CC I highly recommend getting the bracelet. It's only a few dollars more and is high quality on a par with Breitling or Omega. It is silky smooth. You can get leather anywhere. BTW, don't know if you noticed , but the Zoretto is also a "Hooper" though they call it a "Dino". A couple of years ago I can remember thinking what idiotic lengths the industry goes to striving for the most obscure references and connections to hawk a watch to the gullibles. Now I have 2 Hoopers!


Indeed, caught the similarity.

I think I first came across the Hooper when searching for 12-hour squared lug skin divers a few months back. I dug it but wasn't sure I personally could pull off the tonneau or 70s aesthetic. Not gonna lie-the Jaws connection hooked me a little (pun intended)!



tommy_boy said:


> Late '60's "affordable" that may qualify:
> 
> [/ATTACH=CONFIG]14869149[/ATTACH]


Nice. That seems one of the more sought after brands for one of its skin divers.

And affordable 60s-era or -reminiscent dive watch vibes do seem to help capture the spirit of the term, and what I enjoy about the aesthetic and price point.

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## sivart (Mar 5, 2013)

One of my all time favs, Strap combo's are endless!


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## ChaseOne (Feb 14, 2019)

One of my all time favorites...









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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ChaseOne said:


> One of my all time favorites...[/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200214/6851831390d3c8fe310ea2b1963ec36f.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk


The combo of that coaster with the coffin-style indices = 

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## Toonces (Jan 14, 2017)

Great idea for a thread, CK. Unfortunately I don't have any watches with that skindiver aesthetic, but I have to admit that that Zoretto Hooper is calling to me...


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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

ChaseOne said:


> One of my all time favorites...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's a "Hooper" too! Change the bezel and it's very close.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Two random thoughts, as I like to think that we’re building a collective sense of the term “skin diver” in here. 

1. Since slorollin included his Yemas, I’m thinking a lack of crown guards is NOT part of my meandering attempt thus far to summarize the thread’s latent definition of skin diver. 

2. I would think that the term “skin diver” is used frequently enough to have evolved into the compound word “skindiver” (Apple autocorrect be damned—WISs we’re clearly not consulted.)


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

sivart said:


> One of my all time favs, Strap combo's are endless!
> View attachment 14869211


Definitely fits the bill!

https://www.watchprosite.com/blancpain/the-history-of-the-fifty-fathoms/4.403976.2412801/












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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Nice. Raven was a brand like NTH that I didn't immediately bond with in terms of design language, but came to over time. Almost hopped in on the gilt W&W Solitude LE.
> 
> I often see the term used in passing. E.g.,
> 
> ...


On second thought, I think affordable has to be struck from the working definition if we're going by the traditional ≤ $1000 limit in f71 










See description: https://www.dream-watches.co.uk/very_rare_rolex_skin_divers_handbook.html










https://www.rolexforums.com/archive/index.php/t-476809.html

"In the late 1950s, the Rolex Submariner with no date could be purchased for $150 and when factoring in inflation, that is equivalent to roughly $1,248 USD."

https://blog.crownandcaliber.com/rolex-submariner-watch-prices/amp/

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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

I think "skindiving" was the prevailing term back then. "SCUBA" was the answer to the trivia question, "What is the proper name for skindiving?" Then it was explained how "SCUBA" was actually an acronym! There was deep sea diving (Popeye and Bluto) and there was skin diving, (Mike Nelson). Maybe Jaques Cousteau had an influence there on our collective vocabulary by using proper terms. We all watched the show and talked about it in school the next day. My science teachers positively swooned at the mention of his name.
And I had a Sears "Skindiving" watch in 8th grade. Wish I still had it.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> I think "skindiving" was the prevailing term back then. "SCUBA" was the answer to the trivia question, "What is the proper name for skindiving?" Then it was explained how "SCUBA" was actually an acronym! There was deep sea diving (Popeye and Bluto) and there was skin diving, (Mike Nelson). Maybe Jaques Cousteau had an influence there on our collective vocabulary by using proper terms. We all watched the show and talked about it in school the next day. My science teachers positively swooned at the mention of his name.
> And I had a Sears "Skindiving" watch in 8th grade. Wish I still had it.


Indeed.

Historically, it appears that skindiving and scuba diving were synonymous terms and referred to diving with increased freedom of movement relative to surfaced-supplied diving.

Over time, the terms became more distinctive, with the former referring to diving with a historically named "Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus" (now scuba set or gear), and the latter to breath-hold diving, often while wearing a snorkel.

Snorkeling, in turn, tends to mean wearing a snorkel but not diving much or at all, and freediving tends to mean breath-hold diving either sans a snorkel and/or often for more purposeful than leisure activity (e.g., competition, fishing, photography, underwater sports).

Freediving might also be used as an umbrella term for a variety of diving activities, like skindiving and snorkeling, that do not involve the use of scuba gear.

There are a few other nuanced gear differences that the four terms now also tend to connote.

The terms may also be used somewhat vaguely or inaccurately.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freediving

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scuba_set

https://scubadiverlife.com/scuba-diving-snorkeling-skin-diving-freediving-whats-difference/

https://www.divein.com/articles/skindiving-freediving/

Some watches that invoke the various terms or definitions in one way or another:










https://www.fratellowatches.com/doxa-sub-300-black-lung-cult-legend-returns/










(My pic)

https://www.60clicks.com/vostok-amphibia-scuba-dude-review/










https://www.fratellowatches.com/hands-on-longines-skin-diver-review/










http://www.thetimebum.com/2019/11/new-traska-freediver.html?m=1










https://wornandwound.com/albany-wat...japanese-diving-tradition-with-the-ama-diver/










https://www.fratellowatches.com/tbt-bulova-oceanographer-666/

And Sears made some hot skin divers back in the day. For real!










https://wornandwound.com/ebay-finds-1960s-seamaster-tradition-skin-diver-and-more/

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## drumcairn (May 8, 2019)

Worn and Wound did a short article on what a 'skin diver' was : smaller, slimmer dive watches with rating of 100m to 200m rather than the bigger, deeper rated 'proper' divers - for 'skin' diving or swimming then! There is a host of vintage versions (which I always thought of as 'skindivers') all using the same style of case as the 62MAS/Squale style - like the modern Zoretto Dino - , all of which I think came from the design of the Aquastar 63. But seems from article that any case with the relevant lower water resistance is a 'skin diver'.









Liked that Dino but not available now - though reformed Alsta make a version along with a 'Jaws' version like the Resco (Alsta made the original)


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

drumcairn said:


> Worn and Wound did a short article on what a 'skin diver' was : smaller, slimmer dive watches with rating of 100m to 200m rather than the bigger, deeper rated 'proper' divers - for 'skin' diving or swimming then! There is a host of vintage versions (which I always thought of as 'skindivers') all using the same style of case as the 62MAS/Squale style - like the modern Zoretto Dino - , all of which I think came from the design of the Aquastar 63. But seems from article that any case with the relevant lower water resistance is a 'skin diver'.
> 
> [/ATTACH=CONFIG]14872307[/ATTACH]
> 
> Liked that Dino but not available now - though reformed Alsta make a version along with a 'Jaws' version like the Resco (Alsta made the original)


It's a pretty good little article:

https://wornandwound.com/love-skin-youre-lightweight-skin-diver/

Thanks for mentioning the Aquastar 63 as the originator of the squared case design. I didn't know that it may have been the first of its kind.



















https://www.fratellowatches.com/aquastar-63-diver/

I'm not a fully polished case or internal bezel guy but that case back is awesome.

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Seiko listened to what we actually wanted for a 62MAS reissue:

SPB149/SBDC107 Seiko Diver's 1965 Modern Re-Interpretation

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/to...ad.php?t=5141327&share_type=t&link_source=app

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## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

I would guess this qualifies as a skindiver. Newmark 71.


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## mui.richard (Aug 13, 2014)

If the Superman qualifies -


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## amirsardari (Oct 8, 2019)

Feel stupid to ask but what's a skin diver? 

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## tommy_boy (Jul 11, 2010)

ck2k01 said:


>


My avatar in full color! b-)

Mike Nelson FTW.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

amirsardari said:


> Feel stupid to ask but what's a skin diver?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


See from the beginning of the thread for my meandering attempt at a definition 

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BigBluefish said:


> I would guess this qualifies as a skindiver. Newmark 71.
> 
> [/ATTACH=CONFIG]14929965[/ATTACH]


Definitely checks a lot of subjective boxes (60s/70s dial vibes, no crown guards, on the smaller side) and definitely a cool watch.

I enjoyed the reviews I checked out on them.











How do you like the quirky vintage styled bracelet in the metal?

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mui.richard said:


> If the Superman qualifies - [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200306/d338c85821809fe5644fae4edf1011c2.jpg[/IMG]


If we're going with the smaller 60s relatively affordable definition, undoubtedly!

https://www.fratellowatches.com/tbt-yema-superman-early-diver/

It's good to see Yema at the forefront again. IMO they're crushing it with their reissues and tweaks on their vintage formats (e.g., GMTs). I really enjoyed handling their offerings at the most recent Wind Up NYC.

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## mui.richard (Aug 13, 2014)

ck2k01 said:


> If we're going with the smaller 60s relatively affordable definition, undoubtedly!
> 
> https://www.fratellowatches.com/tbt-yema-superman-early-diver/
> 
> ...


Exactly why I grabbed it when they put this on Kickstarter...it's an absolute steal!


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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> [/ATTACH=CONFIG]14934253[/ATTACH]


Nice! Strongly considered one of these. I could never decide which color way-Pepsi, Coke, blue/grey-most spoke to me (all so ).

https://wornandwound.com/introducing-the-yema-superman-heritage-gmt/

https://www.fratellowatches.com/hot-take-first-gmt-yema-superman/

The new color ways are cool too, and I love that they're offering them at 39mm and 41mm, and with and without a bezel lock.

https://windupwatchshop.com/blogs/chronicle/the-yema-superman-gmt-is-back-in-three-new-colors

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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

And as I lamented in another thread the second generation of these will sport ceramic bezels. The aluminum bezel insert I would think is a prominent feature of a skindiver. I'm glad I got mine when I did.


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## DMCBanshee (Mar 31, 2013)

Aevig Huldra









Adora SkinDiver

















Andowatch









Giroxa.









PolWatch.









Regines.









Wilson









Enem









SDS Vintage


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> And as I lamented in another thread the second generation of these will sport ceramic bezels. The aluminum bezel insert I would think is a prominent feature of a skindiver. I'm glad I got mine when I did.
> 
> [/ATTACH=CONFIG]14934895[/ATTACH]


I too have circled back around to appreciating the look of aluminum.

For ceramic, I've come to prefer matte or brushed to tone down the bling.

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

DMCBanshee said:


> Aevig Huldra
> [/IMG]https://www.watchuseek.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=14812321&d=1579986771[/IMG]
> 
> Adora SkinDiver
> ...


Great collection of modern and vintage/range in substyles!

That chrono looks super cool.

About the 24-hour three hander, I've always wondered about their functioning (e.g., is the hour hand slowed down by 0.5?).

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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

ck2k01 said:


> I too have circled back around to appreciating the look of aluminum.
> 
> For ceramic, I've come to prefer matte or brushed to tone down the bling.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I'm with you. Especially with a matte or sunburst dial.

We need to see more matte ceramic. The one watch I have it on I love.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

boatswain said:


> I'm with you. Especially with a matte or sunburst dial.
> 
> We need to see more matte ceramic. The one watch I have it on I love.


We're basically talking about the new 62MASs and the Nodus Avalon right now 

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## ARMADUK (Oct 26, 2015)

French Skin Diver LOV. The bracelet it came with was cutting off blood flow in my wrist so until the bracelt extention arrives or I buy another period correct bracelet or a 19mm nato it will stay on 18mm beads of rice.


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## ChaseOne (Feb 14, 2019)

Couple more, though the Bulova is a touch over 200m...










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## 2500M_Sub (Apr 12, 2008)

Here is my entry, a Fossil Defender from the 90's, was their attempt to make a better watch than what they usually put out at the time, these were all steel and some models had screw in crowns and were automatic. Think it has that vintage skindiver feel.

Regards,

Ren

100m and 38.5mm


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## uperhemi (Nov 15, 2018)

ck2k01 said:


> I could be wrong, but I didn't see a thread dedicated to sharing skin divers/skindivers pictures and information.
> 
> Since there's not all that much research out there about them, nor a universal definition, whatever the term means to you works.
> 
> ...


I am blown away - I thought I was the only one with a watch from Hilton, as there are close to no information about the brand.

Here are my Hilton and Stowa.
















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## Diesels (Mar 8, 2019)

Skindiver... tool diver... same thing right?


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## JohnM67 (Jun 16, 2014)

I think this would qualify:


















And so works the SPB143 (62MAS re-edition) that I've ordered. I wish I could post pictures but it's still on its way.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

uperhemi said:


> I am blown away - I thought I was the only one with a watch from Hilton, as there are close to no information about the brand.
> 
> Here are my Hilton and Stowa.[/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200706/3732a52746d8c01aed71898b38aa33ac.jpg[/IMG][/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200706/0acbdb4e2b353f5a29517fbc546c41ba.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk


Hilton 

I'm digging that color way and handset-and nice strap choice for it

Also it's cool to see that even Stowa was in the skin diver game!









Three Obscure Vintage Dive Watches for Sale Right Now


The Rolex Submariner may be the archetypal dive watch, but there are plenty of interesting vintage alternatives out there.




gearpatrol.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Anglo Irish said:


> I think this would qualify:
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15335185"]15335185[/ATTACH]
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15335186"]15335186[/ATTACH]
> ...


I've come close but I oddly STILL haven't ever brought a Divers 65 into the collection.

The OG Waterproof and Super are cool to look at/read about too:


















Comparison - The original Oris Diver vs Sixty-Five


A comparison article between the Oris Divers Sixty-Five and the original Oris Diver (Oris Waterproof). How does the new Oris 65 hold up?




www.fratellowatches.com













The original Oris Divers Sixty-Five review


We take another look at the OG Oris Divers Sixty-Five, still one of the best heritage reissues in the game.




timeandtidewatches.com





And about the SPB143, which I've dubbed the 62 mas dinero, I've recently upped my skin diver game 

My SBDC101 (JDM version of the SPB143):
































































You're gonna love it!

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## JohnM67 (Jun 16, 2014)

ck2k01 said:


> ...about the SPB143, which I've dubbed the 62 mas dinero, I've recently upped my skin diver game
> 
> My SBDC101 (JDM version of the SPB143):
> 
> ...


I'm sure I'm going to be happy with it, and it'll take pride of place alongside the Oris.
The worst I can say about the 65 is that the lume could be better.

Btw, great pictures!


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Anglo Irish said:


> I'm sure I'm going to be happy with it, and it'll take pride of place alongside the Oris.
> The worst I can say about the 65 is that the lume could be better.
> 
> Btw, great pictures!


Thanks!

I look forward to some side-by-side shots with the Oris 

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## vibe (Nov 7, 2010)

here I have a few skindivers among supermen. I think of skindivers as the French 200m 37mm watches of the 60's with French manual or AS auto movements.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

vibe said:


> here I have a few skindivers among supermen. I think of skindivers as the French 200m 37mm watches of the 60's with French manual or AS auto movements.
> View attachment 15348876


Nice collection

On the French note, I've still got a Kickstarter-ed Wolbrook Worldtimer incoming.

Wolbrook apparently was and is currently (in its resurrected form) French: Assembled in France

However, my new Seiko SBDC101 reduced my excitement for it somewhat 

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Just cross-posting some more Seiko SBDC101 strap and bracelet (modded with a Marinemaster clasp) looks for the thread.

And noting that Ute Watch Co. sells spring bars that have standard sized middles but Seiko fat ends, and vice versa.

I've found these bars useful for using non-Seiko-specific straps with the SBDC101, and Seiko-specific designed straps for non-Seiko watches.



Please Log In





Please Log In







































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## jjmc87 (Apr 12, 2020)

Nice topic man! I didn't know what skindivers were but apparently I'm a fan 

Gonna see what's out there in the 37-39mm range


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jjmc87 said:


> Nice topic man! I didn't know what skindivers were but apparently I'm a fan
> 
> Gonna see what's out there in the 37-39mm range


Thanks  NTH used to make them.










I don't have experience with most of the currently-in-production tropic options, beyond Uncle Seiko (I've got one in 22mm) and Zelos (had one in 20mm).

The US has always seemed to me to be a safe bet. Their waffle (pictured above) feels even better though!









Rubber Diver Straps


Accessories for your Vintage Seiko Watches, Divers, Chronographs, Waffle Straps, Bracelets, 6309, 6105, 6139



www.uncleseiko.com













These Are the Best Rubber Watch Straps


A rubber watch strap is perfect for the water or for sports, but quality and price vary widely.




www.gearpatrol.com













The 10 Best Rubber Watch Straps For Durable Style


One material to rule them all.




hiconsumption.com





Good tropic comparison thread:









Tropic Strap Comparison


WARNING: PHOTO HEAVY POST. Recently, I have been collecting and basically searching for the best modern interpretation of the vintage tropic straps made famous in the 1960's. And so far I have 9 that's available in the market. Note that the following two straps I wanted to review is not here...




www.watchuseek.com





Also, interestingly, the original 62MAS apparently came on a tropic rather than what the SLA017 waffle pairing would make one think:



https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.plus9time.com/blog/2017/2/4/62mas-6217-8000-original-tropic-strap%3fformat=amp



About 37-39mm, most of your vintage skin divers will be in that sweet spot, if my browsing memory is accurate.

As far as modern materials go, the FiftyFour 62MAS homage I used to have, and earlier posted pics of, uses a 37mm case.

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## vibe (Nov 7, 2010)

The modern tropic looking straps are no match for the original. I like these tropics the best, but they are so difficult to find. I'm glad i held into this brass buckle I got on a black tropic years ago.


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## sivart (Mar 5, 2013)




----------



## rcorreale (Jan 25, 2008)

Seiko SPB151 fits the bill......


----------



## Bob1035 (Nov 26, 2019)

Some great pieces in here! I love my turtles, but I definitely see the appeal of something smaller/thinner (which I think a skindiver-ish piece would be)


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Just got a new skin diver in 

I finally received my long-Kickstartered *Wolbrook Skindiver WT Mecaquartz* with add-on Wolbrook beads-of-rice bracelet.










Some *initial impressions*.

*Package:*

The cardboard packaging is perfectly acceptable to me (not a packaging guy), and arguably eco friendly. The canvas/leather watch pouch seems nice, but I can't imagine I'll ever use it.










*Comparison point:*

Having picked up a Seiko SBDC101 during the wait, I figured this would be a catch and release, but I'm actually digging the WT in its own right, enough to hang on to for a bit at least.










*Case/lugs, crystal, dial, hands, and movement:*

While a less sophisticated case architecture than the SBDC101, a simple, fully brushed skin diver case captures this type of watch's ethos just as well.

There's a cool sweep action with the use of a Seiko mechaquartz movement, which also keeps everything nice and thin with the lightly stepped flat sapphire crystal. I also prefer the no-date dial look here (and thinness relative to the auto versions). At least the mechaquartz here seems a true no date (single crown position and no underlying date-flip sound).

It's a lot of dial, and the crystal seems like it may be a bit of a smudger. You get bold cardinal numbers; a quirky vintage 6 and 9 font; and small, white military-time numbers printed toward the inside. So all together, easy time telling. There's sand-colored lume on the cardinal numbers, indices, and hour and minute hand (I like the warmness of fauxtina, but I appreciate the differences of opinion about this). I could leave or take the metallic red seconds hand. And no lume on there.

The lugs are perhaps a mm too long at 48mm given the flatter lug style of a skin diver (though there is a little down turn), at least for my 6.5" wrist. While at my max, I think I just pull it off.










*Bezel:*

The coin-edged quirky world time bezel (I went for the steel color way, and the busy small markings seem engraved) speaks to me as I've got a few skin divers at present, so I'm all for something distinguishing/funky, and I enjoy the feeling with which travel-related complications leave me. To use it, you line up your home time with the hour index that the hour hand most recently passed. Then you have 11 other time zones you can view, either ahead (+ markings) or behind (- markings). US day light savings time throws things off by an hour, though, and there's no lume on the bezel.

I'd have preferred bidirectional to the 120-click unidirectional functioning that we have here, but I can live with it. The action is quite tight. It's adequate without being particularly noteworthy.










*Crown:*

I'd have preferred a screw down crown but I suppose 100m WR with a signed push-pull crown (with little range of motion) does channel the bare bones skin diver vibe in a sense.










*Bracelet and single-pass nato strap:*

I'm impressed with the fully brushed bracelet. It looks and feels great. The beads are visually complex. Though there's an odd gap where the beads connect to the end links, presumably to accommodate the quick-release spring bars discussed below. There's a steep taper. It enters into a wholly brushed, short and thin, double-pusher clasp with three adjustment holes (a slightly longer clasp with a few more holes might have helped me dial in the fit just a tad more).










The one-piece green nato with leather accents that I chose as my stock option looks and feels nice but is too long for my 6.5" wrist.










*Spring bars:*

Notwithstanding the drilled lugs (always a ), all of Wolbrook's straps come with quick release spring bars, including double tabbed ones that the end links and second to last links are specifically machined for (think Baltic Aquascaphe bracelet). So you can have it whichever is your preferred way: the security of standard spring bars with the convenient removal offered by drilled lugs; or the additional convenience for installation of quick-release spring bars, perhaps at the expense of some security reassurance.

*Case back:*

I'm meh on the Neil Armstrong-association case back. The rest of the watch's vibe is water, not flight/space. But the finishing is perfectly satisfactory.










*Lume:*

The lume glows green when torched. Longevity seems acceptable.










*Initial verdict:*

All in all, it's a cool skin diver with historical nods (for better or worse), lots of versions you can choose among, and a very solid value prop (all in, I was at less than $300)


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Very cool CK


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

boatswain said:


> Very cool CK


Thanks 

My receipt and positive reaction to the watch and bracelet yesterday were pleasant surprises 

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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Great looking bracelet - very similar to the O&W one which I love the look of - if only O&W didn't have those extra long lugs....


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Edit: Neil Armstrong, not Lance Armstrong. Oh multitasking-procrastinating-watch-reviewing brain slips 

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> Great looking bracelet - very similar to the O&W one which I love the look of - if only O&W didn't have those extra long lugs....


Word. I love me some O&W designs, but those lugs gotta get shortened on new models for me to bite. And I hear the bracelet clasp leaves something to be desired. Both critiques seem like easy fixes for the brand though!

And notwithstanding the aviation marketing, they strike me as classic skin diver designs at heart  (Indeed, some of their vintage models used the ubiquitous squared skin diver case shape.)









The Re-Birth of Ollech & Wajs (OW) with Accessible Tool Watches (History, Specs & Price)


Ollech & Wajs, a sleeping Swiss brand dedicated to tool watches is back on track, with new, accessible but historically relevant watches.




monochrome-watches.com













This Obscure Tool Watch Brand Is Back with New Timepieces


Ollech & Wajs manufactured affordable, purpose-built tool watches in the 60s and 70s, and will shortly be producing new products.




www.gearpatrol.com













Review: The Ollech & Wajs P-101 - Worn & Wound


Ollech and Wajs is probably not the first brand that comes to mind when you think of high-performance tool watches. After doing some research into the brand, they deserve more credit than they get, especially for their technical achievements and impressive sales numbers back in the 1960s. During...




wornandwound.com













Review: The Ollech & Wajs C-1000 - Worn & Wound


There are some watches that you are told are tool watches by marketing materials, and others you know are tool watches because you pick them up and say “oh, yeah, that’s a friggin’ tool watch.” The Ollech & Wajs OW C-1000 is emphatically one of the latter. “Solid as a rock” is an expression that […]




wornandwound.com













The Ollech & Wajs P104 Watch Review - Historical Touches Meets Modern Reliability


Your Next Watch: The Ollech & Wajs P104 is a serious watch that you need to take a look at!




www.watchgecko.com





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## WIS_Chronomaster (Sep 17, 2007)




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## LosAngelesTimer (Aug 24, 2017)

Was curious about this thread because I love the genre of watch but I quickly lost interest because at least half of you have zero clue what a skindiver is. A Doxa Sub 300 is not a skindiver. A Turtle... nope, not one either.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

I probably use a pretty common operationalization of a skin diver: vintage/60s-ish style diver with a low profile (vs. professional/tank-ish) case (i.e., case/lugs shape akin to a Seiko 62MAS or Oris Divers 65) and modest WR (relative to professional standards). You might tack on toolish (vs. dressy), and more debatably, relatively affordable/utilitarian, as additional criteria.

So it’s been interesting to hear other’s definitions, and see the wide range of watches folks have posted as examples of what they think of when they hear “skin diver.”

Coupled with some of the light online research I’ve done for the thread, my eyes have definitely been opened to the historical vagaries of the term “skin diver,” and resultant line drawing difficulties. 

Scanning through some of the 42.3k Instagram posts tagging #skindiver (a good repository of skin diver pictures, FYI), my assessment seems to hold: a majority of the watches posted fit my operationalization, but there’s a fair degree of variability among the watches tagged as skin divers (including some beyond what I would categorize as a skin diver).

Perhaps “skin diver” can be thought of more as an ethos (akin to “desk diver”) than a rigid category (e.g., my sort of common-seeming operationalization), with the more rigid category being something that a WIS may or may not come to agree about on their way down the rabbit hole 


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## Robert999 (Apr 29, 2006)

Going back to skindivers...

844076F4-4344-4464-9E7A-F278A04547FC by Robert, on Flickr


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Word.

Better lighting today.



















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## haha (Oct 8, 2017)

Lesser known, but charming Valory


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

haha said:


> Lesser known, but charming Valory
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15424450"]15424450[/ATTACH]


That's a very cool skindiver right there 

That may be the first pure 12-hour bezel (vs. a hybrid dive/12-hour bezel) I've yet seen on a skindiver. And I  a 12-hour bezel.

The combo of the cardinal numbers with the coffin-style indices, and the arrow tipped second hand, are also very 

And a lovely domed crystal 

I did a quick search and didn't come across much in the way of information about Valory. So it appears to be a lesser known brand indeed.

Thanks for sharing it!

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## haha (Oct 8, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> That's a very cool skindiver right there
> 
> That may be the first pure 12-hour bezel (vs. a hybrid dive/12-hour bezel) I've yet seen on a skindiver. And I  a 12-hour bezel.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your appreciation.
It's true this watch has several pleasant details.
I'm not 100% sure the crystal is genuine since I've seen a couple with a magnifier, but this one fits perfectly.
btrw, the movement is an ETA 2452, which could be worse, i guess...


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

haha said:


> Thank you for your appreciation.
> It's true this watch has several pleasant details.
> I'm not 100% sure the crystal is genuine since I've seen a couple with a magnifier, but this one fits perfectly.
> btrw, the movement is an ETA 2452, which could be worse, i guess...


Gotcha about the crystal.

And can't go wrong with an ETA inside.

About those  little details, I'll further note the nice match among the sharp angles of the hands, and the 20 ATM WR case.

That's a winner of an obscure find for sure.

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## wheelbuilder (Nov 25, 2016)

Great thread. I always associated skindiver with thinner case, no crown guards, and low (respectively) WR.


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## vibe (Nov 7, 2010)

Supermen


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

wheelbuilder said:


> Great thread. I always associated skindiver with thinner case, no crown guards, and low (respectively) WR.
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15425271"]15425271[/ATTACH][/ATTACH type="full" alt="15425272"]15425272[/ATTACH][/ATTACH type="full" alt="15425274"]15425274[/ATTACH]


Glad you're digging the thread. I'm glad it keeps growing, even if at a slow clip 

Great trio there.

All are models or brands that I've seriously considered pulling the trigger on. I've enjoyed handling them all at Wind Up or ADs.

And as always, so the thread can serve as a bit of a brand/model information repository for pictures that come up . . .

Some good links for *Zodiac* and *Sea Wolf* history:






Vintage Zodiacs


The Vintage Zodiac Watch website - Offering information, pictures, and values on most Swiss Zodiac models. Buying and selling of Zodiac watches and other vintage timepieces. Now offering information and sales of Clebar Watches.



www.vintagezodiacs.com













The Classic Zodiac Sea Wolf - A History - The Spring Bar


The first diver's watch with a rotating bezel, the Zodiac Sea Wolf was announced at the Basel Fair together with the Fifty Fathoms from Blancpain in 1953.



thespringbar.com













Zodiac Vintage Watches


Modernity, innovation, and boldness are the signature hallmarks of Zodiac watches—and these particular style points reflect the larger context of the times in which the company was established. As the nineteenth century transitioned into the




vintagewatchinc.com





I previously posted some good links for *Oris* dive watch history:









Post your skin divers/skindivers!


I could be wrong, but I didn't see a thread dedicated to sharing skin divers/skindivers pictures and information. Since there's not all that much research out there about them, nor a universal definition, whatever the term means to you works. Vintage. Modern. Squared lugs. Non-squared lugs...




www.watchuseek.com





And good to so-so links about *Rado* and the *Captain Cook* model:









#TBT The Rado Captain Cook - A Rare 1960's Diver That Spawned a Reissue


With a surprise reissue at Baselworld 2017, the Rado Captain Cook diver is big news. #TBT on Fratello Watches takes a look at the original!




www.fratellowatches.com













Captain Cook discovered the Rado, history and comparative. - Miguel watches jewelry


Todo sobre el nuevo reloj Rado Captain Cook y comparativa con el original de los años 60´s. Una de las piezas más raras de buceo.




joyeriamiguel.com







https://www.watchcarefully.com/index.php/service/103-rado-watch











A Step Back in Time: Rado's Prominent Watch History - Man of Style


Man of Style takes a look at Rado's prominent watch history - innovators and leaders in the Swiss watch industry since 1917.




www.manofstyle.com













The History of Rado Watches - First Class Watches Blog


Devoted to producing durable and exquisite designs, Rado has become one of the leading luxury Swiss watchmaking companies. A heritage of staying ahead of the curve alongside an aspiration to produce comfortable, safe and high-tech timepieces has guaranteed Rado’s success over the years. The...



www.firstclasswatches.co.uk










Surprising Facts about Rado Watches - VintageTimeWatches


Check out these Surprising Facts about Rado Watches: 1- Rado Produced the world's first Scratch-Resistant watch Rado first scratch-resistant watch was the iconic DiaStar 1, the world's first scratch-resistant watch. And to this day they still include...




www.vintagetimewatches.com













10 Things You Didn’t Know About Rado Watches


Anyone who knows me knows that I have a major watch fetish. I love all types of watches. From the cheap, no-name brand watches, to the higher end designer




moneyinc.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

vibe said:


> Supermen
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15425295"]15425295[/ATTACH]


Nice vintage *Yema* divers collection 

Have any of the contemporary reissues in your collection, or sticking with purely vintage?

I always love to see that "Patent Pending" printing on the old school Yema *Supermans*. Such a quirky thing to write on the dial; and a quirky choice of Yema to continue it on the contemporary *Navygraf Heritage* 









Yema Navygraf Heritage


The YEMA Navygraf Heritage is an iconic marine watch with its in-house self-winding mechanical movement.




en.yema.com





I don't think *LeJour* has yet come up in the thread.

So naturally, some informational links, since I didn't even know that LeJour was just a rebadging of Yema for the US market 

Superman model specifically:









#TBT The Yema Superman - An Early Diver With a Locking Bezel


With their chronographs getting all the attention of late, it's time to take a look at the Yema Superman - a historic French diver.




www.fratellowatches.com










#TBT LeJour PVD Chronograph - Value Still Exists


#TBT is here with a look at the LeJour PVD Chronograph, an instrument-like watch from the 1970's that offers a surprising amount of value.




www.fratellowatches.com













Hands-On: The LeJour Vintage Diver


Vintage-inspired divers remain to be all the rage, and though dive watches are an already saturated category, we're continuing to see more brands (both new and established) nudging their way into the category. One such brand-the historically noteworthy Le Jour Watches-recently hopped on the...




www.watchuseek.com





Other brand/models info:









#TBT LeJour Fat Arrow Chronograph with Valjoux 72


Fratello Watches takes a look at a seldom seen Valjoux 72-powered chronograph in the radium-dialed LeJour Fat Arrow.




www.fratellowatches.com













LeJour Chronograph 7733: The Poor/Smart Man’s Chronographe du Jour


I’m consistently on the hunt for vintage chronographs from these smaller brands, not just because they’re more attainable than their luxury brand siblings, but because they are interesting, rare, and varied in their aesthetics.




twobrokewatchsnobs.com













These Forgotten Vintage Watch Brands Are Back with New Models


The popularity of vintage watches has led to the reestablishment of once-defunct companies in Switzerland, Austria, France and elsewhere.




www.gearpatrol.com













History of Le Jour / Landeron


Hey there good folks of the Vintage forum. I recently acquired my first mechanical chrono. I was looking for something that looked nice and seemed well kept, but at the same time that wouldn't break the bank. So a few days ago, I bid on a vintage Le Jour 2-register chronograph with a Landeron...




www.watchuseek.com





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## wheelbuilder (Nov 25, 2016)

Wow, thanks for attaching all those historical links ck2k01! Very nice treat to have them all in one place.


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## vibe (Nov 7, 2010)

ck2k01 said:


> Nice vintage Yema divers collection
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've been into Yema for a white. They have the right combination of tool watch and quirkiness for me. They also fit my wrist really well. My first was the '63 lejour and then a bronze Superman. Then I looked for a while and got the 530016 that has some great patina. I would kinda want to pickup one with less patina, but I think one watch with an FE auto is plenty. I also have a LeJour Lemans Chrono and a first execution yema yachtingraf. I never wear the bronze one, I really love vintage so much more even though it is-really well executed.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

wheelbuilder said:


> Wow, thanks for attaching all those historical links ck2k01! Very nice treat to have them all in one place.


My pleasure. It's been enjoyable to learn as we go, so I'm happy to keep that going 

One thing I've learned: Fratello is king of research on cool vintage watches, skin divers included 

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

vibe said:


> I've been into Yema for a white. They have the right combination of tool watch and quirkiness for me. They also fit my wrist really well. My first was the '63 lejour and then a bronze Superman. Then I looked for a while and got the 530016 that has some great patina. I would kinda want to pickup one with less patina, but I think one watch with an FE auto is plenty. I also have a LeJour Lemans Chrono and a first execution yema yachtingraf. I never wear the bronze one, I really love vintage so much more even though it is-really well executed.


I'm not sure what else I'd add to a vintage Yema collection. That's a lot of high notes right there 

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## Bob1035 (Nov 26, 2019)

My most "skindiver"-ish watch. 60s (?) Jubilee (Wittnauer/Longines). Love this little guy, need to research a little more to get the real history.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Bob1035 said:


> My most "skindiver"-ish watch. 60s (?) Jubilee (Wittnauer/Longines). Love this little guy, need to research a little more to get the real history.
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" width="499px" alt="15427483"]15427483[/ATTACH]


Love the blues. And overall funk of the case and color way.

Took a little while to try to triangulate what little site and forum information I could find about how *Jubilee-Wittnauer-Longines* variously interrelated.

Did a quick scan through them and my sense was that Wittnauer and Longines had various points of intersection over the years. And *Jubilee* was seemingly an affordable sub-brand of a Wittnauer-Longines partnership company that existed for a time.

I may be getting some of the precise business organization terms of art wrong. But I feel like I get the gist of the idea 

*Wittnauer-Longines:*









The history of the Wittnauer watch brand


Watches from the 60s and 70s - 42 mm and larger - preferably affordable.




largevintagewatches.blogspot.com







https://www.timepiecechronicle.com/features/2015/5/20/losttotimewittnauer








Longines Watch Company: History, Serial Numbers, Production Dates


Brief history of the Longines Watch Company including watch production dates, serial numbers and calibers.



www.pocketwatchrepair.com










Wittnauer - Wikipedia







en.m.wikipedia.org





*Jubilee:*









Jubilee movement ID help


This was in a lot with other watches that included a Zodiac and a Seiko Actus. I want to say this movement was made in Hong Kong, but thought I'd ask you guys what you can tell me about the caliber, approximate age of production. Thanks




www.watchuseek.com













Need help with date of manufacture of Jubilee (Longines...


After the huge help I received on this forum with giving a date to my grandmother's watch, I thought I'd ask you fellas about my grandfather's watch this time around. It's a Jubilee 17 Jewels Antichoc (94D 3600-03) that is gold plated (Plaque or G 10). Ain't it a beaut:




www.watchuseek.com













Longines wittnauer......jubilee brand history


I just bought a Jubilee, and I really dig it. Does anyone here know the years which the brand was made? Were they considered super cheap? There's not a lot to be found on the net regarding the brand. I thought I'd ask where the experts are. Thanks, Justin




www.watchuseek.com







https://www.buyingontime.com/watches/1960s-jubilee-skin-diver



Per Google Images it looks like there were a few other cool looking Jubilee skin divers as well:



jubilee skin diver - Google Search



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## Ham2 (Nov 25, 2010)




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## Bob1035 (Nov 26, 2019)

ck2k01 said:


> Love the blues. And overall funk of the case and color way.
> 
> Took a little while to try to triangulate what little site and forum information I could find about how Jubilee-Wittnauer-Longines variously interrelated.
> 
> ...


Awesome info, thanks!


----------



## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

This thread is becoming a favorite of mine. Thank you.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Ham2 said:


> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15428227"]15428227[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15428230"]15428230[/ATTACH]


Cool duo 

*Helson Sharkmaster 300* . . .









Helson Sharkmaster 300 Review - Watch Clicker


The Helson Sharkmaster 300 is a purpose-built homage to the Omega Seamaster 300 Big Triangle. It has all the looks with none of the risk




watchclicker.com










Helson Sharkmaster 300 – Beans & Bezels







www.beansandbezels.com





. . . a great looking homage to the 1960s-era *Omega Seamaster 300 "Big Triangle"*:









Omega Seamaster 300 "Big Triangle"


Omega "Big Triangle" Seamaster 300 for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com













Omega Seamaster 300 Collectors Guide | Omega Passion


A comprehensive guide to the Omega Seamaster 300 watch. This website is aimed at avid colectors and will help in establishing the true heritage of the watch




www.omegaseamaster300.com













In-Depth: Diving Into The Past With The New Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial


Old diver, new tech.




www.hodinkee.com













A Brief History: The Omega Seamaster 300 – Craft + Tailored


The history of the Omega Seamaster 300 begins in 1957 and consists of direct military ties, connections to fictional british spies, underwater exploration and much more.



blog.craftandtailored.com







https://www.timepiecechronicle.com/features/2017/8/28/in-depth-the-history-of-the-omega-seamaster











A Brief History of the Omega Seamaster


By Ben Newport-Foster When it comes to variety, nothing in Omega's collection competes with the Seamaster. There have been dress Seamasters, diving Seamasters, sailing Speedmasters and even Soccer Seamasters and it all started in 1948. Photo: Ben Newport-Foster In celebration




wristreview.com





And you gotta appreciate *Squale* if you dig skin divers.









Blood In The Water, Water In Its Blood: A Brief History of Squale


Any history of the dive watch would be incomplete without a thorough look at Squale. But despite its illustrious history, this small Swiss brand is still largely unknown to all but the most hardcore dive watch nerds. And that’s a shame because Squale has made some truly iconic watches, not only...




www.hodinkee.com













A Guide To Squale Watches | Prowatches


If you're looking for an affordable, quality Swiss-made dive watch, then Squale watches are what you're looking for! Here's more about Squale watches.




prowatches.com





Including their vintage and reissued *30 Atmos models*:









Introducing the 60th Anniversary Edition Squale 30 Atmos - Worn & Wound


Squale, the Swiss dive watch specialist with the Italian name, turns 60 this year, and to celebrate the brand is releasing a very special edition of their much loved 30 Atmos dive watch, and it’s limited to just 150 pieces. With plenty of vintage touches, this release is likely to be a favorite...




wornandwound.com













Squale TGV Limited-Edition 60-Year Anniversary 300-Meter Swiss Dive Watch #SUB-39-TGV


Squale Limited-Edition 60-Year Anniversary Swiss Made 300 Meter Dive Watch with Swiss ETA automatic movement and an anti-reflective sapphire crystal.




www.longislandwatch.com





For a time, I had the first TGV-partnership *Squale 1521/50 Atmos*. The one with the red bezel and gray sunburst dial. I dug it: it scratched the itch for a Tudor Black Bay Red pretty well. Though I appreciate that the vintage 50 Atmos model (or case, e.g., the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms 3H Bund, which used the so-called "von Buren" case) upon on which it was based would probably be classified as a professional diver rather than a skin diver.









Squale 500 meter Professional Swiss Automatic Dive watch with Sapphire Crystal #1521-026-TGV


The Squale 1521-026-TGV is a 500 meter professional dive watch with a uni-directional bezel, stainless steel case, and a Swiss Made ETA 2824-2 automatic (self-winding) movement.



www.squalewatches.com


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> This thread is becoming a favorite of mine. Thank you.


My pleasure 

I was surprised about the brevity of information available about skin divers at any one source. So it's been nice to try to pull bits and pieces of available information together in one place for folks (and learn a little bit myself in the process) based on posted pictures.

And another plug for the Instagram hashtag #skindiver for a ton of pictures of different skin divers, some of which have come up thus far here, and many that have yet to be posted (which prompts me to try to pull and share some information on the model or brand!).


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

And still enjoying the heck out of this guy. Great daily grab and go if you dig the design elements.










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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

ck2k01 said:


> And still enjoying the heck out of this guy. Great daily grab and go if you dig the design elements.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks a bit like the new Dino, or vice versa. I have an empty slot in my box.

That's what she said.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> Looks a bit like the new Dino, or vice versa. I have an empty slot in my box.
> 
> That's what she said.


Which watch? I don't know Dino.

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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

ck2k01 said:


> Which watch? I don't know Dino.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The new Zoretto Dino........which I see is already sold out.








Dino black sapphire bezel | Meinewebsite


Specifications: Case: 316 stainless steel Case Diameter: 38mm Lug to Lug length: 48mm Bezel: 38mm - Sapphire insert - 120 click unidirectional Thickness incl. crystal: 14.30mm Caseback: 316L Stainless Steel Crown: signed 7.5mm screw down crown with 3 gasketsDial: Black with roulette date wheel...




www.zoretto-watches.com


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> The new Zoretto Dino........which I see is already sold out.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Cool. Didn't know about the brand.

I see some of the similarities: squared lugs case shape, large bold dial numerals, a bold arrow hour hand, and a similar minute hand.

Their watches look a little wide or tall for my wrist, but I like their designs, like their Jota model homages to the O&W Caribbean and Jenny Caribbean.

Still enjoying cycling through straps with the Wolbrook. Today on the strap equivalent of a band aid 










Squared skin diver case shape = strap monster.

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----------



## Moonshine Runner (Sep 29, 2016)

Tired?!










… this one can wake you up - and also the sleeping shark beside you. 









Vulcain Cricket Aviator Diver X-Treme


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Moonshine Runner said:


> Tired?!
> 
> [/IMG]https://abload.de/img/vulcain1g9kz2.jpeg[/IMG]
> 
> ...


First off, turtles:









 Turtle - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org













Turtle | Species, Classification, & Facts


turtle, (order Testudines), any reptile with a body encased in a bony shell, including tortoises. Although numerous animals, from invertebrates to mammals, have evolved shells, none has an architecture like that of turtles. The turtle shell has a top (carapace) and a bottom (plastron). The...



www.britannica.com





Second, off, whoa. Hadn't seen that watch before. Definitely defies any classification I know of ?

*Vulcain Cricket Aviator Diver X-Treme:*









Vulcain Cricket Diver X-Treme Watch Is Attractive, Not Very Extreme | aBlogtoWatch


I would imagine that the typical watch consumer is intelligent. At least understanding words and meaning. What do you think of when you hear “extreme” or the even more extreme iteration of extreme, “xtreme?” Well I think about objects that takes a beating, and do so while functioning well. Not...



www.ablogtowatch.com





Looks like they have a few different models within the range. But it seems like some titanium, 100m WR, multiple crowns (variously located), alarm, internal dive bezel, and some sort second time zone feature (e.g., second 12 hour, GMT, and/or world time) cut across the various models? Pretty wild.

And Vulcain definitely had some rad looking vintage skin divers:









Affordable Vintage: 60's Vulcain Diver


There are many reasons to buy or collect vintage watches. Perhaps you are looking for an investment, an object that will appreciate in value over time. In that case, you are most likely looking for rare, expensive and well-kept examples from well-known brands, such as Rolex or Omega. Another...




wornandwound.com













Three Vintage Watches Under $1,000 Every Collection Deserves


Three vintage watches from Vulcain, Seiko and Omega.




www.gearpatrol.com







vulcain skin diver - Google Search



And some other watch styles/models from Vulcain for which they were more famous:









History of the Vulcain Cricket: The President’s Watch | Bob's Rolex Blog


The watch that best encapsulates the "President's" title has been worn by more commanders-in-chief for nearly a century: the Cricket by Vulcain.



www.bobswatches.com













VULCAIN Cricket – the Swiss watch of Presidents


In 1947, watch brand VULCAIN launched the world’s first wristwatch with built-in alarm that could be mass-produced. The “Cricket” became a symbol of the post-war period and has gone down in watchmaking history as the “President’s Watch”.




blog.nationalmuseum.ch













Old School – Vulcain Cricket - Monochrome Watches


Some watch brands get so famous with one model that its success overshadows their entire collection, or in this case even their entire history. But when the brand’s name is Vulcain, and the model in question the Cricket, then this is not such a bad thing! Vulcain’s history started in La...




monochrome-watches.com







https://www.timepiecechronicle.com/features/2016/6/20/the-vulcain-cricket-made-for-men-worn-by-presidents











Vulcain - History - Brands - WorldTempus


Discover the brand's history.




en.worldtempus.com


----------



## Moonshine Runner (Sep 29, 2016)

The Diver X-Treme was introduced in 2007 and was available with different dial colors (silver/white, black with yellow accents, black with white accents und gold with black accents) and case materials. The base of the case is always titanium, the bezel and case flanks are optionally available in steel or gold. The screw-down crown at 9:00 o'clock is used to operate the bidirectional with 60 clicks rotating bezel for the diving time, the crown at 3:30 is used to wind up the two barrels and to set the time and alarm. In fact, at 2:30 there is no crown, just only a pusher which serves to stop the alarm and allows the alarm time to be set.
I just got this watch about 12 hours ago and will certainly write a detailed introduction, but it will take a few more weeks until it is released.

But one thing I can tell you already now: The alarm is really loud.


----------



## creepshow (Jan 28, 2014)

This is the perfect thread for me. More to come.

Today is this Adrem I just finished servicing. A recent pickup from a fellow member.


----------



## YODAHAWK (May 20, 2006)

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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

I get it. Wolbrook is Douglas' last name, right?


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

creepshow said:


> This is the perfect thread for me. More to come.
> 
> Today is this Adrem I just finished servicing. A recent pickup from a fellow member.
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15439495"]15439495[/ATTACH]


Fun dive bezel/internal tachymeter combo 

Though I think the brand presents a first for the thread: I can't find any research on the Adrem 

Know anything about them?


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> I get it. Wolbrook is Douglas' last name, right?


 (I think)

Otherwise, DOUGLAS WATCHES


----------



## Topspin917 (Mar 17, 2012)

I think the 53 Skin fits the category.


----------



## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Am I in CK?

Though I suspect it needs a tropic on it to properly get in the club.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Topspin917 said:


> I think the 53 Skin fits the category.
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15441574"]15441574[/ATTACH]
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15441575"]15441575[/ATTACH]





boatswain said:


> Am I in CK?
> 
> Though I suspect it needs a tropic on it to properly get in the club.
> 
> ...


In and in 

Regarding shark mesh straps:









What is Milanese watch band? A brief history of Mesh watch band


A brief history of Milanese Mesh band, SHARK Mesh band, Classic Mesh band. Mesh watch bracelets made from stainless steel wires worked into characteristic mesh look that can give either robust or sophisticated look to watches. In terms of durability, mesh watch band is made to withstand a lot.




www.strapcode.com





And on the topic of tropic straps:









The Tropic Topic – The Iconic Rubber Watch Strap - Bulang & Sons


The default option for the watches were stainless steel bracelets, but for those serious about their diving there was another option available – the Tropic strap…




magazine.bulangandsons.com













The Return of TROPIC: Your Favorite '60s Rubber Straps Are Back! - Worn & Wound


Anyone who collects or loves vintage dive watches knows about the now legendary TROPIC rubber straps. They were made in the ‘60s and ’70s, and were often OEM standard issue and commonly found paired with different brands of divers, including Rolex, Enicar, and Jenny Caribbean, among others...




wornandwound.com













Tropic Sport Strap Review – The Return of a Vintage Icon


If you are a vintage watch guy who fancies divers watches you gotta have a vintage Tropic strap in your accessory box. Vintage or new.




www.fratellowatches.com





And the strap's connection to the 62MAS:



https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.plus9time.com/blog/2017/2/4/62mas-6217-8000-original-tropic-strap%3fformat=amp



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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

CK

Do you have a favourite tropic?

The Tropic brand is pricey and the funky new buckle doesn’t appeal to me much along with the squared off ends.

Seems there are quite a few now

Baltic
Meraud
Tropic
Watchgecko 
Cheapest NATO
Borealis
Etc...


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

boatswain said:


> CK
> 
> Do you have a favourite tropic?
> 
> ...


Yep.

Short answer: NTH tropic strap, but I haven't tried all that many.

Verbose answer:

I've actually been following the responses in the 63MAS thread about this (and took another peek in the tropic strap comparison thread), as

(a) I've always found tropic strap reviews to be pretty critical, leaving me like, "umm, they all sound like mixed bags on various fronts; which one do I get?"

(b) Many tropic straps seem to run a bit long, at least for my wrist size. So I tend to look a little closer at the length of the two sides.

(c) The prices seem to have crept up on this style of strap in general, or for those options that haven't, reviewer critiques have given me just enough pause. And I just can't seem to get motivated to pay all that much for a rubber strap, as it's usually a secondary look for me. So I haven't tried that many.

The two I've tried in earnest are the NTH tropic strap (no longer available) and, to a lesser extent, the Uncle Seiko updated (more pliable) tropic strap.

I've also had at least one tropic strap included with a watch (e.g., Zelos Horizons GMT), but I never really tried the strap much when I had it. I forgot which others, if any, may have briefly come through in this capacity.

NTH tropic strap:

When I looked into (compared) tropic straps maybe two or so years ago, the NTH run of tropic straps (primarily for the Azores and Antilles models) seemed to present a decent balance of

(a) shorter length that typical,

(b) decent enough feel,

(c) not a lint magnet, and

(d) reasonable price.









NTH Tropics: Azores and Antilles - The Time Bum


Chris Vail is really on to something with his new NTH line. The formula is not complicated: take a classic watch, stir in some new details, build it to modern…




www.thetimebum.com





I lucked out and grabbed one of the last ones available sometime after they were released, as it seemed like these never garnered too much buzz.




























This has basically been "my" tropic strap for the last two or so years. And I remain quite satisfied with it. Not too thick, not too firm, flush-to-strap buckle when on wrist, keepers hold well, and I like the overall look of the strap and buckle.

Regrettably, I can't really recommend them at the moment since they've been sold out for a while; I don't see them often come up preowned; and the last I heard, v2 of the NTH Tropics watches are still aways out, and Doc hasn't yet decided whether he'll include another run of the rubber straps with them.

Uncle Seiko updated formula tropic strap:

I also tried the Uncle Seiko updated tropic strap (more pliable formula, obviating the need for the hot water trick) for the vintage Hilton watch I posted at the outset of this thread, as

(a) it was available in 19mm,

(b) reviews were mixed but decent overall,

(c) I've had mostly positive prior experience with various Uncle Seiko products (and generally support what Larry is doing), and

(d) the price was reasonable.

I didn't spend too much time with the strap, but if memory serves, I thought it felt pretty decent, and was a bit long. I seem to recall feeling overall content with it. Regrettably I didn't take any on-wrist shots with it before I sold it.










Also, a notable feature of US rubber straps is that I think they all tend to take Seiko-style fat spring bars.

So you'd need to use a conversion spring bar (2.5mm in the middle per Seiko's norm but thinner than Seiko's norm of 1.1mm at the tips) if using the strap with a watch with thinner gauged spring bar holes.









Uncle Seiko TROPIC STRAP in Various Sizes


Accessories for your Vintage Seiko Watches, Divers, Chronographs, Waffle Straps, Bracelets, 6309, 6105, 6139



www.uncleseiko.com





2.5mm middle/0.8mm tips spring bars:



Please Log In



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----------



## michael_m (May 16, 2012)

Here is my Longines Skin Diver










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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

michael_m said:


> Here is my Longines Skin Diver
> 
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200910/c5dd96cab56a96c064ff4dd97c92d4b6.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




I've always liked the look of these. I even tried one on at the airport to pass the time. But my measly 6.5" wrist is no match for those  lugs 

Although I think I've posted some or all of these links before, some good history is available on this reissue:









A Rich Lineage: The Longines Skin Diver Watch - Revolution


Revolution takes a journey down the rich lineage of the present day Longines Skin Diver.




www.revolution.watch







https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.rescapement.com/blog/early-longines-dive-watches-a-brief-history%3fformat=amp











Longines Skin Diver Watch - Vintage and New Face-to-Face


Not many people know that Longines does not consider itself a “manufacture” but a “factory”, and encourages everybody to call it a factory. It is surprising, but it perfectly matches the spirit that commands the Maison these days: high-quality mass production. Despite having a vast collection of...




monochrome-watches.com













Hands-On: Longines Skin Diver Review


Longines Skin Diver - One of the most anticipated watches from Longines is really an awesome piece in the metal. A true future classic.




www.fratellowatches.com





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## NS1 (May 12, 2015)

ck2k01 said:


> Yep.
> 
> Short answer: NTH tropic strap, but I haven't tried all that many.
> 
> ...


I have the new US Tropic strap. It's okay; nothing special. Not as nice as the one that came with my Oris Divers' 65, which is really nice. I just ordered one from Joseph Bonnie, which is a little pricy but has gotten good reviews. I'll report back when it arrives and goes on my 143.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

NS1 said:


> I have the new US Tropic strap. It's okay; nothing special. Not as nice as the one that came with my Oris Divers' 65, which is really nice. I just ordered one from Joseph Bonnie, which is a little pricy but has gotten good reviews. I'll report back when it arrives and goes on my 143.


Good to know.

I don't think I've heard much in the way of negative feedback about the Oris tropic. Sounds to be a quality option, though pricey if bought separately.






Oris Replacement Bands Archives - The Watchmaker


The Watchmaker is the official service center for Oris for the USA, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. If you are looking for an original replacement Oris strap we can provide you the straps or bracelets directly.




thewatchmaker.com





And I look forward to hearing your thoughts about the Joseph Bonnie tropic, as I'm seeing that one recommended more and more these days, and it sells out quickly (black currently sold out in 20mm, blue and green still available in both 20mm and 18mm).









Joseph Bonnie


Vente de Montre Vintage // Bracelet de Montre : Made in France. Bracelet cuir, Bracelet NATO, Bracelet Tropic, Bracelet Acier // Chaises Eames Originales.




www.josephbonnie.com





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----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Rocking an Uncle Seiko v2 waffle strap today:



















So it seemed worth posting some links to history about the waffle strap style:



https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.plus9time.com/blog/2018/1/13/first-seiko-dive-strap-zlm01-waffle%3fformat=amp











Type of Straps- Seiko Waffle Strap - Dr.MenStyle


The Tropic rubber strap which is very popular during the 1960s. But did you know, that Seiko also made their own version of rubber strap?



drmenstyle.com





Probably worth noting that the style's history seems associated with Seiko professional divers rather than the 62MAS, though it came paired with the much later reissued SLA017.

And a cool summary of all of the early Seiko rubber straps-tropic (think 62MAS), waffle (think MM forerunners), chocolate bar (think Willard), and tire tread (think Tuna):



Redirect Notice





https://www.plus9time.com/blog/2018/7/20/early-seiko-dive-straps



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----------



## ARMADUK (Oct 26, 2015)

Have anyone came across a bracelet for the "basic" vintage skin diver with almost straight 19mm lugs so the end link will fit and fill the lugs? I thought I'd get lucky and bought Uncle Seikos h-link bracelet 6139-600x but the endlinks do not fit due to lug holes position and will need alot of filing to make it fit... that is if I don't screw it up and overfile themI tried to "correct" endlinks before on other watches and it was a disaster

Here is the pic of my watch with those lugs, this is actually also h-link bracelet but I hate these end links as they are sliding around. The lug holes on this case are closer to the middle and Uncle Seikos end links are made for holes at the end of the lugs*.*


----------



## jjmc87 (Apr 12, 2020)

ARMADUK said:


> Have anyone came across a bracelet for the "basic" vintage skin diver with asmlost straight 19mm lugs so the end link will fit and fill the lugs? I thought I'd get lucky and bought Uncle Seikos h-link bracelet 6139-600x but the endlinks do not fit due to lug holes position and will need alot of filing to make it fit... that is if I don't screw it up and overfile themI tried to "correct" endlinks before on other watches and it was a disaster
> 
> Here is the pic of my watch with those lugs, this is actually also h-link bracelet but I hate these end links as they are sliding around. The lug holes on this case are closer to the middle and Uncle Seikos end links are made for holes at the end of the lugs*.*
> 
> View attachment 15443073


Do you have a particular style in mind? Watchgecko just re-released their beads of rice which have a 19mm option, it looks like it would fit if you're interested.

Metal Watch Straps / Bands | WatchGecko


----------



## jjmc87 (Apr 12, 2020)

Love the thread @ck2k01! That Seiko is a beauty, I really hope they continue to build on that size/style

Here's a cool looking watch that I think fits this style, only renders for now but they look very nice and there's apparently going to be a 38mm option 

"Sea Storm" Dive Watch - Debut Diver Watch


----------



## ARMADUK (Oct 26, 2015)

jjmc87 said:


> Do you have a particular style in mind? Watchgecko just re-released their beads of rice which have a 19mm option, it looks like it would fit if you're interested.
> 
> Metal Watch Straps / Bands | WatchGecko


Thanx for the tip, I'm looking for the bracelet with end links that will fill the lugs, like this vintage Kreisler Seiko Pogue bracelet or a bracelet that Glashutte has


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ARMADUK said:


> Have anyone came across a bracelet for the "basic" vintage skin diver with almost straight 19mm lugs so the end link will fit and fill the lugs? I thought I'd get lucky and bought Uncle Seikos h-link bracelet 6139-600x but the endlinks do not fit due to lug holes position and will need alot of filing to make it fit... that is if I don't screw it up and overfile themI tried to "correct" endlinks before on other watches and it was a disaster
> 
> Here is the pic of my watch with those lugs, this is actually also h-link bracelet but I hate these end links as they are sliding around. The lug holes on this case are closer to the middle and Uncle Seikos end links are made for holes at the end of the lugs*.*
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15443073"]15443073[/ATTACH]




I tend to think of straight end links as an imperfect solution in such cases.

But about end links that would completely fill the space . . . I took a quick look on eBay for "19mm skin diver bracelet" and nothing seemed to fit the bill.

A subsequent search for "19mm vintage dive bracelet" yielded one potentially promising but overpriced possibility:









4 SOLD 1960s NOS vintage dive watch steel bracelet for deep 19mm flat diver lugs | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 4 SOLD 1960s NOS vintage dive watch steel bracelet for deep 19mm flat diver lugs at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com





IDK, I'd personally probably give the Uncle Seiko file job a stab if it were going to cost me a lot to source a vintage bracelet.

And cool watch, by the way. My first time seeing the brand LOV. Some info around WUS about the French brand (reportedly named after an old village name of Lac Ou Villers):









A Small LOV Affair


One of my favourite watches is this LOV Précision, clean and simple, with lots of "je ne sais quoi" It runs the ever faithful Cupillard 233, and hails from Villers-le-Lac. LOV was the brand name of the family business, Ets Hubert Lambert et Fils, whose workshops were on the rue Maréchal...




www.watchuseek.com













LOV Espadon Swordfish


Sorry Everyone I have not posted in a while, perhaps this will make up for my absence: Very excited about this one. I got hooked on the "LOV" brand of watches as some of you know for a while now. I have been searching on and off ever since I saw one of these a few years ago. It is a LOV...




www.watchuseek.com













LOV Vintage watch


Hi, I wonder if someone could help, I am no expert and only have a small collection of watches. This watch came from France and I know LOV is a French manufacturer, but this is all I know. Looking at it, I suspect this is pre WWII, but I would love to know more about it. Would also love to get...




www.watchuseek.com





Definitely has the Glasshute SeaQ dial look. Was cool to learn about the OG Glashutte Spezimatic Type RP TS 200 that the modern SeaQ line was based on. Though if the OG Glashutte is from 1969, perhaps I should be saying this the other way around: that the Glashutte looks like the LOV!









Hands-On - Glashütte Original SeaQ Collection of Dive Watches (Live Pics, Specs & Price)


Glashütte Original comes back to the Dive Watch Market with the SeaQ Collection, the first model in the newly created “Spezialist” range of watches.




monochrome-watches.com













Glashütte Original SeaQ 39.5mm - Review, Specs & Price


Check our in-depth review of the Glashütte Original SeaQ 39.5mm, The Real Deal Vintage Diver, a surprising watch that we didn't expect but looks good.




monochrome-watches.com













Glashütte Original SeaQ: An Intriguing Re-Interpreted 1969 Diver's Watch From Germany - Quill & Pad


As part of its 2019 releases, Glashütte Original announced a new diver’s watch line. Yes, you read that correctly: a diver’s watch. Sabine Zwettler dives deep into the Saxon brand's new SeaQ collection.




quillandpad.com













Hot Take: Glashütte Original SeaQ and SeaQ 1969


We take a look at the Glashütte Original SeaQ and SeaQ 1969 edition that was introduced a few weeks ago during the Time To Move event.




www.fratellowatches.com













Glashütte Original Dials For Divers' Watches


What goes into the design of a luxury watch dial? Time! Join Jorg on his trip to Pforzheim to find out how Glashütte Original does it.




www.fratellowatches.com













Glashütte Original Brings Vintage Spezimatic Dive Watch to WatchTime New York


WatchTime New York 2019 kicked off last night at Gotham Hall with a VIP cocktail party and continues today with a full day of panels, events, and product introductions. And as a special bonus for aficionados of vintage watches, Glashütte Original, one of the 37 sponsoring watch brands, will be showc




www.watchtime.com













Dive Into the Original


Glashütte Original SeaQ Revives the Tradition of Divers' Watches Made in Glashütte. Timepieces from Glashütte have long been valued around the world for their high-quality mechanics, elaborate finishes and timeless elegance. Since the 19th century, precise timekeepers from Glashütte have also bee




www.watchtime.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jjmc87 said:


> Love the thread @ck2k01! That Seiko is a beauty, I really hope they continue to build on that size/style
> 
> Here's a cool looking watch that I think fits this style, only renders for now but they look very nice and there's apparently going to be a 38mm option
> 
> "Sea Storm" Dive Watch - Debut Diver Watch


Thanks man , and glad to hear you're liking the thread!

I concur: brilliant design and good size with the 63MASs.

Thanks for the heads up about that forthcoming Seals watch. I've always dug their designs. Just haven't ever taken the plunge for whatever reason.

But this new skin diver model of theirs looks mighty attractive. And a 38mm option . . . yes please 

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## ARMADUK (Oct 26, 2015)

Thanx ck2k01, yes there were made probably millions of these watches with this case and this or simular dial in 1960-70's, alot of them were french. LOV was a small family watch brand, thanx for the links.

That is the lising I found on ebay, the price is pretty rediculous so I chose Uncle Seiko thinking it will be cirka the same and US will be surely better quality, the seller on ebay mentions that you need to adjust Pogue end links to fit that diver. I'll try to file and sand down endlinks, fingers crossed


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ARMADUK said:


> Thanx ck2k01, yes there were made probably millions of these watches with this case and this or simular dial in 1960-70's, alot of them were french. LOV was a small family watch brand, thanx for the links.
> 
> That is the lising I found on ebay, the price is pretty rediculous so I chose Uncle Seiko thinking it will be cirka the same and US will be surely better quality, the seller on ebay mentions that you need to adjust Pogue end links to fit that diver. I'll try to file and sand down endlinks, fingers crossed


Indeed. While I historically haven't thought too much about French watchmaking, I'm learning more and more about small French brands of the skin diver vintage era, in particular. And that some designs that luxury brands are harkening back too these days from their own archives were, in some cases, a bit more ubiquitous beyond that brand and reference.

As for taking a chance with filing the Uncle Seiko end links, I know Larry sells spare end links separately, so hopefully this proves a relatively low risk operation!









End Links for Various Bracelets


Accessories for your Vintage Seiko Watches, Divers, Chronographs, Waffle Straps, Bracelets, 6309, 6105, 6139



www.uncleseiko.com


----------



## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Thanks CK!

Great and thoughtful response as always. Much appreciated.


----------



## JLS36 (Feb 5, 2016)

ck2k01 said:


> Just got a new skin diver in
> 
> I finally received my long-Kickstartered *Wolbrook Skindiver WT Mecaquartz* with add-on Wolbrook beads-of-rice bracelet.
> 
> ...


I like the look quite a bit.

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## FORMULa (Oct 7, 2012)

Zoretto Dino...





Next to the Armida A12...


----------



## ARMADUK (Oct 26, 2015)

^^ That is pretty much perfection for still reasonable amount of money, and 20mm lugs


----------



## Tanjecterly (Mar 13, 2013)

I have to admit, I like the Zoretto Dino.


----------



## TrlRnr (Mar 7, 2016)




----------



## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

TrlRnr said:


> View attachment 15445404


I like those Borealis FF homages. Bit sad I missed the bus on them.


----------



## ARMADUK (Oct 26, 2015)

Many hours of filing, sanding and bending later Uncle Seikos Pogue bracelet and mainly it's endlinks finally fit like a glove. Me happy big time


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ARMADUK said:


> Many hours of filing, sanding and bending later Uncle Seikos Pogue bracelet and mainly it's endlinks finally fit like a glove. Me happy big time
> 
> View attachment 15447725


Nice mod 

Clever, and looks good 

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## amngwlvs (Sep 14, 2018)

boatswain said:


> CK
> 
> Do you have a favourite tropic?
> 
> ...


I may be too late to help and while I can't speak to anything but the Cheapest NATO but I was quite happy with their Vintage Tropic on my Squale 1521. I had ordered the Vintage Tropic 2.0 (amongst other straps) and was accidentally sent a V1 instead of somethings else as well. I can say the V2 is certainly more pliable and softer but I thought the taper was too dramatic and I found it to be quite short for my 6.75" wrist. The V1 was stiffer (think SKX rubber stiffness wise IMO) but once it broke in I absolutely loved it. Length was much better, taper was less dramatic and never had issues with it being too stiff.


----------



## creepshow (Jan 28, 2014)

Admira today..









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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

creepshow said:


> Admira today..
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Have you checked that sucker with a Geiger counter? It's carrying quite a load of old lume there.
Outstanding example, BTW. Very cool 😎


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

creepshow said:


> Admira today.. [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200915/f0d9f6e2e67d0956c7971ba2fe92c21f.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk


Always makes me  when a new brand gets posted.

So many cool little variations on the basic platform.

Regrettably I couldn't find squat on Admira after some quick searches, other than that they were perhaps a German brand?

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## creepshow (Jan 28, 2014)

So many random/unknown brands when it comes to skin divers out there, all very cool in their own way. This Admira has a Lorsa P75 movement so it must be a French watch, which is also where the seller was located so makes sense.


----------



## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

ck2k01, I owe you an apology. I wrongly attributed this thread to Tanjecterly in another thread. I will correct this. As God is my witness, I shall not rest when I get around to it.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> ck2k01, I owe you an apology. I wrongly attributed this thread to Tanjecterly in another thread. I will correct this. As God is my witness, I shall not rest when I get around to it.


Easy to do: Tanjecterly and I, and a handful of others, tend to frequent similar threads.

No attribution needed: it's all of us skin diver fans' thread 

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## Robert999 (Apr 29, 2006)

Untitled by Robert, on Flickr


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Robert999 said:


> [/url=
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/2jHM3tv
> ] by [/url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/]Robert[/url], on Flickr


Nice! I saw the other thread about these.

I love the mermaid on the dial-a fun touch. I similarly thought the Japanese female skin diver engraving on the back of the Albany skin diver was an interesting touch, if you're OK with a little case back nudity 

While I've never pulled the trigger on the brand (Vratislavia Conceptum-that one isn't easy to remember or spell fit an American!), several of its prior designs have definitely caught my attention (e.g., the green "Seiko grammar of design"-looking one, and some of the tourneau-cased chronographs).

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## tgetzen (Jan 6, 2017)

Robert999 said:


> Going back to skindivers...
> 
> 844076F4-4344-4464-9E7A-F278A04547FC by Robert, on Flickr


may I ask what the strap is? Besides nice looking...


----------



## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

New entry.......


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> New entry.......
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15463441"]15463441[/ATTACH]
> 
> ...




I look forward to seeing what Zelos's new sister brand continues to come up with.

About the history of beads-of-rice bracelets:









Steel Beads of Rice Bracelet


Today we are excited to launch our new range of steel beads of rice bracelets. Durabale, cool looking and ready to go on your favourite watch; we are always looking to offer style for watch lovers.



magazine.bulangandsons.com













Type of Watch Straps- Beads of Rice Bracelet - Dr.MenStyle


Just like the name, the beads of rice bracelet / BOR for short looks like small rice beads joined together to become a bracelet.



drmenstyle.com













Historical Perspectives: Gay Frères, Much More Than A Simple Manufacturer Of Watch Bracelets


With a history stretching back to the 1830s, the Gay Frères story neither begins nor ends with watch bracelets.




www.hodinkee.com













Legendary Vintage Bracelets – Doxa Expandro Bracelet


Doxa Expandro beads of rice bracelet is a classic. Vintage watchmaking technology at its finest, with features modern bracelets are lacking.




www.fratellowatches.com





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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

Yes, yes, that's all well and good, but now you can brag that the inventor of the "BODR" bracelet actually posted to your thread. That's quite the digital feather in in your cyber-cap!


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> Yes, yes, that's all well and good, but now you can brag that the inventor of the "BODR" bracelet actually posted to your thread. That's quite the digital feather in in your cyber-cap!


I may not get the reference, but I'll take the feather regardless 

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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

ck2k01 said:


> I may not get the reference, but I'll take the feather regardless


I refer to "Beads Of Dirty Rice". I brushed the PCLs of the bracelet. Has anyone else shown the necessary lack of judgement and spare time to pull this off? You may bask in my afterbirth.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> I refer to "Beads Of Dirty Rice". I brushed the PCLs of the bracelet. Has anyone else shown the necessary lack of judgement and spare time to pull this off? You may bask in my afterbirth.
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15463741"]15463741[/ATTACH]




The Uncle Seiko BoR I have marketed that the underside of the beads (which maintains the same shape as the topside) was brushed and could be flipped inside out if you wanted the beads-of-dirty-rice look. +1 for versatility.

The Wolbrook BoR is also fully brushed and has some cool angling.










FYI, another synonymous phrasal adjective for "beads of rice" bracelet is a "beads of poop" bracelet, as pioneered over in the NTH thread.

I support the levity.

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## thejollywatcher (Jul 30, 2009)

Sent from my flat 6.5" wrist.


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

I guess the KonTiki is a "skin diver" given it isn't exactly a true diver's watch (no lumped pip, no lume on the seconds hand, actually not much lume at all - I still really like it though!)


----------



## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Those Axios' are growing on me in their simplicity.

I was talking to someone about a beads of rice bracelet I had on one day and they just stopped me and said, "uh they are -grains- of rice. Why do you call them beads?"


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Ryeguy said:


> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15464210"]15464210[/ATTACH]
> 
> I guess the KonTiki is a "skin diver" given it isn't exactly a true diver's watch (no lumped pip, no lume on the seconds hand, actually not much lume at all - I still really like it though!)


I dig it!

Case shape is reminiscent of the Vostok Amphibia 710 case.

Eterna brand and KonTiki line history (I didn't know Eterna was responsible for ETA!):









Eterna Kontiki – a holy grail for watch lovers - www.WristChronology.com


All watch lovers hunt a holy grail – it can be a desirable, limited, collectable, costly, rare; perhaps custom made or the first of its kind. What most of these watches have in common is one thing: everybody dreams of owning one… From “Dr. Girard & Schild” to Eterna In November 1856, Dr. Joseph...




www.wristchronology.com













The history of Eterna


The history of the Eterna watch brand. La storia degli orologi Eterna. Eterna has a very important place in the history of watchmaking. Eterna that introduced the ball bearings solution that is still used today on automatic movements and that ETA, the largest manufacturer of Swiss watch...




www.timeandwatches.com













Eterna Watch History | World-Famous Eterna Watch Movements


At the forefront of innovations throughout history, Eterna watches are part of a time-honored luxury brand. Order the Eterna-matic watch at TimeScape!




www.timescapeusa.com













Wikiwand - Eterna


Eterna is a Swiss luxury watch company founded in Grenchen, Canton Solothurn, on 7 November 1856 by Josef Girard and Urs Schild.




www.wikiwand.com













Eterna - Innovate or Die - The Truth About Watches


Eterna was an innovative and influential watch company that invented movements, broke records and enjoyed huge success. What happened to the brand?




thetruthaboutwatches.com





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## Bob1035 (Nov 26, 2019)

@ck2k01 Love your historical info posts!


----------



## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

ck2k01 said:


> I dig it!
> 
> Case shape is reminiscent of the Vostok Amphibia 710 case.
> 
> ...


Yes, Eterna is a special brand in the watch collector world. Unfortunately, the brand itself has been tossed around a bit from owner to owner in recent years, but I sincerely hope they continue in business as they make some very interesting watches and have such a rich history.

This KonTiki Super is actually my second watch from the Eterna "KonTiki" family. My first probably also qualified as a "skin diver" as well with 200m water resistance, although no timing bezel.










The 1973 Super KonTiki is Eterna's reissue of a watch with some interesting military history. They were originally supplied to the commando units of the Israeli Defense Force. A little info about an original example can be found here: Holy Grail Eterna Super KonTiki IDF Watch Available | aBlogtoWatch


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Bob1035 said:


> @ck2k01 Love your historical info posts!


My pleasure, and hopefully it helps folks newer to this loosely-defined segment to efficiently get a general lay of the land 

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Ryeguy said:


> Yes, Eterna is a special brand in the watch collector world. Unfortunately, the brand itself has been tossed around a bit from owner to owner in recent years, but I sincerely hope they continue in business as they make some very interesting watches and have such a rich history.
> 
> This KonTiki Super is actually my second watch from the Eterna "KonTiki" family. My first probably also qualified as a "skin diver" as well with 200m water resistance, although no timing bezel.
> 
> ...


Truth. I now have a little more appreciation for this. Thanks for posting to prompt the thread concerning the brand.

Though to be honest, my "I sort of get it" reaction to the Super-KonTiki's immersion-time-bezel (vs. elapsed-time-bezel) variant really drives home the point that I'm nothing but a desk diver 









For Your Reference: Eterna Super-KonTiki (1960-1971) — VEBLENIST


Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl, along with a crew of 5, drifted and sailed on “Kon-Tiki,”’ a balsa-wood raft, from Peru to the Polynesian Islands in 1947. Heyerdahl and a crew of 5 set out on the 101-day journey to prove his long-held thesis: Polynesia was settled from the east rather than the we




www.veblenist.com





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## NS1 (May 12, 2015)

New entry for me:


----------



## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

ck2k01 said:


> Truth. I now have a little more appreciation for this. Thanks for posting to prompt the thread concerning the brand.
> 
> Though to be honest, my "I sort of get it" reaction to the Super-KonTiki's immersion-time-bezel (vs. elapsed-time-bezel) variant really drives home the point that I'm nothing but a desk diver
> 
> ...


Yeah, those are a bit odd if you are not familiar with dive tables. I got my diving certification back in 1992, so we used tables and had "plan your dive, dive your plan" hammered into our heads.

The watch discussed in your link has a basic dive table (in meters) as its bezel insert. You point the bezel "pip" at the minute hand and when it eventually points to your depth (in meters) you have hit your maximum allowable dive time and need to return to the surface.

So, at 20 meters of depth, you can suck air for about 40 minutes. At 40 meters, you can enjoy the scenery for about 8 minutes.

This is why most people who dive kind of chuckle at 1,000 meter plus rated dive watches. Cool from an academic / engineering standpoint, but completely pointless from any practical user standpoint.


----------



## Bob1035 (Nov 26, 2019)

That is a great looking piece!



NS1 said:


> New entry for me:
> 
> View attachment 15467087


----------



## NS1 (May 12, 2015)

Bob1035 said:


> That is a great looking piece!


Thanks. Really enjoying this one right now. Very comfortable on the wrist at 39mm and has a cool vintage/skindiver vibe to it.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Ryeguy said:


> Yeah, those are a bit odd if you are not familiar with dive tables. I got my diving certification back in 1992, so we used tables and had "plan your dive, dive your plan" hammered into our heads.
> 
> The watch discussed in your link has a basic dive table (in meters) as its bezel insert. You point the bezel "pip" at the minute hand and when it eventually points to your depth (in meters) you have hit your maximum allowable dive time and need to return to the surface.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the easy-to-understand explanation. Much appreciated 

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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

ck2k01 said:


> Thanks for the easy-to-understand explanation. Much appreciated
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


FWIW - Doxa bezels work the same way, but I think they are done in feet rather than meters.

It is all kinda academic now with diving computers tracking every depth change to recompute and maximize your safe dive time, but I still think those bezels are kinda cool.


----------



## creepshow (Jan 28, 2014)

SEARS today. RIP










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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

creepshow said:


> SEARS today. RIP
> 
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201001/33dd543bd9f56b8741bf152e55f65986.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk




The Sears (using a few different brandings, such as Tradition, over time)/skin diver history is pretty 









What’s in a Name (Brand)? Department Store Watches for the Masses | Two Broke Watch Snobs


... Read more




twobrokewatchsnobs.com













Owner Review: Sears Tradition Skin Diver – A 1970s Cult Classic


If your parents ever dragged you to the local Sears department store for back-to-school supplies in the 1970s, somewhere among




fifthwrist.com





It's cool to see a Sears-branded model 

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## creepshow (Jan 28, 2014)

Agreed, I have a few that were made by the sears-roebuck co. but they are all branded differently, seeing the Sears name is what makes this one cool, plus the dial has a lot of great detail and three dimensional design. 

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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

I got a Sears Skin Diving Watch for Xmas when I was 12. It's been so long ago I couldn't tell you which model. It may have even been a boys' model. I do remember absolutely wearing out that page in the Sears Xmas catalog. It is long gone to I know not where. My older brother probably sold it.


----------



## Tanjecterly (Mar 13, 2013)

Gilty skindiver.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Some fun skin diver news yesterday.

*Topper X Oris Diver 1965 'Maxi' Limited Edition:*


















Hands On With The Topper X Oris Diver 1965 ‘Maxi’ Limited Edition - Worn & Wound


Toppers teams up with Oris to release a new Diver 1965 'Maxi' Limited edition, we go hands on for a first look.




wornandwound.com













Oris × Topper Jewelers "Maxi" Diver Hits Shelves In Burlingame, CA


Don't say the words "heritage re-issue". It's become a sometimes tiresome term over the past few years, with every brand under the Sun mining its back




www.fratellowatches.com







https://www.watchonista.com/articles/novelties/swinging-sixties-oris-divers-65-maxi-topper-edition-brings-past-future



Basically an Oris Divers 65 sans any size fautina coloring. I'm cool with fautina, but this modern colorway looks cool too.

Regrettably, it's only available in the 42mm case size.

*Aquastar Deepstar Re-Edition:*




































Hands-On Aquastar Deepstar Re-Edition (Video)


We have exciting news today with the announcement of the new Aquastar Deepstar Re-Edition. This legend of the deep returns as a thoughtful modern update.




www.fratellowatches.com













First Look: Aquastar Returns with the New Deepstar Chronograph - Worn & Wound


We take a hands-on look at the new Aquastar Deepstar Chronograph, a heavy hitter making a return at just the right time.




wornandwound.com













In-Depth: The Aquastar Deepstar Resurfaces


One of the most important historical dive watch brands is back, with Cousteau's favorite chronograph.




www.hodinkee.com













Introducing - The 2020 Aquastar Deepstar Re-Edition (Specs & Price)


A niche icon of diving history, re-issued in a truly faithful way. Meet the original 2020 Aquastar Deepstar Re-Edition diving chronograph.




monochrome-watches.com





I'm not much of a diver chrono guy, and it's a bit large: 40.5mm case, 50.5mm lug-to-lug, 22mm lug width, and 14.8mm height.

Nevertheless, it's got a cool quirky dial/indices and cool technical bezel:






Aquastar Deepstar | Vintage Scuba Diving Community Forum


On another forum, a diver is asking about the markings on the bezel of this watch.




vintagescuba.proboards.com





And it's just great to see Aquastar back.

Rick Marei was involved, as he was with Doxa, Aquadive, Tropic Strap, and Isofrane:









A STAR IS (RE) BORN


How a Star Was Re-Born, a Letter from Rick Marei on Aquastar It's good to be back, even though I was never actually gone... For those who don't know me, my name is Rick Marei, and for almost 20 years, WatchuSeek was my 2nd home, as it was from these very pages that I brought the DOXA brand to...




www.watchuseek.com





Last but not least, Aquastar case backs have always been 

*Vintage OG info:*


















The Vintage Corner - The Story of Aquastar Deepstar Dive Chronograph


Aquastar is a very niche brand, specialized in diver’s instruments. It is also a rather young brand, in the vintage field, as it was only established in 1962. The brand started supplying watches to Jacques Cousteau’s dive team in 1965, and it seems that the brand’s founder, Frédéric Robert...




monochrome-watches.com













The Aquastar Deepstar May Be the Coolest Vintage Dive Watch You’ve Never Heard Of


With its distinctive features and chronograph, the Aquastar Deepstar is a beautiful timepiece from the heyday of SCUBA diving.




www.gearpatrol.com













Aquastar Deepstar


Aquastar Deepstar for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com





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## jjmc87 (Apr 12, 2020)

First look at the Seals diver, I believe fully assembled prototype with bracelet should be ready in the next few weeks. Love how it's turning out!


__
http://instagr.am/p/CGIZafvHECd/


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jjmc87 said:


> First look at the Seals diver, I believe fully assembled with bracelet should be ready in the next few weeks. Love how it's turning out!
> 
> 
> __
> http://instagr.am/p/CGIZafvHECd/


They really are looking 

Love the textured dials, and the different muted colorway options. And the 62MAS-type hands and indices.














































And great sizing, finishing, specs, and date/no date details:










Case diameter: Both 38mm and 40mm

Case height: 11mm w/o crystal, 13mm with

L2L: 47mm

Lug width: 20mm

Crystal: Domed sapphire with anti-reflective coating on inside

Rotating bezel: 120-click uni

WR: 200m

Screw-down crown: 7.00mm diameter (signed)

Case material: 316L SS

Movement: Miyota 9015 (date) or 9039 (no date)









"Sea Storm" Dive Watch - Limited Run Skin Diver - No Date Reveal


Email About Availability, Few Pieces Remain We are offering six colorways of our all-new Sea Storm Skin Diver. This series will employ a no-date complication, the well-known Miyota 9039 Premium Automatic. Technical Specifications Case Diameter 38.00mm Case Height 11.10 Without Crystal Sapphire...




seals-watches.com





If I didn't already have a 63MAS (gray colorway), one of these Seals would be top of my list (I like his designs but haven't yet ever tried one in the metal).

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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

jjmc87 said:


> First look at the Seals diver, I believe fully assembled prototype with bracelet should be ready in the next few weeks. Love how it's turning out!
> 
> 
> __
> http://instagr.am/p/CGIZafvHECd/


I like that it says "Self Winder" on the dial, nice touch.


----------



## jjmc87 (Apr 12, 2020)

ck2k01 said:


> They really are looking
> 
> Love the textured dials, and the different muted colorway options. And the 62MAS-type hands and indices.
> 
> ...


Man I'm such a sucker for gray dials, definitely going for the dark gray no-date model. Just have to decide between 38 and 40mm, leaning towards 38 though.

I'm not sure what the bezel is made of but it looks very nice either way!


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jjmc87 said:


> Man I'm such a sucker for gray dials, definitely going for the dark gray no-date model. Just have to decide between 38 and 40mm, leaning towards 38 though.
> 
> I'm not sure what the bezel is made of but it looks very nice either way!


My weeny 6.5"  38mm 

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## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

My NSHO thoughts on:
1). The Seals "Sea Storm" - Really?! You guys couldn't come up with a better model name than one that has already been (recently) claimed by Borealis? Not much of a creative brain trust at work there!
2). The newest Topper Oris Divers "65" Maxi - I was absolutely all-in on this one until I saw the price - $2,450.00?! I barely made it to my defibrillator in time to jump-start my stopped heart when I saw the price - Yowzah! I like the idea and I THINK it looks okay at 42mm, but I'd have to see it in the metal - it may have sacrificed its proper proportions reflected in the 40mm variant. I LOVE the white luminous, but in my NOT so humble opinion it's ~US$900 overpriced for a ONE HUNDRED METER water resistance dive watch. That must be one HELLUVA spiff that goes to the (very fine) charity on each watch!


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## NS1 (May 12, 2015)

TheGanzman said:


> My NSHO thoughts on:
> 1). The Seals "Sea Storm" - Really?! You guys couldn't come up with a better model name than one that has already been (recently) claimed by Borealis? Not much of a creative brain trust at work there!
> 2). The newest Topper Oris Divers "65" Maxi - I was absolutely all-in on this one until I saw the price - $2,450.00?! I barely made it to my defibrillator in time to jump-start my stopped heart when I saw the price - Yowzah! I like the idea and I THINK it looks okay at 42mm, but I'd have to see it in the metal - it may have sacrificed its proper proportions reflected in the 40mm variant. I LOVE the white luminous, but in my NOT so humble opinion it's ~US$900 overpriced for a ONE HUNDRED METER water resistance dive watch. That must be one HELLUVA spiff that goes to the (very fine) charity on each watch!


I have the original 40 mm version of the Divers 65. It wears larger than 40 mm due to the small bezel and large dial. 42 mm would wear large.


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## NS1 (May 12, 2015)

I'll leave a picture of some 40 mm sweetness:


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## wheelbuilder (Nov 25, 2016)

TheGanzman said:


> My NSHO thoughts on:
> 1). The Seals "Sea Storm" - Really?! You guys couldn't come up with a better model name than one that has already been (recently) claimed by Borealis? Not much of a creative brain trust at work there!
> 2). The newest Topper Oris Divers "65" Maxi - I was absolutely all-in on this one until I saw the price - $2,450.00?! I barely made it to my defibrillator in time to jump-start my stopped heart when I saw the price - Yowzah! I like the idea and I THINK it looks okay at 42mm, but I'd have to see it in the metal - it may have sacrificed its proper proportions reflected in the 40mm variant. I LOVE the white luminous, but in my NOT so humble opinion it's ~US$900 overpriced for a ONE HUNDRED METER water resistance dive watch. That must be one HELLUVA spiff that goes to the (very fine) charity on each watch!


I think Seals watches are just awful looking. My opinion of course.
Regarding the Oris, I think the 42mm will ruin the vibe of the watch. While I like the idea of the modern lume, the original heritage 65 is one of the watches that did a good job on the faux patina lume. It doesn't look fake at all and is the perfect tone. I'm ok with the price too. I would probably pay close to that for mine if I had to. Such a great watch. The 100m is period correct and I don't know if you own one or not, but the case is very thin. Don't think they could make this case capable of 200.


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## NS1 (May 12, 2015)

wheelbuilder said:


> I think Seals watches are just awful looking. My opinion of course.
> Regarding the Oris, I think the 42mm will ruin the vibe of the watch. While I like the idea of the modern lume, the original heritage 65 is one of the watches that did a good job on the faux patina lume. It doesn't look fake at all and is the perfect tone. I'm ok with the price too. I would probably pay close to that for mine if I had to. Such a great watch. The 100m is period correct and I don't know if you own one or not, but the case is very thin. Don't think they could make this case capable of 200.


I'm with you on being fine with the 100 mm wr on the Divers 65. Not a robust dive watch by any measure, but so good with the vintage aesthetic.


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## creepshow (Jan 28, 2014)

42mm on a 65 is too big. The 40mm 65 which I have owned for many years wears larger than a 40mm already due to the large dial. That LE does nothing for me. 

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## rodia77 (Feb 3, 2011)

I was about to say that the Zodiac is my only skin diver but... convince me that my hell of a hybrid Official Cosmonauts isn't.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

rodia77 said:


> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15494310"]15494310[/ATTACH]
> 
> I was about to say that the Zodiac is my only skin diver but... convince me that my hell of a hybrid Official Cosmonauts isn't.
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15494315"]15494315[/ATTACH]


We're self-defining "skin diver" in here 

Looks like the pilot-watch-associated Fortis was in on the ubiquitous vintage diver fun too:















Fortis Marinemaster | Chrono24.com


Fortis Marinemaster on Chrono24.com. New offers daily. In stock now. Save favorite watches & buy your dream watch.




www.chrono24.com






















1970s Vintage Fortis 400 Mens Divers Watch


Very rare watch, Fortis unusual case midsize diver from the 1970s, comes on vintage tropic strap, just serviced, original dial.




www.exquisitetimepieces.com






















Fortis 400 Super Rare Vintage Diver - FANTASTIC - 400m | WatchCharts


MEGA RARY VINTAGE DIVER FORTIS 400m 2 crown Width (excluding crowns): 40mm Height: 44mm Thicknes: 12mm Lug size: 18mm Stunning condition (please see pics): * Totally overhauled. * Case - Silverplated (!!!) Bronze. * Dial - super matte black.




watchcharts.com





The last one isn't too far off from our recent discussion of Sears watches 


















Sears Sicura Automatic Dive Watch - Farfo.com | Dive watches, Vintage watches, Watches


Jan 15, 2019 - Rare Vintage Watch by Sicura for Sears



www.pinterest.com





It's interesting to see how some of the "similar" manufacturing practices of today's microbrands (and I'm sure sometimes big brands too) seem to roughly parallel the approach used by many of the smaller brands in existence before the quartz crisis (some of which have been resurrected recently to capitalize on the vintage designs boom).

That is, the occasional use of some similar/same components (e.g., cases, handsets, movements), but with unique branding and typically some unique design flourishes worked in.

I know this isn't a new/novel observation (indeed, others have stated as much in this thread on prior occasions), but I always find it interesting to see more examples of this nonetheless 

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## ARMADUK (Oct 26, 2015)

Some LOV on a waffle


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## NS1 (May 12, 2015)




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## NS1 (May 12, 2015)




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## bart_us (Oct 8, 2013)




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## michael_m (May 16, 2012)

Skin Diver of the Longines variety









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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

bart_us said:


> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201120/d6cbbb1ef78839a41760048b267cdb36.gif[/IMG]


Our first wrist roll  

Hadn't heard of the micro brand Gruppo Gamma / Ventura before, nor seen their Skindiver model.

Looks to be a solid upper-mid sized offering (48.5 l2l, 22mm lugs), and sandwhich dials are always fun 

Plus options for C3 or fautina; date or no date; and a  looking blacked out, non-sandwhich, quartz/mineral SE.









Venturo Skindiver


Divers come in all shapes and sizes. The popularity of a sub-category of slimmer, lighter and dressier divers, called "skin divers", can be traced back to the late 1950s, up to the Quartz Crisis in the 1970s. With the Skindiver, we've incorporated key design cues from skin divers of times past...




gruppogammawatches.com













Venturo x IMPERFECT Special Edition from Gruppo Gamma Watches


Venturo x IMPERFECT Special Edition - This fantastic Venturo x IMPERFECT Special Edition is available at a great price with excellent delivery options. Buy it online today from Gruppo Gamma Watches




gruppogammawatches.com













Venturo Skindiver


Hi, WUS folks! It's me again and I'd like to introduce Venturo's upcoming project, the Skindiver. Venturo is a label spun off Gruppo Gamma, for a different focus. I'm sure as WIS many of you would be familiar with the skin diver genre, perhaps even more than me. Please allow me to give a...




www.watchuseek.com













Venturo Skindiver


Venturo, the sister brand of Gruppo Gamma, presents their new timepiece Skindiver. The brand Venturo made its debut with the Field Watch #1, a military styled timepiece. This year, responding to th…




www.masterhorologer.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

michael_m said:


> Skin Diver of the Longines variety
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201120/758f4d7a1d903e4b2236508704dc0dae.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Tried one of these Longines Heritage Skin Divers on in an airport once. My puny wrist couldn't handle it, but I dug its looks 

Cool write up about the history of Longines dive watches, with particular attention to the OG Longines Nautilus Skin Diver reference 6921:









Early Longines dive watches: A brief history — Rescapement


Guides Getting deep with the Longines Nautilus Skin Diver and Super Compressor.




www.rescapement.com





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## rokman (Sep 1, 2015)

ck2k01 said:


> Tried one of these on in an airport once. My puny wrist couldn't handle it, but I dug its looks
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You can always try the Helson Homage which is smaller. Don't know if available though.

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## bart_us (Oct 8, 2013)

ck2k01 said:


> Our first wrist roll
> 
> Hadn't heard of the micro brand Gruppo Gamma / Ventura before, nor seen their Skindiver model.
> 
> ...


Very well made watch. 
Case, bezel (no back play) lume, bracelet with perfect end links and quick release this is Skindiver. 
Did you see their Nexus?


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

rokman said:


> You can always try the Helson Homage which is smaller. Don't know if available though.
> 
> Sent from my EML-L29 using Tapatalk


, wasn't aware of their Hammerhead 40 line.






Helson Watch







www.helsonwatches.com





I only ever knew about Helson's Shark Diver and Skindiver lines (pics previously posted in the thread of the latter), but they actually appear to have several other interesting homage-spectrum watches 






Helson Watch







www.helsonwatches.com





FWIW, my skin diver acquisitions have slowed to a halt, as I've been so smitten with my SBDC101.



















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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

bart_us said:


> Very well made watch.
> Case, bezel (no back play) lume, bracelet with perfect end links and quick release this is Skindiver.
> Did you see their Nexus?
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201121/fc1d1c8318a4e5eadf1d1ee05b547a47.jpg[/IMG]


Thanks for sharing it!

And the Nexus looks like a wild beast of a watch!









Nexus


In the 1940s, frogmen performing underwater operations typically wore on their wrists three types of instruments - compass, wristwatch and depth gauge. Much has been said and done about the watch but in 2019, Gruppo Gamma took inspiration from the depth gauge instead. Using a jumping hour...




gruppogammawatches.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

NS1 said:


> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15509523"]15509523[/ATTACH]


Circling back around to this, as Lorier has a 39mm Pepsi GMT with a gilt or non-gilt dial, roulette date wheel, and bidirectional 48-click bezel, that's nice and thin with a Soprod C125, and that's within their typical design language/acrylic crystal preference-called the Hyperion-dropping today at 4 PM EST. Looks 









HYPERION - BLACK/GILT


A classic companion for all those with broad horizons.




www.lorierwatches.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

NS1 said:


> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15530809"]15530809[/ATTACH]


Circling back around to this too, as the new-ish Oris Divers 65 Maxi Topper Edition, while only available in the largest size of the 65, looks pretty sweet with its slightly more contemporary design.









Presenting the Oris Divers 65 'Maxi' Topper Edition


The year was 1965 and Topper Fine Jewelers was fresh off celebrating its 25th anniversary, running a pair of stores in Merced and Modesto. Some fifty years later, and now in our third generation of family ownership, we still proudly look back on those formative years, warmly reflected in a...




topperjewelers.com













Hands On With The Topper X Oris Diver 1965 ‘Maxi’ Limited Edition - Worn & Wound


Toppers teams up with Oris to release a new Diver 1965 'Maxi' Limited edition, we go hands on for a first look.




wornandwound.com













First Look: Oris x Topper Jewelers Limited Edition Divers Sixty-Five Watch | aBlogtoWatch


THe new Oris X Topper Jewelers Divers Sixty-Five, released in 2020, with expert analysis, photos, specs, and price.



www.ablogtowatch.com













Oris × Topper Jewelers "Maxi" Diver Hits Shelves In Burlingame, CA


Don't say the words "heritage re-issue". It's become a sometimes tiresome term over the past few years, with every brand under the Sun mining its back




www.fratellowatches.com













Oris's Retro Dive Watch Is Looking Pretty Modern


A new limited edition of the popular Divers Sixty-Five has a 42mm case and foregoes the vintage look.




www.gearpatrol.com







https://www.watchonista.com/articles/novelties/swinging-sixties-oris-divers-65-maxi-topper-edition-brings-past-future



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## bart_us (Oct 8, 2013)

ck2k01 said:


> Thanks for sharing it!
> 
> And the Nexus looks like a wild beast of a watch!
> 
> ...


You welcome. 
Unique dial and time indication. 
But this Is skindiver time.


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## Pro Diver (Nov 15, 2007)




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## FORMULa (Oct 7, 2012)

The Dino on stretchy band...


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## bart_us (Oct 8, 2013)

Lume shot


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## haha (Oct 8, 2017)

bart_us said:


> Lume shot


Looks like your keyboard would be more efficient under water 😁


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## bart_us (Oct 8, 2013)

haha said:


> Looks like your keyboard would be more efficient under water



It shows how strong is watch lume.


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## Donerix (Apr 10, 2010)




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## haha (Oct 8, 2017)

bart_us said:


> It shows how strong is watch lume.


It IS actually impressive !


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Donerix said:


>


Nice patina mod 

I really liked the value prop and OG 62MAS size specs match of the Fifty Fours.









Watch manufacture | Guangdong | Legendwatch


fiftyfour watch producer,acceppted Customzied watches.Mainly produce high quality stainless steel, bronze, titanuim, carbon watch case.offer dial,strap,hands.




www.fiftyfourwatch.com





The only thing I would have preferred was a sunburst slate gray dial (though their range in color ways is nonetheless appreciated). I never quite found a replacement solution that I was satisfied with. Ended up with an imperfect solution (not quite hidden dial minute markers at certain angles) with a MWW dial with clipped feet.










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## Donerix (Apr 10, 2010)

ck2k01 said:


> Nice patina mod
> 
> I really liked the value prop and OG 62MAS size specs match of the Fifty Fours.
> 
> ...


Nice end result.
The problem I have with all of the homages is that the dial looks so deep in the watch and make the watch look tall, unlike the real thing.
I am installing an aftermarket grey sunburst dial as we speak. All in all though I think my next build will be a SLA017 homage, probably using the Sharkey case which in my opinion has the best case shape. The 37mm case does feel a touch too small on my wrist in real life.


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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




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## wheelbuilder (Nov 25, 2016)

SSW









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## ChaseOne (Feb 14, 2019)

One of the first I think...









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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Donerix said:


> Nice end result.
> The problem I have with all of the homages is that the dial looks so deep in the watch and make the watch look tall, unlike the real thing.
> I am installing an aftermarket grey sunburst dial as we speak. All in all though I think my next build will be a SLA017 homage, probably using the Sharkey case which in my opinion has the best case shape. The 37mm case does feel a touch too small on my wrist in real life.


Thanks 

I'm all about my SBDC101/SPB143 these days.

Ubiquitously boring, perhaps, but cures all the aforementioned homage mods and sizing woes 



















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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ChaseOne said:


> One of the first I think...[/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201206/b62569e2c8cd6b707e799beb42fd1594.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my IN2015 using Tapatalk




The first Waltham in the thread, I think (or one of the few).

So my typical follow up for thread goers 

About the brand/history:






American Waltham Watch Company: History, Serial Numbers, Production Dates


Brief history of the American Waltham Watch Company including serial number look-up tables for production dates. Describes the evolution of the American Waltham Watch Company from its founding in 1851 until its closure in 1957.



www.pocketwatchrepair.com













Waltham Watch History


It was in 1850 that Aaron Dennsion, David Davis, and Edward Howard set out to start the first fully American watch company—with watches built to have interchangeable parts.




www.timesticking.com













The Massachusetts city that sold time to the world


Knowing what time it is might be something we take for granted now. But Waltham’s watch industry made it possible for everyone around the globe to know the correct time at a glance.




www.bbc.com













Waltham Pocket Watch Made America Great - The Truth About Watches


The Waltham pocket watch was the first product produced on an assembly line with standardized parts manufactured from raw materials. It made America great.




thetruthaboutwatches.com










American Waltham Watch Company History


History of the American Waltham Watch Company



www.thewatchguy.com













The New Waltham Watches: An American Classic Returns with a Modern Swiss Twist


We take a look here at the Waltham watch company, and its recent return to the U.S. market with new Waltham wristwatches that call to mind the brand's long and storied history but are also decidedly modern.




www.watchtime.com













Waltham Watch Company - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org





Vintage ad:

1976 Print Ad Mens Watches Waltham Diver Mike Clinton Skin Diver Gruen Surfer

Brief write up on three "American" skin divers, including Waltham:

Three Affordable Vintage Dive Watches From Historic American Brands

More about the timing of the "post-Waltham" era and its divers:

TimeZone : Vintage Watches Archive » Waltham Skin Diver

Waltham divers images (mostly just remnants of prior listings are available about the dive watches):



waltham dive watches - Google Search



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## Lawrence648 (May 3, 2019)




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## ChaseOne (Feb 14, 2019)

ck2k01 said:


> The first Waltham in the thread, I think (or one of the few).
> 
> So my typical follow up for thread goers
> 
> ...


Great info! I also like this one about BP private label watches:









Affordable Vintage: A Tale of Two Private Label Bathyscaphes - Worn & Wound


Late last year, longtime Worn & Wound reader Marc Sirinsky wrote a guest post about the iconic “Jaws” dive watch in an installment of our popular Affordable Vintage series. It was a big hit with our readers, so much so, in fact, that Marc wanted to write about another vintage piece with a great...




wornandwound.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ChaseOne said:


> Great info! I also like this one about BP private label watches:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Awesome. A totally new and interesting read for me. Thanks!

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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)




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## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

ck2k01 said:


> Definitely checks a lot of subjective boxes (60s/70s dial vibes, no crown guards, on the smaller side) and definitely a cool watch.
> 
> I enjoyed the reviews I checked out on them.
> 
> ...


The bracelet is excellent. They did not overbuild it, nor is it unduly flimsy. Very comfortable.


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## Kulprit (Oct 7, 2017)

Ugh, the glare...










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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

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## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

I think this one qualifies, an homage to an early Seiko 6105-8000, though they've increased the water resistance. Still has the period correct styling, aluminum bezel, and small proportions.


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## Donerix (Apr 10, 2010)

ck2k01 said:


> Thanks
> 
> I'm all about my SBDC101/SPB143 these days.
> 
> ...


This one is definitely on my list .... so many watches, so little money


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## DMCBanshee (Mar 31, 2013)

Vintage SkinDiver on Canvas


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## Donerix (Apr 10, 2010)

Found these two in a drawer: Atomik and Chateau Skin Divers


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## ChaseOne (Feb 14, 2019)

Ref 135 manual wind from 1966...









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## wheelbuilder (Nov 25, 2016)

Donerix said:


> Found these two in a drawer: Atomik and Chateau Skin Divers


Such great examples! Love this stuff.

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## Donerix (Apr 10, 2010)

wheelbuilder said:


> Such great examples! Love this stuff.
> 
> Sent from my BBB100-1 using Tapatalk


Thanks. I even have the ladies version of the Chateau for the GF. Will dig it up an post a picture...


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## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

...be sure to post a picture of the WATCH too!


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## ChaseOne (Feb 14, 2019)

Donerix said:


> Found these two in a drawer: Atomik and Chateau Skin Divers


Love that dial on the Chateau. I have a version as well...









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## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

...a clever fella MIGHT have said "Chateau in the HOUSE!"


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## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

Donerix said:


> Found these two in a drawer: Atomik and Chateau Skin Divers





ChaseOne said:


> Love that dial on the Chateau. I have a version as well...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It strikes me that these are "Hooper" dials. Here's Frogman153's pic from another thread:



Frogman153 said:


> View attachment 15550808


and mine.......



slorollin said:


> View attachment 15559371


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> It strikes me that these are "Hooper" dials. Here's Frogman153's pic from another thread:
> 
> and mine.......


When I see this style of indices, I always think to myself, "coffin dial." 

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## bart_us (Oct 8, 2013)




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## wheelbuilder (Nov 25, 2016)

ck2k01 said:


> When I see this style of indices, I always think to myself, "coffin dial."
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


It's this I think. "Coffin markers"

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

New Zelos skin diver design: the Blacktip.









Blacktip 41mm Diver







zeloswatches.com





Drops Monday, 12/14/20, it looks (or 1/15/20 if way ahead of the US).

5 color ways:














































Specs from site:

Case: 41mm Diameter, 20mm Lug width, 47.5mm Lug to Lug Length, 11.5mm thickness without crystal

Water Resistance: 200m

Crystal: Sapphire

Bezel Insert: Ceramic/Sapphire depending on model

Movement: Miyota 9015 28800bph

Dial: Textured with dual C3/BGW9 indices

Crown: Signed crown with lume

Bracelet: 316L SS with quick adjust clasp and quick release springbars

Package: Travel watch roll, steel warranty card, wooden gift box

Blurb from site:

-
The Blacktip : A Modern Take on the Classic Skindiver

The Blacktip diver was conceived as our take on the 'Skin Diver' style of watches popular in the 60s, where slimness was prized over hundreds of metres of water resistance. The 11.5mm case of the Blacktip hugs your wrist, with its arched midcase measuring only 5mm. A respectable 200m of water resistance allows you to take the Blacktip on your dives, while remaining versatile enough to slip under a shirt cuff. Its refined style is highlighted by polished chamfers on the case and bracelet edges.

The hands and main indices on the dial feature bi-color C3 and BGW9 lume. Bezel inserts are offered in either ceramic or sapphire depending on the colorway, both of which are extremely scratch resistant materials. Drilled lugs are also featured to match the tool watch aesthetic, and the bracelet features quick release springbars and a quick adjust clasp as well.
-

Though I don't know how I feel yet about the hands, indices, or some of the color ways, overall, there seems to be a lot to like with this model, especially at the launch special price of $429.

Sizing and aesthetic vibe seems akin to the "63MAS," but at a much more affordable price point.

Between this and the Seals Sea Storm, the "more affordable alternative to the 63MAS" heat is starting to really turn up!

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

DMCBanshee said:


> Vintage SkinDiver on Canvas


Our first *ZAND* in the thread.

Very cool 👊

I'm digging the linen-type dial, and the old school-ish day/date window.

Know anything about the brand?

I appreciate that there were A LOT of brands back in the day that are now defunct, but I'm always surprised when I can't find any online scholarship whatsoever on a rare brand, and instead just a few vintage sales listings.

A few Google Images results:



zand watch - Google Search


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Donerix said:


> Found these two in a drawer: Atomik and Chateau Skin Divers


Our first *Atomik*, which also seems to be an esoteric brand. 

I couldn't find anything except the following.

(1) Vintage sales listings:



atomik watch - Google Search



(2) An Instagram account:









ATOMIK (@atomikwatch) • Instagram photos and videos


191 Followers, 295 Following, 20 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from ATOMIK (@atomikwatch)




www.instagram.com





The Instagram account reads: "Vintage Watch Brand. 1940s to 1970s... / R.I.P. / Now Rising From The Ashes. We are ATOMIK. Keep Following."

The first and last photos were from about 3.5 years ago.

The Instagram account's link to atomikwatch.com is dead, and given the dated nature of the posts, I'm guessing a group bought the name but then abandoned resurrection plans.

*Cheatu* seems similarly obscure (I also think our first in the thread). Likewise 

Someone (pr1uk) posted in an old thread:

--
Looking on Mikrolisk site that name was used by three makers

Blessing-Werke = Wecker, Tischuhren; Waldkirch, Deutschland
Henry Issaacs & Sons Ltd = Import; Leeds, England
Cresswood Products Co Ltd = Großuhren; Syracuse (NY), USA; registriert am 16.2.1949"
--









Can anybody tell me the history of the...


Hi everyone, I picked up a rather attractive Chateau gentleman's wristwatch in a charity shop for a few bob. I've looked up the company online but can't find much information at all, and nothing that looks quite so old as mine. It looks like the strap, which is rather shredded, is the original...




www.watchuseek.com





Vintage sales listings suggest that they had some cool-looking old skin divers, in addition to yours!



chateau dive watch - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ChaseOne said:


> Love that dial on the Chateau. I have a version as well...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Last but not least of brands that have proven I'm nothing if not for others doing the scholarly work and Google, I think our first *Schiaparelli* in the thread. Naturally, 

I couldn't find any Internet scholarship, but since most of the vintage sales listing are for ladies watches . . .



schiaparelli watch - Google Search



. . . perhaps someone bought the rights to this fashion designer's brand name for a bit? (As it seems the original brand went defunct in 1954, with the most contemporary purchase of the brand occurring in 2007.)









Elsa Schiaparelli - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org













Maison Schiaparelli - Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear


Discover Maison Schiaparelli, its latest collections, news and the history of the brand created by Elsa Schiaparelli in 1927.




club-schiap.schiaparelli.com


----------



## jakec (Sep 17, 2012)

Guys,the Chateau and Schiaparelli are amazing skin diver representations.Nice job.


----------



## wheelbuilder (Nov 25, 2016)

While people seem to be very happy with Zelos as a brand, and they appear to produce quality stuff for the money, I just can't like the hour hands they use on just about every model. 

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## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

Okay, how about a "subset" for No Date skin divers/skindivers? I'll start first - Zodiac Yellow Rally Edition - 40mm wide by 13mm - does that qualify?


----------



## bart_us (Oct 8, 2013)

wheelbuilder said:


> While people seem to be very happy with Zelos as a brand, and they appear to produce quality stuff for the money, I just can't like the hour hands they use on just about every model.
> 
> Sent from my BBB100-1 using Tapatalk


De gustibus non est disputandum.

I like size. Short lugs. It looks little bit like Ollech&Wajs.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

TheGanzman said:


> Okay, how about a "subset" for No Date skin divers/skindivers? I'll start first - Zodiac Yellow Rally Edition - 40mm wide by 13mm - does that qualify?
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15591356"]15591356[/ATTACH]


Love what Zodiac does with color.

The forthcoming Sea Storm looks like it's going to have some hawt no-date variants. E.g.,










And "skin diver" is completely self-defined in here 

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## creepy ross (Mar 31, 2020)

I had never heard of Seals before. Hope they end up making that jet black version.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

creepy ross said:


> I had never heard of Seals before. Hope they end up making that jet black version.


I've always thought they put out some intriguing, distinctive designs. (Though this one is probably their most derivative.)

Would love to try a Seals at some point.

40 and 20 recently did a good interview with the guy behind the brand. Seems a good dude.









Podcast - Interview with Seals Watches - Watch Clicker


In the 104th Episode of the 40&20 podcast we chat with Michael Seals, of Seals Watch Company




watchclicker.com





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## creepy ross (Mar 31, 2020)

ck2k01 said:


> I've always thought they put out some intriguing, distinctive designs. (Though this one is probably their most derivative.)
> 
> Would love to try a Seals at some point.
> 
> ...


Thanks, I'll check it out


----------



## jsinnard (Sep 28, 2010)




----------



## jlow28 (Feb 27, 2010)

1972 Benrus Skin Diver / Cousin to Devil Diver
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----------



## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

jlow28 said:


> 1972 Benrus Skin Diver / Cousin to Devil Diver
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


Very cool


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jlow28 said:


> 1972 Benrus Skin Diver / Cousin to Devil Diver
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


Our first *Benrus* 

And lots of information available about the brand, since they were recently relaunched 🥳

*Profiles of some cool vintage divers from the brand (since it's a skin diver thread, after all 😉):*









Three Vintage Dive Watches from a Legendary American Brand


Benrus, a defunct American brand best known for its serious military watches and divers, also produced some affordable wares.




www.gearpatrol.com













Benrus Ultra-Deep - Roundtable Vintage







roundtablevintage.com





*History of the brand:*









HISTORY







www.benrus.com










The Watch Guy: History of BENRUS WATCH COMPANY


HISTORY OF THE BENRUS WATCH COMPANY



www.thewatchguy.com













The History of Benrus Watches | Benrus Heritage Collection Release


Benrus has just made a come-back with its new Heritage Collection. Whether you're interested in buying a vintage Benrus watch, or a new watch model, the history of Benrus tells an exciting story about the brand's values and challenges over the years. Discover with us the golden days of the...




vintageradar.com










Benrus Watch Company | Watches History







www.watcheshistory.com







The History of Benrus watches - Watchlords








Collections Online | British Museum







www.britishmuseum.org





*The well-known military Benrus Types I and II:*









Benrus Type I and Type II MIL-W-50717 Military Dive Watches - Worn & Wound


When I think about all the things a military issued watch should be (robust, legible, functional), no watch comes as close to perfection as the 1970s Benrus dive watch. Its super-solid case, highly-readable dial, and simple but functional features make it a real classic among military and dive...




wornandwound.com













The Benrus Type I + II – Craft + Tailored


Regardless of where you focus your collecting efforts, there’s an undeniable universal appeal to the brute, no-nonsense nature of military watches. While those that collect vintage military watches in today’s day and age could largely be described as so-called “desk divers,” knowing that your...



blog.craftandtailored.com













Lessons in Wristory: Benrus Types I and II - Wound For Life


The military watch market is booming, but often overlooked are the Benrus Types I and II. Come check out our Lesson in Wristory to read about this sleeper.




www.woundforlife.com













The Old and The New TWO Mil Spec BENRUS Type II Watches From the Shop


Check Out Our Sales Pages! Well, because we are kinda cool like that... We Have on Offer TWO Genuine BENRUS Mil-Spec Watches On Offer Today It's clear that 90% of the Value of these watches is going to be in the, 1973 MIL-W-50717 But don't be so quick to dismiss it's newer brother! (or son...




www.fullywound.co.uk













Horological Meandering - An in deep view about the Benrus Type I Sterile.


Watchprosite- In the early ´70s some awesome watches born. Them are higly prized by collectors and endlessly copied/hommaged by other firms ... The Desirables Benrus Typ



www.watchprosite.com













The Special Forces Watch That Never Existed


Learn about the legendary Type II: a burly timekeeper built specifically for the military's most elite fighting force




huckberry.com













An Introduction Into American Watch Brands With Military Heritage


How brands like Timex, Bulova and more got their start.




hypebeast.com







Gallery3











Introducing: The BENRUS Type I Limited Edition


A mil-spec classic returns in uncompromising fashion.




shop.hodinkee.com





*The relaunch of the brand:*









One of Our Favorite American Watchmakers Is Back


Benrus is an American watchmaking legend, famous for the Sky Chief and several Vietnam-era military watches.




www.gearpatrol.com







https://www.watchonista.com/articles/novelties/benrus-returns-inside-look-relaunch-american-watchmaker











American Watchmaker Benrus Relaunches With Three New Models | aBlogtoWatch


The new Benrus Field Watch Reissues, released in 2020, with photos and expert analysis.



www.ablogtowatch.com













The Return of Benrus Watch Company Kicks off with New Heritage Collection


Earlier this month, the 1921-founded, New York-based watch company Benrus has relaunched its historic brand and introduced the new, vintage-inspired Heritage collection. Benrus is a historical, fondly remembered American watchmaker, and is likely best known for its designs from the 1960s and ‘70s




www.watchtime.com













Wrist Watch Review


Unbiased Wrist Watch Reviews Since 2004




wristwatchreview.com


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jsinnard said:


> View attachment 15591632


Our first *Invicta* 

I definitely cut my modding chops on some Pro Divers 👊

And they had some cool vintage divers back in the day too 🏊‍♀️

Interesting vintage-to-now historical accounts of this major modern-day brand:









These Swiss-Made Vintage Invicta Watches Show the Brand’s Forgotten History


Three vintage Invicta watches with mechanical movements and restrained designs are nothing like what most peopld expect from the brand today.




www.gearpatrol.com













A brief history of Invicta watch company


What is Invicta Watch Team?




medium.com













Invicta Watches Review (All you need to know) - Wristocracy


Invicta watches are everywhere. Are they Swiss Made? How's the quality and reputation? Are they any good? Find out everything about them here.




wristocracy.com













VINTAGE GENTS MILITARY 25 JEWEL AUTOMATIC SWISS INVICTA DIVER WATCH BIG CROWN | #1127388941


I AM SELLING MY COLLECTION OF WATCHES AND OTHER COLLECTIBLES TO MAKE SPACE AND RAISE FUNDS FOR OTHER THINGS MOST WATCHES WILL BE OLD AND SHOW SIGNS OF USE--PLEASE READ DESCRIPTIONS CAREFULLY AND CONSI




www.worthpoint.com







https://www.vintagewatchclassics.com/product/vinage-invicta-diver-roulette-bezel








1960’s INVICTA (Swiss) Steel Vintage Ladies 200m Diver Watch – Automatic ETA 25j Cal. 2551 – Gregoriades


Watches, Straps, Accessories & Parts




gregoriades.com







https://www.vintageinvicta.com/


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

The Zelos Blacktip is looking like quite the value prop in the $400-500 range-with the unique riff/creative design flourishes, ceramic bezel insert, sapphire crystal, and quick-adjust clasp (very similar to the CW C60 Trident Pro clasp's look and function)-per YouTuber looks:
















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## jsinnard (Sep 28, 2010)




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## Aquaracer1 (Jul 23, 2009)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Super cool, albeit pricey, collection of vintage 666 skin divers (by Schild & Co./A. Schild for themselves-including sub-company Orator-and Aqualung and AMF/Voit) for sale, with some interesting accompanying explanations (and more pictures of each):


















1960s Skin Diver Collection - Aqualung, Voit, Orator & Schild — Shiny Happy Objects







shinyhappyobjects.com





I want me a crown bezel skin diver-especially that wildly awesome Aqualung :









Aqualung Dive Watch


Aqualung "Skin 666" Dive Watch... for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com





Chrono version:









1960s Aqua-Lung ‘Skin 666’ Chronograph


Why This Watch Matters A really cool diving provenance sets this watch apart, but it's the applied gilt dial elements that have won our hearts. The Full Story In the 1962 U.S. Divers catalogue, this Aqua-Lung chronograph, known as the "Chronomatic," was available to purchase for $100 and...




shop.hodinkee.com





Too many cool affordables I'd have to give up to justify/rationalize it, though 

The AMF/Voit is rad too:














*Unpolished* 1960s AMF Voit Super Waterproof (Ref. 1573-666)


This 1960s diving watch, the AMF Voit Super Waterproof Automatic, may have one of the most unconventional backgrounds for a Swiss watch we've ever seen. Voit was a Los Angeles based tire retreading company in 1922 that went on to develop and patent the first inflatable rubber balls in the later...




www.craftandtailored.com













AMF Voit Aqualung Diver — Oliver & Clarke Vintage Watches


Straight Facts If you know anything about diving equipment of the 1960’s, you know Voit. They made a wide range of products from volleyballs to scuba gear, but they are most remembered for their legendary watches. Produced in a super limited run, these AMF Voit divers are both historically intrigui




oliverandclarke.com





For Orator's part, it was reportedly a brand of A. Schild's:









Need help identifying this watch!


My uncle was an arbitrator during the 60's and 70's. He used to travel to europe to arbitrate cases and was given this watch from a foreign dignitary. I have had the watch since the mid 70's. It has been sitting in a drawer for a few decades now and I was wondering if anyone knows anything about...




www.watchuseek.com





And about A. Schild, to whom all of the lot owe credit:






A. Schild [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net













Adolph Schild - Time Worn Watches


Adolph Schild (1844-1915) was a prolific Swiss manufacturer of ébauche movements from the late 1890’s all the way up until the 1970’s.



www.timewornwatches.co.uk







Account Suspended



Didn't know the "A." stood for Adolph, and that there were historical (family) connections with Eterna, including in relation to the eventual merger of A. Schilds with ETA circa the quartz crisis.










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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

The final Seals Sea Storm preorders opened today.

6 variants.

IDK about the un-lumed indices (it looks at least), but everything else looks  to me.

I love that sea foam bezel . . .









"Sea Storm" Dive Watch - Limited Run Skin Diver - No Date Reveal


Email About Availability, Few Pieces Remain We are offering six colorways of our all-new Sea Storm Skin Diver. This series will employ a no-date complication, the well-known Miyota 9039 Premium Automatic. Technical Specifications Case Diameter 38.00mm Case Height 11.10 Without Crystal Sapphire...




seals-watches.com





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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Skindivers really do come in all shapes and sizes...








l


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> Skindivers really do come in all shapes and sizes...
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15655166"]15655166[/ATTACH]
> l[/ATTACH type="full" alt="15655168"]15655168[/ATTACH]




Maybe our first dual crowns in the thread?

I was able to dig up a tiny bit about the Squale-cased Ocean Diver/Blanford S.A. (for "Sub Aqua"), reportedly a former UK-based distributor of dive products.









Blandford S.A. Ocean-Diver 25 Atmos


Squale famously manufactured diving watch cases for a variety of different companies, as well as manufactured their own watches, and still do to this day. During the 1960s and 1970s, AKA the Golden era of dive watches, Squale provided cases for Ocean Diver/Blandford S.A., Sinn, Blancpain, Heuer...




www.craftandtailored.com













Weekly Watch Photo - Squale Ocean Diver Blandford 100 Atmos - Monochrome Watches


Have you ever heard of Squale dive watches? Today we're going to have a look at very nice photos of a vintage Squale Ocean Diver Blandford 100 Atmos, photographed by Alessandra aka 'Oliver Nelson' (his forum nickname). This Squale is a perfect example of a vintage dive watch that was up there...




monochrome-watches.com










Blandford Dive Watch


It's my Dad's birthday next month and I picked up this Blandford dive watch for him. Blandford is our surname so I'm hoping he'll like it (and if he doesn't then I'll have it myself...! :D ) http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t37/lawnmower__man/Watches%20and%20Cufflinks/DSC00522.jpg...



forum.tz-uk.com





Unfortunately, I can't quite make out the brand on the dial of the other watch?

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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

I applaud your relentless research CK 

I can't keep up!


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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Maybe our first dual crowns in the thread?
> 
> I was able to dig up a tiny bit about the Squale-cased Ocean Diver/Blanford S.A. (for "Sub Aqua"), reportedly a former UK-based distributor of dive products.
> 
> ...


I've had three of these dual crown squale cased watches - another Blandford and this Oscar. I sold the other Blandford - it had the same colour dial as the Oscar and the same black and white bezel as the silver dialled Blandford. I know they were badged by others as well. Search 'Worn and Wound - Exactus Squale' The watches with the Squale branded case backs are 20 Atmos and are marked 'Supermatic' on the dial.









The other one is just a generic dial used again by quite a few unknown retailers/suppliers (I couldn't find out anything about them before I bought it ) but has a great funky fully polished case shape that I couldn't resist - seen similar ones by Pontiac and Radiant on Chrono24. I initially thought it was perhaps the same case as the Squales but without the bezel but comparing them in hand I'm not so sure. None of these are super compressors.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

boatswain said:


> I applaud your relentless research CK
> 
> I can't keep up!


Thanks, boats.

The lack of a central source for ongoing deets on the endless variety of these oft-squared-lugged delights, and the short legs of prior skin diver threads, has me enjoying continuing to go down different Google rabbit holes based on new stuff folks post 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## bart_us (Oct 8, 2013)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> I've had three of these dual crown squale cased watches - another Blandford and this Oscar. I sold the other Blandford - it had the same colour dial as the Oscar and the same black and white bezel as the silver dialled Blandford. I know they were badged by others as well. Search 'Worn and Wound - Exactus Squale' The watches with the Squale branded case backs are 20 Atmos and are marked 'Supermatic' on the dial.
> View attachment 15655485
> 
> 
> ...


Hmm, I do see that similarity with vintage Pontiac and Radiant models; e.g.,






Boxed 1960’s PONTIAC (Swiss) ‘Memomatic’ Vintage 200m Diver Watch Automatic ETA Cal. 2782 With Date – Gregoriades


Watches, Straps, Accessories & Parts




gregoriades.com













Radiant Divers Blumar Stainless Steel 1960s - Gisbert A. Joseph Watches


N° 67034 Brand Radiant Model Gents Automatic Divers Wristwatch " Blumar " Age ca. 1968 Warranty 6 months Case / Ref. screwed Stainless Steel Antimagnetic Case, additional crown for inner blue and silvered bezel, original Crowns Stat 99 Candid Dial black original dial...




www.joseph-watches.com





There's actually a little bit of info about the historically Belgian and Dutch watch company Pontiac (which until sometime in the 70s had a long P in its logo), which was seemingly "resurrected" in 2014:









Pontiac watches: the Pride of the Benelux - WahaWatches


This article is about Pontiac watches. Pontiac is well known in the Benelux. It's a brand with diversity, wonderful design, and quality movements.




wahawatches.com










Pontiac Hydraulica 20 (ETA Cal. 2452)… | The Watch Spot







thewatchspotblog.com










Pontiac Watches


Les montres Pontiac sont caractérisées par la combinaison de composants de qualité et par un design intemporel avec une touche de modernité.




www.pontiac.watch





Couldn't find squat on Radiant nor Oscar worth sharing :/

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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Not sure about that 'long' P at all - more ways than one!

The Exactus Squale has a different dial to the Blandford and the Oscar and a different caseback (I think I once saw a 'Hever' version somewhere as well which I would think was an attempt to play on the Heuer name!) - my two have a Squale branded case back different to the Exactus. Some of these unknown branded generic dials common in the cheaper skindivers were retailers, fashion companies, department stores etc or, like Blandford, with a connection to the dive industry and using their name to flog a few watches. I'd wonder how watertight most of the cheaper ones were, even new. All technically in the skindiver class but very different to the more usual Aquastar 63/ Seiko 62MAS case shape associated with skindivers.


----------



## WatchDialOrange (Dec 30, 2011)

Traska FreeDiver 1st version.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Fratello taking an OCD dive into vintage 62MAS minutia-about slight variability as to lume and how they age (indicative of one of two producing factories); crowns (small or big); and case backs (lightly etched dolphin, slightly different and deeper etched dolphin, and no-dolphin horseshoe)-and explaining about the reference numbers that 6217 refers to the movement and 8000 or 8001 the cases (or really the crown size).









#TBT Buying A Seiko 6217-8001 AKA The Big Crown 62MAS


Are all legendary Seiko 6217-8000/8001 "62MAS“ watches the same? Is it just a different size of the crown or are there other details that you should pay




www.fratellowatches.com





They also link to coverage of additional hypotheses about potential variability in cases, lug holes, dial printing and other details, bezel coin edging, and bezel inserts, and with a useful timeline of the slight production variants.









Collector's guide to the 62MAS - Ikigai Watches


The 62MAS. One of the most emblematic watches in Seiko history but also a favorite for all the lovers and collectors of the brand. Its full name is 62MAS-010. The letter MAS come from seikoMAtic Selfdater. The cal.62 found underneath the dial was found in a whole range of automatic watches...




 www.ikigai-watches.com













And they link to coverage of the OEM tropic strap and its details.









62MAS (6217-8000) Original Tropic Strap — Plus9Time


The 62MAS (6217-8000) was released in 1965 and people have often associated this with a "waffle" strap but the watch was never sold with this. Instead the 62MAS was only ever shipped on a Tropic strap with a unique design.




www.plus9time.com







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## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

Floating this cool thread back up to the top with my newly acquired NTH Tikuna - at 40mm wide, 48mm lug-to-lug, and a mere 11.5 thick, I certainly think it qualifies! The Cherry On The Sundae is the 300m depth rating. I gotta say that I am nothing but impressed with this, my first NTH watch. The 7.45mm diameter "Big Crown" winds like buttah', the bezel moves smoothly but with authority and ZERO backlash, the C3 luminous is torch-like all night long, and the fully brushed case (with just a hint of polished surfaces via the chamfered case/lug edges) make it a LOVE-LOVE proposition for me! I was very surprised by the bracelet too; although it's a solid end link bracelet, the bracelet itself is quite thin & unobtrusive. All the individual links are ever-so-slightly "rounded"; as such, it's a joy to wear! It's truly "an homage to NOTHING" as well, while being a nod to many Skindiver watches from days past. I opened it up to bump the regulation this AM - the caseback/case threading is incredible! There is NO "slop" whatsoever - it feels like you're opening the hatch to a nuclear submarine! Chris Vail - you have MIGHTILY outdone yourself, my new friend!


----------



## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)




----------



## docvail (Oct 24, 2012)

TheGanzman said:


> Floating this cool thread back up to the top with my newly acquired NTH Tikuna - at 40mm wide, 48mm lug-to-lug, and a mere 11.5 thick, I certainly think it qualifies! The Cherry On The Sundae is the 300m depth rating. I gotta say that I am nothing but impressed with this, my first NTH watch. The 7.45mm diameter "Big Crown" winds like buttah', the bezel moves smoothly but with authority and ZERO backlash, the C3 luminous is torch-like all night long, and the fully brushed case (with just a hint of polished surfaces via the chamfered case/lug edges) make it a LOVE-LOVE proposition for me! I was very surprised by the bracelet too; although it's a solid end link bracelet, the bracelet itself is quite thin & unobtrusive. All the individual links are ever-so-slightly "rounded"; as such, it's a joy to wear! It's truly "an homage to NOTHING" as well, while being a nod to many Skindiver watches from days past. I opened it up to bump the regulation this AM - the caseback/case threading is incredible! There is NO "slop" whatsoever - it feels like you're opening the hatch to a nuclear submarine! Chris Vail - you have MIGHTILY outdone yourself, my new friend!
> View attachment 15677545


I'm happy if you're happy. Let us know if it gives you any trouble.


----------



## vmgotit (Apr 27, 2017)

Here is mine! Vance.


----------



## vmgotit (Apr 27, 2017)

More proof, Trip-loc crown. Vance.


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

TheGanzman said:


> Floating this cool thread back up to the top with my newly acquired NTH Tikuna - at 40mm wide, 48mm lug-to-lug, and a mere 11.5 thick, I certainly think it qualifies! The Cherry On The Sundae is the 300m depth rating. I gotta say that I am nothing but impressed with this, my first NTH watch. The 7.45mm diameter "Big Crown" winds like buttah', the bezel moves smoothly but with authority and ZERO backlash, the C3 luminous is torch-like all night long, and the fully brushed case (with just a hint of polished surfaces via the chamfered case/lug edges) make it a LOVE-LOVE proposition for me! I was very surprised by the bracelet too; although it's a solid end link bracelet, the bracelet itself is quite thin & unobtrusive. All the individual links are ever-so-slightly "rounded"; as such, it's a joy to wear! It's truly "an homage to NOTHING" as well, while being a nod to many Skindiver watches from days past. I opened it up to bump the regulation this AM - the caseback/case threading is incredible! There is NO "slop" whatsoever - it feels like you're opening the hatch to a nuclear submarine! Chris Vail - you have MIGHTILY outdone yourself, my new friend!
> View attachment 15677545


I'm liking the lettering (numbering?) of the 12,6,9 and especially the 3 - a touch of Yema Superman and a bit of one of the old Certina DSs and the ilk.


----------



## docvail (Oct 24, 2012)

8505davids said:


> I'm liking the lettering (numbering?) of the 12,6,9 and especially the 3 - a touch of Yema Superman and a bit of one of the old Certina DSs and the ilk.


Most people assume the numbering came from the Oris 65.

No one's ever guessed the true inspiration for the Tikuna's design, but it actually comes from three other watches - two vintage UG Polerouters, mostly, but also the LLD, from which we lifted the broken baton markers.

The numbers' font on the Tikuna is something our graphic designer whipped up for the v.1 Tropics, which we carried over, as it was similar, yet not identical to the UG's.


----------



## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

docvail said:


> Most people assume the numbering came from the Oris 65.
> 
> No one's ever guessed the true inspiration for the Tikuna's design, but it actually comes from three other watches - two vintage UG Polerouters, mostly, but also the LLD, from which we lifted the broken baton markers.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the History lesson, Chris - which prompts several comments and questions from me. How about the inspiration for the name - I'm coming up with a blank on that one. Also, I'm quite enamoured of the hands; unlike anything that _I_ have seen before - care to open your kimono on what watch or watches they were inspired by?
Finally, an additional positive comment - although I was at first not so sure about the luminous area for the sweep second hand being on the backside, I've come to observe that I actually like it better, especially in low-light settings. Because of where it is, it has a fairly unobstructed "sweep of vision" most of the way around the dial due to its luminosity no "overlapping" the luminous of the hands or indices; well done, Sir!
And of course, drilled lugs are de rigueur on ANY proper dive watch; now pardon me while I consult my Tikuna to see if it's time for my second cuppa!


----------



## bart_us (Oct 8, 2013)




----------



## docvail (Oct 24, 2012)

TheGanzman said:


> Thanks for the History lesson, Chris - which prompts several comments and questions from me. How about the inspiration for the name - I'm coming up with a blank on that one. Also, I'm quite enamoured of the hands; unlike anything that _I_ have seen before - care to open your kimono on what watch or watches they were inspired by?
> Finally, an additional positive comment - although I was at first not so sure about the luminous area for the sweep second hand being on the backside, I've come to observe that I actually like it better, especially in low-light settings. Because of where it is, it has a fairly unobstructed "sweep of vision" most of the way around the dial due to its luminosity no "overlapping" the luminous of the hands or indices; well done, Sir!
> And of course, drilled lugs are de rigueur on ANY proper dive watch; now pardon me while I consult my Tikuna to see if it's time for my second cuppa!


Names - as a general rule, all the NTH Subs and 2K1 models get their names from different classes of Submarines in use by various navies, at different times. I try to choose names that sound "right" for the design, and show love to the countries where my customers are, and the history of a design.

So, with the models based on old MOD-issued Rolexes, we used UK Subs' names - Amphion and Oberon. The Santa Cruz colors match the Argentinian flag, so we took the name of a Sub their navy uses. There are no real "rules" to it, I kind of just go with my gut. Sometimes there's more reasoning behind the name, often less, if any.

















The hands - The Tikuna and Vanguard were released at the same time. When we were developing them, I somewhat wanted to silence the critics who say everything we make is just a Rolex / Tudor knockoff by doing something more original.

My handset choices tend to be driven by the style of markers on the dial, in that I look for hand shapes that I think complement the rest of the design - straight hands with straight markers, pointed hands with pointed markers, tapered with tapered, etc. Since the rest of the Tikuna's design was pretty funky, we chose some funky hands. They don't exactly match the markers, but they don't exactly NOT match, either.

I can't take credit for NTH using them first, because we weren't the first. We didn't know it at the time, but since using them, I noticed that the same hands were used on the Crepas Loggerhead, albeit with a different seconds hand.










Drilled lugs are something we try to do whenever we can. When we don't, it's because we can't, either because the lugs are too short, or the lug holes would be located in a place there the exterior surface of the lugs/case has a transition.

Drilled lugs are done with a single pass of a drill, from one side to the other. If the lugs are too short, the drill will hit the side of the case between the lugs. Think about the Hamilton Pan-Europ, with the curved springbars - those are some very short lugs. The springbar is curved so a strap can be fitted. Otherwise, the bar, or at least the drill, would hit the case.

If the exterior surface isn't flat enough, you can't drill a regular hole. So instead of the hole being round, it would end up tear-drop or egg-shaped. Besides how weird that would look, trying to place a drill on a rounded surface, or the edge dividing two flat surfaces would result in a lot of drill slippage, and ruin a lot of cases, driving our costs up a good bit.

We don't get a lot of say in WHERE the lugs holes are placed, so we can't just tell the factory to just put the holes somewhere else. They decide where the holes NEED to go, in order to get the clearances they need, often for fitting bracelet end-links.

Here's an example - I asked my vendor if they could locate the lug holes differently on the upcoming v.2 Tropics, compared to the v.1, so we could drill the lugs through. They said the placement we'd need - where the red circle is below (top image), wouldn't work with the end-links on the bracelet we're using. Where the holes are (bottom image) is too close to where the outer surface transitions away from where the drill bit would be placed. Even though that surface is flat, there's not enough room for the drill.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

docvail said:


> . . .


Nice to see you in the thread, doc.

This historical dial and bezel needs a nod. (Edit: ya, I know, 499 friends.)


















1967 Aqualung 666 Dive Watch


The Dan Henry watch colletcion – Breitling Heuer Rolex Omega Universal Patek Longines Tissot Vacheron IWC Sicura Bulova Movado Tudor Edox Doxa Eska Eberhard Eterna Zenith Audemars Piguet Military Pocket




www.timeline.watch





I also thought of you when this was resurrected and reissued, given your appreciation for folks who suggest that you make a GMT or chronograph 


















Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver


From Nivada Grenchen’s prestige collection of timepieces that boasts of exceptional quality, The Nivada Chronomaster is a tool you can rely on with its high precision and varied usability. Valued in the fields of sports, business, science and even professional instruction; this instrument is...




nivadagrenchenofficial.com





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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Do like a funky 70s style dial - talking of inspiration I'm suprised no one has issued watches inspired by the Baby Ploprof or the 166.091 (or maybe they have but I havent noticed!), great case shapes calling out for original dials... well, seems I'm also developing a liking for hidden lugs....now where did I put my old Zenith Defy tonneau...not strictly a diver but still 300m....









Oh ... and its great to see the black day/date wheel on that Mido...


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## NS1 (May 12, 2015)




----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## roberev (Mar 15, 2006)




----------



## Robert999 (Apr 29, 2006)




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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

roberev said:


> View attachment 15713630


Very cool. 

Is that the new one that uses tritium tubes under the sapphire bezel insert?

We may need a lume shot!


----------



## roberev (Mar 15, 2006)

boatswain said:


> Very cool.
> 
> Is that the new one that uses tritium tubes under the sapphire bezel insert?
> 
> We may need a lume shot!


Yes. Yes it is!


----------



## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

roberev said:


> Yes. Yes it is!
> 
> View attachment 15714112


That's awesome! 

Thanks for sharing!


----------



## timetellinnoob (Sep 23, 2010)




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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




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## riff raff (Dec 28, 2015)

I'm enjoying this thread, and catching up on 15 pages of skindivers!
I just picked up the Longines Skindiver, a watch on my wish-list since it was introduced. Currently mounted on a weathered leather strap.
I like the tropic style rubber, particuarly for summer . Does anyone makes a tropic style band with a deployment clasp? 
I don't believe a deployment buckle on the OEM rubber strap is possible, because of the tapered width, right?


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

riff raff said:


> I'm enjoying this thread, and catching up on 15 pages of skindivers!
> I just picked up the Longines Skindiver, a watch on my wish-list since it was introduced. Currently mounted on a weathered leather strap.
> I like the tropic style rubber, particuarly for summer . Does anyone makes a tropic style band with a deployment clasp?
> I don't believe a deployment buckle on the OEM rubber strap is possible, because of the tapered width, right?
> ...


Glad to hear 

FWIW, I've always swapped in deployant clasps with assorted tapered straps without issue, buying the clasp size that corresponds to the mm width at the narrower end (furthest from the lugs).

These are cheap (and comfortable) enough that they may be worth the experiment:

"iStrap Stainless Steel Deployment Clasp Buckle Fasten Gold Black Silver Rose Gold Watchband Clasp Color & Width (10mm,12mm,14mm,16mm,18mm,20mm 22mm)"









Amazon.com: iStrap Stainless Steel Deployment Clasp Buckle Fasten Gold Black Silver Rose Gold Watchband Clasp Color & Width (10mm,12mm,14mm,16mm,18mm,20mm 22mm) : Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry


Buy iStrap Stainless Steel Deployment Clasp Buckle Fasten Gold Black Silver Rose Gold Watchband Clasp Color & Width (10mm,12mm,14mm,16mm,18mm,20mm 22mm) and other Watch Bands at Amazon.com. Our wide selection is eligible for free shipping and free returns.



www.amazon.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> Do like a funky 70s style dial - talking of inspiration I'm suprised no one has issued watches inspired by the Baby Ploprof or the 166.091 (or maybe they have but I havent noticed!), great case shapes calling out for original dials... well, seems I'm also developing a liking for hidden lugs....now where did I put my old Zenith Defy tonneau...not strictly a diver but still 300m....
> View attachment 15679954
> 
> 
> Oh ... and its great to see the black day/date wheel on that Mido...


Funky 

Our first Zenith in the thread (if I recall correctly) 

Some assorted history on the brand (beyond just the El Primero):






Zenith [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net










Zenith brand review | Buy Zenith watches online


On swissdiverswatches.com you'll find comprehensive reviews & recommendations on Zenith watches and where to buy them online.



swissdiverswatches.com













Zenith Watches Brand Review & History: Technical Excellence & Classic Elegance -


Swiss watch brand Zenith has featured top quality in-house movements since 1865. Learn more about Zenith's founder, history, and popular product models.




bespokeunit.com













A Concise History of Zenith Watches | The Loupe, TrueFacet


A brief history of Zenith watches, including a look at the the Zenith El Primero movement and why it was selected by Rolex to power the Daytona chronograph




www.truefacet.com





And some interesting stuff about some historical French (vs. Switzerland) manufacturing of some Zenith watches:









The resurrection of Besançon


Watchmaking? Ask anyone and they will most probably think of Switzerland, the watchmakers in Geneva and the Jura.




www.europastar.com













Zenith in Besancon


At various times in various threads, the subject of Zenith manufacture in Besancon has come up. Where can I find more infomration on this? For example, years of operation, models and numbers produced, etc. Is this is Rossler somewhere?




www.watchuseek.com





Looks like they had a variety of dive watch designs back in the day, many of which would fit our general skin diver vibe.



vintage zenith diver - Google Search





zenith skin diver - Google Search



The S.58 and Sub Sea (A3630) models seems to get the most mention.









Why Doesn't Zenith Make a Dive Watch?


Everyone else is doing it.




www.gearpatrol.com













For Your Reference: Zenith S.58 — Rescapement.


For Your Reference Everything you needed to know about the Zenith S.58 diver.




www.rescapement.com













A Closer Look At The Zenith S.58 Dive Watch


No, It’s Not Named After A Helicopter




curatedclassics.medium.com













Bring a Loupe: Unusual Vintage Watches From Zenith, Omega, Heuer, Certina, And More


This week we will focus on some vintage watches that are a little off the beaten path. You know the names Zenith, Omega, and Heuer, of course, and their more famous models, but I bet you are much less familiar with the Zenith S.58 Diver, the Certina Argonaut, and the Montblanc chronograph we...




www.hodinkee.com













1969 Zenith Sub Sea Diver (Ref. A3630)


Rare Movado Sub Sea Chronograph 206-704-501. the look of the Super Sub Sea chronodiver changed after Movado and Zenith were united in 1969 under their parent holding company, Mondia-Zenith-Movado. This of course was a banner year for horology, being the debut of the Zenith El Primero




www.craftandtailored.com













All


As objects, watches share a range of qualities and characteristics that speak to our various sensibilities. We spend our time studying and selecting watches which, to us, have a certain appeal. From intricate mechanics to balanced aesthetics, as well as the compelling stories of the watchmakers...




www.acollectedman.com













Zenith Diver Black Dial ref A3630 on Gay Frères Ladder Bracelet


The dive watch that climbs the ladder… This is an amazing and original example of an early 70s Zenith dive watch. The black dial is is great condition with the applied Zenith star and applied hour markers with lume stripe. The dial has a broad white second chapter ring that adds to the watches...



bulangandsons.com





But if you browse the Google Images links, you'll also come across some other interesting diver models from the brand, including the following.

Some diver chronographs (e.g., rare Pilot/Diver, A277):









Zenith El-Primero Pilot/Diver 3019PHC - Monochrome Watches


The watch we will show you today launches a new section here at Monochrome. A section exclusively focused on vintage watches. Why exclusively, and why vintage, you might wonder? Vintage watches are the watches of days gone by since they were manufactured in an era when mechanical was the only...




monochrome-watches.com













Zenith A 277 Diver


I must say, that I am a sucker for the diver chronograph craze. For me, the Zenith A277 is one of the most photogenic watches I’ve come across, with its faded grey/blue dial and bezel, muscular case and elongated minute track and hour indices. This is the real deal, everything you would want in...




www.ssongwatches.com





Mercedes hands (33/02.1820.467):






TimeZone : Sales Corner » FSOT: ZENITH PILOT DIVER VINTAGE 1985


FSOT: ZENITH PILOT DIVER VINTAGE 1985




forums.timezone.com





World-time and dial-time bezels (A3634):









Zenith A3634 Worldtimer Bezel


Zenith A634 Worldtimer Bezel for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com













Zenith - Digging Deeper on a Zenith #2


Watchprosite- Team, First of all, sorry for the delay. I had a very hard time trying to crack open the case of our today s subject. I want to say a warm thank you to my



www.watchprosite.com













Zenith ref A3634 Steel Automatic 37mm 1970s Blue Dial World Time Diver Date on Original Ladder Bracelet in Fine Original Vintage Condition - The Watch Gallery


A seriously rare vintage sport model in all original condition that you may never see again




www.thewatchgallery.com.au













SOLD - Zenith Ref A3634 **REDUCED again $3,200*


For Sale, my Zenith diver Reference A3634 Asking US$ 3900 or BEST offer (word on price below) Dial: fantastic blue sunburst dial — essentially...




omegaforums.net





62MAS-like dial:









Rare Zenith Diver


I do not really like to use the term 'rare'. But i think it is appropriate in this case. I found this Zenith diver with the 2542 PC movement. On some french forum i read that it was made in Besancon, France in the 60s. And not in Switzerland. Or atleast, some Zeniths from users on that forum...




www.watchuseek.com





Some more colorful 70s funk (e.g., A3637, A3639, A3648):









Vintage Zenith Diver A3637 Zebra sold on watchPool24


The reason why this watch is called Zebra is pretty obvious. The Zenith A3637 dates from the 1960s and was produced in different colors. The black and white version that you see here is one of the rarest executions of the reference A3637. Some time ago we also offered a ...




www.watchpool24.com







http://www.db1983.com/our-archive/zenith-big-lemon-a3639-1970











Vintage Zenith Defy A3648 Plongeur sold on watchPool24


The orange Zenith Defy A3648 is a proud representative of the 1970s. This diving watch has an octagonal case, orange-black dial and orange bakelite bezel. An absolute stunning vintage design. Vintage collectors also call this watch "Plongeur" or "SubSea". Zenith wanted to introduce a ...




www.watchpool24.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

roberev said:


> View attachment 15713630


Our first Ball 

History on the brand:









The Story So Far: Ball Watches In 2020 And Beyond | aBlogtoWatch


The fascinating history of Ball Watches, from the brand's beginnings in 1891 to its groundbreaking innovations in 2020.



www.ablogtowatch.com













Taking A Look At Ball Watch Company


A brand with a long history and a big range of different models available...




www.watchgecko.com













Taking A Look At Ball Watch Company


A brand with a long history and a big range of different models available...




www.watchgecko.com





Shots of the vintage Ball skindiver (which is one of the more handsome skindivers I've seen):






TimeZone : Ball Watch - CLOSED » Scenes from the BALL Watch Company Preview (+Price List)


the world\'s watch information resource




forums.timezone.com










Skindiver







shop.ballwatch.ch














And coverage of the contemporary Ball Engineer II Skindiver Heritage:









Introducing the Ball Engineer II Skindiver Heritage Limited Edition, Now Available for Pre-Order - Worn & Wound


Ball was built around early railroad timepieces, yet in the 1960s they produced a professional dive watch dubbed Skindiver. The Skindiver is back, now in a limited edition 42-millimeter timepiece that boasts some impressive technology, including Ball’s nano-tube lume radiating brightly through...




wornandwound.com













Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II Watch Hands-On | aBlogtoWatch


Hands-on review & original photos of the Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II watch with price, background, specs, & expert analysis.



www.ablogtowatch.com













BALL Engineer Master II Skindiver Heritage Watch Review | aBlogtoWatch


Full Wrist Time review of the BALL Engineer Master II Skindiver Heritage, released in 2021, with expert analysis, specs, original photos, and price.



www.ablogtowatch.com













In the Flesh: BALL Skindiver II


We get our hands on the redesigned and well-made BALL Skindiver II in this edition of In The Flesh.




www.woundforlife.com













HANDS-ON: Vintage style, solid build and lume for days – the Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II - Time and Tide Watches


Cam takes a look at a vintage-inspired diver that's sure to light the night, the affordable Ball Engineer Master II Skindiver II.




timeandtidewatches.com













Dive Watch Wednesday: Hands-on with the Ball Watch Skindiver II


In this dive watch review, we take a look at the Ball Watch Skindiver II (Ref. DM3108A-SCJ-BK).




www.watchtime.com













BALL Watch Company Engineer Master II Skindiver II


This detailed review of the BALL Watch Company Engineer Master II Skindiver II includes live images, specification details and pricing. READ BEFORE YOU BUY



www.escapementmagazine.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Robert999 said:


> View attachment 15713690


Just an FYI for folks who haven't come across the brand, Vratislavia Conceptum is a Polish microbrand with a pretty diverse range of past and current offerings.






Vratislavia Conceptum – Watches – Zegarki







vratislavia-watches.com










SOLD OUT PROJECTS [ARCHIVE] – Vratislavia Conceptum







vratislavia-watches.com










TimeAndPassion – Zegarki Vratislavia Conceptum i inne







timeandpassion.pl





Their Klingert 1797 model definitely has skindiver vibes (and some pretty rad 70s-esque color ways):






Zegarki – TimeAndPassion







timeandpassion.pl





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

NS1 said:


> View attachment 15687074
> View attachment 15687076


I imagine most will be familiar with Lorier, so I won't go crazy with links.

But if anyone doesn't, they're a husband-and-wife microbrand team based out of NYC, with designs influenced by classic 60s sport watches. They have a good amount of blog, forum, social media, and podcast coverage, if curious about them.









LORIER - Vintage Spirit. Modern Craft.


Vintage-inspired automatic watches, made for the present and beyond.




www.lorierwatches.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

timetellinnoob said:


> View attachment 15714573


Love me a green dial 

For anyone who may not recognize the brand mark, Heimdallr (sometimes referred to as Sharkey) is a Chinese microbrand with affordable homages to, and some new takes on, some classic designs from Seiko (including the 62MAS), Rolex, Omega, and others (e.g., fleigers).



https://www.heimdallrwatch.com/





https://www.heimdallrwatch.com/about



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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> View attachment 15677691


I think our first Mido? (I'm losing track and too lazy to search )

If so, some brand history and some of its iconic vintage divers (including the Ocean Star and Powerwind 1000 Rainbow Diver):









Mido Watches: history, models, innovations and best 2021 watches


Mido watches: history, models and innovations of the Swiss brand whose timepieces draw their insipiration from architecture.




www.horbiter.com










History | MIDO® Watches United States







www.midowatches.com










The Mido Watch Company


The Mido Watch Company




www.vintagewatchstraps.com













Mido Ocean Star: The Born of The Sea Master


Master of the sea in opulence pieces




www.gnomonwatches.com













Introducing the Mido Ocean Star Tribute Special Edition - Worn & Wound


To celebrate the 75th anniversary of their Ocean Star diver, Mido has released a pair of dive watches with strong vintage vibes to pay fitting tribute. Based on the Ocean Stars of the 1960s, these new watches are sized for modern tastes and feature historically accurate beads-of-rice style...




wornandwound.com













Mido Ocean Star Tribute Review: Happy 75th Birthday Ocean Star! | Two Broke Watch Snobs


Mido rings in their iconic Ocean Star's 75th birthday with the Mido Ocean Star Tribute - but in the flurry and noise of all these vintage inspired divers, is there anything special here?




twobrokewatchsnobs.com













Your Ultimate Guide to Mido Ocean Star Watches


The Watch Company, TWC Japan brand watch shop features a huge selection of Rolex Watches, Omega Watches, Hublot Watches, Zenith Watches, Tag Heuer, Seiko, Citizen, and other watches at discounted prices. Our shop is located in Tokyo Nakano which is one of the famous local area in Japan for watch...




www.thewatchcompany.com













Tales from a Vintage Collector: The Case of the Mido Powerwind "Rainbow" Diver 1000 - Worn & Wound


Most of you likely know of Dan Henry from his eponymous, vintage-inspired line of value-driven timepieces. But Dan Henry is also a seasoned watch collector and the owner of what may very well be the most expansive personal collection in existence, a fraction of which you can see at...




wornandwound.com













This Eye-Catching Vintage Dive Watch Deserves a Reissue


The Mido Ocean Star Powerwind “Rainbow Diver” is one of the most obscure but distinctive and coveted vintage dive watches out there.




www.gearpatrol.com













A Legendary 1960s Dive Watch Was Just Brought Back for 2020


Mido’s eye-catching “Rainbow Diver” from the ’60s has been resurrected as the limited-edition Decompression Timer 1961.




www.gearpatrol.com













Hands-On - Mido Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961 (Specs & Price)


An accessible, vintage-inspired automatic dive watch with quite some character. Here's the Mido Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961 Limited Edition.




monochrome-watches.com





Interestingly, whereas the Rainbow Diver reissue is visually quite similar to the vintage reference, the Ocean Star tribute is quite the visual upgrade! Compare:



vintage mido ocean star - Google Search



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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

vmgotit said:


> Here is mine! Vance.
> View attachment 15678356


Although now I'm probably just sharing the obvious, but some Tudor/dive watch history 









TUDOR Diving Watches | History | From 1969 to 1999


From 1969 to 1999:Learn more about the history of TUDOR diving watches on the Official TUDOR Website.




www.tudorwatch.com













The History of Tudor Watches | Bob's Watches


Best known as the Rolex's sister company, Tudor has a rich and unique history all its own. Read on to discover the fascinating history of Tudor Watches.



www.bobswatches.com













Tudor Submariner: A Brief History — Rescapement.


Guides There’s been a lot of conjecture that in 2019, Tudor will re-release a new reference of its iconic Tudor Submariner collection. Tudor has done little to dissuade these rumors, and now seems to be actively encouraging the hype (and of course, its Black Bay collection shows the brand’s affinit




www.rescapement.com













TUDOR Watch Brand Review & History: Timeless Style Gets A New Twist -


TUDOR is the sister brand of Rolex. First known for its more affordable watches using off-the-shelf movements, it has surpassed its previous reputation.




bespokeunit.com













Tudor Watch History: A Complete Guide - Millenary Watches


Do you want to learn more about the history of Tudor watches? In this article, we go through Tudor's history from start to finish!




millenarywatches.com










Tudor Submariner - A Historical Overview


Tudor Submariner - A Historical Overview of the collection from vintage to contemporary pieces. A Fratello Watches future classic.




www.fratellowatches.com













The Tudor "Snowflake" Submariner Collector's Guide - The Spring Bar


Tudor Snowflake Submariners were supplied to the Marine Nationale French Navy, which became a testing bed for Tudor’s Submariner line.



thespringbar.com













Modern Icons: The Evolution of The Tudor Submariner — 60Clicks


Once considered a mere Rolex imitation, the Tudor Submariner has evolved to become one of the most desirable vintage dive watches in the world.




www.60clicks.com













Tudor and its Heritage - How the Vintage Submariners inspired the Tudor Black Bay - Monochrome Watches


In terms of product design, vintage inspiration has been, for the last 10 years, one of the major, if not the major trend. Most brands, from low-end to ultra-luxury have been, at least once, looking at their past and used it as a reference to create new models. We all need strong foundations to...




monochrome-watches.com










TUDOR HISTORY ORIGINS


THE ORIGINS: FROM 1926 TO 1949 HANS WILSDORF'S INTUITION “For some years now, I have been considering the idea of making a watch that our agents could sell at a more modest price than our Rolex watches, and yet one that would attain the standard of dependability for which Rolex is famous. I...




watchintyme.com





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## riff raff (Dec 28, 2015)

ck2k01 said:


> Glad to hear
> 
> FWIW, I've always swapped in deployant clasps with assorted tapered straps without issue, buying the clasp size that corresponds to the mm width at the narrower end (furthest from the lugs).
> 
> ...


You are right, for $10, I just ordered a black 20 mm. If that works, I'll try moving up the quality scale. Longines makes some branded clasps, I just need to find a 20 mm piece. Thanks!


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Because the Universal Geneve Polerouter was mentioned, the brand and some of the line's skindiver-esque variants are worthy of some links 

Brand history:



History & chronology – Universal Genève S.A.





https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Gen%C3%Ave











Universal Geneve: What Happened to the Beloved Watch Brand? — Rescapement.


GUIDE Universal Geneve is beloved by collectors around the world. So whatever happened to it?




www.rescapement.com













Universal Geneve: The Rise and Fall of a Watchmaking Giant | Prowatches


You may not know it, but Universal Geneve was once an iconic watch brand of its generation. What happened to it? Find out in our comprehensive brand review!




prowatches.com













LOST IN TIME: Universal Genève


Our series on defunct brands still active in the vintage market continues with an illustrious brand that continues to capture the imagination of watch collectors even today.




watchtime.me













UNIVERSAL GENÈVE


The Universal Genève Swiss watch brand was founded in 1894. Present on European markets from its early days, the company was originally known as Descombes & Perret. In the course of its long an…




masterhorologer.com













WHAT HAPPENED TO UNIVERSAL GENÈVE - Montres Publiques - The vintage watch magazine


When people think Universal Genève, they usually think of its recent history, its success in the mid-20th century, and of watch models like the the Polerouter or the Tri-Compax. Universal Genève today is…Universal Genève watchmaking history




montrespubliques.com










HISTORY







universalgeneve.info







https://revolution.watch/universal-geneve-universal-acclaim/



And the Polerouter Sub specifically:









Affordable Vintage: Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub - Worn & Wound


There are tons of amazing and unique vintage divers out there, but the 1968 Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub took it to another level of coolness. Universal Geneve is a storied Swiss brand with a long history of amazing watches. They are primarily known for the numerous Compax chronograph models...




wornandwound.com













Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub - Bazamu


If you're pondering whether or not to start an Instagram account to feed your watch obsession and can't decide - do it. This Polerouter Sub came via a direct message on Instagram after I'd posted a picture of my other Polerouter Sub that had just joined the collection.




www.bazamu.com













Owner Review: Polerouter Sub – Gerald Genta’s First Dive Watch


As someone fixated on rare, vintage, affordable divers, the Polerouter Sub checks all the boxes. Let’s start with the brand.




fifthwrist.com













Universal Genève Polerouter Sub


It’s tough finding horologic gems out there in the world. It’s even harder to let them go, and if you know us, you know how hard it can be to pry rare timepieces out of our hands… This Universal Genève Polerouter Sub is no exception. The man behind the AP Royal Oak, the Patek Philippe Nautilus...




shop.analogshift.com













Rare 1966 Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub (Ref. 869116/01)


Doxa 600T, Doxa Orange Dial, Orage 600T Doxa, Doxa Dive Watch, Orage Dial Dive Watch, Doxa Aubry Era, Aubry Era Doxa, Doxa Jacques Cousteau, Vintage Doxa 600t




www.craftandtailored.com













1960s Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub (Ref. 869116/02) Mk.2


Doxa 600T, Doxa Orange Dial, Orage 600T Doxa, Doxa Dive Watch, Orage Dial Dive Watch, Doxa Aubry Era, Aubry Era Doxa, Doxa Jacques Cousteau, Vintage Doxa 600t




www.craftandtailored.com










Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub Automatic retailed by Turler Ref. 869116/02


Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub Automatic retailed by Turler Ref. 869116/02




www.iconeek.com













Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub Green


This, without doubt, is one of the rarest iterations of the Polerouter Sub. What grabs your attention immediately is the deep green bakelite bezel and only a handful of examples came with this colour. While it is popular to see black bezels, the rarer versions included a red or blue bezel. But...




www.ssongwatches.com













Vintage Universal Genève Polerouter Sub 869120/02 Red Bezel sold on watchPool24


This marvelous Universal Genève Polerouter Sub is a diver's watch from the 1960's. The first appearance of the Polerouter Sub was in 1961. After short 8 years the production stopped in 1968. This particular example is one of the later models with a red bakelite bezel and dates back to 1968. The ...




www.watchpool24.com





And an interesting super compressor variant:









Universal Genève Jumbo Polerouter Sub SuperCompressor


Universal Genève Poleroutre Sub Jumbo SuperCompressor for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Because Crepas got mentioned, and I wasn't very familiar with them, I had a look, and they appear to be a Spanish microbrand:









CREPAS Watches


Technical watches for extreme divers




www.crepaswatches.com













The Crepas Loggerhead - The Newest DWFG Watch


We take a look at the Crepas Loggerhead, the newest release made in partnership with the massive Diver's Watches Facebook Group.




www.fratellowatches.com





Of note for the thread, I spotted several models that struck me as skindiver-esque, including the Engelsfish, Cayman, Plongeur, and Tektite:









CREPAS Watches


Technical watches for extreme divers




www.crepaswatches.com













CREPAS Watches


Technical watches for extreme divers




www.crepaswatches.com













CREPAS Watches


Technical watches for extreme divers




www.crepaswatches.com













CREPAS Watches


Technical watches for extreme divers




www.crepaswatches.com





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Phew! I think I'm all caught up with the follow ups for the past few weeks 

And just because, a musing about what constitutes a skindiver:



WHAT ARE SKIN DIVERS?



And an epic pictorial timeline of iconic vintage dive watches:









Timeline Watch


The Dan Henry watch colletcion – Breitling Heuer Rolex Omega Universal Patek Longines Tissot Vacheron IWC Sicura Bulova Movado Tudor Edox Doxa Eska Eberhard Eterna Zenith Audemars Piguet Military Pocket




www.timeline.watch





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

riff raff said:


> You are right, for $10, I just ordered a black 20 mm. If that works, I'll try moving up the quality scale. Longines makes some branded clasps, I just need to find a 20 mm piece. Thanks!


Awesome 

I've got a bunch of them (the clasps), and have found them to be a great value prop (cheap, work without issue, and relatively comfortable/non-sharp/not too itchy).

I've also found them to be simple to brush with a Scotch-Brite pad if you want the brushed look.

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Lastly, since I posted such egregious walls of text this morning, a picture of my new Vostok Amphibia 120 mod from the bay (sticker still on the dial!) that I plan to redo (fully bead blast, coin-edge bezel, faded insert, black hour and minute hands, signed crown, and scuba dude case back).

Just waiting on the parts to arrive from Russia . . .










I think it's got some skindiver vibe to it (why I went with the 120 case > the 420 case, and it's also more modestly sized and has better lug down-turn than the 100 and 110 cases).

And I think it may be our first Vostok (Vostok is the transliteration of the Cyrillic Восток)  

So . . .

Brand history:









Vostok Watches: Russian Watches Part 3 | Two Broke Watch Snobs


A detailed history of the Vostok Watch Factory - from humble roots in Moscow to becoming the most notable watch USSR watch factor in history.




twobrokewatchsnobs.com













Vostok Watches: the Stars of Soviet Vintage


Vostok is part of the legendary trio of Soviet watch brands, along with Raketa and Poljot. These three account for a significant share of all vintage timepieces sold online and feature many iconic models. Vostok




vintagewatchinc.com













Historic Story: Vostok-Europe Watches Design and Construction


Learn about the history, design, and construction of Vostok-Europe watches. Learn more about the backstory of Vostok-Europe watches through this video as well!




www.r2awatches.com













Vostok watches


Coordinates: 55°21′56.19″N 50°36′18.64″E / 55.3656083°N 50.6051778°E / 55.3656083; 50.6051778 Vostok (Russian: Восток, meaning East*) Watch Makers, Inc. produces mainly rugged military and diver mechanical watches at its factory in Chistopol, Tatarstan, Russia. It also makes clocks and watch...




military.wikia.org













An Introduction to Russian Watches


When I first became familiar with the genre of Soviet era Russian watches I was immediately hooked. Unique designs and interesting movements drew me in. After spending some time reading up on the history of Russian horology, I have developed an even greater fascination. So for those of you...




wornandwound.com





And about the Amphibia (also transliterated as Amphibian, Amfibia, and Amfibian) line:









Ep. 78 - The Vostok Amphibia... That's What The Whole Show Is About | Two Broke Watch Snobs


Alright, guys - this is the big one. We've been threatening this episode for a while - this week's show is entirely dedicated to the Vostok Amphibia. We discuss the history of the piece and just how much impact it had in Russia during it's creation in 1967. Plus, Kaz breaks down some notable...




twobrokewatchsnobs.com













In-Depth: In Depth: The Vostok Amphibia


In the watch scene, phrases ‘like classic’ and ‘iconic’ are used as often as ‘dial’ and ‘movement’ – and it’s easy to get desensitised to all the marketing spin. But my theory is that you can judge the ‘classic’ status of a watch by the number and loyalty of its fans. By this standard, the...




www.hodinkee.com







https://vostokamphibia.com/vostok-amphibia-history/











Our Favourite Vostok Amphibia Watches


A quick look at out favourite versions of this iconic Russian dive watch.




www.chronopolis.co.uk













Bloc Around the Clock : The Cold War Charms Of The Vostok Amphibia - Scottish Watches


Scottish Watches Bloc Around the Clock : The Cold War Charms Of The Vostok Amphibia




www.scottishwatches.co.uk













Vostok Amphibia: The Eccentric Military Watch of the USSR | Prowatches


Vostok Amphibia was a watch used by the Russian military. Today, it remains popular for its eccentric design. Find out what makes this dive watch iconic.




prowatches.com













Vostok Amphibia "Scuba Dude": Hands-On Review — 60Clicks


Hands on with the Vostok Amphibia, a quirky Russian mechanical dive watch with a worldwide cult following.




www.60clicks.com













Vostok Amphibia: Everything You Need To Know | Two Broke Watch Snobs


Cut through the noise and get the facts, stats, and insights you need in order to understand the Vostok Amphibia - one of the most iconic and less understood pieces in dive watch history.




twobrokewatchsnobs.com













The Dude Abides: Vostok Amphibia


If The Time Bum stands for anything, it is the prospect of a bargain. This does not always mean a dirt cheap price, but rather, getting a watch that has…




www.thetimebum.com













Vostok Amphibian “Scuba Dude” Dive Watch Review | BladeReviews.com


My hands-on review of the Vostok Amphibian. Check out my detailed Vostok Amphibian review before you buy this Russian dive watch.




bladereviews.com













A Review of the Vostok Amphibia SE (420B35)


The Vostok Amphibia SE is a great value dive watch that has both charm and heritage. Best of all, it can be yours for less than $150. Is it time you added a Vostok to your collection? Here's my review.




bellatory.com





It's a lot like the Seiko SKX in terms of modability (indeed, SKX bezel inserts can even be used on them):



https://vostokamphibia.com/100-best-vostok-amphibia-mod-watches/








Modstok | We have ways of making you mod.







modstok.com





And a cool story about it accompanying a diving record:









Breaking News: Man Sets Diving Depth Record in Vostok Amphibia


Forget your fancy pants dive watches, the Vostok Amphibia sets a depth record on the wrist of a speedo-wearing Fratello team member.




www.fratellowatches.com





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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Great Work CK

You are a research monster


----------



## riff raff (Dec 28, 2015)

I agree!



boatswain said:


> Great Work CK
> 
> You are a research monster


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

boatswain said:


> Great Work CK
> 
> You are a research monster





riff raff said:


> I agree!


Thanks guys 

So long as it's not annoying, I'll keep it up as new stuff comes in  

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## riff raff (Dec 28, 2015)

There is a Facebook group called "Divers Watches". A member there, Bristnj Jeff, not sure he's here, posts some incredible skindivers. all from his collection.

Here's a recent post

1960's Belair Seapearl 600 - cal. PUW1363


----------



## riff raff (Dec 28, 2015)

Amazon deployment clasp arrived, and installed. I've never had a deployment clasp before. I'm not sure its any more convenient than a regular quick release buckle. I'll give it a few days. Definitely worth a $10 gamble!


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

riff raff said:


> There is a Facebook group called "Divers Watches". A member there, Bristnj Jeff, not sure he's here, posts some incredible skindivers. all from his collection.
> 
> Here's a recent post
> 
> ...


Very interesting. Definitely our first Belair.

About the brand:

Currently based out of Oklahoma:






Contact - Belair Time


Contact information for Belair Time Corporation.



www.beltime.com





The result of a recent merger of the historically New Jersey-based Belair Time Corporation (since the 1960s, though tracing even further back to the US Virgin Islands in the 1940s as well) and Oklahoma-based Selco Time:









Belair Time Moves to Tulsa in New Merger with Selco Time


The American watch manufacturer has relocated from New Jersey to Oklahoma, the home of customized watches company Selco Time.




www.nationaljeweler.com





The founder of Belair, Ernest Grunwald, has an interesting backstory and appears to have lived a good long life:









Belair Time Co-Founder Dies at 104


Ernest Grunwald started the company with his wife, Ilse, after fleeing **** Germany for the U.S. and serving in WWII.




www.nationaljeweler.com





Some more general back history:






Belair Watches from Authorized Belair Watch Dealer


Belair watches from RightTime an Official Factory Authorized Belair watch dealer. Factory warranty. Ship same day. These affordable watches are built to last, in the United States with Swiss parts. Durable cases, heavy bracelets, and elegant packaging.



www.righttime.com













Vintage Belair Seapearl 600


I was going through some of my vintage watches and came across this Belair Seapearl 600. I did a Google search and came up short of any info. Thought one of you vintage diver buffs might be able to offer up your thoughts. Manual wind Swiss. I will try to post some movement photos later. Any...




www.watchuseek.com





Per one of the prior links, the private-label service (e.g., jeweler or other company branding) that Belair historically offered appears to be a current focus.

This site shows a bunch of discontinued models:






Belair Watches - Discontinued Belair Watches


All Belair Watches presented on this page are retired/discontinued models and available for your reference.



www.righttime.com





That back catalog suggests they were focused on quartz and homage offerings.

The Seapearl, as pictured above in the thread, appears to have been one of their diver lines.

There's some good looking Seapearl variants from the 1960s and 1970s, naturally with Swiss mechanical movements inside.

Google Images:

belair seapearl - Google Search

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## riff raff (Dec 28, 2015)

Fascinating. One of my restaurants is in Lakewood NJ, which I visit quarterly. I never would have known the back story. I think the owner of that watch lives in Europe.



ck2k01 said:


> Very interesting. Definitely our first Belair.
> 
> About the brand:
> 
> ...


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

riff raff said:


> Fascinating. One of my restaurants is in Lakewood NJ, which I visit quarterly. I never would have known the back story. I think the owner of that watch lives in Europe.


Ditto.

As a Jersey guy myself, I'm always pleasantly surprised to stumble upon random NJ watch stuff (e.g., this, the defunct (?) Mercer Watch Co. in Princeton, and the US Seiko Service Service Center in Mahwah).

Anyways, about that Seapearl, very interesting day and date windows. I quite appreciate a dash of quirk in a sea of skindivers.

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## trouble (Oct 30, 2009)

See u posting legacy & reissue skindivers....my reissue & legacy one,from early 70s


----------



## geauxtigers (Jul 26, 2013)

Got this old Vulcain that I don't know much about- if anyone knows what it is, let me know 

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

trouble said:


> See u posting legacy & reissue skindivers....my reissue & legacy one,from early 70s  [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210307/699725bae4dabdadea67700fd7b22d9c.jpg[/IMG][/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210307/bd1f578c743e0600473dca5da2cfe0f6.jpg[/IMG]


Nice modern/vintage duo 

How much wrist time do they each respectively get? Does the modern build of the reissue steal more wear time?



geauxtigers said:


> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210307/37fcc0089a14ac02a66fc3332e193e2e.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Got this old Vulcain that I don't know much about- if anyone knows what it is, let me know
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Got you covered 



ck2k01 said:


> . . .
> 
> And Vulcain definitely had some rad looking vintage skin divers:
> 
> ...


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## INAMINUTE (Jul 2, 2020)

My latest Skin Diver


----------



## trouble (Oct 30, 2009)

ck2k01 said:


> Nice modern/vintage duo
> How much wrist time do they each respectively get? Does the modern build of the reissue steal more wear time?


Unfortunately I only own the reissue. I picked the best vintage photo from Google that resembles the pose I picked for mine.

Gets alot of time as my only current diver in collection(that is about to change as Helm is on the way).

And gets a dive or two over the summer in the Adriatic coast.

Very versatile watch,quite a looker even on leather strap...only letdown are some QC issues that ultimately got sorted(Yema started again recently) and lug size of rare 19mm.

You should do Yema history if u have time...quite interesting,from being French watch powerhouse to being owned by Seiko in 80s and restarting all over again recently.


----------



## geauxtigers (Jul 26, 2013)

ck2k01 said:


> Nice modern/vintage duo
> 
> How much wrist time do they each respectively get? Does the modern build of the reissue steal more wear time?
> 
> ...


Yeah that gear patrol article is the only other example I've found like this one. 

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

trouble said:


> Unfortunately I only own the reissue. I picked the best vintage photo from Google that resembles the pose I picked for mine.
> 
> Gets alot of time as my only current diver in collection(that is about to change as Helm is on the way).
> 
> ...


Gotcha.

I handled some Yemas in person at the last Wind Up in NYC, and was impressed with how they looked and felt. It's nice to see them firing on all cylinders these days.

And most def!



ck2k01 said:


> . . .
> 
> I always love to see that "Patent Pending" printing on the old school Yema *Supermans*. Such a quirky thing to write on the dial; and a quirky choice of Yema to continue it on the contemporary *Navygraf Heritage*
> 
> ...


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

geauxtigers said:


> Yeah that gear patrol article is the only other example I've found like this one.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Ya, beyond that I'm just seeing the odd prior auction :/

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

trouble said:


> See u posting legacy & reissue skindivers....my reissue & legacy one,from early 70s


Like my Yema Navygraf too - pick of the current Yema bunch IMHO and their cheapest auto diver too! I'm not 100 percent sold on the lugs they use throughout their diving watch range - would prefer more angled ones but of course theres always something about a watch that doesn't quite fit eh? Yema seem to get their fair share of complaints but mine is spot on. Original case shap much better.


----------



## majikat (Jun 12, 2011)

Does a 70's cool french one qualify?









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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

majikat said:


> Does a 70's cool french one qualify? [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210308/bdf9b402b6390b1eda0dc62071699c4f.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my HMA-L09 using Tapatalk


Always excited to see a new vintage brand in here-in this case, Mortima!

And then even more excited when some research on the brand is readily available, so that we can compile more information in here 

Some interesting notes:

-Historical French brand (under the Cattin & Cie company, which is different from the Cattin + Cie SA company) that traces back to the 1920s (and that was functionally "over" by 1990, after some typical post-quartz crisis "changing ownership hands" fluctuation).

-The name is probably a portmanteau of the French city "Morteau" and "time".

-They made a lot in house, movements included (at least at the level of the parent company).

-They made a diver case back image that was in ubiquitous circulation (if I'm reading correctly, Mortima served as the case back subcontractor for this for many brands).

(From a prior vintage skindiver I had, in the first post of this thread: )










Brand history:









The history of the Mortima watch brand


Watches from the 60s and 70s - 42 mm and larger - preferably affordable.




largevintagewatches.blogspot.com










Full history | Mortima watches


Information and history of the watch brand Mortima and Cattin mechanical movements.




mortima.wixsite.com













Mortima/Cattin - a short illustrated history


Now that Chris (Howards4th), has joined the Mortima crew I thought maybe some people might be interested to see a little of the Mortima history. Mortima was founded in 1926 by Emile Cattin (b 1904) in Morteau, in the Doubs region of France. The production of the 20's and 30's seems to have used...




www.watchuseek.com





Critical comment about their movements:









All You Need to Know About French Watches - WahaWatches


France has a lot to offer to vintage watch aficionados. Let’s put wines and the cuisine aside, and focus on French watches.




wahawatches.com





Google Images (showing that Mortima had several skindiver-type models, under the SuperDatomatic line, which can still be had for modest sums on auction sites):



mortima skin diver - Google Search



Back to the posted watch: love that 70s "everything but the kitchen sink" colorful funk design!

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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## Watchartig (May 26, 2019)

FORMULa said:


> The Dino on stretchy band...


----------



## Watchartig (May 26, 2019)

Very nice - Like it a lot


----------



## Watchartig (May 26, 2019)




----------



## ffnc1020 (Apr 11, 2017)




----------



## koiom (Dec 9, 2011)




----------



## Watchartig (May 26, 2019)

One of my favorits


----------



## admit-to-im (Feb 1, 2021)

Zelos Blacktip in Frost. Who doesn't love a lumed dial and bezel?


----------



## redhed18 (Mar 23, 2013)




----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

8505davids said:


> Do like a funky 70s style dial - talking of inspiration I'm suprised no one has issued watches inspired by the Baby Ploprof or the 166.091 (or maybe they have but I havent noticed!), great case shapes calling out for original dials... well, seems I'm also developing a liking for hidden lugs....now where did I put my old Zenith Defy tonneau...not strictly a diver but still 300m....
> View attachment 15679954
> 
> 
> Oh ... and its great to see the black day/date wheel on that Mido...


Must be psychic - new Crespas is a homage to the pilots case Omega 166.091! Enormous though...


----------



## Ludi (Nov 1, 2009)

Hello dear fellow WUS member,

I had a great time lately with the Synchron military thread, so why not post on this forum more often ?

I'm more of a vintage chronograph guy, but this is my skin diver stable:




























The same watch in a deep coffee dive action




























Not a skin diver, but close enough ?



















And last, but not least, my beater


----------



## admit-to-im (Feb 1, 2021)

Ludi said:


> Hello dear fellow WUS member,
> 
> I had a great time lately with the Synchron military thread, so why not post on this forum more often ?
> 
> ...


Great collection! Do you have a favorite? which gets the most wrist time?

I also came over here from the Synchron Mil thread


----------



## Ludi (Nov 1, 2009)

admit-to-im said:


> Great collection! Do you have a favorite? which gets the most wrist time?
> 
> I also came over here from the Synchron Mil thread


Definitely the Omega SM300, made for rough action










But it has a great competitor for now, so who knows


----------



## sivart (Mar 5, 2013)

Just ordered a Orange/BOR Wolbrook-Douglas Skindiver, Mid April delivery.


----------



## Aquaracer1 (Jul 23, 2009)

sivart said:


> Just ordered a Orange/BOR Wolbrook-Douglas Skindiver, Mid April delivery.
> View attachment 15776153


Nice! ??


----------



## efawke (Nov 23, 2018)

Does the CW C65 Trident count?










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## ARMADUK (Oct 26, 2015)

That 369 Caravelle on rivet bracelet looks tits


----------



## efawke (Nov 23, 2018)

Ludi said:


> Hello dear fellow WUS member,
> 
> I had a great time lately with the Synchron military thread, so why not post on this forum more often ?
> 
> ...


Impressive collection. Really like that Eterna.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Toonces (Jan 14, 2017)

Tits!


----------



## EPK (Nov 16, 2015)

Ludi said:


> Hello dear fellow WUS member,
> 
> I had a great time lately with the Synchron military thread, so why not post on this forum more often ?
> 
> ...


Beautiful collection.


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## jovani (Nov 2, 2007)




----------



## DaleEArnold (Nov 7, 2008)

Picked up the 2 Enicars adding to my collection of 50's 60's Dive Watches..


----------



## FORMULa (Oct 7, 2012)

The DINO...


----------



## Viseguy (Jul 1, 2018)

Nice thread! It inspired me to order this:


----------



## Donerix (Apr 10, 2010)

FORMULa said:


> The DINO...


Wrist shot please. I would love to see how it wears


----------



## FORMULa (Oct 7, 2012)

Donerix said:


> Wrist shot please. I would love to see how it wears


Around 6.5" wrist size, maybe a bit shy. It is very similar in size to armida a12, if not the same...


----------



## mdwilson (Jun 2, 2015)




----------



## warsh (May 22, 2017)

Great thread! This NOS Caravelle Devil Diver has quickly become one of my favorite pieces









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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

*WARNING: WALL OF TEXT DUE TO INTERESTING JEANRICHARD-AQUASTAR HISTORY*



Watchartig said:


> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15770525"]15770525[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]15770525[/ATTACH]


I continue to be fascinated by the family tree of skin divers that get posted in here.

Lots to catch up on over the last two weeks or so, which I'll try to get around too ASAP.

Looked up *JeanRichard*.

A short version of the brand history: Daniel JeanRichard was a watchmaker in the 1600 to 1700s who was an important early figure in the Swiss watch industry (toward industrialization of the industry). Skipping way ahead, the rights to the brand were purchased from Lemania in the 80s (which earlier bought the brand from the Seinet brothers, who had bought it from the EREM Group) by the eventual group (Sowind) that would soon also acquire Girard-Perregaux. Relaunched in the 90s as a more affordable sister brand to GP. The brand name was changed from Daniel JeanRichard to JeanRichard in the early 2000s. The Kering group (also the owner of, e.g., Gucci and Ulysse Nardin) acquired a majority interest by the early 2010s and the brand was relaunched for a short while, but is now in hibernation.

_Sources_:









THE MAN BEHIND THE BRAND: Daniel JeanRichard


(This is the first of a series of articles on historical watchmakers whose names have been revived as contemporary watch brands.) In 1986, Luigi (Gino) Macaluso, a Swiss watch distributor in Italy, bought the rights to the name Daniel JeanRichard from Lemania, the Swiss movement manufacturer. Dan




www.watchtime.com













History of Jeanrichard (Swiss watch brand from 1681) - Your Watch Hub


The history of Jeanrichard begins in the 17th century. According to the website of the Swiss brand the company began in 1681.




www.yourwatchhub.com













JEANRICHARD – It’s all in the case


Bruno Grande is proud of what he has achieved. Since JeanRichard came under the control of the Kering group (ex-PPR which includes Gucci and the Sowind Group, in other words Girard-Perregaux, its factory and the JeanRichard brand), whose horological guru is Michele Sofisti, he has, as COO of...




www.europastar.com













Aquastar Airstar


Si la marque Aquastar, fondée par JeanRichard, est bien connue et reconnue pour ses modèles Deepstar, ou Régate, l’Airstar a longtemps été considérée comme un mirage et un mythe. Produite en …




chronographes.net










Home - Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie


Stay informed about the latest news and learn more about the history, the markets and the know-how of the watch industry with HH Magazine, the journal of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH).




www.hautehorlogerie.org













JeanRichard - Watch News


A Brief History The history of Swiss luxury wristwatches cannot be truly told without a mention of Daniel JeanRichard. Daniel JeanRichard is believed to be the one who founded the … Read More




watchnews.net










JeanRichard [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net










What, or who, is a JeanRichard? | WatchPaper


Presenting JeanRichard through an illustrated hands-on review of the Terrascope, a 44 mm automatic timepiece.




www.watchpaper.com













No Longer Made: JeanRichard Diverscope LPR Watch Review | aBlogtoWatch


Full wrist-time review with video & original photos of the JeanRichard Diverscope LPR watch including price, background, specs, & expert analysis.



www.ablogtowatch.com













What ever happened to JeanRichard?


I recently discovered JeanRichard on YouTube and quickly fell in love with the brand but it seems like no one carries them and on YouTube one guy said they were a dead brand. Is this true that the brand is gone? Shortly after this drop.com actually released some aeroscopes and I bought one on...




www.watchuseek.com





If you just search for JeanRichard history, though, the results skip over the most important era of the brand for present purposes.

While the business structure of the Daniel/JeanRichard brand or name up until the 1950s remains unclear to me, I think the pertinent details for present purposes are that a watch designer and scuba diver/sailor, Frédéric (Fred) Robert, worked to develop the _Aquastar_ 60 model for JeanRichard in the 1950s (Mr. Robert's father owned JeanRichard at that point), which launched in 1958 and ran for four years, and retailed under several brand names (e.g., JeanRichard, Duward). In 1963, the Aquastar 63 model (inner rotating bezel) was launched, and the name of the JeanRichard brand eventually spun off to Aquastar (though JeanRichard was still used as a brand name on some comparable Aquastar models for a bit). As mentioned above, JeanRichard was acquired by the EREN Group in the early 1980s, and then by the Seinet brothers. The same was true of Aquastar. But whereas JeanRichard was then sold to Lemania, the Seinet brothers continued to operate Aquastar (e.g., making quartz regatta watches) until 2019, when it was sold to the Synchron group (i.e., the Rick Marei revivals group: Aquadive, Tropic, ISOfrane), and relaunched in 2020.

_Sources_:






The early days of dive watches at Aquastar between 1962 and 1974


Aquastar didn’t invent the dive watch, but the brand crystallized its purpose in a singular vision, influencing an entire industry with category-defining innovations




aquastar.ch










The 2020 Aquastar Deepstar pays tribute to the 1960s Skindivers


The Aquastar Deepstar was invented by Mr. Marc Jasinski in 1963 and has since influenced generations of dive watches and Chronographs




aquastar.ch










Aquastar - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club













The story of AQUASTAR


Aquastar was founded in 1962 in the city of Geneva, Switzerland by Mr. Frédéric Robert, a diver, sailor, watchmaker and mathematician, who h...




oceanictime.blogspot.com













In-Depth: The Aquastar Deepstar Resurfaces


One of the most important historical dive watch brands is back, with Cousteau's favorite chronograph.




www.hodinkee.com













Aquastar Deepstar


Aquastar Deepstar for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com













The Aquastar Deepstar May Be the Coolest Vintage Dive Watch You’ve Never Heard Of


With its distinctive features and chronograph, the Aquastar Deepstar is a beautiful timepiece from the heyday of SCUBA diving.




www.gearpatrol.com













Introducing - The 2020 Aquastar Deepstar Re-Edition (Specs & Price)


A niche icon of diving history, re-issued in a truly faithful way. Meet the original 2020 Aquastar Deepstar Re-Edition diving chronograph.




monochrome-watches.com













Aquastar (watch brand) - Wikipedia







en.m.wikipedia.org










Aquastar / Jean Richard Airstar | Rarebirds







rarebirds.de













Aquastar Airstar


Si la marque Aquastar, fondée par JeanRichard, est bien connue et reconnue pour ses modèles Deepstar, ou Régate, l’Airstar a longtemps été considérée comme un mirage et un mythe. Produite en …




chronographes.net













Bring a Loupe: A Beautiful Triple Calendar Vacheron, A Rolex Submariner Ref. 6536/1 With A Tragic Past, A Retro Zenith El Primero, And More


This is your Bring A Loupe for August 18, 2017.




www.hodinkee.com













Bring a Loupe: A Transitional Jean Richard Airstar, A 'Big Bubbleback' Rolex Ref. 6106, A Military Heuer Carrera Ref. 7753, And More


This is your Bring A Loupe for September 15, 2017.




www.hodinkee.com













JeanRichard Aquastar & Aquastar Deepstar history request


I've recently acquired a late 50's JeanRichard Aquastar 60 and an Aquastar Deepstar. These are both iconic divers watches, but less seems to be known about them than I would have expected , especially the Deepstar. The deepest dive ever, was at the Mariana Trench in September 1960. The...




www.watchuseek.com













Jean Richard Aquastar ... can someone fill me in?


It's a Sunday night and I've nothing better to do than to contemplate watches ... Yesterday, I was offered a Jean Richard Aquastar. The watch would...




omegaforums.net





Turning to *Marc Nicolet*, the brand appears to relate very loosely to the more storied Swiss brand _Armand Nicolet_. Armand was a Swiss watchmaker in the 1800 to 1900s. One of his sons (Willy) took over his brand when he died in 1939, and sold it in the late 80s (the brand continues to exist today).

Back to Marc Nicolet, reportedly some of Armand's several children left the original factory and started their own in the 1940s and 50s: Charles Nicolet, Marc Nicolet, Nicolet Watch, Nicolet Gedeon. Besides the familial connection, these factories were reportedly not connected to the Armand Nicolet brand. And they all shuttered during the quartz crisis.

As for the Marc Nicolet skin divers, there's some auction references to parts being made by Blancpain for them, and Marc Nicolet also using some similar parts (or just looking similar) to some Breitling skin divers of the same era.

But the information I could find is murky/uncertain on all of this, so take my summary with a grain of salt.

_Sources_:









HISTORY | Armand Nicolet







www.armandnicolet.com













Armand Nicolet - Wikipedia







en.m.wikipedia.org













ARMAND NICOLET


The origins of Armand Nicolet Swiss watch brand begins around 1875 in Tramelan, Switzerland, a town in the Bernese Jura. At that time, the region of Tramelan was fundamentally agricultural. Armand …




masterhorologer.com













Armand Nicolet: 173 watches with prices – The Watch Pages


Founded in 1875 in Tramelan, Switzerland, Armand Nicolet has evolved today into a brand known for style, affordability, and their L16 hand-assembled movements.




www.thewatchpages.com










Brands







shakhdiamond.com













Nicolet Skin Diver 900


Curating the best selection of vintage wristwatches on the web.




shop.analogshift.com










TimeZone : Public Forum Archive » Vintage Nicolet Watch Chronograph?


the world\'s watch information resource




forums.timezone.com













Marc Nicolet 300M divers (stainless bezel)


This remarkable Marc Nicolet 300M divers watch dates to approximately 1969, it is in as new old stock condition, this watch is in simply time warp and near new condition, having a very similar design to the famous Breitling steel fish watches and Rolex Submariners of the period. Marc Nicolet...




thewatchcollector.co.uk













VINTAGE MARC NICOLET DIVER


I recently got this vintage Marc Nicolet diver that has some similarity with the Blancpain Aqualung. The watch case looks identical and also the...




omegaforums.net







Help with value of a Nicolet? - Watchlords



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

koiom said:


> [/ATTACH type="full" width="600px" alt="15770997"]15770997[/ATTACH]


Interesting about *Newmark* (which has popped up in here before) is that they were a heritage Swiss importer, though the name was bought and relaunched in the UK circa 2016 to 2018. Of additional interest is that many heritage Newmarks were also manufactured in the UK for a spell in the 1950s, before heading back to Switzerland.

_Sources_:






Newmark Watch Company - About







newmarkwatchcompany.com










Newmark - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club













The Last of the "Fabulous Four" is Back: Introducing the Newmark 6BB RAF Chronograph - Worn & Wound


It was pretty inevitable that Ewan Wilson would end up doing something that combined military aviation and watches. Back in the 1970s, when most children were reading comics over the breakfast table, Ewan had a copy of “Handling the Big Jets, An Explanation of the Significant Difference in...




wornandwound.com





As for the relaunched skin diver Newark 71 model (inspired by a back catalog model from the heritage brand-see one of the below links for a vintage shot), it regrettably appears to be sold out and discontinued. But the look (including the interesting bracelet), color ways, 12-hour or dive bezel, and size specs were all 

_Sources_:






Newmark Watch Company - 71 Sports







newmarkwatchcompany.com










Newmark Watch Company - 71 Sports Black No Date 60







newmarkwatchcompany.com





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

redhed18 said:


> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210318/e4d7932b31c384d906e0dc97086fd4c3.jpg[/IMG]


Regrettably I can't find squat on *Corvair*, other than an auction reference to Corvair having had been a French brand.

_Source_:









SOLD : Corvair - French Skin Diver 70’s


Hello, I am selling an old mechanical diving watch, from the French brand Corvair: Magnificent Skin Diver type case, for a vintage look to perfection. Pretty dial typical of the time, for a most beautiful lumeshot: CHARACTERISTICS : Brand: Corvair Model: Skin Diver Type: Underwater...




www.watchuseek.com





But a great looking watch  I always dig the Glashütte SeaQ-style skin diver dial layout (though certainly not the SeaQ pricing).

Speaking of the SeaQ, I saw some recent news about a new color way (Reed Green):






1-39-11-13-83-70







www.glashuette-original.com







https://revolution.watch/introducing-glashutte-original-seaq-in-reed-green/











Glashütte Original SeaQ Reed Green 39.5mm - Introducing, Specs, Price


Glashütte Original presents its SeaQ 39.5mm dive watch now in Reed Green, an adventurous take on the brand's vintage-inspired dive watch.




monochrome-watches.com













Glashütte Original Returns to the Deep with New SeaQ in Reed Green


Germany's Glashütte Original has found an avid audience with vintage-styled models like the Sixties and Seventies, which hearken back to the “Spezimatic” watches produced during the Cold War era of Saxon watchmaking. (You can read my review of one of the most recent Sixties models here.) In 2019, th




www.watchtime.com













Glashütte Original - SeaQ Green


One of the most interesting diving watches launched in the last few years, the SeaQ by Glashütte Original, is available in a new reed green. Price.




www.timeandwatches.com


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

*WARNING: WALL OF TEXT COVERING FIVE BRANDS/LINES:

ENICAR SHERPA

CARAVELLE SEA HUNTER

CWC

SEIKO SILVERWAVE

GIRARD-PERREGAUX DEEP DIVER*



Ludi said:


> Hello dear fellow WUS member,
> 
> I had a great time lately with the Synchron military thread, so why not post on this forum more often ?
> 
> ...





DaleEArnold said:


> Picked up the 2 Enicars adding to my collection of 50's 60's Dive Watches..
> 
> [/IMG]https://i.postimg.cc/gkc03MVX/51-D29728-1-C3-A-4403-8-C7-C-02656-C1614-B1.jpg[/IMG]





warsh said:


> Great thread! This NOS Caravelle Devil Diver has quickly become one of my favorite pieces
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210328/851e0519d7225678458f1306b60c7e7b.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


I think we've got prior links to *Zodiac Sea Wolf*, *Eterna-Matic KonTiki*, and *Omega Seamaster* information.

So, starting instead with *Enicar*, there's a good bit of information available about the heritage Swiss brand (note: Enicar was purchased in the late 80s by a Chinese company, which continues to operate the brand name today).

_Sources_:






Enicar: Enicar World


Enicar has always played an instrumental role in the development of mechanical watches. With its origin in 1854 as a family watchmaker, Enicar takes pride in its great heritage and constant quest to create reliable and high-performance timepieces with state-of-the-art technology, elegance and...




www.enicar.com













So you're curious about Enicar, huh? — Rescapement


Guides A proper introduction to Enicar, funk and all.




www.rescapement.com










Signs of Saturn: the transition of the Enicar logo | Time for a Change







enicar.org







Enicar history











Enicar Vintage Watches: History & Iconic Models


It doesn’t take much more than a quick glance to understand why Enicar appeals to vintage watch collectors. Even if their watches aren’t your cup of tea, you’ll probably still be able to appreciate the




vintagewatchinc.com










Enicar [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net













The Enicar History


The Enicar Watch Company was founded 1913 in La Chaux de Fonds Switzerland when Artiste Racine (Racine Watch Co.) spelled his name backwa...




the-watching.blogspot.com













This Book Chronicles the History of a Fascinating (and Little-Known) Watch Company


“Time for a Change” is a deep dive into Enicar, makers of some of the coolest tool watches of the mid-20th century.




www.gearpatrol.com













Discovering Vintage Enicar Watches: Time For a Change - Grail Watch


Martijn "Vandervenus" van der Ven is producing an amazing book about the vintage watch brand, Enicar. If you're into classic Enicar watches, you need to get in on this Kickstarter. A pledge of just €65 gets you a copy.




grail-watch.com













The history of Enicar in an upcoming book


‘Time for a change: Discovering vintage Enicar' is a book written by Martijn van der Ven. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, it will be ready for shipping in December. And it will include original Europa Star archive pages about this legendary watch brand. Time to order it!




www.europastar.com





About the _*Sherpa*_ family (several diver styles), it was so named because an Enicar watch accompanied an Everest summit, and so Enicar denoted all of their tool watches with the Sherpa label. This was a naming transition from the earlier _Seapearl_ and _Healthways_ model names. Healthways was an early US scuba manufacturer.

_Epic sources_:









Enicar Sherpa Collectors Guide Part 1 (Single Crown models) - The Spring Bar


Read this post about the Enicar Seapearl transition to the Enicar Sherpa and the development of other early single crown Enicar Sherpa models.



thespringbar.com













Enicar Sherpa Diver (2 Crown Models) - The Spring Bar


In 1964 Enicar Sherpa announced a new two crown diver watch, and this article moves to the two crown models based on the automatic AR1145 calibre movement.



thespringbar.com





As for the Ultrasonic dial text, that had to do with a cleaning process for movements that Enicar used:









WHAT WAS THE ENICAR 'ULTRASONIC'? - Montres Publiques - The vintage watch magazine


If you like Enicar, then you’ve probably already noticed that many different models of Enicar, Sherpas and what have you, all have ‘Ultrasonic’ written on the dial...Vintage watches, horology history




montrespubliques.com





_Other sources_:









The Enicar Sherpa Guide Represents the Peak of a Forgotten Watchmaker


A pilot’s watch from on a mountaineering-inspired lineup that existed thanks to a dive watch.




www.gearpatrol.com













1950s Enicar Sherpa Dive


Why This Watch Matters This Enicar Sherpa is an early example of the cool tool watch that we know and love. The Full Story The Sherpa line from Enicar was introduced in November of 1956, after an Enicar was used in a summit of Mount Everest; henceforth, all of its explorer or tool watches bore...




shop.hodinkee.com













1960s Enicar Sherpa Divette


Why This Watch Matters This Enicar Sherpa Divette features a bold, quirky design with superb visibility. The Full Story The Sherpa line from Enicar was introduced in 1956; it was inspired by a series of explorations happening around the world, especially after an Enicar was used in a summit of...




shop.hodinkee.com













1960s Enicar Sherpa Super-Dive


Why This Watch Matters This Enicar Super-Dive is eternally cool in a large 40mm case with an attractive grey inner rotating bezel. The Full Story The Sherpa line from Enicar was introduced in 1956. This Super-Dive model is the largest Dive model from the line fitted in a 40mm bayonet-type Super...




shop.hodinkee.com













1958 Enicar Sherpa Ultrasonic


Why This Watch Matters This Enicar Ultrasonic has great character with exaggerated luminous indexes, thick hands, and a quirky seconds hand. The Full Story The Sherpa line from Enicar was introduced in 1956. There were numerous exploration-inspired models produced, especially after one of the...




shop.hodinkee.com













1960s Enicar Sherpa Super Divette


Why This Watch Matters Just like a well-worn vintage leather jacket, there is something charming about the imperfection that makes this 36mm dive watch even more irresistible. The Full Story In 1964, Enicar introduced its first two-crown dive watch, and it was endorsed by Dr. Hans Hass, a...




shop.hodinkee.com













eBay Finds: Enicar Seapearl Automatic, André Bouchard Skindiver by Alstater Watch Co., and More - Worn & Wound


When it comes to shopping for vintage watches on eBay, it can be a gold mine, but it can also be a minefield. Our very own Christoph McNeill (you all might know him as Instagram’s @VintageDiver) wrote a must-read, common sense guide to buying vintage watches on eBay (check out Part 1 and Part...




wornandwound.com





On to *Caravelle* and the _*Sea Hunter*_ model (nicknamed the _*Devil Diver*_ for the 666 feet depth rating). Caravelle was an entry-level sub-brand of Bulova introduced in 1962 (and which continues on today).

_Sources_:



The History of Bulova








The Watch Guy: History of BULOVA WATCH COMPANY HISTORY


HISTORY OF THE BULOVA WATCH COMPANY



www.thewatchguy.com










Bulova Watch Information & History | Bulova Watch Repair


Bulova is a New York based corporation making watches and clocks. It was founded and incorporated as the J. Bulova Company in 1875 by Joseph Bulova (1851-1936), an immigrant from Bohemia.




www.watchdoctor.biz










History of Bulova Corporation – FundingUniverse


Read about the history of Bulova Corporation. Explore the company's history, profile, and timeline. Find the key facts you're looking for!



www.fundinguniverse.com










Bulova - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org










Caravelle Designed by Bulova | Bulova


| Bulova




www.bulova.com













The Best Caravelle Watches (Fashionable, Affordable & Unique)


Bulova's Caravelle range is a very affordable range of fasionable watches with some super-unique styles. Find out if they are any good, and which suits you.




iknowwatches.com













Caravelle Watch Brand Review - Are They Good Quality Watches?


Caravelle has been making watches since 1962. Many readers ask if Caravelle is a good brand so we take a closer look at the brand's watches and reputation.




watchranker.com





As for the model popularly known as the Devil Diver (with a few different dial and handset variations, and some folks pop the bezel off to give it a Rolex Explorer vibe):









Caravelle Watches – Zero to Hero, Murph's Minutes


Caravelle Watches - Zero to Hero Bang for your buck Introduced in 1962 Caravelle was aimed at the lower price point market for watches and jewelry.




murphsminutes.com













The Caravelle Sea Hunter 'Devil Diver' Review - The Vintage Watch You Need To Know About


10 for 10 Ep.4: There is an almost endless amount of vintage watches available, so why is this the one you need to know about?




www.watchgecko.com













The Devil’s in the Details


Guest Bum review by Zach Gulsby, an Account Manager by day, and a lifelong wristwatch enthusiast. His Instagram handle is @zgulsby. If you’re not familiar with this watch by now, you…




www.thetimebum.com













Owner Review: Caravelle Sea Hunter – The Devil you don’t know


Throughout the 1960's and 70's, Bulova manufactured quality affordable skin divers under their “Caravelle” sub-brand. The basic idea was to




fifthwrist.com













1970 Caravelle Sea Hunter 666ft Sport Diver “Devil Diver” (17j Hand Wind)


A sub brand of the Bulova watch company, Caravelle was introduced in 1962 as a means to provide a wide range of affordable and stylish watches, but with a build quality synonymous with the Bulova name. The power of association and proven design pushed Caravelle to the front of the market, as a mere




www.hubcityvintage.com













Caravelle Sea Hunter c.1969 — Buying On Time Vintage Watches


If you're into classic vintage watches, particularly those offered by the American brands, I don't need to tell you much about the "Devil Diver" 666ft. depth rated watches of the 1960's and 1970's. While Bulova was probably best known for these dive watches, their sub-brand made quite a fe




www.buyingontime.com





Moving on to *CWC (Cabot Watch Company)*, lots of information is available about this well-known brand (at least among WIS), which have been issued to the British military.






CWC - 49 years of military issue timepieces


Our watches have been supplied to all branches of the armed services. Founded in 1972, Cabot Watch Company CWC have been issued to H.M. forces for over 40 years.




www.cwcwatch.com










History of Cabot Watch Company CWC


Founded in 1972 by Mr. Ray Mellor, who was contracts director at Hamilton watch company, until he branched out on his own due to the lack of enthusiasm to continue contract sales at Hamilton. He successfully won many contracts to supply the UK M.O.D. with watches to all branches of the armed...




www.cwcwatch.com










CWC - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club







https://military-watches.net/cwc








CWC history


Historical Perspectives CWC: The Watch That Replaced The MilSub A rare military watch is back. Jason Heaton June 2, 2017 26 Among collectors of vintage military watches, there are a handful of grails worth chasing: one of the rare Dirty Dozen WWW watches, a Royal Air Force–issued IWC Mark XI, or...



www.silvermans.co.uk













Brand Spotlight: An Introduction to CWC Watches — 60Clicks


An introduction to Cabot Watch Company – a humble UK-based brand known for outfitting the British Navy and Air Force with mil-spec Chronographs and Dive Watches.




www.60clicks.com













A TRUE MILITARY WATCH COMPANY - Montres Publiques - The vintage watch magazine


The internet is home to myriad of military-style watches, however real military watch brands are far and few between. CWC is one of those brands…Vintage watches, horology history




montrespubliques.com













Historical Perspectives: CWC: The Watch That Replaced The MilSub


A rare military watch is coming back later this year.




www.hodinkee.com













CWC 1983 Quartz Royal Navy Diver Review | Two Broke Watch Snobs


In my mind, this is the best, no-nonsense quartz dive watch you can buy today and the easiest gateway to the wide world of British military watch history.




twobrokewatchsnobs.com













CWC SBS Diver Issue MKII Watch Review | aBlogtoWatch


Full wrist-time review with original photos of the CWC SBS Diver Issue MKII watch, released in 2019, including price, background, specs, & expert analysis.



www.ablogtowatch.com







https://cwcaddict.com/f/from-the-diary-of-a-royal-navy-dive-watch








Frank And Oak







www.frankandoak.com













In-Depth: CWC G10 – Affordable Military Watch


CWC (Cabot Watch Company) was founded in 1972 by the ex-managing director of Hamilton: Ray Mellor. Mellor had previously served during WWII as a Merchant Navy, transporting troops across the Atlant…




barkandjack.com













CWC G10


One corner of the watch world that attracts a particular niche enthusiasm is that of the military wrist watch. Issued watches have derived from all corners of the market heirarchy from Blancpain, I…




adventuresinamateurwatchfettling.com













These Vintage Military Watches Were Issued to British Forces


CWC watches, now owned by Silverman’s of London, are still issued military kit.




www.gearpatrol.com













Military Watches of the World: Great Britain Part 3—Falklands War Era Through Today - Worn & Wound


In the final entry of our British installment of Military Watches of the World, we are going to take a look at the wristwatches issued to HM’s forces from the post-Vietnam War era through today. For the rest of the British installment, make sure to read parts 1 and 2. In 1980, the MoD decided […]




wornandwound.com













100 Years of British Military Watches - Part 2 - anOrdain


Post War to Cold War Immediately following WWII, Britain was victorious but broke. The rapid demobilisation of British forces meant that there was a lot of war surplus, and this included watches. Adverts appeared in newspapers offering surplus high-grade military watches for sale at prices that...




anordain.com













You Asked Us: What Watches Does The British Army Wear?


The full, exhaustive history of watches worn by the British Armed Forces (and all associated squadrons/units/regiments and so on) could fill several




www.fratellowatches.com





Next up is the *Seiko* *Silverwave*, which some regard as the first Seiko dive watch (launched in 1961). It was released before the 62 MAS (which launched in 1965), where some Seiko "professional diver" histories begin.

_Sources_:









SEIKO SilverWave Diver’s Watches - The Spring Bar


After WWII the popularity of diving moved beyond military and Seiko introduced its first diver’s watch SEIKO Silverwave in 1961.



thespringbar.com










Seiko SilverWave 697990 Explained


Fratello Watches talks about the vintage Seiko SilverWave, produced from 1961 to 1966. Is this the predecessor of the Seiko 62MAS? Michael Stockton explains.




www.fratellowatches.com













Seiko's First Diver - The Seiko SilverWave J12082


We bring you a double dose of #TBT this week with a look at the Seiko SilverWave J12082, the Japanese brand's first diver.




www.fratellowatches.com













Affordable Vintage: Seiko SilverWave ref. 6601-7990 - Worn & Wound


Before Seiko released their iconic 6217, 6159, 62MAS and 6105 divers, there was the SilverWave, their first attempt at a ‘real’ diving watch. While only rated to 50m initially, the SilverWave wasn’t truly a professional tool dive watch, but it was the humble beginning to a venerable line of true...




wornandwound.com













The birth of the Seiko diver’s watch: The Seikomatic Silver Wave


The first fully fledged waterproof Seiko watch appeared in 1959 in the form of the Seiko Cronos Sea horse fitted with the 21 jewel manual wind Cronos 54/54A movement. That watch was equipped with a…




adventuresinamateurwatchfettling.com







https://smoothseconds.com/seiko-silverwave/











Seiko Silverwave Seikomatic 50m J12082


Introduced in 1961, Seikos original Silverwave series of watches were the precursor to the now famous 6217-8001 divers watch. Whilst the Silverwaves weren’t true dive watches they were pitche…




thewatchbloke.co.uk













1964 Seiko Sportsmatic Silver Wave (Ref. 697990)


Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster 1000 "Mini Paneri", Nevada Gretchen, mini paneri watch, Vintage watch, vintage water, art deco watch, 1960s vintage watches




www.craftandtailored.com













Collector's guide to the 62MAS - Ikigai Watches


The 62MAS. One of the most emblematic watches in Seiko history but also a favorite for all the lovers and collectors of the brand. Its full name is 62MAS-010. The letter MAS come from seikoMAtic Selfdater. The cal.62 found underneath the dial was found in a whole range of automatic watches...




www.ikigai-watches.com





Last but not least, *Girard-Perregaux*. Note that the _Gyromatic_ text refers to GP's smoother and more reliable self-winding movement solution.

_Sources_:









Girard-Perregaux Gyromatic


Curating the best selection of vintage wristwatches on the web.




shop.analogshift.com













1960s Girard-Perregaux Gyromatic


Why This Watch Matters Sometimes the best things in life are simple, like this beautiful time-only Girard-Perregaux Gyromatic cased in 18k yellow gold. The Full Story Girard-Perregaux was founded in 1791, and among the countless designs it has released over more than two centuries, some of...




shop.hodinkee.com













Gyromatic | Calibre Magazine


Girard-Perregaux gains inspiration from a ground-breaking solution from the 1960s




www.calibremagazine.com













Insider's Story - The 1967 Girard-Perregaux Gyromatic Chronometer HF Calibre 32A


The Insider's Story on the Girard-Perregaux Gyromatic Chronometer HF (High Frequency) caliber 32A is written by Tim Siragusa from Perth, Australia. His never-ending enthusiasm for this chronometer rated caliber 32A movement has led him to write a story on this item.




www.fratellowatches.com













Girard-Perregaux 1957 Gyromatic Watch | aBlogtoWatch


The new Girard-Perregaux 1957 watch with images, price, background, specs, & our expert analysis.



www.ablogtowatch.com





As for the *Deep Diver* line, there were apparently several different designs (in addition to the one posted).

_Sources_:






First Generation Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver, reference 7254


Friends, Please let me present to you my first generation Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver, the reference 7254. With help from a dear friend I fi



www.watchprozine.com













Girard-Perregaux Gyromatic Deep Diver


Curating the best selection of vintage wristwatches on the web.




shop.analogshift.com










The Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver 8867 V vs 8867 W – Deep into the details


Friends, I have been talking a lot about the Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver reference 8867 over the past years… And no wonder, it is such a coo



www.watchprozine.com













A Closer Look At The 1966 Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver


The year GP made history, they also built something tough.




curatedclassics.medium.com













Girard-Perregaux Gyromatic 9076 Deep Diver


Last week I showed you the more classic looking Girard-Perregaux Gyromatic reference 8867 Deep Diver. This week I thought we go “deeper” and have a look at the next reference in the Dee…




blommanwatchreport.com













Girard-Perregaux 7254 Deep Diver: First generation


The Girard-Perregaux model “Deep Diver” have it’s roots from the 1940’s model “Sea Hawk” which most likely got it’s name from the movie with the same name …




blommanwatchreport.com













Girard Perregaux Deep Diver


The Girard Perregaux Deep Diver is a seriously underrated dive watch. Incredibly rare with only an estimated 1,400 pieces produced, it is currently off the radar and presents excellent value. What struck me the most was how well constructed the stainless steel case is. Sized at 39mm, it is a...




www.ssongwatches.com













1970 Girard-Perregaux Gyromatic Deep Diver Ref. 9076 B


Why This Watch Matters In the crowded and popular world of vintage dive watches, this Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver is both extremely attractive and under-the-radar. The Full Story Girard-Perregaux produced several iterations of its Deep Diver from the mid-1960s to the 1970s, and they've...




shop.hodinkee.com


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mdwilson said:


> [/ATTACH=full]15792748[/ATTACH]


Our first *Galco*. A very handsome design--love the cardinal markers, and some searching revealed that there's another attractive minute hand variant out there (with a vertical line in the arrow, akin to what Yema uses on some models) 

Reportedly Galco was registered in 1925 as a sub-brand by the very historied (perhaps the longstanding?) Swiss watch company, _Gallet_.









Galco Skin Diver


Galco Skin Diver. 50m. 17J AS 1950/51 manual wind. Swiss Made c1970’s. NOS This is a cracking NOS vintage diver. Swiss made with a bulletproof ETA A. Schild 1950/51 manual wind movement. It&#…




heuerville.wordpress.com







https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallet_%26_Co


.






GalletWorld.com - Gallet Watch Company History


GalletWatches.com is the online resource for information and up-to-date valuations.



www.galletworld.com







http://galletgroup.com/



*And with that, I'm all caught up with the typical linking to informational sources for new stuff that has been posted, for archival purposes. Thanks, all, for continuing to humor my ongoing walls of text.*


----------



## MrCairo (May 21, 2015)

Nice thread!

I've got this reissue:


----------



## MrCairo (May 21, 2015)

As for a definition, I suppose a skin diver is any waterproof watch that was suited for shallow depth skin diving, that is, without a wetsuit and scuba equipment. So no helium valves, etc. Rated to 100-150m for the vintage pieces. That sort of thing.


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Pair of Super Submarinos - 20Atmos


----------



## Viseguy (Jul 1, 2018)

The Wolbrook arrived today!


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

I haven't forgotten about our thread!

Regrettably, I couldn't find much in the way of info about the *Super Submarino* model name, nor the *Mulma* and *Tugah* brands. Just some prior sales listings :/



super submarino watch - Google Search





tugah watch - Google Search





mulma watch - Google Search



I did, however, happen upon this the other day, chuckled, and thought of our thread 


















New Website Skindiver.com Identifies Watches seen in Adult Films | Two Broke Watch Snobs


“It's just crazy how in the year of 2021... there isn't a single trace of information to help identify wristwatches seen in ****."




twobrokewatchsnobs.com





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Pro Diver (Nov 15, 2007)




----------



## Mondo Shizmo (May 2, 2017)




----------



## redhed18 (Mar 23, 2013)

The only thing I'll be diving in&#8230; is this torrential downpour


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Pro Diver said:


> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15920466"]15920466[/ATTACH]




Nice gloss/dress skin diver vibe there.

I hadn't heard of Oceanica before. Seems a relatively younger microbrand out of NY.









 About


Oceanica was born in the middle of 2017 by two cousins from New York. The love of affordable watches, especially diving watches is a real passion of theirs. Both Robert and Martin have been...



www.oceanicawatches.com





Some cool original and homage (e.g., Turtle-esque) designs they've thus far put out 

The price and specs of the skin diver Manta Ray model look  The rubber deployant strap it comes on looks pretty nice too!

The black is currently sold out but the royal blue variant is a fresh take on the format.










The level of color pop reminds me of my v2 CW C60 Trident Pro "smurf."



















How do you find the 22mm lug width on the 40mm/48mm l2l case? A touch bulky or just right?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Mondo Shizmo said:


> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210614/7b3efdc2c9d1fa027f0eecaf43e71d33.jpg[/IMG]





redhed18 said:


> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210614/784eb98ee25940fe96516c5680d2db2f.jpg[/IMG]
> The only thing I'll be diving in&#8230; is this torrential downpour


 x2

Why I love the stereotypical skin diver format: so many levels and points of entry for the general (and oftentimes quite similar) aesthetic! And increasingly more so with the renewed popularity of the classic squared-lugs case shape.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Wandering_Watcher10 (Sep 30, 2016)

Waiting for this to arrive. Any day now!


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## redhed18 (Mar 23, 2013)




----------



## Topspin917 (Mar 17, 2012)




----------



## bart_us (Oct 8, 2013)




----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## bdev (Apr 11, 2019)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Mhutch said:


> [/url=https://ibb.co/CMZ95Nm][/img]https://i.ibb.co/VQZCWrJ/thumbnail-IMG-8830.jpg[/img][/url]


 Nice to see the new Wolbrook dive bezel in here.



bdev said:


> [/ATTACH type="full"]15999976[/ATTACH]


Awesome collection 

Though I'm now gonna have my defunct brand research cut out for me with that shot 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## bdev (Apr 11, 2019)

ck2k01 said:


> Nice to see the new Wolbrook dive bezel in here.
> 
> Awesome collection
> 
> ...


 That batch includes, Baylor, Lucerne, Bercona, Chateau, Ingraham, Saxony & Orion. Some work...some don't.


----------



## Victorv (Oct 12, 2016)

bdev said:


> View attachment 15999976


Super nice collection mate

Can you post individual photos of these beautys?


----------



## Saswatch (Dec 23, 2020)

This one lacks the generic skin diver case shape but it's thin and hugs the wrist.


----------



## bdev (Apr 11, 2019)

Victorv said:


> Super nice collection mate
> 
> Can you post individual photos of these beautys?


Here are five pics that were taken a while ago.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

bdev said:


> Here are five pics that were taken a while ago.
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16003023[/ATTACH]
> View attachment 16003024
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16003025[/ATTACH][/ATTACH type="full"]16003026[/ATTACH][/ATTACH type="full"]16003027[/ATTACH]


That lined sunburst dial = 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

bdev said:


> That batch includes, Baylor, Lucerne, Bercona, Chateau, Ingraham, Saxony & Orion. Some work...some don't.


Many thanks!

OK, so I'll take each in turn, breaking up what I found via Googling around into separate posts below, to cut down on some of the WoT-ness of it all.

Here goes . . .


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

bdev said:


> That batch includes, Baylor, Lucerne, Bercona, Chateau, Ingraham, Saxony & Orion. Some work...some don't.


*Baylor*

This brand readily yields some informative links.

Baylor was a house brand/private label for the *Zale Corporation/Zales* jewelry stores in the US, from the 40s or 50s through the 70s.






History of Zale Corporation – FundingUniverse


Read about the history of Zale Corporation. Explore the company's history, profile, and timeline. Find the key facts you're looking for!



www.fundinguniverse.com













House Brands


Brands created and used by jewellery stores, department stores, mail order companies or similar. Many thanks to those who contributed information. If you want to add a brand, simply reply to this post - I will then edit this original post to include the information and delete yours so that this...




www.watchuseek.com







Does anyone know anything about the brand Baylor? - Watchlords



There's some conflicting reports about whether there was any connection with the Baylor Watch Co. models from *Benrus Watch Co. Inc. / Central Watch Co.* and *D. Gruen & Sons* (which acquired Benrus in the 90s), as Zales reportedly retailed Benrus watches.






Baylor watch history - Topic







ihc185.infopop.cc










Baylor Watch / Swiss Made


Hi guys I have found a Baylor watch with Swiss Made at the bottom of the dial. It's a screw back I can't get loose so I have no idea of jeweling. Doe's anyone recognize the Baylor name? Possibly a private label? EDIT: It was a pry off back and it's 17 jewel adjusted Swiss and that's all I...




mb.nawcc.org













1960s Baylor Bi-Compax Chronograph In Steel


Why This Watch Matters Don’t be fooled by the relatively unknown name of Baylor Watch Co. - this bi-compax has a great case shape and gorgeous dial. Don’t blink, this chrono won’t be here for long. The Full Story Baylor Watch Co. is not a name you hear that often. It was once under the umbrella...




shop.hodinkee.com













Baylor Norseman


This Baylor Nørseman Watch from the 1970's is triple signed (dial, crown and movement) and comes in its original light blue Baylor Watch Box is in incredible condition. Baylor Watch Co. is not a name you hear that often and for that exact reason that is why we love Baylor watches (I personally...




www.wilberforcewatches.com





Moreover, the word mark _Baylor_ or _Baylor Watch Co._ has also been used by Texoma Wholesale Jewelers and Alpina.






Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index


Taschenuhren, Handelsmarken, Firmenzeichen, Hilfe für Einsteiger, Altersbestimmung, Uhrentechnik und mehr!




www.mikrolisk.de





In the 50s and 60s, some Baylors were co-branded with *Heuer*.






Baylor | OnTheDash


The definitive guide to vintage Heuer timepieces.




www.onthedash.com













Baylor Chronograph


Vintage Baylor 'Poor Man's Heuer' Chronograph for sale via analog/shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com













1950s Baylor Datemaster By Heuer


Why This Watch Matters Heuer designed this all-purpose dress watch for the Baylor Watch Co., a house brand for Zales, the famous Texas-based jeweler. The Full Story It's not often that a non-chronograph vintage Heuer comes across our desks, but when we discovered this 1950s Datemaster made...




shop.hodinkee.com













1970 Baylor Heuer Chronograph


The Dan Henry watch colletcion – Breitling Heuer Rolex Omega Universal Patek Longines Tissot Vacheron IWC Sicura Bulova Movado Tudor Edox Doxa Eska Eberhard Eterna Zenith Audemars Piguet Military Pocket




www.timeline.watch







Baylor Watch Company is from Texas





Real Heuer or Not.. Baylor Heuer Mystery



As Zales was founded and remains HQed in Texas, the name of the store brand was reportedly a nod to *Baylor University* in Texas, which one of the Zale family members attended.









Horological Meandering - BAYLOR WATCHES - Sears or Zales???


Watchprosite- Hi Mark, There are a few people on the web sharing their opinion of the Baylor Watch Company s history, including a few here on PuristS. Was it a Zales or



www.watchprosite.com





Some threads:









Baylor Watches


Anyone know anything about the Baylor brand? Anyone own one? I just won this one on eBay but can't seem to find anything about this reference online....




omegaforums.net













Baylor (vintage) watch pictures...Please add your own!


Baylor Reserve-O-Matic with power reserve indicator.




www.watchuseek.com





Baylor appears to have produced a good looking range of dive watches over the years, per Google Images.



baylor dive watch - Google Search



The iconic squared-lugs skin diver case shape, diver chronographs, and super compressors inclusive.



baylor skin diver - Google Search





baylor diver chronograph - Google Search



baylor super compressor - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

bdev said:


> That batch includes, Baylor, Lucerne, Bercona, Chateau, Ingraham, Saxony & Orion. Some work...some don't.


*Lucerne*

A city in Switzerland, of course. Lovely place with an iconic bridge, which I once visited briefly.

But not much out there about the history of the dial mark.

There's a few threads reporting there there may have been a US-based company (Lucerne Watch Company)--specifically, in NYC--that assembled the watches here using Swiss parts, and opted for the non-copyrightable Swiss geography branding for marketing purposes--to capitalize on the prestige of the Swiss watch industry, of course. Some also reported seeing them being sold in the 70s and part of the 80s.

In general, this all sounds probable, even if the details may be shaky.






Lucerne watch Company


Does anybody know anything about the lucerne watch company. I can find plenty of watches (vintage just nothing on the company or it's history




mb.nawcc.org













Lucerne watch(anyone know it?)


I found this old watch of my dad's. Although he doesn't really remember it or where he got it lol. The watch face says Lucerne, Swiss Made, and then the water resistance it's tested for. It is manual wind, although when I wind it, it does nothing. I don't think Lucerne is an actual watch...




www.watchuseek.com













Lucerne Basis Watch Company


I have tried to search the forum, but unable to find anything. I have found (in my magic box) a Lucerne Pocket watch with a huge gold (coloured) chain about 25 inches long. A bit like the picture below. On the movement it is marked Basis swiss made 1 Jewel and Lucerne and at 6oclock, swiss...




www.watchtalkforums.info





Moreover, the following companies used the work mark _Lucerne_: D. Gruen & Sons; Swiss Watch International Corp. (Los Angeles); Burgana GmbH (Bettlach, Switzerland); and Albert Burger (Lucerne, Switzerland).






Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index


Taschenuhren, Handelsmarken, Firmenzeichen, Hilfe für Einsteiger, Altersbestimmung, Uhrentechnik und mehr!




www.mikrolisk.de





There's a range of good looking vintage dive watches with the dial mark Lucerne.

lucerne dive watch - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

bdev said:


> That batch includes, Baylor, Lucerne, Bercona, Chateau, Ingraham, Saxony & Orion. Some work...some don't.


*Bercona*

I couldn't find much for this one.

I did uncover a US trademark page that indicates that BERCONA was trademarked by *Belair Watch Corporation* of NY in 1959, with a current reported status of "CONTINUED USE NOT FILED WITHIN GRACE PERIOD, UN-REVIVABLE 7/13/2001."






BERCONA Trademark of Belair Watch Corporation Serial Number: 72081042 :: Trademarkia Trademarks


BERCONA is a trademark and brand of Belair Watch Corporation




trademark.trademarkia.com





A related trademark page for a logo trademark filed by Belair Watch Corporation in 1992 refers to a city and zip code--Lakewood, 08701--which had me thinking there's perhaps a potential connection between Belair Watch Corporation and *Belair Time Corporation*, the latter of which I've previously dug up some research on for the thread. (I remembered the historical Belair-New Jersey connection as I live in NJ.)









Post your skin divers/skindivers!


I agree! Great Work CK You are a research monster 




www.watchuseek.com





I did a little more digging and came across 1992 and 2002 publications from the US Patent and Trademark Office via Google Books. In 1992, only Belair Watch Corporation in NYC is mentioned. In 2002, both Belair Time Corporation in Lakewood, New Jersey, and Belair Watch Corporation in NYC are mentioned alongside one another. I don't know enough about the organization of the _Index of Trademarks Issued_ reports to know whether this demonstrates the two names being one and the same company. But I suspect it does.









Index of Trademarks Issued from the United States Patent and Trademark Office






www.google.com













Official Gazette of the United States Patent and Trademark Office






www.google.com





Such a potential connection should also be taken with a grain of salt because the word mark _Bercona_ was also used by Berco Inc. (HQed in NY and registered the word mark in 1955).






Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index


Taschenuhren, Handelsmarken, Firmenzeichen, Hilfe für Einsteiger, Altersbestimmung, Uhrentechnik und mehr!




www.mikrolisk.de





Per usual, a range of good looking vintage dive watches with this dial mark.



bercona dive watch - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

bdev said:


> That batch includes, Baylor, Lucerne, Bercona, Chateau, Ingraham, Saxony & Orion. Some work...some don't.


*Chateau*

I previously posted what little I could then find about this one for the thread.









Post your skin divers/skindivers!


Found these two in a drawer: Atomik and Chateau Skin Divers




www.watchuseek.com





I took another look, and found that a WUS member (Stephen2020) has posted some useful information about them in a thread.









Chateau watches (and sister brands), what have you got?


This is the first Chateau I bought, that was in early January 2020. I had never heard of the brand but saw a listing that was not massively inspiring, but I put a bid on, the watch had a minimalist look which I like. The watch arrived and I polished the crystal and at the third strap attempt, a...




www.watchuseek.com





The short version: The name was registered as a UK trademark in 1960 by *Hannah Charles Limited* in Leeds, England. There may also be a connection, per the same address, to the Chateau brand of *Henry Isaacs and Sons Limited*. Hannah Charles Limited owned several brand names involved with watches and jewelry (e.g., Trelawn, Le Chat, Lumi-Time). Hannah Charles Limited was renamed *Chateau Watches Limited* from 1969 to 1998. The company went defunct between 2013 and 2017. Also, there are companies with similar names outside of the UK, such as a Japanese company named Le Chateau; an American using the Chateau brand name (though with closely joined letters and without the large C); and the Canadian fashion brand Le Château that went out of business between 2020 and 2021.



https://www.walmart.com/browse/jewelry/mens-watches/le-chateau/3891_3906_1490361/YnJhbmQ6TGUgQ2hhdGVhdQieie








Le Château - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org





Other companies that have used the word mark _Chateau_ are Blessing-Werke KG (Waldkirch, Germany) and Crestwood Products Co. Inc. (Syracuse, New York). There also companies that have used the word marks _Chateau Cadillac_, _Chateau de Goulaine_, _Chateau Royal_, and _You château_.

Seems they produced a modest range of dive watches, including some with pretty sunburst blue and silver dials that caught my eye.



Chateau dive watch - Google Search





Chateau skin diver - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

bdev said:


> That batch includes, Baylor, Lucerne, Bercona, Chateau, Ingraham, Saxony & Orion. Some work...some don't.


*Ingraham*

All signs point to Ingraham having been the word mark of the *E. Ingraham Co.*, HQed in Bristol, Connecticut, and in business in that form from 1912 to 1967 or 1968.






Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index


Taschenuhren, Handelsmarken, Firmenzeichen, Hilfe für Einsteiger, Altersbestimmung, Uhrentechnik und mehr!




www.mikrolisk.de













E. Ingraham Co. Watch Company History & Profile | Pocket Watch Database


Company history an summary for E. Ingraham Co..




pocketwatchdatabase.com





However, the company's history dates back to the 1800s and one *Elias Ingraham*, a noted watchmaker in Connecticut.






Ingraham Information


Elias Ingraham (1805–1885) was born in Marlborough, CT, and became a famous clock case maker and designer. In 1828 he came to Bristol, CT to design and make clock cases for George Mitchell, a successful merchant of wooden movement clocks. Mitchell’s business was suffering because his major...




clockhistory.com







E. Ingram & Co History - Antique Clocks Guy: Antique Clocks and Mechanical Musical Instruments. We bring collectors and buyers together. Always the highest quality antique clocks available; fabulous antique automatic musical instruments.



The company was acquired by the *McGraw Edison Company* in 1967, renamed to *Ingraham Industries* or *Ingraham Division of McGraw-Edison*, imported watches, and reportedly ceased making watches in the US by the early 70s.






E. Ingraham Sturdy Pocket Watch | Collectors Weekly


Shop for—and learn—about vintage and antiques. Browse the best of eBay, connect with other collectors, and explore the history behind your favorite finds.




www.collectorsweekly.com










Connecticut Digital Archive | Connect. Preserve. Share







 archives.lib.uconn.edu





Seems they may have just done a few dive watches.



ingraham dive watch - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

bdev said:


> That batch includes, Baylor, Lucerne, Bercona, Chateau, Ingraham, Saxony & Orion. Some work...some don't.


*Saxony*

A German state, where the town of Glashütte is located. An important region for watchmaking, of course.









How A German Village Became a Watchmaking Mecca


Glashütte, otherwise a sleepy town in the German state of Saxony, is also home to the makers of some of the most coveted watches on the planet.




www.gearpatrol.com





About the word mark, the most likely candidate company is *Saxony Watch Co.* (HQed in NY), which registered it in 1947.






Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index


Taschenuhren, Handelsmarken, Firmenzeichen, Hilfe für Einsteiger, Altersbestimmung, Uhrentechnik und mehr!




www.mikrolisk.de





There are some forum references to watches with Saxony dials, including a dive watch, having movements and cases marked with *Sheffield Watch Inc.*






Saxony Wrist Watch???


I came across a wristwatch. The name on dial is "SAXONY" When I removed the crystal, you can see on the dial it appears ceramic paint was applied (as it's a shade off)under the 12 o'clock position and SAXONY is on top of the ceramic paint. The mechanics are only 1 jewel, it reads on mechanics...




mb.nawcc.org










TimeZone : TZ Showcase Archive » Saxony Allsport Dive Watch


Saxony Allsport Dive Watch




forums.timezone.com





Although there's also a forum shot of a Saxony Allsport model with a Saxony Watch Co. marked movement.









Saxony Diver restauration


Dear All; Today I received 4x watches from forum member Ramrod, kindly donated for my plating projects. One of the watches I received is a Saxony All Sport 1960's diving watch. The idea was to use the case as a training object for plating, but I like the watch so much that I'm now investigating t...




www.watchrepairtalk.com





Since there are both Saxony and Sheffield *Allsport models*, my best guess is that the two companies were related.



saxony allsport - Google Search





sheffield allsport - Google Search



The most likely candidate company is *Sheffield Watch Inc.*, HQed in NY and which registered the Sheffield work mark in 1959. I don't know whether there are also interconnections with the companies Sheffield Watch Factory Ltd. (Biel, Switzerland) and Sheffield Merchandise Inc. (NY), both of which also used or registered the word mark.






Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index


Taschenuhren, Handelsmarken, Firmenzeichen, Hilfe für Einsteiger, Altersbestimmung, Uhrentechnik und mehr!




www.mikrolisk.de





Some other miscellaneous stores and comments about Sheffield include the following links.









Decline and Fall of Sheffield Watch from Swiss newspapers


I'm posting edited Google translations of these Swiss newspaper articles on the demise of Sheffield Watch Inc, on the basis they may be of interest to a few. Quite a long read, and it throws no light on the Matthey-Doret brand, but interesting on Sheffield's operations in the US and Switzerland...




thewatchforum.co.uk










What Are Sheffield Watches?


Sheffield is a well-known brand of watch that is considered a symbol of status and luxury. Similar to the more modern Timex brand, Sheffield was a popular watch during the 60?s; more recently they are considered to be rare watches and are favorites among watch collectors. Sheffield watches were...




www.reference.com










Lovely early 1970â€™s Sheffield Allsport diving watch with Ronda movement | Laurent Fine Watches


LaurentFineWatches sells and buys men's & women's vintage and contemporary luxury watches and offers custom services in guiding you to find the right timepiece that fits your personality and lifestyle in sharing our passion for watches.




www.laurentfinewatches.com













Sheffield ? big and simple vintage American (AWW 36)


Sheffield - big and simple vintage American (AWW 36) Specifications Name: Sheffield PM AM 24 Movement: Baumgartner 866, 1 jewel, Swiss made, unadjusted, pin lever, 18000 bph Time display: 24 hour, minute, seconds, 24 on top Case: chrome plated with stainless steel screw back Size: 46 mm with...




www.watchuseek.com





Anyway, it looks like the Allsport may have been Saxony's only dive watch.

saxony dive watch - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

bdev said:


> That batch includes, Baylor, Lucerne, Bercona, Chateau, Ingraham, Saxony & Orion. Some work...some don't.


*Orion*

No relation to the modern day micro brand (which makes a cool sleek diver, the Calamity); NOMOS Orion model (also a good looking dress watch); or Russian-made watches for the Chinese brand that is pronounced "Orion" in Cyrillic, of course.









Orion Watches


Home of the Orion Watch Project, Calamity dive watch, hand engraved watches, unique special edition watches. Automatic, mechanical and classy watches that you can depend on.




orionwatch.com













Orion — NOMOS Glashütte


Simply beautiful—because less is so much more




nomos-glashuette.com













Infos on Orion watch??


I spotted this supposed Amphibian "Russian" watch on ebay Russian Amphibian Auto Winding Watch Orion 200M Diver | eBay I saw an old thread here on this watch and it's looks like it's more a chinese watch than a russian. I prefer this model to the Vostok Amphibian and maybe want to buy one...




www.watchuseek.com













Orion Amphibian - a Russia-China beater?


First of all, let me apologize for this argument may have been already treated on WUS. I cannot find the thread though (**), so I will annoy you with the description of my last acquisition ;-) I've bought this watch online, from a respectable ebay seller that has a number of such interesting...




www.watchuseek.com





There are a bunch of Swiss companies that registered or used the word mark _Orion_.






Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index


Taschenuhren, Handelsmarken, Firmenzeichen, Hilfe für Einsteiger, Altersbestimmung, Uhrentechnik und mehr!




www.mikrolisk.de





This sales listing suggests the company we're interested in here may be *Brandt & Hofmann / Fabrique de Montres Orion SA*, HQed in Biel, Switzerland, and which registered the word mark in 1896.









SOLD! Vintage Orion Swiss Mechanical Diver


SOLD! OBRO Paypaled and shipped Conus & Canada. UK add $10 for shipping. Feel free to pm with questions and reasonable offers. Circa 1960's Orion (Brandt & Hofmann) Divers Watch 38MM Not including crown. 18mm lug width. Original Acrylic Crystal is flawless. Case is TZ=80% On the caseback is...




www.watchuseek.com





The two stars in the registered figurative mark (pictured at the mikrolisk.de link) does suggest as much. But then that causes me to be uncertain whether there's any connection to the Orion-badged "SEAL" watch.



vintage orion seal watch - Google Search



There's not much I could find about Brandt & Hoffman, though some forum threads suggest Brandt may have been in reference to *Louis Brandt*, founder of *Omega*.









Alcala Swiss Pocket Watch - Anyone know the maker please?


Hi. Just picked this pocket watch up at the watch fair in Birmingham, and was hoping to find something of its history. If you could help, that would be really great. Movement: This is signed * Alcala * and has serial no 294122, although the last 2 digits are rather faint. Case: Coin silver...




www.watchuseek.com













Vintage Brandt Pocket Watch


Thanks for posting and welcome. Your watch was made ca 1904. It is a RR grade in Canada and was accepted for use by the CPR. Not in the US though as only American made watches were accepted for railway service. Keystone as you now know was an American case maker so your watch was cased in North...




www.watchuseek.com













Omega SA - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org





Who knows how the apparent modern day company of Brandt & Hoffman came to be. Seems revived fashion-brand-y.






Brandt & Hoffman Products - BonHeurWest Watches







bonheurwest.com







https://www.sears.com/jewelry-watches-men-s-watches/b-1023109?Brand=Brandt%20%26%20Hoffman&filterList=Brand



In any event, there may have only been one dive watch model with the double stars Orion mark.



vintage orion dive watch - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

And with that, I think I need a nap 🙃


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Mhutch said:


>


Ahh - a non-worldtimer version?


----------



## JohnM67 (Jun 16, 2014)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> Ahh - a non-worldtimer version?


Indeed, Wolbrook seems to be sticking with their classic skin diver case, but have added some new options for it: dive bezel, mechaquartz chronograph, PVD coating, and color ways (orange, yellow, light blue).









All Watches


Mechanical watches and chronographs engineered by Wolbrook have been ticking and measuring the unforgiving seconds of high-speed flights since 1949.




wolbrook.com





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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## Topspin917 (Mar 17, 2012)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

I appreciate that Fratello tends to do the odd vintage skin diver write up 

They recently posted one for the *Lanco Barracuda*:









#TBT Vintage Lume Perfection With The 2nd Generation Lanco Barracuda Dive Watch


If you don’t have thirteen grand to spend on the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Barakuda, I might just happen to have a solution to your problem.




www.fratellowatches.com














They linked to a prior auction of a lovely early variant with a bakelite bezel insert and somewhat different dial numerals and text:






LANCO, BARRACUDA, SMALL T, STEEL | Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces. | Geneva, November 11th, 2018


Antiquorum is the world's premiere auction house of modern and vintage timepieces. Buy or sell watches like Patek Philippe, Rolex and Audemars Piguet. Expert appraisals, valuations and more. Browse our auction catalog.




catalog.antiquorum.swiss














They also linked to a site with history about the brand 









Wikiwand - Langendorf Watch Company SA


Langendorf Watch Company was a Swiss watchmaker known for its fine craftsmanship and great attention to detail. Around 1890, it was probably the largest producer of watches in the world. The company produced watches in Langendorf, Switzerland for exactly a century, from 1873 to 1973. The most...




www.wikiwand.com





In short, a Swiss chicory processing plant, turned watch movement parts manufacturer in the third quarter of the 1800s, soon turned full watch manufacturer, which stumbled by the 1960s, and was acquired by SSIH (Omega-Tissot Group) in 1971, with use of the brand name ending in 1973. There were various brand name changes throughout this timeline.

Google Images reveals some other cool skin diver variants, including other dial markings, silver dials, different bezel inserts (including a world time bezel):



lanco skin diver - Google Search



Google Images also shows some cool other dive watch designs from the brand, including a super compressor, as well as a "circle with an L" logo:



lanco dive watch - Google Search



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----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

On the Fratello note, I also forgot to post Fratello's post from two weeks or so ago on the *Breitling Ref. 3865* skin diver:









#TBT Unusually Common And Forgotten Skin Diver Breitling Ref. 3865


Have you noticed these four lines of text above the 6 o’clock on the Breitling ref. 3865? This Rolex-like fairytale read amuses me each time I see it. And Uncommon Breitling ref. 3865




www.fratellowatches.com














They discuss some issues with the serial number and reference number of the watch.

There were also reportedly two bezel insert variants, the one pictured, and one with a busier bezel insert.

Moreover, there are variants with differing handsets.

Google Images for the reference #:



breitling 3865 - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

And because Fratello has some nice coverage of vintage skin divers, I searched the full term "skin diver" on their site, and these are all the resultant postings that stuck out to me as fitting the mold.

*Aquastar Deepstar:*









Hands-On Aquastar Deepstar Re-Edition (Video)


We have exciting news today with the announcement of the new Aquastar Deepstar Re-Edition. This legend of the deep returns as a thoughtful modern update.




www.fratellowatches.com













The Top-5 Hottest Small Brands Of The Moment


Coming up with five new small brands is easy. The market is flooded with new brands that all try to create their own success. But in the world of watches,




www.fratellowatches.com













The Top 8 Awesome Desk-Diver Watches — Blancpain, Omega, Panerai, And More...


✓ The Fratello guide to proper desk diving is here and it's full of stylish diving watches ✓ The best divers from Omega, Doxa, and Panerai ✓




www.fratellowatches.com













March Mania Preliminary Five: Mike — Timex, Breitling, Tudor, Ming, And More


Welcome to the preliminary round of the Fratello March Mania tourney where we bring together loads of watches in a fast-paced competition!




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_: aquastar deepstar - Google Search

*Breitling Ref. 3865:*









#TBT Unusually Common And Forgotten Skin Diver Breitling Ref. 3865


Have you noticed these four lines of text above the 6 o’clock on the Breitling ref. 3865? This Rolex-like fairytale read amuses me each time I see it. And Uncommon Breitling ref. 3865




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_: Breitling 3865 - Google Search

*Citizen Auto Dater 40M Diver ADOS 3001-D:*









The Mysterious Vintage Citizen Auto Dater 40M Diver ADOS 3001-D


Today, we examine a rare vintage Citizen Auto Dater 40M Diver. We'll talk about why this watch also happens to be a bit of an enigma. Its good looks,




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_:



Citizen Auto Dater 40M Diver ADOS 3001-D - Google Search





citizen skin diver - Google Search



*Glashütte Original SeaQ:*









This Week in Watches: August 8, 2020 — Retro Edition


Welcome back to This Week In Watches for August 8, 2020 the Retro Edition. I've been on vacation for a couple weeks, but I'm back and ready to share the




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_: Glashütte Original SeaQ - Google Search

*Lanco Barracuda:*









#TBT Vintage Lume Perfection With The 2nd Generation Lanco Barracuda Dive Watch


If you don’t have thirteen grand to spend on the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Barakuda, I might just happen to have a solution to your problem.




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_: Lanco Barracuda - Google Search

*Longines* *Skin Diver/Nautilus Skin Diver 6921-1*:









Hands-On: Longines Skin Diver Review


Longines Skin Diver - One of the most anticipated watches from Longines is really an awesome piece in the metal. A true future classic.




www.fratellowatches.com













Buying Guide: The Best Longines Watches From The 1960s


✓ Interested in vintage watches? ✓ Want to see some of the best Longines pieces from the '60s? ✓ Check out our handy guide on Fratello now ✓




www.fratellowatches.com













How Longines Mastered The Art Of Heritage-Inspired Watch Design


When it comes to watch design, "vintage" has been the magic word for quite some time. Call it a re-issue, a modern re-interpretation, or simply an updated




www.fratellowatches.com













The Longines Legend Diver In Bronze — A Timeless Dive Watch


A review of the 2020 Longines Legend Diver in bronze, reference L3.774.1.50.2. A bronze no date version of a legendary diver!




www.fratellowatches.com













Holiday Watches: The Best Timepieces For Your Summer Adventure 2021 — Omega, Breitling, Sinn, And More!


✓ Take a Holiday in Spain ✓ Leave everything but your watch collection behind you ✓ But what to take? ✓ Omega, Sinn, Longines, And More! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com













Top 5 Cool Diver Watches For This Summer


We collected our favorite Top 5 cool diver watches you should be rocking this summer by the pool, on the yacht or just out and about.




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_:



Longines Skin Diver - Google Search





Longines Nautilus Skin Diver 6921-1 - Google Search



*Mido Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961/Rainbow Diver/Ref. 5907:*









Hands-On With The Mido Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961


It was only a question of time before Mido brought out this watch. And that time is now. The Mido Ocean Decompression Timer is a modern and bold




www.fratellowatches.com













Vintage Bracelets — Part #1: Bonklip-style


We kick-off our selection of the most interesting factory fit and aftermarket vintage bracelets with the legendary Bonklip-style bracelets. I was never a




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_:



Mido Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961 - Google Search





Mido Rainbow Diver - Google Search





Mido 5907 - Google Search



*Orator Automatic Diver:*









Top 7 Vintage Watch Bezels That Would Never Be Made Today


✓ The past is a treasure-trove of design oddities ✓ Tomas takes a look at some of the most bizarre bezels ever to see the light of day ✓




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_: Orator Automatic Diver - Google Search

*Orient Calendar Auto Diver Ref. T19735:*









#TBT Calendar Auto Orient Diver Ref. T19735


#TBT is back with a look at a rare Calendar Auto Orient Diver from the 1960's: a 40m diver with strong and unique design traits.




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_: Orient Calendar Auto Diver Ref. T19735 - Google Search

*Oris Divers Sixty-Five:*









Watches & Wonders 2021: Introducing the New Cotton Candy Oris Divers Sixty-Five Bronze Models


Oris unveils a trio of bronze watches with surprising "Cotton Candy" pastel colors for its Divers Sixty-Five range.




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_: Oris Divers Sixty-Five - Google Search

*Seals Watch Co Sea Storm:*









The Watches From Independent Brands That Our Fratello Editors Love — MING, Czapek, H. Moser & Cie. And More...


This time it's all about our favorite watches from independent brands. Our Fratello editors got one choice and one choice only. Let's find out.




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_: Seals Watch Co Sea Storm - Google Search

*Seiko 62MAS Modern Reinterpretation:*









Your Guide To Seiko Divers From €800 To €1,550


We take a look at all the Seiko divers between €800 and €1,550 in order to help provide some direction. Trust us, there are a lot of choices now! It used




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_:



Seiko 62MAS Modern Reinterpretation - Google Search





Seiko 62MAS - Google Search



*Timex Waterproof 200:*









#TBT Timex Waterproof 200 Feet Watch


There are many watches that mimick the popular Oris Sixty Five divers‘ watch style. Many of them are exactly what you would expect of a pure copycat Timex Waterproof 200 Feet is surprisingly solid and consistent.




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_:



Timex Waterproof 200 - Google Search





Timex skin diver - Google Search



*Wolbrook Skindiver "Worldtimer":*









Wolbrook Skindiver "Worldtimer" – Neil Armstrong’s Other Watch


The other watch of Neil Armstrong, Wolbrook (Douglas) Skindiver is getting a restart in the industry with the help of Kickstarter.




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_: Wolbrook Skindiver Worldtimer - Google Search

*Yema Watch Superman 63:*









Exclusive Hands-On With New Yema Watch Superman 63


When you say Superman, most of the population see handsome Clark Kent dashing to the bathroom to don his cape. When I hear it, I see a vintage divers‘ Today Yema comes with the re-edition of the 1963 Superman with the shiny bakelite-like bezel.




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_: Yema Watch Superman 63 - Google Search

*Yema Superman Skin Diver Limited Edition:*









Pre-Release Hands-On With The Yema Superman Skin Diver Limited Edition


✓ The new Yema Skin Diver is here! ✓ Another limited edition from the French brand, but is it too much too son? ✓ Have your say here! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com





_Google Images_: Yema Superman Skin Diver Limited Edition - Google Search


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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

See Wolbrook going down the Doxa route with all their colours!


----------



## Castron (Sep 26, 2014)

Joining the skin diver club with this Hemsley's 20atm skin diver picked up in an estate sale last week. A quick polywatch to remove the small scratches on the crystal + an unused band and on my wrist it goes.

Hemsley's is a jeweler store in Montreal (Canada) since 1870.

AS 1749 25j Movement. Reverse bezel. I don't know much more about it. I found a very similar one from Sweden on Google with the City brand (same case, movement...) and also some similarities with the Nicolet Skindiver 900 (case and movement).

Feel free to add anymore information you might have.























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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Castron said:


> Joining the skin diver club with this Hemsley's 20atm skin diver picked up in an estate sale last week. A quick polywatch to remove the small scratches on the crystal + an unused band and on my wrist it goes.
> 
> Hemsley's is a jeweler store in Montreal (Canada) since 1870.
> 
> ...


Beauty!

What a great sleek profile.


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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## DVR (Oct 5, 2007)

To me a skin diver has to have the squared lugs and the typical side profile. I own two such watches. 
SeaQ and SLA17.


----------



## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

DVR said:


> To me a skin diver has to have the squared lugs and the typical side profile. I own two such watches.
> SeaQ and SLA17.


Those are two stunning watches.


----------



## tommy_boy (Jul 11, 2010)

My trusty Spear Diver might qualify:


----------



## wheelbuilder (Nov 25, 2016)

65









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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Castron said:


> Joining the skin diver club with this Hemsley's 20atm skin diver picked up in an estate sale last week. A quick polywatch to remove the small scratches on the crystal + an unused band and on my wrist it goes.
> 
> Hemsley's is a jeweler store in Montreal (Canada) since 1870.
> 
> ...


Nice find!

Great prototypical skin diver case shape, and interesting handset, indices, and bezel insert.

How confidently they used to be allowed to assert WR as 100% water proof always brings a smile to my face too ?

Thanks also for sharing what you thus far know about the brand and movement.

*Hemsleys:*

Interesting, I couldn't locate much more information about the brand beyond what you posted, and nothing about their history with dive watches, and skin divers, in particular. Here's what I dug up about the company history.

Hemsleys, a jewlery store (originally the Richard Hemsely Co. store), opened in Montreal back in 1870, moving to other Montreal locations in the 1930s and then early 2000s.

Per the below linked article,

_Owner Richard Hennick still takes calls for "Mr. Hemsley," playfully informing customers that the man died nearly 90 years ago, in 1931._​​_. . . ._​​_As the story goes, Richard Hemsley came to Montreal from Liverpool, England, in 1867, at the age of 32. Equipped with a Bowie knife and a revolver, the watchmaker had been en route to Chicago, but saw opportunity in our growing city. _​​_Three years later, with $90 to his name, Hemsley opened a tiny jewelry shop on Notre-Dame St. (then called St-Joseph). He slept in the store on a hammock, and had to fend off rats, thieves and at least one flood before taking over another jeweller's shop, on St-James St. (now St-Jacques), in 1889._​​_He printed the Hemsley name on the iconic clock that stood on the sidewalk out front, where it remained for another 93 years. The city removed the clock while making repairs to the road and sidewalk in 1982._​​_. . . ._​​_Hennick grew up in the jewelry business. His father opened a factory in Toronto in 1946 (which Hennick's brother still runs)._​​_The family bought several jewelry stores over the next few decades; only Hemsleys, which they acquired in 1960, is still going._​​_. . . ._​​_Hennick still takes calls for "Mr. Hemsley," playfully informing customers that the man they're looking for died nearly 90 years ago, in 1931. (The store was then sold to the Herman family - again with the H!)_​








For Montreal jeweller Hemsleys, 150 years of history is priceless


Owner Richard Hennick still takes calls for "Mr. Hemsley," playfully informing customers that the man died nearly 90 years ago, in 1931.




montrealgazette.com





Some other historical information about the company is available at:









Preserving an age-old tradition of quality and service


Sponsor Content




www.theglobeandmail.com




​Some interesting old news article clippings, with additional historical information, is available on the company's website:









History


Our attention to quality, detail and service have always been at the core of what we do, and that commitment continues today. We still pride ourselves on being reliable, trustworthy, and honest with our clients. At Hemsleys, we are honoured to be part of so many milestones that celebrate...




hemsleys.com





Unfortunately, though, I didn't come up with any information or Google Images or IG pictures of their branded dive watches and skin divers. Thus, I can only assume that their history with dive watches/skin divers is roughly akin to some of the other jeweler-marked dials that we've thus far come across in the thread.

About the other two brands mentioned, _City_ and _Nicholet_:

*City:*

Tricky to research, given the ubiquity of the word "city." The addition of "Bravur" helps somewhat, as it seems to be a reasonably known non-dive watch model from the brand.

But per checking IG for #cityskindiver and #citywatch, and then #citybravur, the most common skindiver variant appears to be one with a 12/date/6/9 dial, baton and lollipop handset, and standard dive bezel.

Though another interesting variant, with an interesting handset and steel bezel can be seen here:









vintage diver watch


https://www.instagram.com/vintagebkkwatch/




vintagediverwatch.wordpress.com





There also appears to be dive watch designs from the brand beyond skin divers, and into the 1970s at least, e.g.:









City Dive Watch


Inlägg om City Dive Watch skrivna av klockrent




klockrent.wordpress.com













ボード「SPEAKMYWATCH」のピン


2017/04/28 - 81 Likes, 1 Comments - J. Rozzy, Silver surfer (@rozzys_choice) on Instagram: “A vintage Swedish dive watch, City Professional. A seventies divers watch in exellent condition.…”




www.pinterest.se













1970/80's City Professional Diver quartz


Specific Information Object nr: 96 Maker: City Model: Professional Reference: 22013 Year: 1970/1980's Movement: Quartz cal. 5361, serirnr: 406612 Material: Stainless steel Original crown: Yes, unsigned crown Dimensions: 42mm without crown Strap/Bracelet: A nice steel flexi bracelet and original...



wofswatches.com













City Professional - Antika AS


Attractive diver with very good qualities. Chronometer grade automatic movement ETA2784 (same as used in Tudor Sub-mariner). Numbered Monnin 42mm case. From the late seventies. This watch […]




antika.no





About the brand, according to a WUS thread poster (Guest), City was a private-label brand tracing back to at least the 1950s. The brand was reportedly registered in Sweden and then Denmark, while the watches were produced in Switzerland.









City Bravur


I have a old watch from the brand "City". It was made in Swiss. I think it was from the 50s. Does anybody knows more about the brand "City" or of the model "Bravur"? Here are some pics:




www.watchuseek.com





Another commonly reposted blurb, originally from a poster at TZ-UK, is

_I don't know very much about your watch but as far as I know City is/was a Swedish brand that was owned by a company called JP Brandt AB in Stockholm. Brandt was a importer of swiss watches and City was their low end (not in a bad way though) watch brand and the City models were also branded Facit, Moretime, Nilax and others during the 60's and 70's.

I think most of the City watches has a Ébauche SA (ETA) -movement but some has a movement from French Ébauche (FA). I believe they're pretty common (at least here in sweden) and I've seen them both with quartz and automatic movements and in different cases._









Other brands that use Jenny cases


Afternoon all! I've been looking through a few of my watches and others and have noticed that there are quite a few other brands using Jenny cases: The Caribbeans - Philip Watch, Ollech & Wajs, Jacques Monnat, Aquadive, Eisenhardt, Perona, Montresor, Thermidor, Haste de luxe and Jaquet Droz...




www.watchuseek.com





Per Mikrolisk, the City and City Bravur word trade marks are associated with the following companies, variously located in Sweden, Denmark, and Switzerland, and various dates reported (between the 1920s and 1960s): J.-P. Brandt Aktiebolaget (Stockholm, Sweden), M.I. Bech A./S. (Coppenhagen, Denmark), and Karl Antmann / Antima / Montres Activa / Scala Watch (Biel, Switzerland).

So the aforementioned reposted blurb seems perfectly likely.






Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index


Taschenuhren, Handelsmarken, Firmenzeichen, Hilfe für Einsteiger, Altersbestimmung, Uhrentechnik und mehr!




www.mikrolisk.de





*Nicolet:*

See Post your skin divers/skindivers!


----------



## Castron (Sep 26, 2014)

ck2k01 said:


> Nice find!
> 
> Great prototypical skin diver case shape, and interesting handset, indices, and bezel insert.
> 
> ...


Thanks ck2k01 for the extra info.

As the watch comes from Montreal area, it's probably from that Hemsley's store.

The City skin diver using identical AS movement and case is this one :








Item no 1 650 612


CITY, Incabloc (T Swiss Made T), Cal AS 1748/49, Case no. 0127168, men´s wristwatch, 37,5 mm, steel, self winding, plastic crystal, date, rubber strap, approx 1970.




www.kaplans.se





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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

I just came across this cool new skin diver design from *Alsta*, designed in collaboration with _Beyond the Dial_/Allen Farmello and geared toward motorcyclists: the *Motoscaphe 120*.












https://www.alstawatch.com/watches/motoscaphe/











Allen Farmelo (@afarmelo) • Instagram photos and videos


1,849 Followers, 966 Following, 2,168 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Allen Farmelo (@afarmelo)




www.instagram.com





_Why 120? Allow me to quote for a moment from Allen's own description of the watch: "This is the speed at which 'relativistic effects' (as described by psychologists) arise in human perception. Relativistic effects are a perceived curvature of space and the slowing down of time." Hence the name of the watch._​








Own a Motorcycle? Then You Need This Watch


The Alta Motoscaphe 120 was designed by a veteran watch journalist with a deep love for bikes.




www.gearpatrol.com





_The original Alsta watch brand went out of business in the early 1980s, a victim of the Quartz Crisis that decimated the Swiss mechanical watch industry, but was revived in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2014 with a reissue of the Alsta dive watch worn by Richard Dreyfuss' character, Hooper, in Jaws._​








Alsta Motoscaphe 120 — The Watch Designed For Motorcyclists


Destro GMT geared for those that prefer two wheels over four.




hypebeast.com





_Alsta, in case you're unfamiliar, is a vintage sports-watch brand that found most of its success in the 1960s and '70s before quietly disappearing sometime later. The brand was revived in 2014 by Angus MacFadyen, who now serves as its CEO, and has steadily unveiled a wide swath of cool, vintage-influenced designs ever since. The Motoscaphe 120 is the latest example, resulting from a conversation, which grew into a partnership, between MacFadyen and Beyond The Dial co-founder and occasional WatchTime contributor Allen Farmelo._​​_The somewhat blocky case appears to take design cues from vintage skin divers, in particular those produced by Alsta, such as the Nautoscaph._​








Born to be Wound: Alsta Teams with Beyond the Dial for the Motoscaphe 120, A Purpose-Built Watch for Motorcyclists


Watches and motorcycles. It’s a pairing that has long been regarded as a natural one, between two machines that both exemplify traditional pinnacles of coolness and masculinity — a relationship that lends a spark to countless advertisements, photos, and conversations. And yet, despite their long ass




www.watchtime.com













Leave The Dive Watches To Divers, The Alsta Motoscaphe Is Specifically Built For Riders


Ride time.




hiconsumption.com





I really like the overall aesthetic and many of the design choices.

Highlights for me:

40mm case
Bi-directional ratcheting 12-hour bezel (for elapsed hours or two time zones)
Destro crown (!)
No date
Coffin indices and sword handset
Playful speed text
Domed sapphire crystal with inner AR
Blue Super-LumiNova
Leather rally strap

As for 

50-ish m of WR is on the low side for a diver case
They don't report the L2L (looks like the case could be a little on the long side), nor the height; though reviews of the Nautoscaph II suggest L2L is 48mm (which ought to be manageable for most): Alsta Nautoscaph II Watch | aBlogtoWatch
While I'm no NH35 snob, $895 is on the high side

*Alsta's other current skin diver offerings* are the

*Nautoscaph II *(steel dive bezel, 12/6 markings, date at 3, 300m, milanese mesh): https://www.alstawatch.com/watches/alsta-nautoscaph-ii/
See also Alsta Resurfaces-Introducing the Nautoscaph II Dive Watch - Worn & Wound

*Nautoscaph III* (PVD, 12/6/9 markings, date at 3, 300m, leather rally strap): https://www.alstawatch.com/watches/alsta-nautoscaph-iii/
*Surf n Ski* (PVD, no numerals, asymmetrical date window, orange dial ring, leather rally strap): https://www.alstawatch.com/watches/surf-n-ski/
While the brand has come up briefly before in the thread, I don't think since I've started tracing down brand history. Plenty of readily available *historical information about the brand* (famous, as we previously discussed, for their professional diver worn by Hooper in _Jaws_, the Nautograph Superautomatic), which began in 1946, faltered during the quartz crisis and was gone by 1982, and was resurrected in 2014.



https://www.alstawatch.com/alsta-first-watch/











The History of Alsta Watches - First Class Watches Blog


The history of Alsta Watches began in the 1960s. The brand was creating beautifully engineered wristwatches, especially designed for stylish men and women. Alsta aimed their watches at intellectual and creative individuals who required a wristwatch to make their daily life run more smoothly. The...



www.firstclasswatches.co.uk













THE HISTORY OF ALSTA


The History of Alsta Some brands are adept at creating items that are more than the sum of their components. Instead, their products tell a story. This is certainly true of Alsta watches. The company designs and crafts its timepieces with a distinct target audience in mind. Alsta refers to...




www.hsjohnson.com













History of Alsta Watches | Jura Watches


Alsta watch company has focused on creating watches for driven individuals, motivated businessmen, confident entrepreneurs, daring explorers and risk takers. Each wristwatch, although different in its design and its style, is destined for the wrists of those who can appreciate the company’s...




www.jurawatches.co.uk













EXCLUSIVE: Alsta Watch Company brought back to life by Scottish startup


Alsta Nautoscaph, immortalised in the movie Jaws, is raised from the deep.




www.watchpro.com





Mikrolisk also indicates that the brand name was registered by Alstater Watch Corp. in New York in 1948, which also registered some other trademarks thereat in 1955 and 1962.






Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index


Taschenuhren, Handelsmarken, Firmenzeichen, Hilfe für Einsteiger, Altersbestimmung, Uhrentechnik und mehr!




www.mikrolisk.de





And some *vintage Alsta Nautoscaphe skin divers* can be seen on Google Images:



alsta vintage skin diver - Google Search


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

I liked both their re-issues and especially the 'Jaws' but the common thread from most folk was the relative high price bearing in mind the movement. They all do look good though.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> I liked both their re-issues and especially the 'Jaws' but the common thread from most folk was the relative high price bearing in mind the movement. They all do look good though.


Word.

At a lower price point, that Motorscaphe 120 would be an impulse buy for me. As I like a whole lot about it, and the low WR is idiosyncratically somewhat counterbalanced by the motorcyclist marketing ploy (as a rider, I always keep an eye out for cool watches tapping into that other hobby). Though, admittedly, 100m would have been appreciated. I wonder whether the lower WR (quite the step down for them) has to do with a different crown relative to the other Nautoscaphes, or possibly a thinner case?

Regardless, at the current pricing, I'll let it brew for a bit, set the WatchRecon phasers to eventual stun, etc.

Also, FWIW, if they ever did a mechaquartz chrono version of the 120, I'm not sure I could resist.

I've been keeping an eye on vintage skin diver chronos on the bay for a bit now. But beyond looks fandom, I'm not particularly keen on the delicacy and maintenance of vintage watches.

The Wolbrook chrono is a solid modern offering, though the Wolbrook Worldtimer didn't quite click for me in the metal for whatever reason.

I liked my old Nezumi Corbeau quite a bit. It scratched both the microbrand and moto-enthusiast itches well at an affordable price, and thus felt less precious and more riding-purposeful than my Speedy Reduced (being always an affordable guy at heart).

Anyway, just spitballing. Despite my critiques and reservations, hats off to Alsta and their design partner for the new release that definitely piqued my interest.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Maen make a very attractive vintage style chrono in various formats - the Skymaster - though I understand there were some issues with the first of them. Not a true chrono movement either - has the module attached I believe. Very attractive watch though especially the Thunder Grey version, as their Hudson 38 is.


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Arguable whether we'd classify the Doxa Sub 200 as a skin diver.

But given that the case shape has vintage vibes and the WR is relatively modest at 200m, I figured what the hell, might as well post the following for the thread, using the "broader" skin diver definition of a vintage 60s-era diver (versus the "narrower" definition of modest case size, modest WR, 60s-era design, and maybe squared lugs).

I thought this new owner's perspective on the watch was interesting, including for its reference to the historical Doxa model that the SUB 200 is based on (about which I didn't know): the Doxa 11804-4.


















An owner’s guide to the pros and cons of the DOXA SUB 200


Released in 2019, it’s an affordable Swiss-made 200m water-resistant three-hander with an ETA 2824-2 movement, from a venerable brand with a rich association with dive watches. That heritage perhaps informs the watch's robust functionality with its sapphire crystal, sapphire bezel and endearing...




timeandtidewatches.com





Given the vintage reference's large size of 43mm and 300m WR, it'd probably be fairer to classify it as a professional diver unless using the loose skin diver definition.


















Doxa Eberhard-Case Sharkhunter


Doxa Eberhard-Case Sharkhunter for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com







doxa 11804-4 - Google Search



The owner's perspective also makes reference to the Eberhard Scafograf 300, which is also not a particular fit for a narrow skin diver definition given the 42mm case size and 300m WR.


















Eberhard Scafograf 300


Eberhard Scafograf 300 for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com







vintage Eberhard Scafograf - Google Search



There's also a more contemporary reissue:









Eberhard Scafograf 300 - A Hands-On Review


Fratello Watches goes hands-on with the Eberhard Scafograf 300, a beautifully simple diver that walks the line between modern and retro.




www.fratellowatches.com













Hands-On: The Eberhard Scafograf 300, A Solid Diver That Happens To Be The 'Sports Watch Of The Year'


Say hello to a Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève 2016 winner.




www.hodinkee.com





I won't go into brand history, since the classification of these watches as skin divers is a stretch.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> I just came across this cool new skin diver design from *Alsta*, designed in collaboration with _Beyond the Dial_/Allen Farmello and geared toward motorcyclists: the *Motoscaphe 120*.
> 
> . . . .


*UPDATE on specs:*

Out of curiosity/tempting fate, I reached out to Alsta for more details about the Motoscaphe 120. They reported the following. Some mixed news for me.

Diameter: 40mm

L2L: 51.3mm ()

Lug width: 20mm

Height (including crystal): 16.2mm ()

Weight: 109g

100m WR with polished screw-down crown (per a spec sheet they sent me, but they said in the text of the email it was 300m, ?)

Brushed SS case

Drilled lugs

PVD-coated steel bezel insert

Bidirectional bezel

C3 Super-LumiNova

Sapphire crystal with inner AR coating

*Update 3:*

HODINKEE just posted a write up on it. They're reporting 300m WR, which makes sense given the Nautoscaphe's WR. The dial text is just a fun specific-speed reference.









A Watch To Wear On Your Motorcycle


All that's missing is the Ducati.




www.hodinkee.com





So ya, it's a tall and somewhat long boy, and a tad pricey given bang-for-buck considerations. But still a looker to my eye, with a pretty clever design given the motorcycling hook.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## FORMULa (Oct 7, 2012)

Incase anyone was interested in a Zoretto Dino, they now offer it in a blue and white dial...









Dino sunray blue sapphire bezel | Meinewebsite


Specifications: Case: 316 stainless steel Case Diameter: 38mm Lug to Lug length: 48mm Bezel: 38mm - Sapphire insert - 120 click unidirectional Thickness incl. crystal: 14.30mm Caseback: 316L Stainless Steel Crown: signed 7.5mm screw down crown with 3 gasketsDial: Black with roulette date wheel...




www.zoretto-watches.com













Dino white sapphire bezel | Meinewebsite


Specifications: Case: 316 stainless steel Case Diameter: 38mm Lug to Lug length: 48mm Bezel: 38mm - Sapphire insert - 120 click unidirectional Thickness incl. crystal: 14.30mm Caseback: 316L Stainless Steel Crown: signed 7.5mm screw down crown with 3 gasketsDial: Black with roulette date wheel...




www.zoretto-watches.com


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

FORMULa said:


> Incase anyone was interested in a Zoretto Dino, they now offer it in a blue and white dial...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I preferred the first generation Dino with the Alsta style dial and silver quartered bezel insert


----------



## Ludi (Nov 1, 2009)

A simple yet pretty attractive WYLER today


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Ludi said:


> A simple yet pretty attractive WYLER today
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="16082853"]16082853[/ATTACH]


Nice! Our first *Wyler* ?

I always (selfishly) appreciate when searching a new brand in the thread quickly yields a wealth of information ?

This Hodinkee listing provides about the brand:

_The *Wyler Watch Company* was founded by *Paul Wyler* in Basel, Switzerland in 1924. Its first rise to prominence in the Swiss watch industry came with the development of the *Incaflex* system in 1927. It was an innovative balance wheel design with two curved elastic arms which would assist with shock absorbance to the balance wheel. In 1932, the company introduced a new water-tight case that could be opened from the top by removing the crystal. This system minimized the likelihood of any moisture seeping through the crevices of the case, which was fundamentally the issue with any watch case. In 1933, Wyler joined forces with *Vetta* in Italy as their importer for the Italian market; hence, the name *Wyler Vetta* appears on some pieces. Wyler Vetta became an official sponsor for the Italian National Soccer League in 1934 and gained more visibility for the brand, especially with Italian celebrities at the time. . . . Fun fact: In December of 1956, as part of a publicity stunt, several Wyler Vetta watches were thrown from the Eiffel Tower, which was a 300 meter drop to showcase the durability of their watches. Apparently, they were all working perfectly afterwards._​








1960s Wyler Dynawind Incaflex


Why This Watch Matters This mint Wyler Dynawind is an undeniably charming watch with block indexes and prominent numerals. Plus that vibrant red crosshair and sweeping seconds hand will make you smile every time you look at your wrist. The Full Story The Wyler Watch Company was founded by Paul...




shop.hodinkee.com





Watchonista provides some neat vintage ads from the brand, and notes that the Italian collaboration was

_with Milanese entrepreneur, *Innocente Binda*, to market its watches in Italy. . . . In 1993, *the Binda group* took over the brand and renamed it "Wyler-Vetta". . . . In 2006, . . . . The Binda group decided to relaunch the brand "to provide a new generation of Wyler watches for a global clientele", as put by the group's president, Marcello Binda, who is also Binda's grandson._​








Wyler and the revolutionary Incaflex system - Part 1


Wyler Genève is a descendent of the manufacture created by Paul Wyler in the early 20th century. In the 2000s, the brand paid tribute to the invention of the Incaflex, a clever shock-resistant protection system.




www.watchonista.com





This Watch-Wiki page also provides some information about the brand's founder, Paul Wyler:

_Paul Wyler was born on June 15, 1896 in Basel . Together with his brother Alfred (1898-1970) on March 28, 1924 , he founded the watch manufacturer Wyler named after them in Basel . He obtained 7 patents for different watch innovations. His most famous inventions are the Wyler Dynawind and the Wyler Incaflex . The Incaflex brand name was registered as a US trademark in 1949 because Paul Wyler was living in Forest Hills, New York at the time. In 1948 he also received a United States Design Patent (number 148.345) for a combination of a corkscrew and a bottle opener and named it: "The Castle Key". Paul Wyler may have passed away around 1994 ._​





Wyler, Paul/de – Watch-Wiki







watch-wiki.org





A Watch-Wiki page about the brand also notes that

_In addition to producing his own calibres, Wyler also modified movements of other large-scale producers and sold these on to other watch companies. In some cases, the basic calibre was changed so much that the movements should actually be considered as Wyler calibres. . . . In 1960 manual and self-winding models from the Incaflex range became the official railway watch of the Santa Fe Railroad. In 1972, the Wyler Watch Corp. New York became a distributor for Eterna._​





Wyler/en – Watch-Wiki







watch-wiki.org





This page notes (with a fun vintage ad) that, in addition to the marketing stunt of dropping two watches from the Eiffel Tower in 1956, the brand also dropped a watch from Seattle's Space Needle in 1962.









A SIXTIES WYLER WATCH MARKETING DEMONSTRATION - Montres Publiques - The vintage watch magazine


As far as public relations go, the watch industry may be one of the most significant in terms of impactful strategies that have long lasting effects…Wyler Watch Space Needle




montrespubliques.com





This page displays an interesting letter by a notable wearer of one of the brand's watches, Albert Einstein.






Wyler - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club





As was common, according to this page, the brand reportedly fell on hard times during the quartz crisis.









Lessions In Wristory: Vetta's Wyler Roots


Today we're taking a trip back in history to learn a bit more about Vetta, a sub-brand of the now defunct Swiss brand, Wyler.




www.woundforlife.com





A great brand timeline with historical pages is available at the its current website, along with mention that one of its prior celebrity ambassadors was Richard Gere.









Brand - Wyler Vetta


Wyler Vetta brand Wyler Vetta has made inspiration its engine, an energy that reflects and amplifies colors, emotions to find a deep and authentic connection between the outside world and the deep self. This is why every watch in the Wyler Vetta collections is capable of inspiring the wearer...




www.wylervetta.com





Additional historical accounts about Paul Wyler, the Wyler brand, and the Binda Group are available at the following links:









Wyler Vetta, the pride of the Binda Group


The Binda Group is one of the historic leaders in the Italian market. Worthy of mention for its successful marketing campaigns, especially those of the very effective Breil ads, the group is moving into the international arena.




www.europastar.com













Wyler: The Whys and Wherefores


Before you embark on a read of this topic, I must warn you that I myself am not happy with it. The history of the Wyler watch company as revealed by the available source material is fragmented and partial at the best of times, and is beset by poor translations and the resort to virtual copying...




thewatchforum.co.uk










Wyler [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net










Let Your Style Stand the Test of Time with a Wyler Vetta Watch


Luxury Bazaar sells men’s and women’s luxury watches online. Visit our website to buy rare luxury watches & jewelry online.




www.luxurybazaar.com













Wyler Geneve Swiss Watches


imported post Main Site - http://www.wylergeneve.com/ Collection - http://www.wylergeneve.com/collection/ http://www.youtube.com/v/0yq6NtwxN6A&hl=en&fs=1 Paul Wyler was born on 15th June 1896 and established the Wyler Watch company in Basel on 28th March 1924 in Basel. Among Wyler’s...




www.watchfreeks.com





The brand had lots of registered word trade marks.






Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index


Taschenuhren, Handelsmarken, Firmenzeichen, Hilfe für Einsteiger, Altersbestimmung, Uhrentechnik und mehr!




www.mikrolisk.de





Two good write ups from Fratello on two models from the brand are available.






#TBT Wyler Lifeguard Chronograph


#TBT is here and Fratello Watches takes a look at early innovation with the Wyler Lifeguard.




www.fratellowatches.com













#TBT Automatic Wyler Crichettino


A break-down of a 1930s Wyler automatic "Crichettino" by writer Tomas. An interesting Wyler with a special kind of self-winding movement.




www.fratellowatches.com





Fratello also quickly mentions one of the brand's models in a discussion about interesting bezels.









Top 7 Vintage Watch Bezels That Would Never Be Made Today


✓ The past is a treasure-trove of design oddities ✓ Tomas takes a look at some of the most bizarre bezels ever to see the light of day ✓




www.fratellowatches.com





And last but not least, Google Images reveals that the brand had several diver lines, including the Heavy Duty/Heavy-Duty (as posted by Ludi), 660, Tri Sport, Life Guard, and Aquarama lines (all or most presumably 660 feet/200m, and often sub-marked under the Dynawind line), featuring numerous designs. Dials are often branded Wyler or WylerVetta, and Incaflex is almost always noted below the branding.

Some variant examples include the following.

Different dial colors (silver sunburst, black, blue, yellow, orange, and multi-colored rings).
Various indices (e.g., "coffin" indices, squares, squares and cardinal rectangles, squares and lines, 12-6 indices, 12-3-6-9 indices) and 24-hour markings.
Uni-colored, multi-colored, and fixed bezels.
Various handsets (e.g., Rolex-esque Mercedes, Tudor Ranger-esque arrow, segmented big arrow; Seiko-esque Dauphine hands, 62 MAS-esque rectangular, rectangular with pointed ends, some unique lollipop-esque);
Dates and no dates.
Diver chronographs (including with four crowns for an inner rotating bezel).
A few tonneau cases, some with dual crowns.
So in short, lots of exploration is possible with vintage Wyler dive watches!



wyler dive watch - Google Search


----------



## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

ck2k01 said:


> I just came across this cool new skin diver design from *Alsta*, designed in collaboration with _Beyond the Dial_/Allen Farmello and geared toward motorcyclists: the *Motoscaphe 120*.
> 
> View attachment 16049697
> 
> ...


Here is Zoretto's obvious misappropriation, lol. New Alsta at least bought Old Alsta............but I still prefer the Zoretto.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> Zoretto's obvious misappropriation, lol. New Alsta at least bought Old Alsta............but I still prefer the Zoretto.
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="16083479"]16083479[/ATTACH]


Awesome! It seems that the classic skin diver case with coffin-style indices was a relatively common offering from several vintage brands. I love that multi-colored combined dive/12-hour bezel on the Zoretto!

That variant is no longer available?






Dino | Meinewebsite







www.zoretto-watches.com


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Awesome! It seems that the classic skin diver case with coffin-style indices was a relatively common offering from several vintage brands. I love that multi-colored combined dive/12-hour bezel on the Zoretto!
> 
> That variant is no longer available?
> 
> ...


Yep that was their first version - much better looking IMHO - shame they didn't keep going with it


----------



## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

I heard that excellent examples may be available on the pre-owned market for just a couple thousands of dollars........er.... cough, cough.


----------



## FLG44 (Jan 2, 2021)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

So as OP, I started to feel odd about not currently having a vintage skin diver in the collection (just my Seiko SPB143, a great modern manifestation of the style).

I started browsing around the eBay, hoping to find something interesting to pick up for sub-$200 or so.

While doing so, I came across a new brand for the thread, *Tressa*, and a seemingly rare model (more on this below), with

a very svelte-looking polished case (as contrasted with the more typical squared-lugs case we tend to see and appreciate in here, and not a design I had come across before); and
62 MAS-esque indices and hour/minute hands;
a cool arrow-tipped second hand;
no date (not a huge fan of the old school 9-to-12 date setting);
a fun scuba dude on the dial (to keep it from being too serious of an affair, being an overall quirky mix with the diver-style indices and handset and an almost dressy case).
The listing didn't provide much in the way of details: just that it featured a manual-wind 17-jewels movement that was reportedly running OK, with an Incabloc shock protection system, and in a 35mm SS case with 5 ATM WR (one drawback).









Watch Tressa | eBay


Watch Tressa incabloc water Proof 5 ATM Swiss made. Case Stainless and Leather Strap.



www.ebay.com





The price overall seemed right at $146 US shipped, and the South American seller had good feedback (and he indeed was good with communication from purchase to delivery), so I decided, "what the hell."

It took a while to arrive (customs), but it recently came in, and so I naturally wanted to post some about it and the brand for the thread.



















*Case and bezel*

Size wise, its approximately 35mm in diameter (without crown), 42mm l2l, 10.5mm tall (crystal inclusive), and 18mm lug width. Weight is 35.5 grams (very light).

The shape of the polished case and lugs are really lovely--kind of like a svelte and curvy flying saucer, with some "sectional" case slimming tricks on display.

I was also pleasantly surprised upon noticing that the bezel teeth/cutouts are black. Very cool.

Also about the bezel, it's an old school bidirectional friction-fit bezel, which turns smoothly and adequately holds in place.

And as pictured, the bezel features a somewhat Seiko-like fully indexed insert, which seems ever-so-slightly angled upward. Though in contrast to Seiko inserts, say on the vintage 62 MAS, the marked numbers here are 15, 30, and 45, rather than 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50. Moreover, the marker at the 12 is a triangle rather than a circle.





































*Dial, handset, lume, and crystal*

Moving to the convexed (curving upward) dial, I really dig

the applied logo;
the square applied indices (which are slightly longer at the cardinal positions);
lack of date (the crown has no ghost date position--more on that in a bit);
long rectangular hour and minute hands and arrow-tipped seconds hand; and
the quirky scuba dude graphic.
The indices and handset reminded me somewhat of the 62 MAS and Halios Fairwind (in addition to having a SPB143, I also have a Fairwind).









1965 Seiko '62MAS' Ref. 6217-8000


Why This Watch Matters The "62MAS" is the first professional Seiko dive watch. The example we have here is from the earliest production run in 1965 and features the highly sought-after small crown. The Full Story Seiko introduced the 62MAS in 1965 and it was THE original professional dive...




shop.hodinkee.com













Still In Love With My Seiko SPB143


James Stacey celebrates his anniversary with the Seiko Prospex SPB143.




www.hodinkee.com










Halios Fairwind – Beans & Bezels







www.beansandbezels.com





The tritium lume on the indices and hands has faded to a dark chocolate brown. I can charge the lume with a UV flashlight to see the green color for a few seconds in pitch black conditions, but at this point, the lume is essentially dead, of course.

The dial condition and domed plexiglass crystal produce some nice visual variety depending on lighting--from worn vintage tropical (though the harsh-lighting and post-edited picture below exaggerates the patina) to glossy black.



















The case back is pretty utilitarian, but the little fishies are fun. I also love what they used to be allowed to count as "waterproof"!










Given some seeming dust on the crystal and dial, I took the watch apart some to blow out and Rodico away some specs and smudges. A few specs were capable of removal, but some seemed to actually be tiny bits of dial damage. I wasn't able to achieve much with some dial surface smudges. I was cool with a generally patinated watch, though.

I also took the watch apart some to buff out with Polywatch some scratches on the crystal. Some topside scratches were definitely evident, so I figured I'd give both the top and bottom of the crystal a rub down, which seemed to work well in removing virtually all the of scratches on the crystal.

*Movement*

With the case back removed, and a little bit of cross-referencing research via Google Images for Tressa 17-jewels movements, I was also able to pinpoint the movement featured here: a Tressa stamped A. Schild SA AS / ST 1950.















bidfun-db Archive: Watch Movements: AS 1950 (Standard 1950)







www.ranfft.de





Highlights: manual wind, 21.6k bph, non-hacking, and no date.

More about A. Schild earlier in the thread here:









Post your skin divers/skindivers!


I had never heard of Seals before. Hope they end up making that jet black version.




www.watchuseek.com





See also:









A. Schild SA AS / ST 1950 New Old Stock 1960s - Gisbert A. Joseph Watches


N° 66281 Brand A. Schild SA Model complete movement 11 1/2 Cal. AS / ST 1950 / 51 Age ca. 1960s Origin Switzerland Case / Ref. Dial Movement 17 Jewel Movement, Cal. AS / ST 1950 / 51, Shock – Protection ” Incabloc “, with date disc, Sweep Second Condition NEW OLD STOCK unused...




www.joseph-watches.com













Adolf Schild St 1950/51


Good morning gentlemen, I have an Adolf Schild ST 1951. It is a manual wind with calendar. Does any one have an exploded view drawing for this movement or perhaps a disassembly/reassembly instruction?




www.watchrepairtalk.com










A. Schild [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net





Also worth noting--no gasket under the case back, nor in the crown tube or crown. That + the thin case = the lowly 50m of WR.

I quickly noticed that the watch seemed to be running excessively fast, so I threw it on my de-magnestizer, which, at a glance, seemed to have settled it down to +/- a few minute or two per day. I need to track this closer, though, as I've been frequently adjusting the hands for photos. Given the age of the watch, I'm fine with it being up to a few minutes off per day, but if more than that, I'd of course need to consider getting it serviced and regulated.

*Other Tressa skin divers*

In researching Tressa some for the thread, I came across

a more popular model (per IG) that has fun Pelagos-style excessive dial text and a dial roughly reminiscent of the vintage Eberhard Scafograf 300 (I saw the nickname of "Big Triangle" and possible model name of Spirotechnique); as well as
a super cool looking skin diver chronograph (model names include Carronade and Sea Tempest, and available in a few different color ways);
among others (e.g., squared-lugs, a Captain Cook-looking model, tonneau case, steel bezel, world-time bezel, various indices and handsets, beads-of-rice bracelet).
I don't know if I really "need" such a sub-collection, but the thought did cross my mind, as some of these dive designs are quite cool!



FS : Vintage and rare Tressa Diver watch / 60' Great Dial! / Felsa 4007N - myWatchMart








TRESSA Vintage swiss chronograph hand winding watch 20 ATM 200 M Landeron 248 *** DIVER *** Tressa Vintage watches - Watches83


TRESSA Vintage swiss chronograph hand winding watch 20 ATM 200 M Landeron 248 DIVER. Mesurements: 37.8 mm without crown and 40.8 mm with crown. Good condition although with natural wear and tear over time and use *** DIVER ***




watches83.com





See also:









Post your skin divers/skindivers!


To me a skin diver has to have the squared lugs and the typical side profile. I own two such watches. SeaQ and SLA17.




www.watchuseek.com





I didn't come across my specific variant in looking around Google Images nor IG (at least with no date, there were a few similar looking ones I saw, once nicknamed "Bug Jumbo," but all with date)--so it seems as if mine is rare (or possibly a Franken case).

Google Images:



tressa skin diver - Google Search



*About Tressa the brand*

There's not too much out there about the history of the Tressa brand, beyond some anecdotal reports, mostly in various forum threads.

The short of the comments are that the brand, also reportedly sold under the name *Desta *(and also Omax, Eipar, and Spacial, though I couldn't confirm any but Desta per a word trade mark search, the results of which are reported below) was a low- to mid-range Swiss brand (based in Bienne) that was around from the 60s through part of the 80s, and which used a variety of movements.

When the brand faulted during the quartz crisis, its assets may have eventually been acquired by Rado in the late 80s. In addition or alternatively, there's also reports of the assets having been acquired by Zeno Watch Basel in the 70s, with the old stocks being cleared by the mid-2000s.

Relatedly, there's reports of Tressa watches during its heyday, or else old stocks when acquired by other companies, having been targeted toward Eastern markets, competing with brands like Sicura and Orient. There's also a report that the CEO of Sicura was involved with Tressa early on.









The Tressa Lux Crystal Auto


Of course that’s the 1970’s for you – it was a time of not only technical revolution, but also real social invention and Tressa was born out of that time.




watchspace.co.uk













I looking for more informations about Tressa watches


Before 2 years, I bought Tressa mechanical watch. I know almost nothing about this company, and I do research and I didn't find useful informations. Everything I know, I put in this 2 minutes video: So I looking for more information about this watch and also Tressa as a company. Can...




thewatchforum.co.uk













Desta/tressa


My wife was going through some old stuff the other day and found a watch that probably belonged to her grandfather. It's a dual-zone mechanical watch. Still works, looks pretty cool, in good shape except for the scratched and cracked crystal. Would a local watch shop be able to replace the...




www.badgerandblade.com










Tressa--were they affiliated with Rado? - Equation of Time


A guy on TZ posted this week about a Tressa he owned, and stated bluntly Tressa was a sub-brand of Rado. I'm not ready to believe that without corroboration. Any known facts out there?



www.equationoftime.com













Swiss Tressa: Which are real and which are fake??


Hey everyone, i recently found out about Tressa, a small swiss watch manufacturing company that only last for a decade and was later bought by Rado during the "Quartz-crises". So i stumpled upon a couple of auction on the bay and on german auction forums of this stunning Tressa Lux Crystal...




www.watchuseek.com













Tressa Lux; Like? Dislike?


I have 6 of these. Does anyone like them? Do you recall them from back in the day? I tell people they are disco watches and kitschy.




www.watchuseek.com













Vintage Tressa?


Hey everyone. I recently came across someone selling a vintage Tressa watch, but I know nothing about the brand or this specific watch. Doing a search on here only gives me a little info about this now defunct company. Is this watch authentic? How much would you pay for something like this? I...




www.watchuseek.com













Help needed in identifying a Tressa watch


Hi All, If this is not the appropriate thread to post in, moderators, kindly move it to a suitable place. I was adviced to visit the forum here and ask for your help. I need help Identifying this watch. Link for pics https://plus.google.com/photos/10838...IqazaXklqSekgE Here are the details...




www.watchuseek.com













My new vintage - Tressa! Opinions?


I just got my new vintage at the bay. A OBO, something that I tryed for the first time. It's a Tressa, gold plated, with a 34mm case and calendar. I love the gold with the brown strap. What are your opionions on the brand and on this particular piece. P.S.: Sellers' pictures. The watch it's on...




www.watchuseek.com













Help needed with identifying a Tressa watch


Wondering if someone can suggest a year of manufacture for this TRESSA 17 JEWELS LASER BEAM. Bought it recently for about 45USD equivalent. Getting a date to this would be great. Thanks.




www.watchuseek.com





A cursory review of some of these sources suggests that some other seemingly notable lines from the brand include Lux and Spaceman, and miscellaneous avant garde- and vintage-looking designs.

Google Images:



tressa watch - Google Search



Usefully, though, a review of registered word trade marks is generally consistent with the anecdotally reported brand history, and suggests the following list of lines, sub-brands, or products from Tressa Watch Co. Ltd., some of which reveal specific Google Images results.

Desta
Lux
Field Help
Auto Jet
Forrester
Gazelle
Golden Eagle
Grosvenor
Instructor
Laser Beam
Peregrine
Primate
Safari
Sea Fury
Sea Tempest
Sea Tiger
White Horse
Popular braid
Tressa protection






Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index


Taschenuhren, Handelsmarken, Firmenzeichen, Hilfe für Einsteiger, Altersbestimmung, Uhrentechnik und mehr!




www.mikrolisk.de










Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index


Taschenuhren, Handelsmarken, Firmenzeichen, Hilfe für Einsteiger, Altersbestimmung, Uhrentechnik und mehr!




www.mikrolisk.de





And that about does it for this wall of text prompted my new Tressa!


----------



## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Fantastic looking diver CK 

Great case, dial, and hands, with some fun details like the bezel teeth and fishies.

Once again your research is top flight 

Keep up the great work.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

boatswain said:


> Fantastic looking diver CK
> 
> Great case, dial, and hands, with some fun details like the bezel teeth and fishies.
> 
> ...


Many thanks, b.

My wife's a big fan of this one, so I can see her sneaking it away from me.

Given that, and now that I'm comfortable knowing a little bit about the brand (and liking their skin diver designs), after posting, I was able to score one of the aforementioned Tressa skin diver chronographs for a pretty good price.

I've long wanted a skin diver chrono, including based on some that have been posted in the thread. So I look forward to posting it once it eventually arrives 

I suspect the decent price I was able to haggle for was in part due to Tressa not being a defunct brand that has received much attention during the modern day vintage boom. Even though Tressa used the same entry-level Swiss chronograph movement as several other skin diver/vintage chronos I've come across that are listed for much higher prices: the Landeron 248. (Of course, we'll also see how well the movement is actually working in the metal . . .) I'll post some research about this movement maker too once the new watch arrives.


----------



## ZM-73 (Jun 8, 2016)

1970's Avetla mechanical.


----------



## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

Great dial color


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ZM-73 said:


> 1970's Avetla mechanical.
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="16094943"]16094943[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="16094945"]16094945[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full" alt="16094946"]16094946[/ATTACH]


Very cool, with the interesting sub-seconds and lug length for days. Looks to be a very clean example. And bund 💪

*Avelta*

Regrettably, I found next to squat on the brand. Just some passing references to it having been a French brand.

https://german242.com/en/french-diving-watches-of-the-1960s-and-70s-part-i/

New acquisition _ Avelta

A V E L T A - Diver's Watch - Men - Circa 1969

Avelta - Men's 'Jumbo' Diver's Watch - Herren - Circa 1969

As referenced in one of the linked threads, Mikrolisk (for trademark history) came up with next to nothing for the brand.

Moreover, very few pictures of dive watches from the brand are returned via Google Images.



Avelta dive watch - Google Search



Thus, this seems to be one of the rarer brands we've thus far encountered in the thread


----------



## ZM-73 (Jun 8, 2016)

ck2k01 said:


> Very cool, with the interesting sub-seconds and lug length for days. Looks to be a very clean example. And bund 💪
> 
> *Avelta*
> 
> ...


Yes, there is precious little about Avelta. Have seen some of the links, but not all. Much appreciated.
I did just today come across this page on a site called Ceas de Mana which seems to give more information. (Google Translate).


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ZM-73 said:


> Yes, there is precious little about Avelta. Have seen some of the links, but not all. Much appreciated.
> I did just today come across this page on a site called Ceas de Mana which seems to give more information. (Google Translate).


Oh, that's helpful!

Per Google Translate:

_This Avelta Antichoc watch, diver type, is equipped with a France Ebauches 233-60 mechanism with 15 rubies and a peripheral secondary, manufactured approximately in 1960. The base is a Cupillard mechanism. The mechanism has a diameter of 23.3 mm and a height of 4.15 mm, and the watch has the dimensions of 37 × 42 mm and the distance between the handles of 18 mm. The smooth rocker with Antichoc-102 shock absorbers beats with 18,000 alternations per hour, and the motor spring ensures, fully charged, a phenomenal power reserve of 49 hours! The threaded stainless steel back cover is decorated with the silhouette of a diving diver, accompanied by a fish. . The housing is in very good condition with a two-way bezel. The hourly indexes and indicators are still phosphorescent and emphasize the sporty character of the watch. Moses Patron was the one who registered, in 1938, the PAT brand, whose name comes right from his name. A fine connoisseur of watchmaking secrets, but a modest man who did not like to advertise, considering that his watches were enough to represent him, Moise Patron also made timepieces in his workshop on Boulevard du Marechal Petain 76 in the Alsatian town of Mulhouse. Located exactly at the confluence of the French, German and Swiss borders, Mulhouse was the ideal place to develop a watch business. Which Moses Patron did, launching watches with a special design, equipped with French, German and Swiss mechanisms. Moise Patron also included stopwatches in his workshop on Boulevard du Marechal Petain 76 in the Alsatian town of Mulhouse. Located exactly at the confluence of the French, German and Swiss borders, Mulhouse was the ideal place to develop a watch business. Which Moses Patron did, launching watches with a special design, equipped with French, German and Swiss mechanisms. Moise Patron also included stopwatches in his workshop on Boulevard du Marechal Petain 76 in the Alsatian town of Mulhouse. Located exactly at the confluence of the French, German and Swiss borders, Mulhouse was the ideal place to develop a watch business. Which Moses Patron did, launching watches with a special design, equipped with French, German and Swiss mechanisms._​​_FE is the acronym for France Ebauches conglomerate, based in Valdahon Doubs, France, which was founded in 1965 by the merger of five of France's leading watchmakers and produced 50% of total French watchmaking production. The five profile companies that formed FE are: Usines Cupillard, FEMGA, Fernand Girardet and sons SA, JH Jeambrun and Technic Ebauche SA (TE). At its peak, France Ebauches was considered the largest European manufacturer of mechanisms in France and the European Community and the 6th largest global manufacturer in the field._​
So the listing discusses at some length the founder of the *PAT* watch brand. And that specific watch running a French (*France Ebauches*) movement. The subseconds hand on that listing suggests that yours may be running the same movement.

This same or similar listing refers to the France Ebauches 233-66 movement.

A V E L T A - Diver's Watch - Men - Circa 1969

Whereas this same or similar listing refers to the *Cupillard* 233-66 movement, also French, and which also has a subseconds (but also a date). The similar movement reference numbers (233-6#) suggest a France Ebauches-Cupillard connection, which seems confirmed by one of the links below. It's also consistent with the listing you posted, which indicated that Cupillard was one of five movement manufacturers that merged to form France Ebauches.

Avelta - Men's 'Jumbo' Diver's Watch - Herren - Circa 1969

bidfun-db Archive: Spare Parts, Materials (Timepieces, Jewelry): 3045: Cupillard 233-66 (FE 233-66), Manual Wind Movement, ca. 1970

17jewels.info: Cupillard 233

France Ebauches [Watch Wiki]

Also, Mikrolisk provides a consistent account about PAT: that the PAT trademark was registered by Moise Patron in 1938 at Boulevard du Marechal-Petain 76, Mulhouse, France. Though no link to *Avelta* is provided for via Mikrolisk.

While Google Image results for vintage PAT dive watches are equally as sparse as for Avelta, I did come across two of the same or very similar Avelta and PAT watches.



vintage PAT dive watch - Google Search












Vintage AVELTA Divers Automatic 200m _Spares or Repair_ | #312521545










Vintage PAT 20 ATM Diver w/Countdown Bezel,All SS Case,Roulette Date,Runs Strong | eBay

The PAT watch is reportedly running a *Felsa* 4007N movement, and since both dials read 25 jewels, I presume they're housing the same movement. Felsa was reportedly a Swiss movement manufacturer dating back to 1918, which became part of *Ebauches SA* (which dates back to 1926) in 1928, and with Ebauches SA becoming part of *ASUAG* in 1931 and then becoming part of *ETA/Swatch Group* between 1979 and 1985. This seems consistent with the listing you posted, which indicated that PAT used French, Swiss (and reportedly also German) movements.

bidfun-db Archive: Watch Movements: Felsa 4007N

Felsa [Watch Wiki]

Ebauches SA [Watch Wiki]

ASUAG [Watch Wiki]

ETA [Watch Wiki]

Anyway, it seems reasonable to tentatively conclude based on what we've uncovered thus far (and have previously seen in the thread) that there may have been some connection between Avelta and PAT (e.g., Avelta being an affiliated label/sublabel, or label for export).

Unrelatedly, yet kind of fun, I also came across this quartz Avelta listing, reportedly from the 80s, that riffs on the *Heuer* 844 (automatic)/8440 (quartz)--that later evolved into the 1000 series. (More of a pro diver line, but whatevs.)










FS : Avelta Diver 80s type Monnin 844 - Patent [EU Seller] | WatchCharts

Heuer/ TAG Heuer 1000 Professional- The Ultimate Collector's Guide | The Home of TAG Heuer Collectors

Heuer Monnin 844: A Brief History and Collector's Guide - VEBLENIST

Which is relatively timely given the fairly recent *TAG Heuer* Aquaracer Professional 300 Tribute to the Ref. 844.

HANDS-ON: The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Tribute to Ref. 844 revives a legend | Time and Tide Watches

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Tribute to Ref. 844 - Review, Price


----------



## ZM-73 (Jun 8, 2016)

That's some great info. The link to the Bidfun of the Cupillard movement is interesting seems to be the same as mine, except mine doesn't have a date.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ZM-73 said:


> That's some great info. The link to the Bidfun of the Cupillard movement is interesting seems to be the same as mine, except mine doesn't have a date.
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16109941[/ATTACH]


Cool to hear. I'm no movement guy, but that/your caliber is neat looking to my eye, including the finishing (IDK what said pattern is called: studded?).

Just noticed that the RanfftWatches page for the Cupillard 233-66 (FE 233-66) notes that the 233-60 is the no-date version of the caliber, with -66 being the date version and -67 being the day/date version.

*EDIT*: Also, on the pages for those three calibers, RanfftWatches notes in the remarks field that "early fixed (cf. Cupillard 233-67), later mobile stud carrier (Fig.1)" or "early fixed (Fig.1), later mobile stud carrier (cf. Cupillard 233-60, -66)." I wonder if this is referring to the aforementioned finishing?

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&0&2uswk


----------



## ZM-73 (Jun 8, 2016)

No movement guy either, but it's all interesting. According to DIY Watch Club: "On top of the balance wheel, there should be two levers. *One lever is attached to the end of the hairspring*. This lever is called mobile stud carrier. The other is somewhere near the end of hairspring, and is called regulator. To change beat error, you want to move the stud carrier." Perhaps they just decided to change the pattern. Not sure what you'd call it: 'reverse waffle'?


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ZM-73 said:


> No movement guy either, but it's all interesting. According to DIY Watch Club: "On top of the balance wheel, there should be two levers. *One lever is attached to the end of the hairspring*. This lever is called mobile stud carrier. The other is somewhere near the end of hairspring, and is called regulator. To change beat error, you want to move the stud carrier." Perhaps they just decided to change the pattern. Not sure what you'd call it: 'reverse waffle'?


Many thanks for the clarification 👊 In hindsight, my potential interpretation of that term seemed a stretch 🙃


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

I've got some updates forthcoming for the thread about some new vintage skin diver action on my end.

But for now, 62MAS Modern Reinterpretation still hittin' the spot.




























Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## ffnc1020 (Apr 11, 2017)

Shanghai 114 reissue, 37x12mm, super comfortable.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ffnc1020 said:


> Shanghai 114 reissue, 37x12mm, super comfortable.
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210925/c753fb9fca25f1e102189f71fa4a61c7.jpg[/IMG]


Super cool 🙌 I'm really glad you posted it, as it's our first *Shanghai*, which I recently came cross on IG, and had pulled some research that I've been meaning to get around to posting. And your shot of one is the perfect prompt!

Reportedly the OG model *114*s (30,000 of them) were issued (at some expense to personnel who wanted one) to the People's Liberation Army circa the late 60s and well into the 70s, using the 29-jewel SS2 movement (for higher rank officers) or 24-jewel SS4 movement (for lower rank officers). There were some dial, crown, and movement branding/logo variations over time.

Starting in 2009, the Shanghai Watch Factory began to reissue the watch, using a 22-jewel Dixmont Guangzhou 2813 movement (from the Guangzhou Watch Factory), and then later a Shanghai Z2 movement. The third iteration differs on several details relative to the earlier two, and is a bit more refined in some respects. There's also a fourth iteration that jumps from 37.5/38mm to 42mm. Besides the Shanghai logo, the reissue (at least the first one, as again, there are reportedly a few different versions) is closer to the SS2 variants.









Shanghai 上海 114 The First Chinese Military Watch (Reissue) 114 中国第一军表（复刻版）


Model : 114 The First Chinese Military Watch (Reissue) 114 中国第一军表 (复刻版） Manufacturer : Shanghai Watch Factory Year of Production...




ozputera.blogspot.com













Shanghai Military Re-Issue...


In the early 1970s, the Shanghai Watch Factory produced about 30,000 military dive watches for People's Liberation Army commanders and divers. Here's an example of one of the 24 jewel "SS4 movement" original versions from Joel Chan's wonderful Micmicmor collection (there was also a 29 jewel...




thewatchforum.co.uk













Rare SS4 24J AUTO, Shanghai Military Watch


From 1970 to 1976, Shanghai Watch Factory had produced about 30000 piece of SS4 24J automatic military watch for PLA commander. The most p...




micmicmor.blogspot.com













Shanghai Military Automatic (24-jewel)


With the help of a WUS member, I am lucky to get a taste of the "Shanghai 24-jewel Military Automatic". I have to say I like the original better! :-p:-p:-p It has very rich details and the black dial is not purely dark with glossy finish depend on you wear it under the sun or indoor. The...




www.watchuseek.com













Shanghai Vintage Military Watch SS4 114 Automatic 24 Jewels - NEOBIAO


A beautiful Shanghai Vintage Military Watch SS4 from the early 70s. Fully automatic and restored, a very rare piece as there were only 30,000 produced.




neobiao.com













A very Rare Gentleman Chinese Shanghai SS4 military watch, circa 1970s, Black dial with heavy lar


Bid Live on Lot 19 in the Watches, Jewellery & Silver Auction from Sterling Vault Auctioneers.




www.the-saleroom.com







Page not found





WatchNet: Trading Post: FS: Vintage Rare Shanghai Military Watch Diver 24 Jewels SS4 Reduced





https://watchguy.co.uk/service-shanghai-24-jewels/











Shanghai #114


Anyone have experience with this piece? New Shanghai army watch #114 reissue 22-jewel China's 1st marine military diver At 37mm, the size seems especially intriguing, but for the features offered it seems a bit steep at $385.




www.watchuseek.com













Can anyone provide info about this new SHANGHAI MILITARY...


Hi all, Could any members who happen to be well versed with Chinese and in particular Shanghai watches provide any details on this newest reissue that's been recently made available on TMall. https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.4-b-s.w4004-15442318957.3.75743146euPc9H&id=575847725073...




www.watchuseek.com













What was the first Chinese-Made Dive Watch?


I'm working on a dive watch project for the Russian forum and it got me thinking - what was the first dive watch developed by the Chinese government? The only vintage "complicated" Chinese watches I've really seen or heard about have been the Seagull 1963 and the Shanghai Military Model 114...




www.watchuseek.com







DG 2813 MVT - DG Watch Movement | Jules Borel











Z2 (2813 high beat)


The old movement was the Z2 (2813 high beat) and the new movement is an ETA 2824-2 clone..The hands and dial feet are are direct swap..Th...




calibre2813.blogspot.com





More about the Shanghai Watch Factory and its brands:



http://chinesewatchwiki.net/Shanghai_Watch_Factory



More about the Guangzhou Watch Factory and its brands:



http://chinesewatchwiki.net/Guangzhou_Five_Goat_Watch_Company



Google images:



Shanghai dive watch - Google Search


----------



## TheSeikoGuy (Jul 13, 2020)




----------



## slorollin (Dec 9, 2016)

Seen this one yet?


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> Seen this one yet?
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16142209[/ATTACH]
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16142212[/ATTACH]


Most def, but the more Helson skindiver-esque shots in here the better 

HammerHead, Skindiver, Skindiver Chrono . . . it's all fair game!

Contemporary OG microbrand.






Helson Watch







www.helsonwatches.com













Review: Helson Skindiver - Worn & Wound


You can’t talk about the Helson Skindiver without talking about the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. This isn’t just because it is essentially a replica (aesthetically speaking) of the original Fifty Fathoms, it is because the Fifty Fathoms is amongst the most important watches of the 20th century...




wornandwound.com













The Five Best Helson Watches on the Market Today


The Helson watch company was conceived by a group of divers and sports fans from Asia and Europe. Their goal was to create several lines of divers watches




moneyinc.com





And lots of YouTube coverage.

(Also because, selfishly, I only have a non-skin diver from them )










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Regrettably, I've yet to get around to posting a run down on my vintage skin diver chrono that I picked up a month or two ago, which I'll get to soon.

But in the meantime, just some skin diver articles that I've noticed on Watchville over the past month or so.

*Accurist Marinograf* with a "parmentier" crown (removable cap and use of a special tool to wind. Others, such as *Triton (Spirotechnique)*, *Pryngeps*, and *Titus (Calypsomatic)* also used variants of this odd crown system.









#TBT A Hard To Find Accurist Marinograf With An Easy-To-Lose Parmentier Crown


✓ Tomas looks at an unassuming vintage diver with a secret weapon ✓ The Parmentier crown give this watch a lot of charm ✓ Check it out! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com





_See also:_









#TBT Top 5 Peculiar Watch Inventions That Never Caught On


Nothing makes my day as much as discovering horological anomalies. Watch history is an exciting pursuit with many peculiarities to be found.




www.fratellowatches.com













HOME - TRITON WATCH







tritonwatch.ch













The Story behind the Triton Spirotechnique: An innovative vintage dive watch


As we covered in a different blogpost, the 50’s gave birth to the first dive watches, like Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms and the Rolex Submariners. While rudimentary in today’s eyes, they carried out their duty as diver’s tools. Aside from the aforementioned brands, other companies also jumped in...




www.pontvswatch.com













Triton Spirotechnique


Triton Spirotechnique for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com










heuerworld: Triton Spirotechnique


La Spirotechnique is a large and well-known French firm which makes scuba gear, scuba sets and other breathing apparati. Over the years they have commissioned a number of watch manufacturers to produce branded and co-branded dive watches to be sold alongside their scuba gear. The Trition...



www.heuerworld.com







Pryngeps skin diver - Google Search



*Technos Sky Diver*. With a case akin to the *Titus Calypsomatic* and *Universal Geneve Polerouter*.









The Technos Sky Diver — A Proper Vintage Beauty


✓ Mike takes a look at a stunning vintage Technos Sky Diver watch ✓ The vintage market still has plenty to offer ✓ Check it out here! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com





_See also:_






Technos (watches) - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org










tituscalypsomatic.com - tituscalypsomatic Resources and Information.


tituscalypsomatic.com is your first and best source for all of the information you’re looking for. From general topics to more of what you would expect to find here, tituscalypsomatic.com has it all. We hope you find what you are searching for!




tituscalypsomatic.com










Titus Calypsomatic - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club













Crazy for Calypsomatics — Watch Patina


You might be saying to yourself, "A Titus Calypsomatic... what the heck is that?" Hey, I'd never heard of one either until I met David...




watchpatina.com


















1960s Titus Calypsomatic Ref. 8031


Why This Watch Matters This vintage Titus Calypsomatic dive watch has all sorts of old-school charm with its extra-large crown, red-and-blue date wheel, and lovely patina. The Full Story Titus isn't a brand we come across too often in the HODINKEE Shop, but when we found this late 1960s...




shop.hodinkee.com













1960s Titus Calypsomatic (Ref. 7840)


Solvil et Titus, Or “Titus” as its commonly referred to as was once a premier watchmaking house in Switzerland. Titus was founded in 1887, but rose to popularity in the 1960s with their model the Calypsomatic as sports and diving watches were on the rise with the heightened interest in...




www.craftandtailored.com













Post your skin divers/skindivers!


Very cool.  Is that the new one that uses tritium tubes under the sapphire bezel insert? We may need a lume shot!  Yes. Yes it is!




www.watchuseek.com





Musings about a worn *Seiko 62MAS* small crown example vs. a good condition big crown example:









#TBT Tough Call On The Provocatively Worn Seiko 62MAS Small Crown


✓ This Seiko 62MAS has plenty of patina ✓ To fully restore or not to fully restore? ✓ That is the question that Tomas ask himself today ✓




www.fratellowatches.com





New * Watch Co. Artic Tool Watch*. Skin diver-esque case, which Fratello picked up on, with a fixed bezel. Three color ways with cool dial texture: blue, black, and a very limited white dial with a STEEP price difference. Pretty cool looking.









Introducing The Arctic Tool Watch, From Tool Watch Co. - Worn & Wound


We take a hands-on look at the new Arctic Explorer tool watch from Tool Watch Co, which launches November 2nd.




wornandwound.com













Hands-On: The Tool Watch Co. Arctic — The Explorer’s Tool Watch Reinvented


✓ Tool Watch Co. makes its debut in the world of watch with the stunning Arctic model ✓ The explorer's watch reinvented ✓ Check it out! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com













Tool Watch Co. goes polar with The Arctic Explorer Signature Series


Introducing the Arctic Explorer Signature Series, the first tool watch from the eponymous watch brand Tool Watch Co.




timeandtidewatches.com













Review: the new Tool Watch Co. Arctic -


We take a look at the Arctic, by this new brand called Tool Watch Company. Find out why this watch impressed us, despite its relatively low price tag.




deployant.com


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Tudor Pelagos skin diver?






I'm watching you Tudor, I'm watching.


----------



## wheelbuilder (Nov 25, 2016)

That PAT is nice. Like it a lot. Thanks again for all the research work CK!

Sent from my SM-A526U1 using Tapatalk


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

wheelbuilder said:


> That PAT is nice. Like it a lot. Thanks again for all the research work CK!
> 
> Sent from my SM-A526U1 using Tapatalk


My pleasure!

--

On the research note *(WARNING: a typical WOT follows!)*, I'm finally getting around to updating the thread about my most recent vintage skin diver chronograph acquisition (which I've now had for about two months).

I've long had the idea of a skin diver chronograph in the back of my mind, based in part on some sweet shots of them in this thread. They seemed a touch pricey for me, though.

But I was recently able to source one on eBay from a South American seller for a decent price. Another *Tressa*: this time a skin diver chronograph *(presumably an unnamed model precursor to the Sea Tempest model)*.

As an aside, a fair number of the Tressa dive watches on the bay seem to be sold from South America. Whether it's just a few vintage dealers who hunt them down there, or rather that they were widely distributed there at some point, IDK.

Prior thread research on Tressa, for my three-hander: Post your skin divers/skindivers!

I've seen similar examples and variants unmarked as to the model (like mine), marked _Sea Tempest_ (means violent windy storm) as the model (at the 6), and marked with _Carronade_ (a type of navy cannon) as the co-brand (at the 12).

In my prior thread research on Tressa, _Sea Tempest_ was a word mark registered by the brand.

Some information I dug up about *Carronade* seemingly having been an in-house brand of *Ratners*, a British jeweler.

https://thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?/topic/140748-has-anyone-any-experience-of-carronade/

Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index (search for Carronade)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Ratner

Tressa skin diver chronograph variants I've come across include

different bezels: black v. steel, circle v. triangle pips, differing fonts and hashes, and world time;
different dial colors: black, white, or silver;
different subdial colors: matching or panda;
different indices: cut off trinagles, squares, or rectangles; and
different handsets: typically 62MAS-esque with some arrow tips like mine, but also angle batons with only a subdial arrow tip, or diamond shaped.
Tressa also made chronographs using other case shapes, often with quite different designs and components.

tressa chronograph - Google Search

In addition, I've come across some similar looking chronographs from brands like _Aureole_, _Royce_, and one other brand I couldn't quite make out due to a blurry picture.

*Aureole* quick links:

Aureole dive chronograph - Google Search

Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index

Any info on this watch | Omega Forums

*Royce* (also *Eska*) quick links:

royce dive chronograph - Google Search

Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index

Eska [Watch Wiki]

https://thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?/topic/102714-rolls-and-royce-equals-watches/

Royce / Eska - my collecting focus | Omega Forums

https://shop.hodinkee.com/products/1950s-royce-antimagnetic?variant=12155414478923

Vintage Watches from this Forgotten Brand Are Affordable and Awesome

--

But back to my watch: some initial impressions, observations, and reactions I had for my example, that I previously shared with a friend. And of course, gratuitous pictures!

*Physical condition: *The classical skin diver case of this example is definitely well-weathered, but I think patina works with the overall vibe/looks here, and it obscures somewhat that the case is actually polished (we'll call it natural brushing!).










*Case: *~38mm in diameter at the bezel (~36.5mm measuring just the case sides upward from the case back), ~47mm l2l, 19mm lugs, and ~14mm tall from the bottom of the case back to the top of the domed crystal. The lugs angle sharply downward and there are lots of case side cuts (it's actually pretty interesting looking from the side for a skin diver), so it wears its height very well. Plus, it's a chronograph, so it gets a pass for an extra mm or two. The lugs are not drilled, which would have been my preference.










*Bezel: *The bezel is bi-directional, and turns well, with the right amount of friction resistance. FWIW, I find some charm in the pre-ratcheting bezel days. The thin top part of the bezel has tiny little notches, and said top part overhangs the rest of the bezel by a mm or so, which together provide a decent grip. The side of the taller bottom part of the bezel is black, which adds some visual interest. The bezel insert lume pip is all but gone, which seems typical on the few other prior listings I've seen for these (one intact example I came across showed that it was sort of just a big glob of lume on there, which I guess tends to fall out over the years).










*Case back:* The case back markings are pretty simple, befitting of the tool watch vibes. The rising part of the case back also has that cool polygon look (I counted and it's a dodecagon, or 12-sided polygon). There are no notches for a standard case back removal tool, so I'm all but sure it's a snap case back. While I don't know a lot about snap case backs (this may well be my first), it seems pretty impressive that they were able to achieve 200m WR with a snap case back.










*Crystal: *The crystal is in overall decent condition, but in super bright sunlight, its hazy and scratched age is much more apparent. The cloudy-in-certain-intense-light aesthetic of the crystal also kind of fits the overall patina vibe on display.










*Dial: *I adore the busy dial design. Peep the tiny concentric rings in the subdials, which is super cool.










*Handset and tritium lume:* I dig the 62MAS-esque handset, and the arrow-tipped center chronograph hand. One subdial hand is also arrow-tipped, whereas the other is not. The old tritium lume (peep the Ts at the bottom of the dial) lasts for about 5 seconds after being torched, of course.










*Movement and interesting pushers operation: *The mechanical (hand cranker) cam-levered chronograph movement (reportedly a _Landeron_ 248 per similar listings, though it might be a slight variant, as I looked up that Landeron made a bunch of small tweaks to its caliber 48 base reference) winds fine via the non-screw-down (again, impressive that the watch used to be rated for 200m) crown (which firmly pulls in and out). And it seems to be keeping decent time (but I threw it on the de-magnetizer just for good measure). I'm not sure whether it's the original crown. The movement is also a bit loud--approaching Timex level (i.e., you definitely notice it). But I'm sure I'll grow to like listening to it tick away.

The chronograph pushers seem to function as they should. And tactically, they're not too firm to push down--the amount of resistance feels just right. The flyback chronograph hand seems to operate as it should. Interestingly, you start the chrono hand with the top pusher, stop it with the _bottom_ pusher, resume it with the top pusher, and then reset it when it's stopped (in the first instance or anew) with the bottom pusher. I've never had a chrono movement that worked in this way. In my experience with a handful of more contemporary chronographs (automatic and mechaquartz), usually you press the top pusher to start the chrono hand, press it _again_ to stop it, press it again to resume it, and then only press the bottom pusher when it's stopped in the first instance or anew to reset it. The stopping of the chrono hand with the bottom hand is a first for me. Neat little vintage movement distinction that I've never experienced before. These days, it's those little differences/quirks that I happen upon that keep the hobby new and fresh for me.










A shot of the case back removed from the listing I purchased:










Example listing reporting the movement:

TRESSA Vintage swiss chronograph hand winding watch 20 ATM 200 M Landeron 248 ** DIVER ** Tressa Vintage watches - Watches83

About *Landeron *and the *48 *series*, *including the *248* revision, and about the funky operation of the pushers:

Landeron [Watch Wiki]

Landeron | The Watch Spot

bidfun-db Archive: Watch Movements: Landeron 48

bidfun-db Archive: Watch Movements: Landeron 248

*Straps:* Fortunately, it's not my first 19mm rodeo, so I'm covered with my usual, all in 19mm: snipped natos, distressed leather, shark mesh, and a tropic. And it seems to pair well with all these!


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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

My Eterna looks very similar


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> My Eterna looks very similar
> 
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211106/d3c38342c1940fd55deace754e74814c.jpg[/IMG]


Vintage dive watch chronos--straight


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## ARMADUK (Oct 26, 2015)

FORMULa said:


> Incase anyone was interested in a Zoretto Dino, they now offer it in a blue and white dial...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


OH SNAP! White dial is the sex😳🤤Blue is as sexy too. Damn I wish I had cash to play with rightnow😩


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Tudor Pelagos skin diver?
> 
> [/MEDIA=youtube]HW2f86TZNXs:211[/MEDIA]
> 
> I'm watching you Tudor, I'm watching.


Eh, still kinda big.









TUDOR Pelagos FXD watch - m25707b/23-0001 | TUDOR Watch


Discover the TUDOR Pelagos FXD watch m25707b/23-0001 - Bidirectional rotating bezel – Navy blue dial




www.tudorwatch.com





Since a "professional diver" rather than a "skin diver" (though the case shape is debatable), I won't spam the thread with other links about this new Pelagos FXD release from Tudor.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Some cool skin diver news: the *Aquastar Deepstar II* has been announced for pre-order 




































Aquastar Deepstar, the progenitor of the tool dive watch


The Aquastar Deepstar is progenitor of the tool dive watch, it can be considered the world's first mechanical dive computer.




aquastar.ch










order - Aquastar dive watches







aquastar.ch













Hands-On: Plying Hypothetical Waters With The Aquastar Deepstar II


A drop-dead-gorgeous tribute to a legacy cut short by time.




www.hodinkee.com













The Aquastar Deepstar II — The Most Refreshing Release This Year?


✓ Mike takes a look at the new Aquastar Deepstar II ✓ The hot new vintage-inspired diver from Aquastar ✓ Read all about it here ✓




www.fratellowatches.com













Aquastar Reveals the Deepstar II Dive Watch - Worn & Wound


We get a hands-on look at the latest from Aquastar - the Deepstar II




wornandwound.com













Diving with the New Aquastar Deepstar II - Review, Specs & Price


Smaller and without chronograph... Here's the new Aquastar Deepstar II, and we go testing it as part of a diving field trip!




monochrome-watches.com





Aquastar is a revival of the brand by Rick Marei (formerly associated with Doxa) under his umbrella revival of Synchron (also including Aquadive, Tropic, and ISOfrane).









This Man Is the Patron Saint of Dive Watches


Rick Marei has made a profession out of resurrecting once-defunct timepieces.




www.gearpatrol.com





For earlier Aquastar brand history, see previously in the thread at








Post your skin divers/skindivers!


Picked up the 2 Enicars adding to my collection of 50's 60's Dive Watches..




www.watchuseek.com





But back to the new Deepstar II.

It’s not a recreation of any specific vintage Aquastar reference.

-Generally great size specs (per HODINKEE, presumably including the crystal, as Aquastar lists height as 12mm; and with some other minor measurement differences/estimations across sources): 37mm diameter, 46mm L2L, and 13mm tall. And the lugs look to have good curvature. BUT, 19mm lug width, and the lugs aren’t drilled .

-Domed sapphire crystal with AR.

-Brushed case with starfish-signed crown and 200m WR.

-Sellita SW290 (automatic, with no date modification).






SW290-1







reference.grail-watch.com





-Cool small seconds hand panda subdial (reverse side of the Deepstar Chronograph); bi-directional 120-click (ceramic bearings) and polished decompression bezel; and Aquastar-saw-style caseback.

-Black, grey, and blue dials, with vintage colored lume, and the very Aquastar indices.

-$1,490 on nato (or tropic or leather? unclear if options or upgrades across sources), and $1,590 on BoR bracelet with divers extension (no quick adjust). Afterward increases to $1,890 and $2,090, respectively.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## FORMULa (Oct 7, 2012)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

FORMULa said:


> [/img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51686202886_6a4ec7ecc0_k.jpg[/img]


Great shot!

—

Haven’t posted this ubiquitous guy in a while:










Tornek-Rayville Nytex Type I-M2 strap:









Nytex™ Type I-M2, Strap (Blk or Khaki)


Lead time: 2 weeks Product details and specifications detailed below.




tornek-rayville.us





Great single-pass strap (cool weave and color, nice hardware) after a break in of tightly rolling it and holding with a rubber band for a few hours.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Tressa. Still the only no-date variant of these I’ve come across 










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## azwatchman (Apr 19, 2008)

View attachment 16253076
View attachment 16253076


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Paxman (Apr 8, 2006)

Yema Navygraf Heritage


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

ck2k01 said:


> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Paxman said:


> Yema Navygraf Heritage
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16271070[/ATTACH]


Super clean design  



boatswain said:


>


Thanks as always, b!


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## deepsea03 (Apr 3, 2018)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

deepsea03 said:


> [/IMG]https://i.ibb.co/RjnCdvX/B82-DFB27-7-D45-4-D43-86-C9-A6986-E086-DB0.jpg[/IMG]


Awesome! I love the radially brushed tonneau case and beautiful blue textured dial.

Also our first *BWC* in the thread (), a brand I hadn't come across before.

Fortunately, some good historical information about the brand readily popped up via some quick Googling.

*BWC* reportedly stands for *Buttes Watch Company*, founded in 1924 by Arthur Charlet in Buttes, Switzerland (a city in the Canton of Neuchâtel). The "u" is pronounced like in the words _sure_ or _brochure_, and "tes" is silent. 

*Butex* was also likely a sub-brand of BWC. Other word marks I found associated with the brand were BWC and Butex paired with the word *Suisse* or *Swiss*, as well as the work marks of *A. Charlet*, *Acme*, *BUT*, *Courage*, *Diatopic*, *Trans-Europ*, *Transi Tronic*, and *Transitronic*.

As we've often seen, BWC started by making pocket watches. Charlet’s son-in-law, Edwin Volkart, took the reins in 1953, overseeing a broadened collection and success through the 1970s, with the brand actually surviving the quartz crisis. For although the brand mostly employed mechanical movements, it also was an early embracer of electronic (back in 1957), electro-mechanical (1967), digital quartz (1972), and analog quartz (1975) technologies.

The brand made a lot of chronographs (using movements from the likes of Lemania, Valjoux, and Landeron), though they also produced military, dive watches, and simple three handers, and often employed colorful dials and 70s-style case designs (think vintage Heuer).

Distribution expanded across Europe (e.g., Germany, England, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Turkey). Though distribution eventually expanded to North American (e.g., US and Canada).

Manufacturing was eventually moved, in 1991, to the Canton of Solothurn under the operation of Reek GmbH in Pforzheim, Germany, until the company was acquired by Maddox Ag of Pforzheim in 1999 as part of a reorganiation, and then put under the control of Starck-Uhren (Stark Watches or Clocks) of Pforzheim in 2003. The brand is still around today under the latter ownership, with watches manufactured in Biel, Switzerland, and Pforzheim, and using mechanical movements (ETA).






Schweizer Uhrentradition seit 1924







bwc-swiss.de





*Sources:*









Forgotten BWC Watches Offer Tons of Fun & Value for Vintage Fans


BWC is a largely forgotten company that flourished before the Quartz Crisis, but it can still offer vintage fans a great deal to explore.




www.gearpatrol.com










BWC [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net













BWC Two-Register Chronograph


BWC Two Register Chronograph for sale via analog/shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com













BWC Vintage Watch


Nearly forgotten watches from prestigious Swiss watch manufacturers (BWC in this case) from the 18th century and beyond are my favourite type of watches to discover. They offer a pedigree that is undervalued massively, both in terms of the design, history and quality of the watches.




www.wilberforcewatches.com







The Old Time



Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index (search Buttes)

*Google Images:*

In the first set of results, you'll see 70s diver designs (e.g., https://www.retrowatchguy.com/products/bwc and https://www.wilberforcewatches.com/products/mens-bwc), classic skin diver cases chronos (e.g., BWC REVERSE PANDA CHRONOGRAPH | VALJOUX 72 | STEEL • Vintage Watches For Sale - Certified Authentic - Stetz & Co.), and other vintage diver designs (e.g., BWC/Butex diver's watch, Switzerland, c. 1965, - Nov 01, 2017 | Historia Auctionata in Germany) etc.



bwc dive watch - Google Search





bwc buttes watch company - Google Search


----------



## creaser (Aug 22, 2008)

I just acquired a very nice skin diver by Jorina. I wonder if any of you guys have heard of this make. And no, the J is not a stylized D.


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## timetellinnoob (Sep 23, 2010)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

creaser said:


> I just acquired a very nice skin diver by Jorina. I wonder if any of you guys have heard of this make. And no, the J is not a stylized D.
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16277995[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16277998[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16277997[/ATTACH]


Hmm  *Jorina* is proving a bit of a stumper. One of the few brands that have come up in this thread that is pretty much barren as to Internet information and pictures.

I didn't readily see anything about Jorina searching with Google nor on IG (#jorina).

I was, however, able to identify some word mark-related information for the brand at Mikrolisk - The horological trade mark index (search for Jorina).

--

Reportedly the brand name was registered in 1947 in Zurich, Switzerland by *Georges Jörin* and *Bradux SA* / *Marcel Bargetzi*, though the same word mark was also registered at some point by *Christian Schlenker-Schnekenburger *in Schwenningen, Germany.

If you click the name Jörin, you see that he also registered the word mark *Jorex* in Zurich in 1944.

Like Jorina, a Google Image search only revealed a single vintage watch listing for a Jorex Lux. And nothing on IG (#jorex).



Jorex watch - Google Search











Jam Tangan Jorex Sub Second Manual Winding France Vintage Gold Plated


Rp 797,700 | Body Gold Plated nya berkombinasi dengan motiv puntiran tali terlihat mencolok dengan kondisi yang masih Mint seolah menolak tua, lupa pada usianya yang terlahir pada Era 60 an. Jorex Lux namanya, dengan Dial yang masih bersih, Indek batangan kombinasi berpadu dengan Numerik dengan...




id.carousell.com





Googling around for Georges Jörin didn't yield any relevant results.

--

If you click the name Bradux, you also get the following word marks variously registered in Biel and Nidau, Switzerland, in the 1940s through the 1970s by the manufacturer names *Eluxa-Bradux SA, Bradux SA, *and* Elluxa-Bradux SA*: *Ambassadeur, Barex, Boudoires, Bradux, Eluxa, Empereur, Le Regent, Regence, Trianon, Trianor, *and* Trianore.*

Google Images and IG (#bradux) didn't yield any relevant results. Googling around for Bradux also didn't yield any relevant results.



Bradux watch - Google Search



However, Google Images and IG (#eluxa) did reveal vintage desk clocks and a pocket watch.



eluxa watch - Google Search



--

If you click the name Bargetzi and ctrl+f search for Marcel, you only get the Jorina word mark.

--

Finally, if you click the name Schlenker-Schnekenburger, you also see the image marks of "mit Schwan mit Uhrausschnitt" and "mit Schwan mit Uhrausschnitt im Dreieck," or basically "swan with clock cutout" per Google Translate.

Nothing relevant came up on Google Images nor IG (#schnekenburger).



Christian Schlenker-Schnekenburger watch - Google Search



Googling around for Christian Schlenker-Schnekenburger also didn't yield any relevant results.

--

So in sum, my best guess is that Jorina was related to a partnership among Georges Jörin, Marcel Bargetzi, and Bradux SA in Zurich, tracing back to the 1940s. Jorex was also probably a sister brand. But regrettably, that's all the information I could find, and nothing about that rad looking skin diver of yours!

--

Lastly, funny enough, *Dorina* is also a registered word mark, by *Crémines Watch Co. SA* in Crémines, Switzerland, in 1913 (their only word mark); and *Sorna Watch SA / E. Schenker* in Grenchen, Switzerland, in 1958 (which had a bunch of word marks).

Crémines and Dorina didn't yield any relevant Google Images results, nor on IG (#crémines, #cremines, or #dorinawatch).



Crémines watch - Google Search





dorina watch - Google Search



Sorna, however, did reveal a bunch of vintage dive watches on Google Images, and IG posts (#sornawatch)--all very 70s looking.



sorna dive watch - Google Search



But clearly none of these designs are akin to your Jorina, such that my best hunch is that you're right: yours is a Jorina and not a Dorina.

--

_Disclaimer: I'm no watch historian. I just search around Google, IG, and if all else fails, for word mark information via Mikrolisk (the latter being a pretty epic resource)._


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## creaser (Aug 22, 2008)

Thank you for all your sleuthing. All I can add is that the guy I bought it from got it on Ebay 8 years ago. A bit of a unicorn, it would appear.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

creaser said:


> Thank you for all your sleuthing. All I can add is that the guy I bought it from got it on Ebay 8 years ago. A bit of a unicorn, it would appear.


You bet 🙌

My suspicion (as others have long suspected) continues to be that vintage skin divers were in some respects akin to modern day microbrands. That is, many watch brands put out similar dive watch designs (riding the dive watch wave of the 1960s); some rose to some prominence (or else the designs were put out by relatively prominent brands); and many never caught on much, and if they hung in for a while, faded during the quartz crisis.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

timetellinnoob said:


> [/ATTACH type="full"]16278971[/ATTACH]


Rock on 👊

The Heimdallr I recognize. 

But the other brand I don't?


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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Both WR Watches brand names - they have a wide range of homages watches (under various brand names) mainly to Seikos but also other brands (CWard, Squale etc as well as the usual suspects) - cheaply priced but, boy, do you get a lot of watch for your money, depending on you view on homages of course! (though as this thread shows with the cheaper 60/70s skindivers thats not a new thing - only difference was it was likely Euro factories making them with obscure branded dials rather than the Chinese).

Their website is worth a visit even just to spend a while scrolling through all the watches (all homages I think) available!


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## timetellinnoob (Sep 23, 2010)

ck2k01 said:


> Rock on 👊
> 
> The Heimdallr I recognize.
> 
> But the other brand I don't?


That second one is RDUNAE (also sometimes branded "Retangula"); of which each letter spells out the latin phrase 'rome wasn't built in a day'; or SOMETHING like that haha, iirc. solid watch and damn near gorgoeous 1:1 of the 6150-8000 Seiko diver. even annoyingly has 19mm lugs. but it's easily SKX level in quality, and even has a sapphire.

Rdunae link!

like 8505davids said, the WR Watch website is fun to click around, all the weird stuff they make. it's like 95% homages but the quality and prices are astounding.


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## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

Yeah - Rome wasn't BUILT in a day, but it burned DOWN in a day!


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> Both WR Watches brand names - they have a wide range of homages watches (under various brand names) mainly to Seikos but also other brands (CWard, Squale etc as well as the usual suspects) - cheaply priced but, boy, do you get a lot of watch for your money, depending on you view on homages of course! (though as this thread shows with the cheaper 60/70s skindivers thats not a new thing - only difference was it was likely Euro factories making them with obscure branded dials rather than the Chinese).
> 
> Their website is worth a visit even just to spend a while scrolling through all the watches (all homages I think) available!


Interesting. I didn't know all the following brands were within the *WR Watches* umbrella (WR Watches): *Iron*, *Hruodland*, *Rdunae/Retangula*, *Proxima*, *ApexRare*, *Fifty-Four* (I had one to kick off the thread!), *Heimdallr*, and *Shirryu*.

WR's listed address is in Dongguan, Guangdong, China.

The lion's share of the different brands' watch offerings seemed to be within the ~$200-300 range, with a few watches a little below and a few creeping up to around $500.

They offer lots of parts too: dials, bezels, cases, crowns, crystals, lumed date discs, chapter rings, hands, bracelets, straps, and buckles. A bit of a modder's paradise! Heck, they even offer Apple Watch modding parts, via iMod Watch (iMOD Watch | Mod all your Apple Watch with us today!).

I clicked through each of the brands, and the below were the skin diver-esque designs (very broadly defined per what's been posted before in the thread) that jumped out to me. Note that I didn't closely look at specs/sizings. But just throwing up links to keep the thread a hopefully (relatively) user-friendly resource for folks looking to get into the skin diver scene at any price point, modern or vintage.

*Iron Watch Vintage Sub Diver 6204* (vintage Rolex Submariner homage): Iron Watch Vintage Sub Diver 6204

*Hruodland Bronze BB V2* (Tudor Black Bay homage): Hruodland Bronze BB V2

*Hruodland FF Homage* (modern Blancpain Fifty Fathoms homage): Hruodland FF Homage and Hruodland FF Homage

*Hruodland Aqua-timer Homage* (somewhat unique diver design?): Hruodland Aqua-timer Homage

*Rdunae Vintage R3 Seahorse* (somewhat unique super compressor design?): Rdunae Vintage R3 Seahorse

*Rdunae R4 Fish Diver* (somewhat unique diver design?): Rdunae R4 Fish Diver

*Proxima 65 line* (a ton of Seiko 62MAS homage variants): Proxima

*ApexRare Christopher Ward Bronze Trident C65 Homage* (Christopher Ward C65 homage): ApexRare Christopher Ward Bronze Trident C65 Homage

*Fifty-Four 62MAS line* (a few Seiko 62MAS homage variants): Fifty-Four

*Heimdallr 62MAS line *(several Seiko 62MAS homage variants): Heimdallr

*Shirryu Vintage Diver *(vintage Blancpain Fifty Fathoms homage): Shirryu Vintage Diver

*Shirryu SBDC053 line* (several Seiko SBDC053 homage variants): Shirryu


----------



## mcmikey (Oct 25, 2014)

Wow! I’ve been trawling through all 24 pages the last few days. So much information and great photos. Just as I finished the postman delivered my Wolbrook - perfect timing! growing up in the 70s I always wanted a skin diver watch but I got there at last… been trying lots of different straps this morning. Here is a small selection


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mcmikey said:


> Wow! I’ve been trawling through all 24 pages the last few days. So much information and great photos. Just as I finished the postman delivered my Wolbrook - perfect timing! growing up in the 70s I always wanted a skin diver watch but I got there at last… been trying lots of different straps this morning. Here is a small selection[/ATTACH type="full"]16291565[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16291563[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16291562[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16291566[/ATTACH]
> ...


Welcome and congrats on the (what sounds like a long overdue skin diver) NWA! 

Wolbrook makes a great skin diver. I enjoyed my short time with one. 

Keep the strap fashion show shots coming as you get more acquainted with it! The classic H-ish skin diver case shape is quite the _strap_ monster; a _bracelet_ monster is more debatable 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mcmikey (Oct 25, 2014)

ck2k01 said:


> a _bracelet_ monster is more debatable


It certainly is a strap monster. A tropic is on the shopping list now  Tomorrow I shall dig out my bracelets and have a go with those!
Cheers
Mike


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## mcmikey (Oct 25, 2014)

A couple more strap pics with the Wolbrook. No luck with the bracelets yet unfortunately. It looks really good on a MN strap - better than I thought it would actually. And I thought I'd have a go with the Neil Armstrong connection - even though I’m not convinced of it myself…


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mcmikey said:


> A couple more strap pics with the Wolbrook. No luck with the bracelets yet unfortunately. It looks really good on a MN strap - better than I thought it would actually. And I thought I'd have a go with the Neil Armstrong connection - even though I’m not convinced of it myself…
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16293422[/ATTACH]
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16293421[/ATTACH]


Looking good. That Velcro(?) strap pairing looks quite cool 

Speaking of bracelets, did you grab the Wolbrook BoR bracelet? I remember it being a nice add-on. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mcmikey (Oct 25, 2014)

ck2k01 said:


> Looking good. That Velcro(?) strap pairing looks quite cool
> 
> Speaking of bracelets, did you grab the Wolbrook BoR bracelet? I remember it being a nice add-on.
> 
> ...


No I haven’t got the bracelet - I bought the watch off eBay because I wanted the red seconds hand which they don’t make anymore. I’ll pick up the Tropic for it but I think this will be a strap only watch.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mcmikey said:


> No I haven’t got the bracelet - I bought the watch off eBay because I wanted the red seconds hand which they don’t make anymore. I’ll pick up the Tropic for it but I think this will be a strap only watch.


Gotcha. All good: skin diver's certainly crush on all manner of straps, tropics included 🙌


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Interesting looking “modern riff” skin diver design as a first release from a new microbrand: Marin Instruments. 









MARIN INSTRUMENTS


Purpose built watches for land, sea, and air.




www.marininstruments.com





Called the Skin-Diver:



























Some more pics are available on their IG. 

W&W just posted a written and filmed hands on (which brought it to my attention):









Hands-On With The Upcoming Marin Instruments Skin-Diver - Worn & Wound


I don’t envy young brands looking to make their mark in the ~$1,000 dive watch category. Finding acceptance with a clean sheet design is no easy feat, and neither is producing a watch to a standard that can hold up amongst the titans of the genre. This hasn’t stopped a seemingly endless amount...




wornandwound.com





They note some minor wearability and usability niggles with the design. 

But it certainly does look pretty cool to my eye.

No comment on the pricing, per W&W:

_ The price, by the way, will be $895 at time of preorder and $1150 at full retail._


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## ffnc1020 (Apr 11, 2017)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ffnc1020 said:


> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211217/b09c8e8b94ea53951ff51707f8d8fd72.jpg[/IMG]


 trio!

Is that an OEM bracelet on the Shanghai?

I may have a Shanghai patiently waiting for me under the tree . . .


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## ffnc1020 (Apr 11, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> trio!
> 
> Is that an OEM bracelet on the Shanghai?
> 
> ...


No lol. The oem bracelet it comes with is terrible I threw that immediately in the trash, the one in the picture is from Dan Henry.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ffnc1020 said:


> No lol. The oem bracelet it comes with is terrible I threw that immediately in the trash, the one in the picture is from Dan Henry.


Both good to know, for Santa  Thanks!

Though Dan just confirmed for me that he doesn’t sell bracelets separately, so I gotta keep an eye out for a random flip of one, or else a decent alternative option 


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Another cool looking skin diver design forthcoming from a new start up, *ROIH* (Roots of Industrial Heritage), the Shek-O-matic, named after the Shek-O beach in Hong Kong.





























Ti case and bracelet, contemporary external specs (e.g.. sapphire crystal), and some interesting design elements (e.g., gold-plated crown, sand-textured dial). 

Most of the size specs sound good (39mm diameter, 13.4mm tall, 20mm lug width), though the l2l is a bit too long for me (50mm). 

NH35 on the inside. 

Kickstarter Super Early Bird price will be $329; retail will be $529.









ROIH : Roots of Industrial Heritage


' SHEK-O-MATIC ' Titanium Watch for skin divers




www.kickstarter.com





See also:



https://m.facebook.com/ROIHwatches/



@roihwatches on IG

Early video review:






If there were a no date and the l2l were shorter, I’d struggle to resist this one, as I otherwise really dig the look and modern materials. 


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## mcmikey (Oct 25, 2014)

I decided to upgrade my mechaquartz wolbrook to the Pro version with the hesalite crystal. I’ve seen pics on instagram of mechaquartz with hesalite crystal but it’s not on their website. I absolutely love it!


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mcmikey said:


> I decided to upgrade my mechaquartz wolbrook to the Pro version with the hesalite crystal. I’ve seen pics on instagram of mechaquartz with hesalite crystal but it’s not on their website. I absolutely love it!
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16316340[/ATTACH]


Rock on! Always nice to see Wolbrooks. 

—

Speaking of Wolbrook, on the mechaquartz chrono skin diver front (which makes me think of a Wolbrook), I just plopped down for a preowned *Forzo Drive King*, a line from a new company affiliated with WatchGecko/Geckota:









Drive King







www.forzowatches.com













FORZO Watches Work With Carl Fogarty To Design New Watches


The news that seven-time work motorbike racing champion Carl Fogarty is working with FORZO Watches on a new range of limited edition watches was announced this week. Launching exclusively on Kickstarter, these new watches come via a brand known as FORZO. FORZO is a part of the Geckota group who...




www.watchgecko.com





Thought to note it since I haven’t yet come across any watch blog reporting on the brand or model.

I had recently been thinking again about my primary use cases and preferences in an analog or digital watch: affordable; tool specs and design; modest size specs; chrono for timing daily life stuff (e.g., laundry); two time zones (family abroad, semi-frequent travel); and date (always losing track). 

My square G has the digital covered. 

I’d previously looked around for quartz analog offerings that checked all these boxes, but the few candidates I identified didn’t quite do it for me enough to pull the trigger for one reason or another.

I just came across the Forzo, and it seemed to check all my aforementioned boxes, plus some pleasant surprises:

-Affordable range

-Seiko mechaquartz chrono

-100m WR with screw-down crown

-Skin diver case shape (Seiko 14x-like) that’s primarily brushed but with some polished elements

-40mm diameter

-47mm l2l

-13.5mm tall with crystal

-(Presumably 20mm lug width but need to confirm)

-Drilled lugs

-Bi-directional 12-hour bezel

-Sapphire crystal with AR (looks blue)

-Textured dial (and a few color ways)

-Internal tachy scale

-Applied indices

-BGW9 (blue) lume

-Black date wheel at the 6

-Jubilee bracelet with solid end links

-Part of the Geckota family so may see additional bracelet options . . . 

I’m meh on the Anglophile text on the dial and case back. 

It was enough to take a flyer on a preowned to save a few bucks 

Will post back with thoughts and shots once it arrives!

Along with another interesting skin diver-esque watch I know Santa should be dropping off 


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## mcmikey (Oct 25, 2014)

I haven’t come across Forzo before - they look good. Interesting to see Foggy getting involved. And there I was preparing to join the 2022 WPAC…


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mcmikey said:


> I haven’t come across Forzo before - they look good. Interesting to see Foggy getting involved. And there I was preparing to join the 2022 WPAC…


Regrets 

Hopefully the Forzo will prove a nice modern day compliment to this guy:




















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## warsh (May 22, 2017)

I love this thread! It represents the best of WUS as members share their knowledge and enthusiasm with no snark or pointless arguing. Bravo!


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

warsh said:


> I love this thread! It represents the best of WUS as members share their knowledge and enthusiasm with no snark or pointless arguing. Bravo!
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Thanks for your kind comment!

Vintage and modern skin diver information and pics still seemed scattered around the interwebs and some epic skin diver collection IG accounts, so I'm always glad to hear that the WUS skin diver thread we've been collectively building here strikes as welcoming/inclusive, kind, and complementarily informative 🙌


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> . . . .
> 
> I may have a Shanghai patiently waiting for me under the tree . . .


Many thanks to those in the thread who put the Shanghai #114 Reissue on my radar!

*Prior thread research on the historical referents:*









Post your skin divers/skindivers!


Awesome! It seems that the classic skin diver case with coffin-style indices was a relatively common offering from several vintage brands. I love that multi-colored combined dive/12-hour bezel on the Zoretto! That variant is no longer available? https://www.zoretto-watches.com/dino Yep that...




www.watchuseek.com





*Specs and price of my reissued variant:*









New Shanghai army watch #114 reissue 24-jewel China's 1st ma






www.good-stuffs.com





*A helpful WUS thread post explaining the differences of my reissued variant vs. some of the earlier reissues, as well as translating the Chinese text:*









Shanghai #114


Anyone have experience with this piece? New Shanghai army watch #114 reissue 22-jewel China's 1st marine military diver At 37mm, the size seems especially intriguing, but for the features offered it seems a bit steep at $385.




www.watchuseek.com





In sum, mine differs from earlier reissues with respect to the

case back design (circular peripheral text and center text vs. no peripheral text and star and text in the middle).
bezel edging (vs. rounded).
number and spacing of some sets of minute dots on the bezel (e.g., three between 20 and 15 and 15 and 10, vs. four).
crown size (overall smaller with larger grooves and less dome).
movement jewel count (24 vs. 22).
applied Chinese logo (vs. printed).
printed English font style under the applied logo (different script style).
size/length of the applied hour markers (larger, cutting into the printed minute track).
length of the printed minute hashes (longer in between the applied hour markers).
hour and minute hands (angled tips vs. squared tips, tailed vs. no counterweights).
polished seconds hand with angled rectangle (vs. red and a non-angled rectangle).
beveled date window (vs. applied date window border).
date wheel font color (black vs. red).
lug width (19mm vs. 20mm).
bracelet (a quasi-BoR vs. an oyster-style).
I think that's all I've read and noticed thus far.

Some of the details on mine are more similar to the historical referents (e.g., handset), whereas some details from earlier reissues are more similar (e.g., red date wheel font color). But overall, I'd say the current reissue (mine) seems a bit more refined in several respects.

Case back translations reportedly read "60th Birthday of Shanghai Limited Edition Engraved" and "Shanghai Watch Co., Ltd. produced."

*Some Xmas pics:*




































































































*Initial impressions:*

Interesting Chinese military watch reissue. I think only my second truly Chinese watch (I had a HKED 1963 way back when). Mine is numbered on the case back (275 of 600). A thread link above shows another one of my variants, but without the numbering on the case back.
Neat vintage skin diver-esque design that's a bit angular. Overall style is akin to the *Technos Sky Diver* (see The Technos Sky Diver — A Proper Vintage Beauty). The IG account *skin_diver_lover* also has some good comparisons shots of the vintage referent and Technos Sky Diver. But the 114 is also different in all the details: e.g., case shape, bezel from the side, indices, and handset. I haven't come across any direct historical connection between Technos and Shanghai. I've read that the Sky Diver was released in the 1960s, and the 114 in the late 60s and into the 1970s, so my guess is that the designer(s) of the 114 took inspiration from the Sky Diver. But that's complete conjecture.
Modest vintage-y size specs (no calipers with me ATM, but see the Good Stuffs listing above). Wears great on my flat 6.5" wrist. Wholly polished case except circular brushing on the center of the case back.
Good lug downturn. 19mm lug width (seemingly a common lug width among vintage skin divers). Currently wearing it on a CheapestNATOstraps tropic strap. The OEM bracelet is interesting looking and presumably comfortable (not currently with me so no pics; see the Good Stuffs listing above). I was having difficulty resizing it, so I haven't worn it yet. I'm currently hunting for a rare bird 19mm Doxa-style beads-of-rice bracelet for a reasonable price. Either from a Dan Henry 1964 if I can find one from someone willing to part with just the bracelet (1964), based on a prior posting of the pairing in this thread (and as noted above, Dan recently informing me that he doesn't sell the bracelet separately). Or possibly trying an Uncle Seiko FOIS BoR with hollow end links if I can't source a Dan Henry 1964 bracelet (Beads of Rice Bracelet (Omega Speedmaster FOIS 19mm)).
Date magnifier on the underside (neat) of the domed acrylic crystal, for a black-on-white date wheel at the 3, with no border (but beveling) around the date window.
Interesting coin-edged (not Rolex-style) bi-directional countdown bezel (I believe my first countdown bezel, and also akin to the Sky Diver). It's painted wholly black and is very short (but coin edged so easy to grip). The friction fit (non-ratcheting) bezel is too loose, though (i.e., spins too easily; think some Vostok bezels with overly loose tension springs).
Signed screw-down crown. A somewhat gritty affair. Probably about 50m WR (see What was the first Chinese-Made Dive Watch?). 
Chinese automatic movement inside. Fairly smooth sweep. I appreciate the hacking and quick-set date (gratefully, _not_ Vostok-like).
Matte black dial. Applied Shanghai logo and primary indices, and printed text and minute hashes.
Polished handset.
Lume (glows green) is decent: applied on the indices (big plots), hands, and pip.
Perhaps overpriced for what it is ($385), but it is overall pretty neat, so I was willing to splurge a little on it to check it out in the metal.
I think that's all I've got to offer so far. All in all, it's pretty much what I was expecting. I dig it


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

And some wrist shots:





























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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

Shanghai makes a lot of cool vintage style watches. I have a 8120, which is really just a KonTiki knockoff.,


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> Shanghai makes a lot of cool vintage style watches. I have a 8120, which is really just a KonTiki knockoff.,
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16326954[/ATTACH]


Very fun!

Black dial 8120: Rare black Shanghai 8120 reissue nostalgic hand-wound mechan

White dial 8120: Rare white Shanghai 8120 reissue nostalgic hand-wound mechan

Blue dial 8120: Rare blue Shanghai 8120 reissue nostalgic hand-wound mechani


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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

ck2k01 said:


> And some wrist shots:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks awesome!! Congrats! 

🤿


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

I busted out the calipers and peeked under the hood this morning to confirm the size specs, gaskets situation, and movement inside of this v3 Shanghai #114 Reissue (there's an older v1 and v2, and a larger 42mm v4) over in a Shanghai #114 thread (lots of gratuitous photos posted over there to document the sleuthing):









Shanghai #114


I paid ¥2000RMB, they were initially asking ¥2600RMB Are you talking about the store near the last standing Shanghai Watch factory on the northeast side of Shanghai. I am talking about the little shop next to the factory entrance near a large walking bridge. Do you have the address? Perhaps it...




www.watchuseek.com





The short of it, for anyone curious.

*Measurements:* I measured (approximately) 37mm in diameter × 45mm l2l × 12mm tall × 19mm lug width.

*Gaskets: *There's at least three gaskets (case back, inside crown, and inside crown tube), such that WR is probably at least 50m.

*Movement: *The movement is a Shanghai Z2, an ETA 2824-2 clone, both of which are 25-jewel 28.8k bph movements, such that the reference to 24 jewels on the dial is an homage nod.


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## alas26 (Jul 18, 2014)

Not sure if this counts- but I love this thread!

















Serica 5303 on a grey UTE nato. The twin scale bezel is super useful for me. I literally do not take this thing off. 

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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

alas26 said:


> Not sure if this counts- but I love this thread!
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211231/487cd4b734a586d20141e819e14a4044.jpg[/IMG]
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211231/05a2817b92af2cf7d59ef1d40bcbf612.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> ...


Oh that definitely counts! (To date, we're going with more of a personal sense of _skin diver_ rather than any sort of singular definition, as such proved more or less impossible early on in the thread.)

The 5303 is such a cool mix of sleek and funky--a design aesthetic Serica is seeming to excel at thus far 

I love me a 12-hour bezel. But being given both a dive bezel and 12-hour bezel at the same time: 💪

And looks great on the grey Ute 👌

Lastly, glad you dig the thread! 👊


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## alas26 (Jul 18, 2014)

Agreed! This (and other skin divers alike) seems to be a strap monster. I’ve been cycling through so many different things which give different feel. So much fun 

What is that green Nato on your Shanghai?


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

alas26 said:


> Agreed! This (and other skin divers alike) seems to be a strap monster. I’ve been cycling through so many different things which give different feel. So much fun
> 
> What is that green Nato on your Shanghai?
> 
> ...


Great point! We should probably add _strap monster_ to our nebulous listing of hallmark _skin diver_ criteria 🙃

The Shanghai's lug width is 19mm (also seemingly not uncommon among vintage skin divers, in my experience thus far). I've actually got a bunch of cheap 19mm natos that I picked up for my Marathon Navigator, which has a weird 19.5mm lug width, and comes with an OEM 20mm single-pass nato that Marathon squeezes in there. I snipped them all into single passes.

I sourced them from *nato-international* on eBay:









NATO G10 Prem Ballistic PVD MoD RAF Military watch band strap Bonded IW SUISSE | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for NATO G10 Prem Ballistic PVD MoD RAF Military watch band strap Bonded IW SUISSE at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com





Based on my purchase history from the seller, their prices seem to fluctuate a little, but are seemingly always between just under to a little over $10, plus $3.50 for US shipping.


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)




----------



## Paxman (Apr 8, 2006)

I think this fits? Sorry about the date for those bothered. Pic taken yesterday.


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## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

Paxman said:


> I think this fits? Sorry about the date for those bothered. Pic taken yesterday.
> View attachment 16343982


Not the most legible, but man, I LOVE all of these (black, teal, gray) Midos!


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> [/ATTACH type="full"]16342526[/ATTACH]


Rad! Our first *Wakmann*, I believe.

I'm always grateful when others have already done all the research on an old brand 

*Brand history:*

Reportedly, the brand was founded by Icko Wakmann, originally from Russia, in 1943 in Portugal, and distributed luxury watches. 

Mr. Wakmann immigrated to New York City circa WWII, and in light of the Swiss Watch Import Act, the brand both produced and imported timekeeping instruments (e.g., cockpit clocks) and watches for the US military starting in the mid-1940s. The brand was variously registered as *Wakmann Watch Co. */ *Icko Wakmann* / *Wakmann*.

In particular, starting in the late 1940s, Wakmann became the official US importer for *Breitling*. 

Wakmann also imported other Swiss watches, such as *Charles Gigandet SA*, and produced Wakmann-branded watches, often using Breitling parts, *Valjoux* and *Lemania* movements, etc. (e.g., Wakmann didn't produce its own movements). 

The co-branded watches with *Gigandet* were intended to reflect a more affordable secondary line. There's also some backstory about Mr. Wakmann having cofounded a company with Charles Gigandet, *Rieder & Gigandet* / *Rieder-Gigandet & Cie */ *Rigi* / *Rigi Watch S.A.* / *Montres Rigi */ *Rigis*, in Solothurn, Switzerland, in the mid-1920s.

In addition to selling to the military, Wakmann also sold to the US government more generally, airline companies, and media companies. Interestingly, as Wakmann provided watches to the *Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)*, Wakmann may have assembled the earliest _Navitimers_ circa 1952 that only listed AOPA on the dial, with Breitling going on to sign Navitimer dials starting in 1954.

The relationship with Breitling persisted, via the joint creation of the Breitling Watch Corporation of America in New York (BWCA), through the 1980s. During the turmoil of the quartz crisis, both Wakmann and Breitling faded, though Breitling ultimately survived, and purchased and incorporated Wakmann or BWCA. 

Also of note on the skin diver front, Wakmann reportedly rebadged the *Alsta *_Nautoscaph 999_.

Mr. Wakmann himself retired in 1979 and passed away two years later in Miami.

Wakmann seems to be particularly well known for their aviation timekeeping devices and watches, and chronographs.









Wakmann – WatchesNorte Brand Series - Watches Norte


Wakmann Watch Company is an American watch company, created in 1943 by Icko Wakmann, a Russian of Jewish descent.




www.watchesnorte.es





Wakmann Watch Co – Watch-Wiki (translate to English)

https://watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=Charles_Gigandet_S.A. (translate to English)









The Vintage Corner - The Story of US-based Wakmann Watch Company


The story one of the largest Unknown watch brands of the 20th century... Revisiting Wakmann, America's answer to restrictions on Swiss watch imports.




monochrome-watches.com













Icko Wakmann, Breitling, and the Wakmann Watch Company


On 17 April 1981, the New York Times (in both the local and National editions) published the following obituary: Icko Wakmann, retired president of the Relide Clock Company in Manhattan and founder of the Wakmann Watch Company, died Saturday at his home in Miami Beach. He was 86 years old...




thewatchforum.co.uk










The Wakmann Watch Company — mentawatches.com


Wakmann represents one of the finest options available if in the market for a vintage watch at the more accessible end of the spectrum




mentawatches.com













Lessons in Wristory: What's a Wakmann? - Wound For Life


If you've ever asked yourself what the hell a Wakmann is, you can wonder no longer. Read up on a brief history of the pre-Quartz Crisis brand.




www.woundforlife.com










Wakmann - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club













These Beautiful Vintage Chronographs are the Unique Statement Your Wrist is Missing


We found 3 beautiful examples of sporty chronographs from the oft-forgotten brand Wakmann, known for a close relationship with Breitling.




www.gearpatrol.com










Wakmann Diver - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club










Wakmann


Wakmann




www.wakmann.ch





As we've seen with other brands that perished during the quartz crisis, the brand name appears to have been revived by a Hong Kong company, which produces the sorts of designs you'd imagine, and using tritium tubes:






Wakmann


Wakmann




www.wakmann.ch





There's also a different modern German company, *Torsten Nagengast*, that puts out a "Wakmann Edition," though there doesn't seem to be much if any connection:









Seahunter 3 - Wakmann Edition







torsten-nagengast.de













introducing: Wakmann Germany


Vintage mechanical watch enthusiasts are familiar with the gorgeous Wakmann triple calendar chronographs featuring the reputable calibre Valjoux 730. The company was originally based in New York, U…



www.watchprojects.com





Take a dive with the Seahunter 3 Wakmann Edition | 0024 WatchWorld 

*Some cool historical Wakmann ads:*






Wakmann Watch Documents


Clock and Watch Catalogs and Advertisements




clockhistory.com





*Google Images results reflecting a fair range of cool skin diver and other diver designs (different dials, different bezels, different handsets, different case shapes, skin diver chronograph, etc.):* 



wakmann dive - Google Search





wakmann skin diver - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Paxman said:


> I think this fits? Sorry about the date for those bothered. Pic taken yesterday.
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16343982[/ATTACH]


So 70s, so !

The Rainbow Diver has come up in passing in here before, but I think this is our first shot of it/the modern reissue 🙌









Post your skin divers/skindivers!


:D That batch includes, Baylor, Lucerne, Bercona, Chateau, Ingraham, Saxony & Orion. Some work...some don't. Chateau I previously posted what little I could then find about this one for the thread. https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/post-your-skin-divers-skindivers.5127581/post-52737606 I...




www.watchuseek.com


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## JLS36 (Feb 5, 2016)

Paxman said:


> I think this fits? Sorry about the date for those bothered. Pic taken yesterday.
> View attachment 16343982


Love this watch. 

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk


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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

German made Cold War era Ducado . Reminds me a ton of the Glashutte Spezimatic TS 200 . Same case and back . Dial looks very similar as well .


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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> [/ATTACH type="full"]16350575[/ATTACH]


🔥

Our third of the Glashütte Original Spezimatic Type RP TS 200 / SeaQ-esque dials, in addition to a prior Corvair and LOV.

--

Thanks also for getting the ball rolling with a little note about *Ducado *being German and around circa the Cold War, as it's the first time the brand has come up in the thread.

Not much was returned about the brand via Googling.

Mostly just a passing mention on TimeZone about the brand having been a premium brand of the "*Hermes+Hermes Company*," in Pforzheim, Germany, running PUW (Pforzheimer UhrenWerke; Google Translate of UhrenWerke = Clockworks) movements.






TimeZone : Vintage Watches Archive » Does anyone know much about Ducado Pforsheim?


Does anyone know much about Ducado Pforsheim?




forums.timezone.com





And a WUS thread with a passing mention of the brand having been registered as a Swiss brand in the 1950s.









Vintage Ducado watch. Curious on your opinions and what...


Hello all. I'm new here. I have a watch that I inherited from my father. No I'm not looking to sell it. But I am curious what people think it may be worth. It's approx. 70 years old. It's from Germany, has an Anker movement, solid gold band and bezel/back cover. It's an auto winder as...




www.watchuseek.com





Four word mark results were returned via a search for "Ducado" on Mikrolisk:

_Ducado_ registered by Jean Föllmi in Geneva, Switzerland on December 2, 1952.

_Ducado_ registered by DUbois Frères SA in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland on December 2, 1952.

(So the first two are seemingly one and the same.)

_Ducado Geneve_ registered by Jean Föllmi in Geneva, Switzerland on July 14, 1961.

(So presumably also connected to the first two.)

And finally, _Ducado H + H (with crown)_ registered by *Hermes & Hermes* in Pforzheim, Germany, with no date reported.

The logo on your dial is one and the same as that depicted for the last work mark. And the H + H of the logo fits the name Hermes & Hermes, of course.

Also, in the aforementioned WUS thread, the OP mentioned his Ducado, with the same logo on the dial, running an _Anker_ movement (also on your dial), a word mark also registered by Hermes & Hermes in Pforzheim, Germany, circa 1955.

I didn't immediately spot any word mark overlap among Jean Föllmi, DUbois Frères SA, and Hermes & Hermes. So I suspect that the two sets of Ducado are unrelated.

And all of this is to say, we're clearly looking here at the German Ducado brand within the gambit of Hermes & Hermes.

As an aside, I didn't see anything on Mikrolisk to suggest that Hermes & Hermes was related to _that_ Hermès. But don't quote me on that.

A Google Images search reveals a little bit of Ducado vintage dive watch goodness: a skin diver chrono, two three-hander skin divers (that Glashütte-esque dial and a 12-3-6-9 dial), and some 70s and 80s looking diver designs.



ducado dive - Google Search



An eBay listing for something close to your model (to my eye, same dial and handset, but different bezel, insert, and crown) mentions that its running a _PUW 1360_ movement:









Very rare DUCADO DIVER 20 ATM Automatic Germany All Steel Watch PUW 1360 ANKER | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Very rare DUCADO DIVER 20 ATM Automatic Germany All Steel Watch PUW 1360 ANKER at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com





Said movement has an entry on bidfun-db:






bidfun-db Archive: Watch Movements: PUW 1360







www.ranfft.de





Assuming the eBay listing is very similar to your variant and accurate, and the bidfun-db information is accurate, said movement is dated from 1963-1969, has 25 jewels, is ticking at 18k bph, and has an automatic rotor and manual winding.

As for the skin diver chrono, a prior listing mentions that it's running a Landeron 248 movement, the same movement found in my Tressa skin diver chrono (an unmarked Sea Tempest).









FS- Ducado vintage chronograph diver, Landeron 248, hang tag | WatchCharts


Ducado vintage chronograph diver. Landeron 248, excellent condition chronodiver with hang tag. Dive watch. Ducado was one of the brands of the Hermes+Hermes Company located in Pforzheim, Germany. It was their premium brand at the time. 39mm SS cas




watchcharts.com





As for other watch designs from the brand, see ducado watch - Google Search

And that's all I could come up with about Ducado ☑


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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> 🔥
> 
> Our third of the Glashütte Original Spezimatic Type RP TS 200 / SeaQ-esque dials, in addition to a prior Corvair and LOV.
> 
> ...


Thanks so much for bringing some light to the brand . My model has a different case back as well


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> Thanks so much for bringing some light to the brand . My model has a different case back as well
> View attachment 16357128


You bet!

Looking closer at the eBay listing, it’s got a movement marked PUW 1360, with the rotor being branded Elgin and a notation of 17 jewels. I should have been clearer that the Ranfft page for that movement mentions both 17- and 25-jewel versions.

Anyway, I don’t know how much of that listing is original Ducado, versus substitute replacement components.

The other three hander I came across has a case back like yours. 









Ducado - Duiker - Men - 1970-1979


Much sought after and large men's watch from the famous German brand ..... in good condition. The measurements are 36.5 x 44 mm (without the crown measured). The steel cupboard has the normal carrying gates ... but nothing remarkable. Steel click bottom .... fixed (non-rotatable) dive ring with...




www.catawiki.com





I love that said case back specifically refers to “RP TS 200,” like the Glashütte tends to be known. 

Without looking more into it, I presume several brands were sourcing the same case, which came to be known by those markings on the case back.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> You bet!
> 
> Looking closer at the eBay listing, it’s got a movement marked PUW 1360, with the rotor being branded Elgin and a notation of 17 jewels. I should have been clearer that the Ranfft page for that movement mentions both 17- and 25-jewel versions.
> 
> ...


Some Helbros of the same era had the same caseback . Definitely difficult to know what parts are original to the watch or not . So much improvising and swapping between venders . Either way , love these little sports watches


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

On the contemporary front, my secondhand Forzo Drive King chronograph recently came in, and IMO it’s sweet.

While probably overall more  than 🤿, it’s definitely got skin diver case vibes.

Like a Seiko SPB143 and vintage Heuer Autavias had a baby.





































Skin diver case with modern yet restrained dimensions, and 100m WR with a screw-down crown. Mecaquartz chronograph. Bidirectional 12-hour bezel. Date at 6. Blue Super-LumiNova. Affordable pricing. . . . All very “yes please” for me 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Electra skin diver . Pretty sure this was a brand name from the Lip watch company.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> Electra skin diver . Pretty sure this was a brand name from the Lip watch company. [/ATTACH type="full"]16358331[/ATTACH]


Fun case! Makes me think of a Vostok 060 case 









Vostok Watch Case 060


Complete set. Include case, glass, winding crown, bezel, caseback, rubber rings. Terms of Sale: Expected time of receiving from factory stock and sending the case - from one up to 3-4 weeks.




meranom.com





Also our first *Electra* 💪

And I don't think we've seen a dial quite like that before 

Thanks again for the helpful tip to aid the follow-up brand research reply.

1. Not to be confused with _Electa_, a typo of mine in Google which actually resulted in initially looking at stuff about a way-old brand acquired by the even way older Gallet & Company.

2. That initial brief false start was followed up by a Google search for "electra watch brand history" that resulted in some assorted listings of watches with "Electra" somewhere on the dial (often in seeming connection to separate brand names), and a few threads mentioning that "Electra" was a common dial marking variously employed by folks circa the 60s and 70s to try to capitalize on the demand leading for the new technologies of electric and quartz watches and the like.

E.g.,









Help identifying this watch?


This watch was my grandfathers. If needed, there's some writing on the face of the movement, which I can't decipher. If anyone could help me figure out the heritage of the piece, or the worth of the watch-- that'd be awesome! In the first photo, the number hidden by the hands is "23" Thanks...




www.watchuseek.com













WANTED! Help me find this watch! (Astromatic Zodiac sign...


Hi all, Firstly, let me start with a brief introduction; My name's Thom, feel free to call me by either Valksing or Thom throughout the forum :-). I am new to this forum and recently picked up the hobby of collecting watches. I particularly like unusual, strange and odd watches, that have a...




www.watchuseek.com





3. So on to Mikrolisk.

_Lip Electra_ was indeed a word mark registered by SA des Montres Lip in France at an unspecified date.

The other entries were

two for _Electra_ by Paul Serine (France, 1906) and Ditisheim & Cie. SA / Montres Vulcain / Fabriques Vulcain et Volta (Switzerland, 1935);
three for _Electra_ with figurative marks (logos) by P. Nicolet-Juillerat (Switzerland, 1894), Louis Hanson Co. (USA, 1930), and F.-Arnold Droz (Switzerland, 1901);
three for _Electra Hora_, _Electra Hora Junghans_, and _Pneu-Electra_ by Gebr. Junghans AG (Germany, 1928);
one for _Electra-Sonic_ by Bulova Watch Company, Inc. / J. Bulova & Cie. (Switzerland and USA, 1959); and
one for _Tradition Electra_ by Reusser SA / Montres Orvin (Switzerland, 1959).
4. I next ran a Google Images search for "electra dive watch" and "lip electra dive watch" and browsed around.



electra dive watch - Google Search





lip electra dive watch - Google Search



What got me scratching my head about the possible Lip connection is that the few entries that do clearly seem to be Lip watches are marked Lip somewhere on the dial, with "Electra" being in a slightly different font than the "Electra" on your dial.

There's also watches with "Electra" spelled out beneath a little figure mark of an e with a line through it in a box.

The two Google Image results I came across that seemed to match (or were a reasonably close match to) the "Electra" font on yours were

(1) same case, dial, and handset, but different bezel insert (but regrettably, a vague listing as to any other helpful details):









Stunning virtually NOS vintage 1970's Electra manual wind incabloc divers watch | #1000843392


For sale stunning virtually NOS Electra manual wind vintage divers watch in fully working condition. The watch has a stunning aluminum bezel with original lume pip and is bi-directional.. The all stai




www.worthpoint.com





(2) a diver chrono but also marked Swiss underneath (and I'm not sure the "Electra" font here exactly lines up, but it's overall close):









OHPF - 38.5mm Electra Big Eye Diver Chrono v7733 Poor Mans Autavia $1500


A neat and rare 38mm 1960s diver chrono with a unique "big eye" similar to some Heuers, UG and Dugena, and the bulletproof Valjoux 7733 manual wind...




omegaforums.net













Arrivals, What Did You Buy Recently?(Watches)


Very nice fat font black bezel for your 16750. Looks like it's faded to mostly matte now right? We will see...should pair well with the 16750.




omegaforums.net





5. Based on the uncertain Google Images results, I tried #electrawatch and #electrawatches on Instagram, and I saw a few other different models or variants with Electra somewhere on the dial, but the uncertainty as to the various "Electra" font matches persisted (plus, no one on IG had posted a shot of a watch using that case with either of those two tags).

So damn, I think I'm left  and defeated by that one 🙃


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Fun case! Makes me think of a Vostok 060 case
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It’s definitely a tough one for sure . The dial is sterile and so is the movement.


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)




----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Same model different bezel insert


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> Same model different bezel insert [/ATTACH type="full"]16359849[/ATTACH]


Word. Saw that one. But regrettably no additional clues/leads in the text of the listing :/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Just had a read of this great new take on the history of skin divers by someone I follow on the gram, accompanied by lots of -worthy pictures, including some rare skin diver s:









Other Watchy Bits: The Skin Diver


There was a rakish charm about early skin divers. You could almost imagine James Bond surfacing from a clandestine dive into hostile territory and then walking into a tuxedo to sip martinis with a …




calibre321.com






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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Monvis mini diver . 34mm case . Nice features like a screw down crown , hand winding and a roulette date wheel . Need to have the min hand relumed .


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> Monvis mini diver . 34mm case . Nice features like a screw down crown , hand winding and a roulette date wheel . Need to have the min hand relumed . [/ATTACH type="full"]16361967[/ATTACH]


Super . Handsome case, slick dial, neat hands . . . but that rad bezel steals the show for me! (Also cool to hear it has a roulette date wheel, which is a hip touch in line with that bezel.)

Thanks also for continuing to post new brands in the thread!

So *Monvis*.

A Google search revealed a few threads with folks posting the results of Mikrolisk searches, or peeks under the hood.









Any information on Monvis watches?


Hello, I own a Monvis chronograph and have been struggling to find any information on the company, or the watch. I had a little luck using google.it, but really haven't found much information at all. I recently sent it off to have it tuned up, as the spring seemed a little weak, and the...




www.watchuseek.com













Duxot ? Who are they?


Hi all I just acquired a pair of old Duxot divers. Rather ratty condition, but not too expensive and I like the dial designs. I haven't been able to find any information on Duxot ... other than the fact that most of them seem to show up out of Israel, and the seller says that many were issued...




www.watchuseek.com













Help with vintage Monvis Landeron 248 Chronograph


I have never seen anything like this. It has a great look and uses the Landeron Cal. 248. Anyone else here know anything about this "brand", or watch? Being sold for in the $500-600 range. Thanks




www.watchuseek.com






__
https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/9gkdn3

Mikrolisk indeed indicates that the word mark _Monvis_ (as well as _Monvis Compactum_, _Monvis Immortal_, _Monvis Magnum_, _Monvis Pratic_, _Monvis relief_, and _Monvis Watersafe_) were all registered in 1962 in Biel, Switzerland, by the manufacturer *Dux SA / N. Praz / Ipo SA*.

A bunch of additional word marks were also associated with Dux SA / N. Praz / Ipo SA, Dux SA / N. Praz, Dux SA / Narcisse Praz / Ipo SA, and IPO / N. Praz, variously registered in Biel between the 1940s and 1960s:

_Adam, Adeca, Adequate, Boldor, Carmen, Carmencita, Cheftain, Compacium, Compactum, Dux, Dux Corgémont Watch, Edil, Edilmatic, Eve, Evita, Evitex, Evox, Ewica, Ewiga, Falcon, Hawks, Feal, Fealty, globe, Golden Cup, IPO, IPO important persons only, IPO Important purchasers only, Immortal, Important Persons Only, Important Purchasers Only, Ipo, Iposa, Jox, Joxy, Mermaid, Paloma, Pratic, Rox, Rox Magnum, Rox relief, Roxy, Simos, Star winner, Superba, Superba, Tovac, Vox, Voxi, Watersafe, and Winner_.​
Google Images searches, and the Instagram hashtag #monvis, reveal a fair number of cool skin diver and 70s-esque dive watch designs from the brand, with some great dials, handsets, and bezel inserts:



monvis skin diver - Google Search





monvis dive watch - Google Search



They also put out some cool other designs, including some very cool looking chronographs:



monvis watch - Google Search





monvis chronograph - Google Search



I especially dig a skin diver chronograph with a plane icon at the 12 that @igorshv had posted on IG.


----------



## mcmikey (Oct 25, 2014)

ck2k01 said:


> Just had a read of this great new take on the history of skin divers by someone I follow on the gram, accompanied by lots of -worthy pictures, including some rare skin diver s:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have just read that article - an excellent and emotive history. Very enjoyable!


----------



## seikomatic (Jul 6, 2006)

100M WR or 50 could still be qualified as diver


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

While a quest for a BoR that may fit the Forzo continues,  mesh:











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## Luthier (Jan 7, 2009)




----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> While a quest for a BoR that may fit the Forzo continues,  mesh:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice looking watch - pity they don't do an auto version.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Cool new hip, minimalist, slightly beefy skin diver preorder from the British microbrand (around since 2016) *Isotope*, the _Hydrium Blue Night_:


















Hydrium Blue Night


The Hydrium Blue Night... We all have dreams, we all look for beauty and starry nights. Once upon a time, I had in my collection a black enamel dial watch. A strange dial, with black and blue reflections. It had its own life. It was also quite different from all others, very unique, very...




isotopewatches.com













Hands-On: Isotope Hydrium — An Incredibly Versatile Series Of Watches


✓ Jorg goes hands-on with the Isotope HydriumX "Will Return" and Hydrium Blue Night. ✓ A versatile aesthetic in two unique flavors! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com





It's great to see more and more microbrands offering "creative" twists on the archetypal skin diver "H" case silhouette, in addition to the more "serious" offerings that are now also quite commonplace.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> Nice looking watch - pity they don't do an auto version.


Thanks  

I was just talking to someone else about that today. 

I’m totally in a quartz phase ATM.

But I also completely get folks who aren’t 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mcmikey (Oct 25, 2014)

I just read this interesting article about restoring an old Skindiver 



https://www.beyondthedial.com/post/restoration-workbench-1968-legant-333ft-skin-diver/


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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Thanks
> 
> I was just talking to someone else about that today.
> 
> ...


I like all the moving bits combining to do the job..! Its a nice tidy looking watch though.


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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)




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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Michel Herbelin skin Calypso. Formally named Impec I believe


----------



## DVR (Oct 5, 2007)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mcmikey said:


> I just read this interesting article about restoring an old Skindiver
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.beyondthedial.com/post/restoration-workbench-1968-legant-333ft-skin-diver/


Thanks for sharing! A very interesting read about the service/rebuild. And also informative, with historical information about a brand we haven't yet seen in the thread, *LeGant*--which I've lazily reproduced verbatim below (all credit to the original source):

_*LeGant* was the watch brand of US-catalog retailer *Montgomery Ward* and was launched in 1968 using Swiss-sourced white label watches. During its lifetime, the brand included dress watches, chronographs and dive watches, all with highly-jewelled (compared to their domestic competition) Swiss movements. There were even some electric watches offered when that technology started to make in roads into the watch world. LeGant watches were available via mail order and were sold alongside Timex and LeJour in the catalog. The watch we have here is their 333ft skin diver sold in 1968 and 1969. Presumably, this model did not sell particularly well as it was replaced by a cheaper, less-jewelled *Dorset*-brand skin diver from 1970 onwards._​​_The skin diver was a well-established design style by the late 1960s. A flattish steel case with elongated lugs was topped with a narrow black rotating dive bezel surrounding a plain black dial with lumed markers and hands. Variations between different brands and models were not substantial, often limited to the design of the dial markers and hands. The hands on this LeGant example are particularly notable, having a rather striking, large arrow as an hour hand. _​​_Looking at the 1969 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalog, the LeGant was sold on a black tropic strap and was one of two skin diver watches available. At this point I have to mention the Muse Technical website which has painstakingly scanned the historical catalogs from Montgomery Ward as well as Sears and JCPenny. These companies sold all manner of goods, from cloths to housewares, electronics to boats throughout the 1960s and 70s to Americans via their mail-order catalogs. They were the Amazon of their time with very similar, sell everything, business models. The list price in 1968 was $25 which equates to around $200 in 2021. As a comparison, a roughly equivalent Seiko 70m diver was priced three times higher at $75 in 1969, so although being Swiss-made, these skin divers were decidedly low-end watches. Montgomery Ward did sell some more serious watches that in 1969 included a $50 Valjoux 7730 yacht timer and a $199 LeJour JURVAC-branded vacuum-sealed movement with a guaranteed accuracy for 5 years!_​​* * * *​​_The *Schild* company was an important Swiss *ébauche* (movement) manufacturer from the 1890s to the 1970s. Started by Adolf Schild upon his leaving Eterna, by the 1920s his company was the largest manufacturer of movements in Switzerland supplying many different watch maisons at all levels, include Jaeger-LeCoultre. A number of mergers and consolidations during the 1960s and the 70s led to A Schild becoming the largest partner in Ebauches SA which eventually merged with Eterna to create the ETA company as a reaction to the quartz crisis. This final consolidation completed the Schild family circle by reunifying the Schild movement company with the Eterna watch company again._​


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220117/76bc30a8d864e56096916d8660ed1886.jpg[/IMG]


Neat!

I hadn't heard of *Phorcydes* before. 

Reportedly a Chinese brand that put out a few homages, which for a time could be sourced on AliExpress. E.g.,









245.0US $ |PHORCYDES LIP 200m Dive Mechanical Men Watch Super C3 Luminous Ceramic Bezel Stainless Steel Watch Japan NH35 Automatic Watches|Sports Watches| - AliExpress


Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com




www.aliexpress.com










PHORCYDES LIP 200m Dive Mechanical Men Watch Super C3 Luminous Ceramic Bezel Stainless Steel Watch Japan NH35 Automatic Watches|Sports Watches| - AliExpress


Cheap Sports Watches, Buy Quality Watches Directly from China Suppliers:PHORCYDES LIP 200m Dive Mechanical Men Watch Super C3 Luminous Ceramic Bezel Stainless Steel Watch Japan NH35 Automatic Watches Enjoy ✓Free Shipping Worldwide! ✓Limited Time Sale ✓Easy Return.




www.aliexpress.com





I believe the LIP is also termed the _PH-2_ model. There's a few color ways, including a fun looking multicolored one:









PHORCYDES WATCHES - Any Info?


They are game-planning a 39mm Explorer II hom that looks really interesting. I am wondering if anyone here has any experience / reports with the company? It seems they have a minimal web presence (no IG, only FB) Link if anyone is interested...




www.watchuseek.com










Phorcydes watches? Any experiences?


Seems like another Steeldive / San Martin / Merkur company but I do like what they do. So much so I ordered the PH 2 (homage to LIP Blancpain 50 fathoms as seen here https://www.xupes.com/magazine/article/2017/11/30/investment-pick-sixties-era-blancpain-lip-fifty-fathoms...



forum.tz-uk.com




















A bigger boy, size wise, and running an NH35.

--

About the original *Blancpain *referent, reportedly the *LIP* co-branding signaled that it was for the French market. (Blancpain was reportedly still a relatively small brand then, whereas LIP had many sales outlets.) The OG model is reportedly the _Rotomatic Incabloc 13300_, or _MOV-01-131.01 – Fifty Fathoms LIP small model #817906_, produced from 1954 to 1956, and including a variant with a humidity indicator.

It reportedly differed from the military Fifty Fathoms in being smaller (35mm) and using less radioactive lume (also interestingly, LIP had furnished some prototype watches for the French military that weren't well received, after which LIP dismissed further military dive watch development for a time, doubting such would be worthwhile). The watch reportedly ran a Blancpain-Lip R108 movement by *Ebauches SA*.









Investment Pick: Sixties-Era Blancpain LIP Fifty Fathoms


The dawn of the dive watch, the Blancpain-LIP connection, and what makes the Fifty Fathoms a decent long-term bet.




www.xupes.com













Blancpain Fifty Fathoms LIP


Blancpain Fifty Fathoms LIP for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com













Blancpain - History as Told by Those That Pioneered It - Watches of Switzerland


It is with great pleasure that we announce the upcoming exhibition of…




www.watchswiss.com










Blancpain, Fifty Fathoms, Rotomatic Incabloc, retailed by LIP, case no. 17670, made in the 1960s


Blancpain, Fifty Fathoms, Rotomatic Incabloc, retailed by LIP, case no. 17670, made in the 1960s




www.iconeek.com










Jewellery and Watches | Sale n°1759 | Lot n°442 | Artcurial


BLANCPAIN / LIP FIFTY FATHOMS vers 1950 Rare et belle montre bracelet de plongée en acier. Boîtier rond, fond vissé, lunette tournante. Cadran noir avec index et chiffres arabes appliqués, trotteuse centrale. Mouvement automatique. Cadran, boîtier et mouvement signés. Diam : 35 mm...




www.artcurial.com





For some other Blancpain-LIPs, see:









Blancpain LIP Fifty Fathoms


Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Signed by LIP for sale via analog/shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com













The Naked Watchmaker


Fifty Fathoms The original divers watch.




www.thenakedwatchmaker.com







http://www.db1983.com/our-archive/blancpain-lip-fifty-fathoms-1954











Blancpain Fifty Fathoms – Unsigned


LIP Blancpain watches were not the first dive watches on the market when they were introduced in 1953. They were, however, the most modern dive wristwatches at that time. The reliability and compactness of Fifty Fathoms models, which were originally designed for military use, became legendary...




professionalwatches.com













Blancpain - A nice vintage Lip Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Rotomatic Incabloc.


Watchprosite- Another vintage Fifty Fathoms I missed, some years ago, with big regrets. I made two mistakes. The first mistake is to have let my Lip Blancpain Fifty Fath



www.watchprosite.com













Blancpain A rare and large stainless steel automatic diver's...


Blancpain. A rare and large stainless steel automatic diver's wristwatch with sweep centre seconds, date and bakelite bezel SIGNED




www.lotsearch.net










mentawatches.com — LIP - "Patent" Blancpain Diver —


In the early 1950s, an elite unit of the French Navy, responsible for their own diving equipment and not satisfied with any of the current diving watches




mentawatches.com







blancpain lip - Google Search


----------



## rschmidt97 (Aug 10, 2018)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> Michel Herbelin skin Calypso. Formally named Impec I believe [/ATTACH type="full"]16378156[/ATTACH]


Always with the cool obscure brands of which I've never heard 👊 

Fortunately, there's a decent amount of information available about the brand, *Michel Herbelin 😅*

In short, a French brand (specifically from Charquemont, France) started in the late 1940s by its namesake, with a history of private label watch making, a pivot to quartz, fashion watches, etc. The brand's first model was indeed reportedly the IMPEC (for_ impeccable_), I believe a dress watch (or line of dress watches, which makes sense circa the late 1940s).

The brand is still around today, currently run by the founder's grandsons.









Montres Françaises Hommes & Femmes | Site Officiel Herbelin


Jusqu'au 31/12 : Profitez de la garantie 5 ans offerte sur toute la collection. Site Officiel Herbelin. Maison horlogère française fondée en 1947. Montres pour hommes et femmes. Laissez-vous inspirer par l'élégance et les modèles exclusifs.




www.michel-herbelin.com













Michel Herbelin Watches


Michel Herbelin - watches




michelherbelin.com.au













A French Favourite: Michel Herbelin


I don't believe I have yet written a forum topic on a French watch company and it is quite refreshing to do so now. The subject of this topic came to me when after rummaging through a 50P box at a boot sale, I came across a sad-looking Michel Herbelin watch which I felt needed to be rescued...




thewatchforum.co.uk













Michel Herbelin — Wikipédia







fr.wikipedia.org













HISTORY. Michel Herbelin starts his own company. His technical knowledge combined with rigorous methods enables him to create high quality watches. - PDF Free Download


CATALOGUE FROM SEPTEMBER HISTORY 1947 saw the foundation of French Watchmaking company Michel Herbelin, which this year celebrates its 70th birthday. Each watch carries a timeless design that




lawsdocbox.com













Michel Herbelin — en marche! - WatchPro USA


France's biggest independent watchmaker wants its family values to appeal to partners world-wide.




usa.watchpro.com













MICHEL HERBELIN


MICHEL HERBELIN is an Independent, Family-Run, Traditional French Watchmaking Company that manufactures exceptional timepieces. As well as a name and a brand, Michel Herbelin is also a durable and …




masterhorologer.com










Michel Herbelin: a short history


This French watch brand began its story in 1947 in the French mountains of Charquemont. Michel Herbelin, an advocate of traditional and fine watch making, decided to set up his company as a stand against the newer, mass production of watches that was becoming popular at the time. The now...




www.wantedonline.co.za













In Focus: Michel Herbelin


If like us you’re based in the UK, there’s a chance that you might not have come across Michel Herbelin before. Well, outside of fine horological publications such as ours, of course. If you were in France however, there’d be no chance, seeing as on home turf it’s the biggest watch brand there is.




oracleoftime.com













The History Of Michel Herbelin Watches - First Class Watches Blog


Michel Herbelin is amongst the most popular French watchmakers. The brand’s high-quality and elegant design, combined with unprecedented precision create an irresistible timepiece. These timepieces are a must-have in any French watch connoisseurs collection. Spanning more than 70 years, the...



www.firstclasswatches.co.uk













Lets Celebrate 30 Years Of Newport With Michel Herbelin


I wear wrist watches because they are the only accessories I wear on my wrist. I love them with roman numbers and leather straps. They are simply an expression and extension of who I am. Watch lovers as well as watch brands understand that smart phones...




www.liferetreat.co.za













Hidden gem of French horology - Michel Herbelin, Charquemont


Dear readers, in the world of French know-how, we can count from wine to perfume making, then from couture to leather-goods with our ten fingers, but there is one category which has been neglected most of the time, is the French watch-making, in a way it is pretty fascinating to me as we tended...




www.mymoderndarcy.com













Montres Françaises Hommes & Femmes | Site Officiel Herbelin


Jusqu'au 31/12 : Profitez de la garantie 5 ans offerte sur toute la collection. Site Officiel Herbelin. Maison horlogère française fondée en 1947. Montres pour hommes et femmes. Laissez-vous inspirer par l'élégance et les modèles exclusifs.




www.michel-herbelin.com





--

Back in the day, they put out some slick looking skin divers, including some with squared lugs, Aquastar-esque indices, roulette date wheels, tonneau cases, pillow cases, model names like _Sous Marine_ (_underwater_), etc.:



Michel Herbelin vintge dive - Google Search





Michel Herbelin skin diver - Google Search



Mikrolisk doesn't provide a listing of model names--just the Michael Herbelin word mark registered by Michel Herbelin S.A in Charquemont, France.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

DVR said:


> [/IMG]https://i.imgur.com/r05og5z.jpg[/IMG]


What more need be said? While we've seen several watches from several brands reminiscent of the Glashütte Original Spezimatic Type RP TS 200, I believe this is our first actual SeaQ posting 👊


----------



## DVR (Oct 5, 2007)

ck2k01 said:


> What more need be said? While we've seen several watches from several brands reminiscent of the Glashütte Original Spezimatic Type RP TS 200, I believe this is our first actual SeaQ posting 👊


FYI:








Post your skin divers/skindivers!


To me a skin diver has to have the squared lugs and the typical side profile. I own two such watches. SeaQ and SLA17.




www.watchuseek.com


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

DVR said:


> FYI:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


second* 

The Panorama date looks like some fun 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

Be nice if Phorcydes would bring back their LIP at 38mm, particularly that 3 color (blue, green, white) version.


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## alas26 (Jul 18, 2014)

rschmidt97 said:


> View attachment 16385548


What size diver 65 is this? I love these!


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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

ck2k01 said:


> Neat!
> 
> I hadn't heard of *Phorcydes* before.
> 
> ...


Well made and a great value. The thin bezel allows for a big dial. It’s a shame they are no longer available.


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## superstr (Aug 26, 2015)

Aerotec Forte Ti Diver

*Inspired by the 70s iconic dive watch, a tribute to the legendary Porsche Design Ocean 2000 Titan.*


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

superstr said:


> Aerotec Forte Ti Diver
> 
> [/SIZE=6]*Inspired by the 70s iconic dive watch, a tribute to the legendary Porsche Design Ocean 2000 Titan.*[/SIZE]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16390497[/ATTACH]


Lovely color way (plus several others). Cool design, ti case, fun case back with the little diver helmet porthole, great size specs, Miyota 9015, and other little flourishes. And all for super reasonable pricing.

Thanks for the heads up, and good luck with the campaign!


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## DaleEArnold (Nov 7, 2008)

A ReBadged ROAMER STINGRAY .Roamer company in the early 70's had to expand sales allowing Seth Thomas "The Clock" Company to sell them under the Seth Thomas name.
Has the Roamer Back and Crowns as well..


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## superstr (Aug 26, 2015)

ck2k01 said:


> Lovely color way (plus several others). Cool design, ti case, fun case back with the little diver helmet porthole, great size specs, Miyota 9015, and other little flourishes. And all for super reasonable pricing.
> 
> Thanks for the heads up, and good luck with the campaign!


Thanks a lot!

Kickstarter Pre-Launch Live!


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## ffnc1020 (Apr 11, 2017)

I definitely have a type.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ffnc1020 said:


> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220126/24cd04f41a9b99541438772b9cf4b15f.jpg[/IMG]
> I definitely have a type.


Those two “then and now” pairs = 

The vintage examples are impressively   


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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




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## Paxman (Apr 8, 2006)

This Manchester Watch Works 62MAS is quickly becoming a favorite. Who needs the real deal?


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Paxman said:


> This Manchester Watch Works 62MAS is quickly becoming a favorite. Who needs the real deal?
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16397721[/ATTACH]


Nice to see the whole MWW package (🙌), as I had sourced just the dial for my first ever skin diver mod (first thread post 👈).


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

The Forzo doing its thing on a *WMT* BoR bracelet I took a gamble on fitting (the _Blackfin_ model end links did!)






Stainless Steel Bracelet ( 7 Links )







www.wmtwatches.com










Blackfin – ( Aged Edition ) Metal Bracelet + Black Nato Strap


WMT BLACKFIN Here is a lightweight and slim divers watch, inspired by classic skin divers. WMT BLACKFIN brings you a comfortable wearing experience with classic chic. A slim aged case(14.4mm thickness), double domed acrylic crystal, a thin 2-way rotating bezel and a combo of steel bracelet +...




www.wmtwatches.com









































But the Wolbrook bracelet I first tried, no go. (Too bad as the angled beads may have been 👌 with the Drive King's angled indices.)









Beads of Rice Bracelet Steel


This steel color beads of rice bracelet by Wolbrook watches is a modern interpretation of the classic watch bracelet of the 1960s. Fully brushed, 316L Stainless steel⁠, Double lock solid deployant clasp, Lug width: 20mm and Buckle width: 16mm




wolbrook.com


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

DaleEArnold said:


> A ReBadged ROAMER STINGRAY .Roamer company in the early 70's had to expand sales allowing Seth Thomas "The Clock" Company to sell them under the Seth Thomas name.
> Has the Roamer Back and Crowns as well..
> 
> [/IMG]https://i.postimg.cc/BvW7s71x/9-A25350-E-37-B0-4-FE9-9-A7-C-196-E7-BB7-D0-F8.jpg[/IMG]
> ...


Circling back around to our first *Roamer* (and by extension, *Seth Thomas*). Thanks for providing some notes to get me started with the follow-up research 🙌 

Fortunately, these websites collectively provide good coverage of the *Roamer* brand history (from Solothurn, Switzerland, dating quite far back, and still around today in some form, in the same locale, though now partially Asian-company owned); models, movements; advertisements; etc.:



Vintage Roamer Watch Site





https://vintagewatchinc.com/roamer/








Roamer [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net





Modern version of the brand:









Roamer of Switzerland | Swiss Made watches since 1888


Only official Roamer retailers are allowed to sell and maintain a Roamer watch. With the necessary skills, technical know-how and special equipment, they guarantee the authenticity of each and every part of your Roamer and help make the choice that will last a lifetime. Our strong brand history...



roamer.ch





Their vintage diver lines were the _Stringray_ and _Rockshell_; both lines used several different case shapes over time. For more about these lines, and some additional variants (including some rare ones), see the above links, and see also:









ATG Vintage Watches - Information


ATG Vintage Watches




atgvintagewatches.com





I'm particularly drawn to what seems to be the most popular vintage model, the _Stringray Chrono-Diver_, as well as the _Jet Time_ variant. Different variants used different Valjoux movements (column wheel and cam-lever).

After looking at them for a while for this reply, all that funk is really growing on me. And very detailed (e.g., unique case design, cool 70s dial design, and "r" signed crystal).









#TBT Roamer Stingray Chrono Diver


#TBT on Fratello Watches returns with a look at one of the coolest, most unique vintage chronographs, the Roamer Stingray Chrono Diver!




www.fratellowatches.com













Roamer Stingray Jet Timer Chronograph


Roamer Stingray Chronograph for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




shop.analogshift.com





Also neat to see the quirky way that the movement pops out of the case, with case back, crown, and pushers still attached. See, e.g.,



https://www.crazywatches.pl/roamer---stingray---chronograph-1970--s



_Google Images_:



roamer dive watch - Google Search



--

Interestingly, though, the very informative links above make little to no mention of the *Seth Thomas* *Clock Company* branding. With Seth Thomas being an American company, based on what we've previously seen in the thread with other co-brandings, presumably the relationship was to facilitate importation and distribution of Swiss Roamer watches in the US.

Some Seth Thomas brand history links:






History of Seth Thomas Clock Company


Brief history of the Seth Thomas Clock Company and the antique clocks they made.




clockhistory.com













Seth Thomas Clock Company - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org







Seth Thomas Clock Company History - Antique Clocks Guy: We bring antique clocks collectors and buyers together. Always the highest quality antique clocks available.





Seth Thomas Antique Clocks - Company History



_Google Images_:



roamer seth thomas - Google Search


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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## absoludicrous (Dec 20, 2009)

ARMADUK said:


> Many hours of filing, sanding and bending later Uncle Seikos Pogue bracelet and mainly it's endlinks finally fit like a glove. Me happy big time
> 
> View attachment 15447725


looks great, in all seriousness. How much work was it? I’d like more info as I’m genuinely considering the same for one of my skin divers with the same case and 19mm lugs


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## ARMADUK (Oct 26, 2015)

absoludicrous said:


> looks great, in all seriousness. How much work was it? I’d like more info as I’m genuinely considering the same for one of my skin divers with the same case and 19mm lugs


Thank you! I'll take a bracelet over strap any time so finding a suitable bracelet was a must, Uncle Seikos have ideal proportions, is well made and is reasonably prices so no brainer. Took me about 3 hours, I admit a filer I had available was hella old and dull that's why it took so long, my fingers where screaming for mercy in the end 😄 With a grinding wheel it would be probably 10-20 minutes.

Lower edlink was a bit loose here, it might be good to grind it some more so it goes into the case a bit more but I don't want to overdo it and ruin it, not sure if Uncle Seiko sells endlinks separately


----------



## absoludicrous (Dec 20, 2009)

ARMADUK said:


> Thank you! I'll take a bracelet over strap any time so finding a suitable bracelet was a must, Uncle Seikos have ideal proportions, is well made and is reasonably prices so no brainer. Took me about 3 hours, I admit a filer I had available was hella old and dull that's why it took so long, my fingers where screaming for mercy in the end 😄 With a grinding wheel it would be probably 10-20 minutes.
> 
> Lower edlink was a bit loose here, it might be good to grind it some more so it goes into the case a bit more but I don't want to overdo it and ruin it, not sure if Uncle Seiko sells endlinks separately
> View attachment 16422890


Nice work. I agree that a bracelet looks great on an old skin diver. Question, did you file the edge that is making contact with the case presumably because it was too long?


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## ARMADUK (Oct 26, 2015)

absoludicrous said:


> Nice work. I agree that a bracelet looks great on an old skin diver. Question, did you file the edge that is making contact with the case presumably because it was too long?


Yes that's what was the only thing needed adjusting, they where about 1-1,5m too long for my watch, also needed to shape them into the lugs near the case as it is very slightly curved at the corners.


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## absoludicrous (Dec 20, 2009)

Incoming Orvin diver. Will follow up with better pics when it’s on wrist. 36mm, A. Schild hand wound. 🤞


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## mcmikey (Oct 25, 2014)

I know the Wolbrook skin diver has already been covered in this thread, but I just came across an old thread from 2018 from someone who had one back in the day and asking for info. Some great photos too! Wolbrook World Time manual wind watch - any info?


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## absoludicrous (Dec 20, 2009)

absoludicrous said:


> Incoming Orvin diver. Will follow up with better pics when it’s on wrist. 36mm, A. Schild hand wound. 🤞


Watch arrived today, and much to my surprise it was even better looking in real life than the seller's photos. That's always nice. Outside of scratched plexiglass it's basically in mint condition with no corrosion or pitting on the plated case. Not bad for a watch from 1968. Also found the watch in a Sears catalog from 1968. Cool! 20mm lugs make the 36mm case wear better and help with proportions. Fun little watch that I plan to keep.

Enjoy the weekend!


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Seiko SBDC101 off to a new home (I've been sort of downgrading lately) .

But in other news, 🌨 + Forzo Drive King + WMT BoR:


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## superstr (Aug 26, 2015)

Aerotec Forte Ti Diver Inspired by the 70s iconic dive watch


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## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

Don’t know as this qualifies as a skindiver, but it kinda looks like one. Vostok 170894.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BigBluefish said:


> Don’t know as this qualifies as a skindiver, but it kinda looks like one. Vostok 170894.
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16439642[/ATTACH]


Love me some Vostok 

Which reminds me: I’ve got a Vostok “skin diver” project that has been sitting around as parts for some time now, which I really need to take an hour to throw together. 


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## vmgotit (Apr 27, 2017)

In my opinion, the Seiko 7548 is a fun well designed Watch. Vance.


----------



## JLS36 (Feb 5, 2016)

This one looks pretty cool. Photo is from their website. Movement choice is not ideal.





VCW edition – official.pookwatches.com







official.pookwatches.com













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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

These two forthcoming skin diver designs randomly popped up on my YouTube feed:






I’d never heard of the small Italian microbrand *HTD (Watch Instruments)* before:



https://www.htdwatchinstruments.com/home





https://www.htdwatchinstruments.com/noi



The two forthcoming _Aquatic_ variants look pretty rad:



https://www.htdwatchinstruments.com/aquatic



Sort of a Nodus Sector Dive meets Oris Divers 65.

Not the best bang for buck I’ve ever seen. But pretty cool looking regardless.




















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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Another upcoming release that popped up on IG for me. 

This one with a very quirky dial and “handset,” and hybrid dive/world time bezel (all with rad lume).

From a microbrand seemingly based in Connecticut, *Arethusa*, and their _World Diver_, in carbon, black, and blue.



















Early bird pricing was particularly attractive, though the current price of $399 isn’t too bad.









ARETHUSA Watches | Engineered for Explorers


ARETHUSA is a boutique watch company specializing in contemporary, adventure focused watches that are engineered for explorers. We develop unique, modern designs while paying tribute to the classic design queues of the past. Our philosophy is simple: your adventure watch should not cost more...




www.arethusawatch.com













About | ARETHUSA Watches


Carrying the legacy of the decorated light cruiser HMS Arethusa (26), AWC designs robust travel and dive watches optimized for the modern explorer. The ship's motto Celeriter Audax ("swift and audaciously") embodies ARETHUSA's passion for bold timekeeping.




www.arethusawatch.com













Design & Quality | ARETHUSA Watches


ARETHUSA watches are developed using rendering software, 3D simulation, and ultra-modern manufacturing equipment.




www.arethusawatch.com






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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

Yikes HTD. I guess they can lower prices later when the watches are actually in stock. $715 USD interest free loan for a watch made in PRC with a miyota. That is more expensive than a Certina DS PH200M. Spaceboy looks like a mix of Omega and Oris.

“The Aquatíc SpaceBoy is the new "Sfrecciante" for those who want the submersible dashboard on their wrist. Tested to the extreme it gives its best.”


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## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

At less than 10mm thick, a 100 meter depth rating, a bi-directional bezel, and a non-screwdown crown, I'd call this a Skin Diver if ever there WAS one!


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

TheGanzman said:


> At less than 10mm thick, a 100 meter depth rating, a bi-directional bezel, and a non-screwdown crown, I'd call this a Skin Diver if ever there WAS one!
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16445401[/ATTACH]


SO 60s (err, late 50s 😉), so cool 🤩

Good write up on and pics of the history of the *Breitling* _Superocean_ line from Breitling themselves:





__





Breiting Superocean - How it all began | Breitling US


From the idea to the first Superocean from Breitling. Learn more about the development of the legendary Superocean.




www.breitling.com





See also:









Breitling Superocean Buying Guide - Bob's Watches


The Breitling Superocean is the brand's collection of professional dive watches. Here is everything that you need to know in a quick and handy buying guide.



www.bobswatches.com





Hard not to love the modern '57 reissue as well!









In-Depth Review: Breitling Superocean Heritage '57


We take a long look at the Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 where I'll attempt to convince you that it's worth a try. We don't deserve the Breitling




www.fratellowatches.com


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Another upcoming release that popped up on IG for me.
> 
> This one with a very quirky dial and “handset,” and hybrid dive/world time bezel (all with rad lume).
> 
> ...


Decided to jump on the Arethusa World Diver for some contemporary skin diver fun. A tall boy, but otherwise seemed to check all my boxes.

It'll be an interesting counterpoint to a Seestern 62MAS homage I also have incoming. I'll only hang on to one, as the more affordable substitute for my recently moved on SBDC101. So we'll see which speaks to me more.

Also, the decision was prompted by a review of the Arethusa here: 




Which included a discount code to get the price back down some to $329. The discount code is _chillin_, in case anyone is interested.


----------



## mui.richard (Aug 13, 2014)

Yema Superman Heritage Bronze 39mm


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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

ck2k01 said:


> Decided to jump on the Arethusa World Diver for some contemporary skin diver fun. A tall boy, but otherwise seemed to check all my boxes.
> 
> It'll be an interesting counterpoint to a Seestern 62MAS homage I also have incoming. I'll only hang on to one, as the more affordable substitute for my recently moved on SBDC101. So we'll see which speaks to me more.
> 
> ...


My bet is Seestern will win. Hard to beat a lumed date wheel.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Another cool looking skin diver design forthcoming from a new start up, *ROIH* (Roots of Industrial Heritage), the Shek-O-matic, named after the Shek-O beach in Hong Kong.
> 
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211217/7864ac4181ee05c1c8ebb516e85df224.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> ...


As an update, the Kickstarter campaign for the *ROIH SHEK-O-MATIC* titanium skin diver just launched this morning:









ROIH : Roots of Industrial Heritage


' SHEK-O-MATIC ' Titanium Watch for skin divers




www.kickstarter.com





A few more super early birds left for $329, then up to $359 for early bird, then $399, and finally $529 at retail (assuming the campaign is successful).

I'd very likely be in if it weren't for the head scratcher 50mm l2l on a 39mm diameter watch. (I'd also probably prefer a no-date).

Another first impressions and review of it has also come out on YT:


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

absoludicrous said:


> Incoming Orvin diver. Will follow up with better pics when it’s on wrist. 36mm, A. Schild hand wound. 🤞
> 
> View attachment 16426242


Regrets on the delay on acknowledging our first *Orvin*!

About the name Orvin, per Wikipedia: Orvin - Wikipedia

_Orvin is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland._​
The Orvin brand, in its modern form, has a website; I presume it's a revival situation (I couldn't tell out of where the current brand is based): Orvin | Vintage Swiss Watches For Men

Their about us/who we are page is actually pretty helpful (i.e., more specific than the odd forum post with brief suggestions about the brand's history, though all sources are roughy consistent). And said page includes some neat pics of old adverts, including in an embedded Youtube video:









Who We Are


Once upon a time, in the Canton of Bern in Switzerland in 1941, where the French-speaking municipality of Bernese Jura is located, a watchmaking genius focused on making luxury timepieces was born: Orvin. However, in three decades of existence, not a single Orvin watch was sold in Europe: Orvin...




orvinwatchesofficial.com










Per that page:

_Once upon a time in the Canton of Bern in Switzerland in, in 1941, where the French-speaking municipality of Bernese Jura is located, a watchmaking genius focused on making luxury timepieces was born : Orvin. However, in three decades of existence, not a single Orvin watch was sold in Europe: Orvin watches were sold exclusively in the United States, by Sears and Roebuck, who were holding exclusive trademark for Orvin. During this time, there were essentially two movements produced by Orvin, the less sophisticated but equally reliable inexpensive mechanism by Ebauche, and the more highly regarded movement from Cortebert with an import code of XOS. But quickly, these two movements created a deep internal conflict with the brand's essence: Orvin's luxury watches with the high quality movement were getting a lot of traction, and Orvin watches were starting to build a solid reputation among watch enthusiasts and fanatics, while the cheaper Ebauche movement watches starter diluting Orvin's DNA built around engineering excellence and mechanical precision, although they were selling really well amount enthusiasts with small pockets._​​_That is when it was made clear that authenticity and high quality pay more than mere looks and mass appeal. Orvin decided to drop the cheaper movement, and direct all efforts towards producing the highest possible quality watches, as customary for 20th century Swiss watchmakers. This proved to be the right decision: For the second half of the 20th century, Orvin started producing reliable tool watches, and has distinguished itself as a watchmaker and supplier for 17 Jewels Swiss-Made manual wound anti-magnetic shock-resistant military-style gent's wristwatches._​​_However, in the 1970s, as the market grew more competitive and Japanese watchmakers joined the scene, Orvin started to rapidly lose market shares, sales dropped drastically and eventually, production stopped completely. _​​_Fast forward a few decades, Orvin makes it back to the watchmaking arena, with the same formula that drove its success in the 20th century : authentic high quality vintage style watches, because, yes, they kept the same style that made the watch enthusiasts community all in love with their timepieces in the first place._​
And per a Hodinkee listing for a similar variant as the one posted: 1960s Orvin Diver For Sears, Roebuck and Co.

_An anchor at many American malls of the 20th century, Sears or Sears, Roebuck and Co. should be a name that sounds familiar at least. Orvin on the other hand, may not. Just as with Baylor with Zales, Orvin was an inhouse brand name for some Sears watches. Rather than slap their own name on the dial, these retailers chose to choose something that could be perceived as "fancier" or more reliable at least. _​​_This Orvin is going for more reliability. As a Skin Diver style tool watch, Sears looked to provide their customers with a simple, robust, go-anywhere dive watch in this Orvin. The resulting watch has a bit of a Tudor Ranger look to it combined with a Submariner. The 6-9-12 layout with the date at three reminds me of a Tudor Ranger Date and the black rotating bezel is where the Submariner inspiration kicks in. We also appreciate the minimal text on the dial. Confirming the Sears provenance are case stampings from Sears as well as a US import code on the movement reading "SOX."_​
Also, a Mikrolisk search for Orvin returns 6 hits, 5 for Orvin, and 1 for *Orvin and tradition*, variously registered by

_Liengme & Co. SA / Montres Gala_ in Cormoret, Switzerland (no dated reported);
_Sears Roebuck & Co._ in Chicago, Illinois, in 1933;
_R. Gsell & Co. Inc._ in New York, New York, in 1933;
_Orvin Watch Co._ in Biel and Bévilard, Switzerland, in 1950; and
_Reusser SA_ in Bevilard, Switzerland, in 1950.
So it sounds a pretty typical story we've see within the thread, with the perhaps notable sales association with *Sears/Sears, Roebuck and Co.* I think Orvin is the second of the Sears-sold skin divers we've seen: the other being the *Tradition* skin diver. E.g., as mentioned by an article by one of my WIS buds:









What’s in a Name (Brand)? Department Store Watches for the Masses | Two Broke Watch Snobs


... Read more




twobrokewatchsnobs.com





Orvin currently seem to offer one watch line: a reissue of the watch you posted, which they call the _Field Diver_: Field Diver

It's available in several color ways, and looks quite similar, excepting the hand set; its size specs (40mm diameter, 14mm thick, 20mm lugs); and modern materials (e.g., Miyota 9015 movement, sapphire crystal).

The OG Orvin diver may also have been named the Field Diver, and there appears to have been variants. E.g., I saw at least one different hand set with the same 3/6/9 dial, as well as a variant with a different dial (date and three triangles with numerals in them) and handset (big arrow seconds). I also saw a pretty quirky silver dial with square indices and a vertical day/date at the 6.









Orvin Field Diver — Those Watch Guys


Brand: Orvin Case: 36.5mm (excluding original crown) chrome plated w/ steel back Movement: A.Schild cal. 17J, manual winding, recently fully serviced Bracelet/ Strap: Hunter green Horween shell cordovan (MSRP:$95), 18mm Features: Outer rotating bezel, tritium lume, screw-down case back




www.thosewatchguys.com





[See also the above Hodinkee link.]

Google Images:



orvin skin diver - Google Search





orvin dive watch - Google Search


----------



## FORMULa (Oct 7, 2012)

That one is a looker...


----------



## DaleEArnold (Nov 7, 2008)

An early HAGER issue S.E.R.E......They made 100 of these that were sold in Feb , 2013.. This one is 077 / 100.
.At 50 meter water resistance at best it's what I call a "surface swimmer" watch even with Screw Crown and access of movement thru the front.....the back is solid like the BENRUS UDT.

Brief Excerpt by Hager founder Peter Covingtion
" the Hager S.E.R.E. made for members in a USG Agency limited to 100 PVD and 100 Bead Blasted. These aren’t available to the public yet. You can see it being worn here by Jason Blevins, National Geographic Channel Doomsday Prepper and Author of Survival & Emergency Preparedness Skills, on the TODAY show with Kathie Lee and Hoda Beginning in June there will be a Discovery Channel reality tv personality who, he and his team, will be wearing the S.E.R.E. as well on the show. We will also be providing some of the S.E.R.E.s to some of the Special Forces cadre down in FT Bragg for possible inclusion in their kits.”


----------



## DaleEArnold (Nov 7, 2008)

ck2k01 said:


> Regrets on the delay on acknowledging our first *Orvin*!
> 
> About the name Orvin, per Wikipedia: Orvin - Wikipedia
> 
> ...


LOVE the History of This Watch....So many times it's lost in time..
Thank you for taking the time and energy to provide us .
Dale Arnold


----------



## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

DaleEArnold said:


> An early HAGER issue S.E.R.E......They made 100 of these that were sold in Feb , 2013.. This one is 077 / 100.
> .At 50 meter water resistance at best it's what I call a "surface swimmer" watch even with Screw Crown and access of movement thru the front.....the back is solid like the BENRUS UDT.
> 
> Brief Excerpt by Hager founder Peter Covingtion
> " the Hager S.E.R.E. made for members in a USG Agency limited to 100 PVD and 100 Bead Blasted. These aren’t available to the public yet. You can see it being worn here by Jason Blevins, National Geographic Channel Doomsday Prepper and Author of Survival & Emergency Preparedness Skills, on the TODAY show with Kathie Lee and Hoda Beginning in June there will be a Discovery Channel reality tv personality who, he and his team, will be wearing the S.E.R.E. as well on the show. We will also be providing some of the S.E.R.E.s to some of the Special Forces cadre down in FT Bragg for possible inclusion in their kits.”


Very cool. I’ve never seen that one before. Maybe my fave Hager I’ve seen.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

DaleEArnold said:


> LOVE the History of This Watch....So many times it's lost in time..
> Thank you for taking the time and energy to provide us .
> Dale Arnold


My pleasure! I’m always glad to hear folks enjoy the historical annotations. 

Thus far, at least some information could be dug up on most brands/models that have been posted.

But it still seems to me that no source has yet compiled information about a bunch of brands and models across the skin diver genre generally.

No doubt in part because it’s such a large and nebulous genre. 

So at some point along the way I figured this thread could be one such resource, slowly pulling together information over time as folks post new stuff.

Indeed, there’s MUCH we’ve yet to see (prompting me to do some research) on the vintage front, and also new stuff frequently upcoming. So the thread is very much a living resource. In addition to just being a place to look at rad pics of what folks variously think of as skin divers 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

DaleEArnold said:


> An early HAGER issue S.E.R.E......They made 100 of these that were sold in Feb , 2013.. This one is 077 / 100.
> .At 50 meter water resistance at best it's what I call a "surface swimmer" watch even with Screw Crown and access of movement thru the front.....the back is solid like the BENRUS UDT.
> 
> Brief Excerpt by Hager founder Peter Covingtion
> ...


Very cool! I always love me some asymmetric military goodness of the Benrus Type I / Type II design style.

About *Hager*, the first time we've seen the brand in here, they're a microbrand based out of the US (in Hagerstown, Maryland), started in 2009, and seemingly largely focused on military tool watch design (many homage spectrum). So a bit of an OG among contemporary microbrands.

In addition to selling directly online, reportedly they also sell via retailers (though I couldn't find a referenced link to said retailers), and they have the aforementioned showroom. Also, the brand owner (Pete or Pierre Brown) was reportedly a US Marine, CIA agent, and police officer, and some of the brand's watches have been produced for the CIA and CIA's former A-12 pilots / Roadrunner Association/Internationale.









Hager Watches







www.hagerwatches.com










About — Hager Watches







www.hagerwatches.com










FAQs & Support — Hager Watches







www.hagerwatches.com













What's New at Hager Watches and Where Have You Been? — Hager Watches


Hello from Hager Watches. It’s been quite sometime since I’ve posted anything on the blog. We know many of you have been trying to reach us here at Hager, and we apologize that we have been unavailable at times. This past year has saw many challenges within our family and our business.




www.hagerwatches.com













Welcome To Our New Website — Hager Watches


Hello from Hager Watches and welcome to our new website. Discover our collection of timepieces and find all information about your favorite Hager watch online on our new website .




www.hagerwatches.com







https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_A-12








Roadrunners Internationale Declassified - U-2, A-12, Projects Aquatone, OXCART at Area 51


Photos, stories, death obituaries, biographies recording legacy of CIA, Air Force, Army men and women work secret atomic, radar, satellite flights in the Nevada desert, Kadena, Okinawa, North Korea, Vietnam




roadrunnersinternationale.com





Also, historical blog posts from the brand, for those who want to dig deeper:






Blog — Hager Watches







www.hagerwatches.com













...with the ticking of time







hagerwatches.wordpress.com





Including blog posts specific to the _S.E.R.E._ / _SERE_ model that was posted:









The HAGER S.E.R.E. on the TODAY Show


Last Friday National Geographic Doomsday Prepper Star Jay Blevins wore the new Hager PVD S.E.R.E. on the Kathie Lee aand Hoda Show. Jay is the author of Survival & Emergency Preparedness Skills…




hagerwatches.wordpress.com













Catch a sneak peak of the new Hager S.E.R.E. on the Today show tomorrow @10am 2/6/2013 with Kathie Lee and Hoda


Just wanted to give everyone a heads up that Author and National Geographic Doomsday Prepper Star Jay Blevins will be wearing the new Hager PVD S.E.R.E. tomorrow on the Kathie Lee aand Hoda Show wh…




hagerwatches.wordpress.com













Hager SERE released for public sale. Limited Edition Caseback


Finally… an automatic watch you can set your budget by… But don’t stare at it too much you may end up stopping traffic. The new Hager SERE looks great on your wrist no matter where you …




hagerwatches.wordpress.com













A Blast From the Past.. The Hager S.E.R.E.


Hi all, Changes are afoot here again as we continually try to improve the company (we’ll discuss this later) and to increase our line of watches. As you know we recently released our new Swis…




hagerwatches.wordpress.com





Their current models include the following, most priced in the affordable range.

3/6/9 mil sub-type line: Commando 10th Anniversary — Hager Watches
"" GMT: Commando 10th Anniversary — Hager Watches
pillow case Panerai-esque line: Pheon — Hager Watches
Black Bay-type line: AQUAMARINER — Hager Watches
steel-bezeled chrono model: U-2 Dragonlady — Hager Watches
square case Ball-esque line: Interceptor — Hager Watches
tourbillion pocket watch line: Tourbillon Pocket Watches — Hager Watches
flieger model: Flieger — Hager Watches
dress watch line, with the 3/6/9/12 variants being somewhat reminiscent of the Timex Marlin: Diplomat — Hager Watches
See also:









Hager Watches opens showroom downtown


Pete Brown said his search to buy a watch led him to launch his own company.Brown founded Hager Watches in 2009. Late last month, about 20 people, including Mayor Robert E. Bruchey and other business and government leaders, attended a ribbon-cutting|



www.heraldmailmedia.com













Former CIA agent opens up military-strong watch shop in downtown Hagerstown


A timeless, luxury watch is the only piece of jewelry that many men will own in their lifetime. These swanky time pieces don’t always hold up to the test of the outdoors and combat, as one ex…




www.localdvm.com













Interview: Pete Brown of Hager Watches - The Time Bum


Towards the end of our leisurely lunch, two waiters approached our table. “Hey,” said one, “we were just wondering, what’s with the case?” He was eying the big orange box…




www.thetimebum.com













American Watch – Hager Watches


Hager Commando This week we’re talking about Hagar Watches. They’re a Maryland based boutique watch company with a distinctly military tool watch vibe. The stated goal for the company is creating watches of the highest possible quality why keeping prices affordable. To that end, their...




www.everestbands.com













13 Best Affordable & High-End American-Made Watch Brands


These American watch brands ooze quality, innovation, and style – and they are giving their European counterparts a run for their money.




durabilitymatters.com













Still Ticking: 6 American Watch Brands Every Man Must Know


Keeping the dream alive.




www.esquire.com


----------



## Slowly (Nov 18, 2021)

Great thread new to this and this super helpful and knowledgeable community I'm on a very low budget personally skin divers will always hold a place in my heart it's where my passion for now all things watches I started with this Casio duro the devil diver
came later I have modded the Casio so the stats are no longer in skin diver range but it will always be the very very reasonably priced extremely durable skin diver I started with and fell for and love it more everyday


----------



## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

Slowly said:


> Great thread new to this and this super helpful and knowledgeable community I'm on a very low budget personally skin divers will always hold a place in my heart it's where my passion for now all things watches I started with this Casio duro the devil diver
> came later I have modded the Casio so the stats are no longer in skin diver range but it will always be the very very reasonably priced extremely durable skin diver I started with and fell for and love it more everyday
> View attachment 16469085
> View attachment 16469088
> ...


That MAY be the single longest sentence ever posted here on F74!


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## Slowly (Nov 18, 2021)

TheGanzman said:


> That MAY be the single longest sentence ever posted here on F74!


Knew it would happen eventually I'm riddled with disabilities it's the only way I can do it without outside help 🙂 you call me out like that and you couldn't even throw me a like bad form all around


----------



## LosAngelesTimer (Aug 24, 2017)

TheGanzman said:


> That MAY be the single longest sentence ever posted here on F74!


This former copy editor damn near had a heart attack! Periods FFS! Periods!


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> My bet is Seestern will win. Hard to beat a lumed date wheel.


Still awaiting the Arethusa’s arrival, but the Seestern came in today!

And I’m thus far pretty damned impressed with this little $190 dude  It basically homages the SLA017 (most of the design/materials) hybridized with the OG 62 MAS (most size specs). Albeit with Seestern’s “let there be lume” flair (lumed date, and I opted for the fully lumed bezel insert) thrown in for good measure  

Beyond a slightly misaligned bezel insert and slightly wobbly crown, and some lume tone mismatch between the indices vs. hands, I'm not seeing much to critique here (again, $190).



















































































Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

Looks really good. I think that is the best model Seestern offers. I purchased the sub 300. My only issue with it is the poor quality dial. The paint appears translucent. Overall a great watch. The case is almost identical to the Synchron Military.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> Looks really good. I think that is the best model Seestern offers. I purchased the sub 300. My only issue with it is the poor quality dial. The paint appears translucent. Overall a great watch. The case is almost identical to the Synchron Military.


Thanks! 

And concurred, tops their 300 for me:











Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## BRN (Jan 28, 2019)




----------



## absoludicrous (Dec 20, 2009)

First is a Duxot 400 from presumably late 60’s. Felsa 4002 auto. All steel 37.5mm case.









Venus branded skin diver with what resembles a Squale case. Double signed Venus and Ollech & Wajs ETA 2452 movement. All steel 36mm case. So pretty.


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

absoludicrous said:


> First is a Duxot 400 from presumably late 60’s. Felsa 4002 auto. All steel 37.5mm case.
> View attachment 16497647
> 
> 
> ...


I know, as discussed at the start of this thread, a skindiver can be any case shape with a lower WR but to me those two are what I think of when skindivers are mentioned. The Venus I especially like - great dial and colour. Is the case profile nicely curved?


----------



## FORMULa (Oct 7, 2012)




----------



## FORMULa (Oct 7, 2012)

Watch NC 003 Limited edition EOD - Horloscaphe Watches


oujours fidèle à sa philosophie, Horloscaphe s’inspire des instruments de plongée sous-marine pour la nouvelle version fluide du modèle NC001.Cadran noir mat, 12-3-6-9 avec index luminescents pour un meilleurcontraste et garantir une lisibilité optimale.Un boitier de 39mm en acier 316L brossé...




www.horloscaphe-watches-paris.com







https://www.truenorthcollections.com/blackfish


----------



## absoludicrous (Dec 20, 2009)

8505davids said:


> I know, as discussed at the start of this thread, a skindiver can be any case shape with a lower WR but to me those two are what I think of when skindivers are mentioned. The Venus I especially like - great dial and colour. Is the case profile nicely curved?


Thank you, and I agree. Here’s a side profile of the case, which resembles that produced by Squale given the lug chamfers and polished finish, despite the dial not being signed.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

On the deals front, the black dial Forzo Drive King (a quirky modern mecaquartz mix of skin diver and racing chrono, i.e., the one I've posted) is currently on sale for £320.00 (20% off), with an additional free leather watch roll if you add the latter to your cart as well 👌 









FORZO First Edition Drive King Chronograph | Black Dial


We have been working on this collection for the past 2 years and it has gone through many different versions, through constant feedback over in our FORZO Watches Community Facebook group to bring us to this classic vintage inspired chronograph built for the every day. We have mixed inspiration...




www.forzowatches.com


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

More Seestern 62MAS action. A heck of an affordable homage hybridizing the vintage 62MAS and SLA017 👌


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

absoludicrous said:


> Thank you, and I agree. Here’s a side profile of the case, which resembles that produced by Squale given the lug chamfers and polished finish, despite the dial not being signed.
> 
> View attachment 16499409
> 
> ...


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Noticed that a desk in the hotel room had a highly reflective black surface. The result:


----------



## Paxman (Apr 8, 2006)

Skin diver?


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Paxman said:


> Skin diver?
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16503879[/ATTACH]


No matter how one might classify it, its 70s design goodness 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## redhed18 (Mar 23, 2013)

FORMULa said:


>


It takes all my will not to buy the other colorways that Zoretto released that bad boy in


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

absoludicrous said:


> First is a Duxot 400 from presumably late 60’s. Felsa 4002 auto. All steel 37.5mm case.
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16497647[/ATTACH]
> 
> Venus branded skin diver with what resembles a Squale case. Double signed Venus and Ollech & Wajs ETA 2452 movement. All steel 36mm case. So pretty.
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16497646[/ATTACH]


Finally circling back around to our first *Duxot* and *Venus* watches.

*Duxot:*

We'll set aside the contemporary Duxot brand (though they have some cool designs, including a very classical skin diver, the _Princepio_), reportedly part of the umbrella company, Dartmouth Brands (a British-registered company owned by Hong Kong-based Solar Time Ltd.), that also operates brands such as Avi-8, Spinnaker, DuFa, and some others.









Duxot Watches


Duxot Watches




duxotwatches.com













PRINCEPIO


Uncompromising in performance fused with vintage design cues and a flexibility of wear delivers a timekeeping product ready able to take you from ballroom to boardroom




duxotwatches.com













Duxot Watches - The 7 Best Models From Affordable Brand


Another brand from Hong Kong-based Dartmouth. I take a closer look.




www.chronopolis.co.uk













Duxot Consillio Watch Review - 12&60


Duxot Consillio Watch Review - 12&60




www.watchitallabout.com













Duxot Forza - The Time Bum


Review and photos by Mike Razak I’ve been holding the Duxot Forza for a bit too long, perhaps. I got it well over a month ago and it’s been on…




www.thetimebum.com





There's not much out there I could find the vintage brand: just listings and the odd forum thread. E.g.,









STOUT~1960s DUXOT 400 20ATM 25J SKIN-DIVER


FOR SALE IS A SUPER CHUNKY ALL-STEEL PATINA QUEEN DUXOT 400 20ATM SKIN-DIVER IN AWESOME CONDITION. CASE: SLEEK AND SEXY ALL-STEEL SKIN-DIVER CASE MEASURING A NICE 38.5mm ACROSS BEZEL NOT INCLUDING CROWN BY 47.5mm LUG TO LUG. CASE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION WITH A MINOR DENT NEAR THE BEZEL...



www.retrowatchguy.com













Duxot Watches


I've just picket up a reasonably handsome 1970s looking watch which claims to be made in Switzerland by the maker Duxot but I can't find a great deal out about them. Do any of the learned gents (and ladies) of the forum know the first thing about this brand and or it's history as google is not...




www.thewatchforum.co.uk





A listing for a Codhor-branded skin diver claimed that Duxot was one of the major skin diver case-type manufacturers, cases which other brands used.









Codhor Skin Diver - Dial & Bezel


A classic 1970s skin diver from French brand Codhor that stays true to the skin diver formula with great results.




dialandbezel.com





Interestingly, a Mikrolisk search for _Duxot_ returned no results (I think a first for the thread).

One forum post I came across claimed that Duxot was manufactured *Fabrique d'horlogerie Dux SA/ N.Praz S.A*, a company we've seen before in the thread:









Duxot ? Who are they?


Hi all I just acquired a pair of old Duxot divers. Rather ratty condition, but not too expensive and I like the dial designs. I haven't been able to find any information on Duxot ... other than the fact that most of them seem to show up out of Israel, and the seller says that many were issued...




www.watchuseek.com













Post your skin divers/skindivers!


Just had a read of this great new take on the history of skin divers by someone I follow on the gram, accompanied by lots of -worthy pictures, including some rare skin diver s: https://calibre321.com/2022/01/11/other-watchy-bits-the-skin-diver/ Sent from my iPhone using...




www.watchuseek.com





I suppose the _Dux_ in _Dux_ot possibly suggests a connection?

Google Images revealed a few skin diver variants from the brand, including baton, broad arrow, and "Mercedes without the Y" handsets (the latter as posted); and H-shaped and long-lugs cases. All the variants I saw had a roulette date wheel and 12/6/9 numerals (like that which was posted). I also saw one listing for a wilder 70s-esque case and world time bezel.





__





duxot skin diver - Google Search






www.google.com





*Venus:*

Venus there's more historical information about.

Yet again, there's a revival form of the vintage brand(s?), launched circa 2011 in Geneva by a Greek businessman.

Historically, what's confusing is that there were seemingly two Venus brands: one tracing back to 1902 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, by the husband-and-wife team of Paul Arthur Schwarz and Olga Etienne-Schwarz, who also produced watches using other brand names (_*Schwarz Venus*_). And then a brand begun in 1923 in Moutier, Switzerland, soon named La Fabrique d'Ébauches Venus, and which was taken over in 1928 by Ébauches S. A. (_*Ébauches Venus*_). 

Ébauches Venus, at least, manufactured various movements, with its chronograph calibers being of the most historical significance, and frequently used by other brands. Some of these calibers were historically cloned by the Soviet Union and China. Some were reissued in the 2000s from Panerai, Parmigiani, Maurice Lacroix, etc. And at least one still survives today as the Chinese Seagull caliber ST19. As mentioned, the 1923 Venus brand, at least, was soon absorbed into Ebauches SA (which also acquired other notable movement manufacturers such as Valjoux), and then into ETA, and finally into Swatch Group.

Any relationship between the two Venus brands is unclear, though it has been suggested that Ébauches Venus likely focused on movement manufacture, whereas Schwarz Venus focused on complete watch assembly. A Mikrolisk search for Venus, which returns a number of results, includes ones like "Venus SA / Les fils de Paul Schwarz-Etienne" registered on 10/17/1930 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and Moutier, Switzerland." Thus, some connection does seem likely to me.

There are also reports that the quartz crisis killed off at least one of the vintage Venus brands.

Some additional cool reported stuff about the Venus brand(s).

Various logos over time (e.g., a Venus de Milo torso and head, a circular logo, and the extended horizontal line logo posted--the latter of which ceased in the 1970s when the brand and Ebauches SA was absorbed into ETA, and a version of which the modern revival brand used today).
Leonid Brezhnev, leader of the Soviet Union, wore a Venus watch.
The Vatican once ordered 100 Venus watches.



http://www.montresvenus.com/





http://www.montresvenus.com/?page_id=175







__





Venus [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net













Venus Watches: An Enigmatic History


This is the photo of the early Venus watch showed here on the Forum by Mart that sparked off my decision to research this topic. I thank him for this picture and the watch is probably by Ébauches Venus, dating to the early period of that company (see text) (pic from...




www.thewatchforum.co.uk













Know your Movements: In-Depth with the Chronograph Venus 170 | Two Broke Watch Snobs


The Venus 170 was mass-produced out of the need for supplying a chronograph capable of being dressed-up or dressed down and across all markets.




twobrokewatchsnobs.com





A Google Images search reveals a few different variants, the most common seeming to be classic H-case, steel bezel with triangle at the 12, 12/6/9 numerals in triangles, broad arrow handset, and extended line Venus logo (like that which was posted). Thought I also saw variants with a hooded barrel case; a bezel with a circle at the 12 (like that which was posted), rectangular indices (like that which was posted), Mercedes handset, pointed segmented baton handset (like that which was posted), and head and torso logo.





__





venus skin diver - Google Search






www.google.com





Anyway, the posted Venus, with that sunburst gray dial: beautiful 🤩


----------



## Blackdog (Apr 27, 2007)

I think this one qualifies as a skindiver. Reasonably thin, 200m and some true 60s heritage. (I reckon I can also post it in the dressy-affordables too...)


----------



## absoludicrous (Dec 20, 2009)

ck2k01 said:


> Finally circling back around to our first *Duxot* and *Venus* watches.


Excellent bit of research and thanks for doing so! I’ve since outfitted a mesh/Milanese style bracelet on the Venus, which really accentuates the polished steel case. This is such a gorgeous watch—and really well built. I’m typically not one to like dials with color, but this is gray sunburst—which at times looks gray-blue—an exception.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

absoludicrous said:


> Excellent bit of research and thanks for doing so! I’ve since outfitted a mesh/Milanese style bracelet on the Venus, which really accentuates the polished steel case. This is such a gorgeous watch—and really well built. I’m typically not one to like dials with color, but this is gray sunburst—which at times looks gray-blue—an exception.
> 
> [/ATTACH]16527108[/ATTACH]


My pleasure: always enjoyable to learn some about each new brand posted 

And class pairing right there 


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## mahtomedimn (Feb 14, 2010)

My "new" Difor skindiver, purchased from a gentleman in France on eBay. This is powered by a France Ebauches caliber FE 140, which the seller had overhauled prior to the sale. The two bezels rotate independently- a first for me. The watch is shown here on a Wolbrook "tropic" sky blue strap. This is my first vintage skindiver and I'm really enjoying it.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

The former Albany Watches, now Tool Watch Co., forthcoming v2 AMA Diver (which will presumably be a preorder).









Tool Watch Co.


Purpose-driven technical timepieces built to be used.




toolwatchco.com





A microbrand out of South Africa, if memory serves (not _that_ Albany, which I presume contributed to the brand name change ).









40&20 Podcast - Interview with Brett Williams of Tool Watch Co - Watch Clicker


We are joined by Brett Williams of Tool Watch Co. Brett joined us to talk about their new Arctic Explorer




www.watchclicker.com





I’ve got their forthcoming fixed bezel model (which presumably uses the same case and bracelet) on preorder (before this diver was announced, with the former’s production being delayed due to supply chain issues). 

The new AMA Diver is looking pretty cool to my eye: squared skin diver-esque case shape, titanium, sounds like scratch-resistant coating, and interesting handset. And I’m a sucker for dark MoP dials. 



















I wonder if they’ll retain the risqué but interesting v1 case back concept of representing a traditional Japanese AMA diver?









THE AMA DIVER


an ALBANY watch inspired by lesser-known adventurers




www.kickstarter.com





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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

What’s with the seconds hand? Looks like it has tumors.

Appears they’ve updated it for this model. Looks better.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> What’s with the seconds hand? Looks like it has tumors.
> 
> Appears they’ve updated it for this model. Looks better.


 It’s supposed to represent an old-school Artic hunting spear:









Introducing The Arctic Tool Watch, From Tool Watch Co. - Worn & Wound


We take a hands-on look at the new Arctic Explorer tool watch from Tool Watch Co, which launches November 2nd.




wornandwound.com





I know some folks  at that sort of thing (e.g., CW’s use of a  ), but I can get down with some seconds hand flourish 


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Was randomly browsing around and saw mention of San Martin now offering a skin diver chronograph with some 62MAS touches:


















San Martin 62mas Chronograph 40mm Luminous With ST1901 movement SN007-G-JS


If you have any trouble checkout with your credit card on our store, please feel free to click this link to our linked Aliexpress store, thanks! Model: SN0007-G-JS(Custom logo available, please cli…




sanmartinwatches.com





A touch large for me personally, but altogether pretty cool. 

*EDIT:* Real-world shots:









The New San Martin SN0007-G-JS / 62mas Dive Chronograph


So a while ago I spotted the new 2022 release San Martin SN0007-G-JS / 62mas Dive Chronograph. I'm surprised no one here has discussed it yet, (unless I missed it). IMO this is a great looking dive chronograph, great looking design and size. It looks great on the bracelet and will look good on...




www.watchuseek.com





I also looked around their SN007 page, which appears to be the range of all their skin divers (62MAS homages):









SN007 – San Martin







sanmartinwatches.com





While doing so, I peeped that they’re now offering a 37mm homage (with the sort of other size specs one would hope to see) with the option for either a PT5000 or SW200 movement (and logo, no logo, or custom logo):


















San Martin New 62mas 37mm Diver Watch Automatic Mechanical Watches 20Bar Luminous With PT5000 and SW200 movement SN007-G-X


If you have any trouble checkout with your credit card on our store, please feel free to click this link to our linked Aliexpress store, thanks! Model: SN007-G-X(Custom logo available, please click…




sanmartinwatches.com





Read up that, like the Sellita SW200, the PT5000 from H.K. Precision Technology is a general clone of the the ETA 2824-2, albeit Chinese. E.g.,









What Is The PT5000 Watch Movement?


With the launch of the PT5000 movement into the Geckota range, we thought it is the perfect time to explain more about this movement and exactly why it is so special.




www.watchgecko.com





IDK about that bracelet (looks like it might present similar issues to the one offered by Seestern). And right now just the SLA017 color way/materials (slate, ceramic, and lumed dot). But overall, looks to be a solid new 62MAS-style offering 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Maen Skymaster a better looking chrono option - assuming the early issues sorted out


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> Maen Skymaster a better looking chrono option - assuming the early issues sorted out


No doubt. I've considered their diver and chrono before, though I've never taken the plunge. Nonetheless, they've remained one of those "one day I should try one" brands for me.


----------



## BSwed (Jul 14, 2021)

HTD Aquatic


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> No doubt. I've considered their diver and chrono before, though I've never taken the plunge. Nonetheless, they've remained one of those "one day I should try one" brands for me.


I've got the first gen Hudson 38 with the 2824 - some reviews have been mixed but I like it - for the price you get a nice design, especially with the white chapter ring, a bit of colour highlights, nice applied indices and a nice vintage look and size without being a homage to anything in particular. Its true the lume isn't up to much but that is not a huge issue for me - I quite like the dressier 'art-deco' hands as well. Overall I'd say a classy looking vintage style watch, quite restrained perhaps, that shouldn't ever go out of fashion for a reasonable price. Latest version has a textured dial which I don't like so much.


----------



## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

Merkur Fanzhi


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> Merkur Fanzhi


Ha! That’s fun: a Chinese homage of a Chinese reissue!



















Comparatively speaking, looks pretty decent at a glance. And I dig the no date and case brushing  

(Also, in reality, this isn’t any different from any other homage to a vintage reissue. But it did make me  nonetheless.)


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## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

I want one of those Fonzi Al Merkur ibn Shanghai 114 homages of a homage.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BigBluefish said:


> I want one of those Fonzi Al Merkur ibn Shanghai 114 homages of a homage.


And 20mm lug width (vs my 19mm) and actual clarity as to WR. There’s things to like here 

I remember looking super close at all the little micro differences among the different Shanghai 114 reissues, and the OG variants. 

This one’s not exact in some of the details (e.g., bezel font and markings), and they take some creative liberties (e.g., what appears to be circular brushing atop the lugs). Also, no bracelet (though I found the Shanghai one all but impossible to resize—still gotta give that one another crack at some point). 

But at a glance, it definitely conveys the vibe; it reflects some modern popular preferences (e.g., the 20mm lugs and brushing); and is about half to two-thirds cheaper than what I vaguely remember paying for my Shanghai reissue 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe (Jul 12, 2013)

vintage oversized and for sale as well.


----------



## andor (Feb 18, 2011)

Pretty bad photo of me looking at this thread, sorry about that. Anyways, I've never paid much attention to skindivers before, but I found this thread, got inspired and then I managed to win this Woolbrok very cheap at a local watch site auction. Although people are badmouthing the movement and such, I really seem to enjoy it!

The size is very refreshing (I usually wear big tool divers) and I like the vintage vibe. I think skindivers is my thing now! Looking forward to skindive with it too!


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

andor said:


> Pretty bad photo of me looking at this thread, sorry about that. Anyways, I've never paid much attention to skindivers before, but I found this thread, got inspired and then I managed to win this Woolbrok very cheap at a local watch site auction. Although people are badmouthing the movement and such, I really seem to enjoy it!
> 
> The size is very refreshing (I usually wear big tool divers) and I like the vintage vibe. I think skindivers is my thing now! Looking forward to skindive with it too!
> 
> View attachment 16556823


Hey, that’s awesome! 

Glad the thread inspired a new WIS rabbit hole on your end. And that you landed a good deal on a Wolbrook/Douglas  

The Wolbrook WT (from the revived brand) was one of my first skin divers too. 

Solid classic H-case design, and excellent and slightly unique BoR bracelet. I also appreciated that they offered a bunch of color ways and both a mecaquartz and automatic movement (and, in turn, date or no date) out the gate. The revived OG variants’ WT bezel was pretty interesting too, as was the Neil Armstrong link (even if the revived brand got critiqued for perhaps over advertising said link).

It’s been great to see that they’ve been successful enough to continue expanding on the basic H-case platform since (dive bezel, fixed bezel, chronograph, new color ways).

Hope to eventually see some shots down of it in its natural swimming/recreational diving habitat, and any new skin diver picks ups you may have down the road 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Oh, I think I forgot to mention the soon forthcoming Aquastar Deepstar 39mm chronograph, announced the other week. 









2022 Aquastar Deepstar 39mm Chronograph - Aquastar dive watches


In keeping with the traditions established by our 2020 re-edition, the new 2022 39mm Deepstar Chronograph is available in three dial colors: Vintage Black, Blue Ray, and this third option, which has quickly become a signature and a best-seller




aquastar.ch













Hot Take: The New Aquastar Deepstar Mid-Size Chronograph


✓ Aquastar releases the Deepstar Mid-size ✓ A more wearable version of its smash-hit diver ✓ Read Mike's hot take here ✓ Review coming soon! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com














Similar to their initial chronograph release a few years ago, but now at 39mm x 47mm. Though being a chrono, also 14.8mm tall. 

Blue, gray, and black color ways. 

Comes on a tropic, and a BoR will be available separately soon too. 

Entry-level luxury pricing ($2790 preorder and then $3590 retail), no doubt in part due to the La Joux-Perret movement (I presume similar to the Valjoux 23) inside.

Overall, looks like a nice tweak for those who can swing the price of admission 


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## andor (Feb 18, 2011)

Thanks for the warm greeting @ck2k01!
I too liked the GMT bezel - I'd wish it was possible to order multiple different bezels and swap between them.

Anyways –

I guess my apartment is pretty dim or it could be my iPhone 6 potato cam – so every watch photo I try to take really sucks. Nevertheless, here is my Douglas diver again with a new strap, a Zulu diver vintage tropic. I think they really work together. The strap is pretty comfortable too!


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

andor said:


> Thanks for the warm greeting @ck2k01!
> I too liked the GMT bezel - I'd wish it was possible to order multiple different bezels and swap between them.
> 
> Anyways –
> ...




I feel ya. Rare that folks offer that. NTH is the only brand that immediately comes that does so  

Honest photos (dim apartment  shots) welcome!

Nice strap. I like WG/ZULUDIVER’s stuff. (Coincidentally, just happened to grab a seatbelt nato from them for my wife yesterday.) 

How do you like their vintage tropic? 









Tropical Style


Tropical style rubber straps have been a classic pairing for dive watches since the 1960's when they were offered as aftermarket alternatives. Fortunately, WatchGecko still offers a wide range of these tropical style straps, with a variety of styles, colours and sizes, to suit any taste!




www.watchgecko.com





A friend of mine really likes his padded tropic from them, which I hope to try at some point. 









ZULUDIVER Padded Tropical Rubber Watch Strap (MkII)


Introducing the NEW ZULUDIVER Padded Tropical rubber watch strap..... With this new MKII (August 2021) improved version of our popular selling rubber watch strap, we have taken customer feedback and made a few upgrades. The watch strap now features qu




www.watchgecko.com






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----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mahtomedimn said:


> My "new" Difor skindiver, purchased from a gentleman in France on eBay. This is powered by a France Ebauches caliber FE 140, which the seller had overhauled prior to the sale. The two bezels rotate independently- a first for me. The watch is shown here on a Wolbrook "tropic" sky blue strap. This is my first vintage skindiver and I'm really enjoying it.
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16541831[/ATTACH]





pIonEerOFtHeNiLe said:


> vintage oversized and for sale as well.
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16555475[/ATTACH]


Didn't forget about these two firsts for the thread: *Difor* and *Tiara 🙂*

Not too much out there on *Difor*.

Chronopedia reports that they were a French brand located in Besancon, France, around from 1960 to 1975. It's also reported that related brand names were *Difor Besançon*, *Difor Suisse*, and possibly also *Lebem*. Moreover, there's a note that the brand contracted to make watches for the French military.





__





Difor - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club





A Mikrolisk search yielded generally consistent results: the Difur workmark is associated with the manufacturer *Diffusion Horlogere SA* (which registered the name in Besancon in 1960) and *Difor SA* (which registered the name in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1963, and Miserey-Salines, France, on an unknown date). I didn't get any results for a search of Lebem.

A Google Images search reveals that the brand put out a range of skin diver and bold 70s-esque dive watch designs:





__





difor dive watch - Google Search






www.google.com









__





difor skin diver - Google Search






www.google.com





Re: that specific model, Google Translate provides that _étanche_ means _waterproof_ in English. So _Super waterproof_.

I've seen roughly similar skin diver world timers (i.e., with that steel/black-type bezel) from a range of vintage brands, including *Sicura*, *Westclox*, *Stentor*, *Chateau*, *Ingraham*, *Bercona*, *Smiths*, *CustomTime*, *Trafalgar*, *Spartan*, *Yema*, *Sheffield*. Interestingly, though, the sequencing of the cities often differs (peep the different cities listed over the triangle). Cases, dials, dates (and so surely also movements), and handsets also variously differ across the roughly similar offerings from the various brands.





__





world timer vintage diver - Google Search






www.google.com





The one I've seen most similar to that Difor is from *Westclox*:





__





westclox world timer - Google Search






www.google.com





Models from *Sicura* (the _Rallye GT_; I actually bid on one on eBay but didn't win), *Stentor*, and Yema (the _Club_) also appeared to use a similar/the same case (i.e., with the crown guards):





__





sicura rallye gt - Google Search






www.google.com









__





stentor world timer - Google Search






www.google.com









__





Yema club vintage world timer - Google Search






www.google.com





--

The first lead I got for *Tiara* came from Mikrolisk. The figurative mark (the little tiara image) was associated with the wordmark _Tiara of Switzerland_, and the manufacturer *Tiara SA*, registered in Saignelégier and Zurich, Switzerland, in 1961. The wordmark _Tiara of Switzerland_ was also registered by *Montres Nysa SA* in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, on an unknown date, and *Desco by Schulthess AG* in Saignelégier in 1981. The simpler wordmark _tiara_ was also registered by Tiara SA in Saignelégier and Zurich in 1960; by Montres Nysa SA in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1960; and by Desco by Schulthess AG in Saignelégier in 1980. Furthermore, the wordmark _Tiara flamboyant_ was registered by Tiara SA in Saignelégier and Zurich on an unknown date, and the wordmark _Tiara Golden Leaves_ was registered by Tiara SA in Saignelégier on an unknown date, and by Desco by Schulthess AG in Saignelégier in 1977.

So suffice it to say, it seems that Tiara SA, Montres Nysa SA, and Desco by Schulthess AG, were interrelated.

Clicking any one of those three manufacturer returns a bunch of other associated wordmarks, including, notably, for Desco by Schulthess AG, _Maurice Lacroix_ and _ML / Maurice La Croix of Switzerland_.

I searched Google for "tiara Saignelégier" and I got a bunch of results referencing Tiara in discussing the history of *Maurice Lacroix*.

For instance:

_Maurice Lacroix was founded as part of Desco von Schulthess of Zurich in 1975. Founded in 1889, Desco von Schulthess (Desco) is an older company with roots in the silk trade. Since 1946, Desco has also been a representative for luxury watches including Audemars Piguet, Heuer, Eterna, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Over the years, Desco became more interested in the watch business, and in 1961 Desco acquired an assembly facility named Tiara in Saignelégier, in the Swiss Canton of Jura. There it produced private label watches for third parties. In 1975, Desco started marketing watches under the brand name Maurice Lacroix. There was a member on the board of Desco von Schulthess, parent & founding company of Maurice Lacroix, who was named Mr. Lacroix. _​​_By 1980, Maurice Lacroix had become so successful that the facility in Saignelégier ceased production for third parties. _​


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Lacroix



See also:





__





Desco von Schulthess AG [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net





This link provides that, in 1961,

_The watch factory Montres Nysa SA, from La Chaux-de-Fonds, decides to transfer the company to Saignelégier under the name Tiara SA._​
So it seems reasonable to conclude that the Montres Nysa SA watch factory moved from La Chaux-de-Fonds to Saignelégier around 1960/61, was renamed Tiara SA, and was soon thereafter acquired by Desco von Schulthess, which, upon launching Maurice Lacroix in 1975, relatively quickly (by the 1980s) became just (or largely) Maurice Lacroix.

Anyway, a Google Images search only shows that specific skin diver model from Tiara (i.e., date, 12/6/9 dial, and coffin indices):





__





tiara skin diver - Google Search






www.google.com





And at present, it looks like Maurice Lacroix's current vintage-esque diver is the Pontos S Diver:





__





Maurice Lacroix pontos s diver - Google Search






www.google.com


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Just got this *Baltic* _Aquascaphe_ _Classic_ (in the Black Silver color way) in.





__





Aquascaphe Collection - The Ultimate Daily Watch - Baltic Watches


Discover the Aquascaphe, our vision of the purest diver watch. A 39mm toolwatch, waterproof, scratch resistant and shock-proof.




baltic-watches.com


















































While a pretty well known watch (and me being a little late to the party), one of the more interesting things I've thus far discovered about it is the vintage *Blancpain* model that it homages.

I saw various references to it being inspired by the _Fifty Fathoms _or _Tornek-Rayville_, and I kept thinking, "I mean, sort of."

But then I saw a more specific reference to the _Bathyscaphe_, and particularly the _MC4_, in the comments to this article:









Hands-On: The Baltic Aquascaphe Diver


Baltic jumps into the deep end with their thoughtful and detailed take on a new-vintage diver.




www.hodinkee.com





I looked into the reference some more, and it's clearly the source of inspiration for the Aquascaphe:









Blancpain Bathyscaphe


Blancpain, the esteemed Swiss manufacture that opened its doors way back in 1735, is known worldwide for crafting some of the most elegant pocket and dress wristwatches in history. Many of these pieces are brilliant works of horological art, and as a category are worthy of in-depth study and...




www.analogshift.com













Blancpain Bathyscaphe MC4 Arrival and Registry


Hi all, I am very excited to share my latest arrival, a Blancpain Bathyscaphe MC4. I have been looking for this watch for several years and purchased...




omegaforums.net





There were also private label versions, including from *Waltham* and *Moeris*:









Affordable Vintage: A Tale of Two Private Label Bathyscaphes - Worn & Wound


Late last year, longtime Worn & Wound reader Marc Sirinsky wrote a guest post about the iconic “Jaws” dive watch in an installment of our popular Affordable Vintage series. It was a big hit with our readers, so much so, in fact, that Marc wanted to write about another vintage piece with a great...




wornandwound.com





Relative to the OG Fifty Fathoms, the MC4 Bathyscaphe was smaller (34 or 35mm), had a lower WR (60m), ran an A. Schild 1187 movement, and was meant for the general public/civilian market.

Also interestingly, it seems this was the reference from which the Amsterdam Watch Company sourced the NOS Squale cases for its SE run of watches with Squale:









AWCo x Squale No Radiobino | Amsterdam Watch Company


AWCo x Squale No Radiobino | AWCo | Looking for a Premium Vintage Watch? Visit our shop at Reestraat 3 in Amsterdam or call +31 (0)20 389 2789.




www.awco.nl













AWCo x Squale Subino | Amsterdam Watch Company


AWCo x Squale Subino | AWCo | Looking for a Premium Vintage Watch? Visit our shop at Reestraat 3 in Amsterdam or call +31 (0)20 389 2789.




www.awco.nl













Squale Teams up with Amsterdam Watch Company for a Unique Limited Edition Using Vintage Cases - Worn & Wound


Squale puts vintage Blancpain cases to use with two new limited edition dive watches based on the Fifty Fathoms.




wornandwound.com





Thus, given the Aquascaphe's original source of inspiration--and its overall simple design and moderate size and performance specs and pricing--I think it's totally fair to classify this one as a skin diver, as reviewers have often done 🙂

But Baltic also deserves credit for its own unique design elements, including the different case (brushed and drilled), the textured sandwich dial, the different minute track, its similar but distinct handset (e.g., lollipop seconds), its small circle bezel markings, and the gravel-y textured end of the crown (which really does promote grip).

The crystal also distorts the dial in a cool way, such that, like the vintage MC4, the dial appears to curve downward toward the edges.

--

The BoR bracelet is very nice, and Baltic is now offering an upgraded dual pusher clasp with it 👌

The tropic strap from Baltic (I got the dark navy blue one) is thin with a dramatic taper, but it's a bit plastic-y feeling.





__





Watch Straps - Baltic Watches


Discover our collection of premium bracelets for your Baltic watch.




baltic-watches.com





(The one other pictured strap is a snipped C&B Supreme NATO: Supreme NATO Watch Straps | Crown & Buckle)


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Oh, I think I forgot to mention the soon forthcoming Aquastar Deepstar 39mm chronograph, announced the other week.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Just an update on this mid size Deepstar chrono - Aquastar/Synchron posted the wrong size on their website (and on here) for the watch - its 39x49 L2L (not 47) and the 14.8 is the height to the top of the case - full height including domed crystal is 17mm (same as the Deepstar 2020).


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> Just an update on this mid size Deepstar chrono - Aquastar/Synchron posted the wrong size on their website (and on here) for the watch - its 39x49 L2L (not 47) and the 14.8 is the height to the top of the case - full height including domed crystal is 17mm (same as the Deepstar 2020).


Thanks for the heads up.

That's a hefty midsize 

Gotta love what they used to be able to pull off, dimensions wise:


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

Cedric Bellon CB01


----------



## efawke (Nov 23, 2018)

ck2k01 said:


> Thanks for the heads up.
> 
> That's a hefty midsize
> 
> ...


Really dig the Aquastar watches but haven’t been seriously interested due to the size. The 39mm sounds great, but at 17mm thick? Phew. That one might wear…weird.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> Cedric Bellon CB01[/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220425/73a807415a13d40351ed5f87f43ac465.jpg[/IMG]


Very neat!

--

Our first *Cedric Bellon*. And per a quick perusal, hopefully not our last!

We're starting with a classic skin diver H-shaped silhouette, which is always 💪

I love the nearly all brushed look: case, dial (gray or black, though the black is crazy limited), and handset. Excepting a few polished accents: case chamfering, the edges of the case back, and the crown. And with some gilt touches (handset) and sandwich indices.

I also love the case back--quasi-Aquastar vibe.

The quirky dial screws are neat, as is the branding on the dial and lugs is also neat.

Drilled lugs: nice.

The 12-hour bezel is bi-directional: yes, please.

The size specs are impressive: 40mm × 47mm × 11.7mm × 20mm. Perfect.

Interesting movements inside: Soprod P024 (three hander with date) and Dubois Depraz DD14060 (small seconds).

And coming in at the high end of the affordable range.






Cedric Bellon - Watchangels







www.watchangels.ch





Their level of transparency about everything you could want to know about the specs and sustainability efforts involved is exemplary 👌

In addition to the sold out CB01 Automatic and Small Seconds, there's also a forthcoming CB01 GMT with fixed bezel, which looks mighty good as well:






CB01 GMT Chronometer - Watchangels







www.watchangels.ch





The namesake behind the brand seems pretty neat: reportedly experienced in working with bigger brands, and very driven by sustainability for his own brand (the extent to which I've largely glossed over, but neat to read about):



http://bellon-partners.com/











Cedric Bellon Sustainable Watches


The first sustainably crowdmanufactured tool watch



watch-angels.prowly.com













Cedric Bellon, The Sustainable Watch - The Sustainable Mag


Cedric Bellon is the man who invented the first mechanical sustainable watch. Because a sustainable industry is not only possible but also nice!




thesustainablemag.com













Cedric Bellon Sustainable Watches


Cedric Bellon, the chief Watch Designer at Bellon & Partners has collaborated with Watch Angels SA, a leading Swiss watch manufacturer based in Mendrisio, Switzerland to create the first sustai…




masterhorologer.com





Also reportedly a co-founder of the *Sekford* brand of watches (dress designs, reminiscent to my eye of the Junghans _Max Bill_ and Hamilton _Intra-Matic_):






SekFord







sekford.com





So in sum, impressive watch! And thanks for sharing it (and teaching me about a cool microbrand I'd never heard of before)!


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## jose-CostaRica (Apr 18, 2011)

This thing is IMPRESSIVE!

Im so happy









Enviado desde mi YAL-L21 mediante Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jose-CostaRica said:


> This thing is IMPRESSIVE!
> 
> Im so happy [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220502/1dba81ad4c6103cc4efbc3d51a071763.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Enviado desde mi YAL-L21 mediante Tapatalk


Congrats on what looks like a skin diver NWA!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Been vibing on the Seestern for days now, after pairing it with a Zuludiver Padded Tropical MKII strap that a friend enthusiastically recommended, and which recently landed. 





































Said strap is indeed awesome.

HNBR rubber = comfortable and pliable but also a premium “substantial” feel, and minimal issues with lint.

Slick modern tweaks to the classic tropic strap design. Including the classic patterned look but with a smooth feel and not particularly sheen-y. No alligator tail sides. Good grip and venting underneath. Extra thickness at the lugs. Quick-release spring bars. “Holders” for one of the keepers. And slick and substantial tang buckle.

IMO, the best tropic strap I’ve yet tried on the Seestern, given its blocky lugs (where the extra strap padding is) and general SLA-ness (matching the padded’s slightly more dressy take on a tropic strap).









ZULUDIVER Padded Tropical Rubber Watch Strap (MKII)


MKII ZULUDIVER Padded Tropical rubber replacement watch strap, available in 20 and 22mm, with quick release spring bars. FREE Shipping Options.




www.zuludiver.com













ZULUDIVER Padded Tropical Rubber Watch Strap (MkII)


Introducing the NEW ZULUDIVER Padded Tropical rubber watch strap..... With this new MKII (August 2021) improved version of our popular selling rubber watch strap, we have taken customer feedback and made a few upgrades. The watch strap now features qu




www.watchgecko.com





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Ha! That’s fun: a Chinese homage of a Chinese reissue!
> 
> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220409/708015e4276611bbacd13a5e1bf01432.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> ...





BigBluefish said:


> I want one of those Fonzi Al Merkur ibn Shanghai 114 homages of a homage.





ck2k01 said:


> And 20mm lug width (vs my 19mm) and actual clarity as to WR. There’s things to like here
> 
> I remember looking super close at all the little micro differences among the different Shanghai 114 reissues, and the OG variants.
> 
> ...


I was thinking of downgrading my Shanghai #114 Reissue to the Merkur "First Diver Watch," so when I saw they released a BoR bracelet for it, I decided to give it a go (they also released a cool Rainbow Diver dial in the same form factor).

I just spent my first day with it. My initial impressions are still percolating. But for now I can offer that it's overall similar to the Shanghai, but also different in a lot of details, with both of them having their relative pros and cons. So right now, I'm not sure which one will stay and which one will go 🤷‍♂️


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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

Citizen Promaster NB6021


----------



## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

BobMartian said:


> Citizen Promaster NB6021


Wait…what?
These are out in the wild already? 
Or is this just a tease?


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> Citizen Promaster NB6021[/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220508/4a9582389d1933d2bf08fd9891236176.jpg[/IMG]





BigBluefish said:


> Wait…what?
> These are out in the wild already?
> Or is this just a tease?


Very cool to see this new release in here! This is the most appealing shot of it I've seen thus far 🙌

How're you liking it so far?


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## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

ck2k01 said:


> Very cool to see this new release in here! This is the most appealing shot of it I've seen thus far 🙌
> 
> How're you liking it so far?


Pretty sure I saw that pic in a pre-release review back in March.


----------



## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

Not my picture









The new, no-nonsense Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200M NB6021


A barnacle-covered 1977 Challenge Diver serves as inspiration for the titanium Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200M NB6021.




monochrome-watches.com


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Nice new write up by James Stacey at HODINKEE about his vintage *Silvana*, which includes a brief recount of the history of the skindiver format, examples of vintage brands in the space, and examples of modern brands with a model that might be so classified:









Watch Of The Week: My First Vintage Dive Watch


A little less skin in the game.




www.hodinkee.com






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

And the Seestern 62 MAS on a newly arrived Cincy Strap Co. stealth bond seatbelt, which was immediately admitted for surgery:


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> The former Albany Watches, now Tool Watch Co., forthcoming v2 AMA Diver (which will presumably be a preorder).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


As a follow up on this one, for anyone interested, just saw on the gram that the preorder drops 5/16/22 at noon EST. 











Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Interesting looking “modern riff” skin diver design as a first release from a new microbrand: Marin Instruments.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Another interesting write up on the guy behind *Marin Instruments*, including his other brand (*Alterum Watch Co.*, very avant-garde); Marin’s current _Skin Diver_ model; and its forthcoming monopusher chrono GMT diver (the _Fieldmaster_) that’s also got some skindiver-y vibes:









Why a Desert Dweller Designed a Dive Watch


Celebrating the Machine with a Heartbeat




revolutionwatch.com






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Oooh the monopusher looks good - shame about having a tach scale that complicates a dial but nobody uses ... be better without that - the flared strap is a nice look too. I'd like to see a side on pic of both watches to see how much the lugs curve down as that case shape can wear big if the case and lugs are pretty flat. Interesting effort though.


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## absoludicrous (Dec 20, 2009)

Vintage


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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

I see from the review on your link that the Marin case is indeed pretty flat and on the reviewer's 7.2" wrist they sat up off his wrist. Compare that to similar styles like the PRS82 and the Aquastar Deepstar 2022 with L2L of 47 and 49, but with sloping lugs, where the lugs sit tight to even my skinny 6.5" wrist. Now thats either bad/careless design from Marin or they want that look - but can't be many folks that like the 'floating' lugs look.

Shame, the skindiver and the monopusher have some cool little touches but that flat case just kills them for me. A bit of thought in design and it'd suit a much wider range of wrists (and paying customers).


----------



## ARMADUK (Oct 26, 2015)

LOV on Uncle Seiko's 19mm strap, few minutes in hot water in a glass did the trick to soften and slightly bend the strap so it fits the wrist perfectly


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ARMADUK said:


> LOV on Uncle Seiko's 19mm strap, few minutes in hot water in a glass did the trick to soften and slightly bend the strap so it fits the wrist perfectly
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16633815[/ATTACH]



Looks vintage perfect, that pairing 👌


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

absoludicrous said:


> Vintage[/ATTACH type="full"]16628064[/ATTACH]





ARMADUK said:


> LOV on Uncle Seiko's 19mm strap, few minutes in hot water in a glass did the trick to soften and slightly bend the strap so it fits the wrist perfectly
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16633815[/ATTACH]


Cool to see two similar French "12/2/4/6/8/10"s 🙌

LOV we've seen before, but *Herma* is a first for the thread 😎

An initial Google search for the brand revealed a few hints in vintage listings and the odd thread to get me started. E.g.,









Herma Calypso Mechanical Vintage Watch | Herma Gents Diver Watch


A Herma Calypso mechanical vintage watch is a rare timepiece to find, since Herma no longer produces these beautiful mechanical watch models. This gents diver watch has stood the test of time with great success. Powered by a durable mechanical movement that keeps time with great precision. Check...




vintageradar.com





_Herma is a brand that was employed by Petolat Freres & Anguenot. This company was located at Villers le Lac, Besançon, France. In the early 20th century the firm changed its name to Anguenot Freres. The company was sold to Matra Horologerie in 1981, which produces airplanes and cars._​








Herma made in France From 80s


Hi everyone anyone have any idea about this watch because i didn't find it in the net :-s all i know that it is made in France and it is 15 jewels




www.watchuseek.com





_Produced by Anguenot Frères S.A., Villers-Le-Lac, France._​
_. . ._​​_First based in Besançon, Villers-le-Lac and Morteau, and later known as A. Anguenot Anguenot Frères in Villers-le-Lac._​​_One of the founders in 1881was Ulysse Anguenot, born in 1849 in Villers-le-Lac, where you still will find the "Rue Ulysse Anguenot". The company was based in Rue Nationale 5, Villers-le-Lac. Later the company was given another name "Establishment Anguenot Frères" aselling under the brand Herma. There has been an office in Paris, Rue Beaubourg 43._​_Herma watches werde often equipped with a Cupillard caliber 233, (later knolwn as the FE 233-60)._​​_Side note: In 1974 Richard Mille was working for Anguenot as an export manager (inexpensive lever watches to South America) Anguenot did not survie the quartz crisis and was acquired by Herma Framelec. In 1981 Anguenot was taken from by Matra._​
A Mikrolisk search yielded consistent results. The word mark and several figurative marks (including the one on the dial posted) were associated with the manufacturer *Anguenot Frères SA*, registered in Villers de Lac, France, in 1928. There was also an entry for the manufacturer *Montres Herma SARL* in Villers _le_ Lac, France (no registration date). Other word marks with the same manufacturer, registration location, and registration date are _Herma Anguenot_, _Herma / Calypso_, and _Herma / Le Mans_. The few other results weren't clearly relevant (e.g., for the manufacturers Otto Pfaff and Gustav Scholl in Germany).

However, some vintage listings I came across described the Herma brand as being created in 1953. E.g.,









Herma Swiss made - Men's watch - 50s/60s


Anguenot, watchmakers from father to son, created the company of HERMA watches in 1953. Watches Herma society held in Villers-le-Lac the vast building whose ground floor now houses the Museum of the watch. The Anguenot brothers have made watches HERMA, a symbol of quality in a universe of...




www.catawiki.com





_Anguenot, watchmakers from father to son, created the company of HERMA watches in 1953. Watches Herma society held in Villers-le-Lac the vast building whose ground floor now houses the Museum of the watch. . . ._​


FS : Herma Calypso 70s - Valjoux 7733 - French Yachting Chronograph - myWatchMart



_The Herma watch company was created in 1953 by the Anguenot brothers in Villers-le-Lac (Doubs)._​_The Calypso range was launched in the second half of the 1950s, in tribute to Commander Cousteau, from which it takes the name of the famous oceanographic vessel._​​_Following the marketing of the Herma "Le Mans", which was typical of motorsport:_​​_There have been two derivatives with the same case / movement assembly, but each time with a bezel, the Herma "Le Bourget" for aviation (with tachymeter bezel and slide rule) and the Herma "Calypso" for fishing underwater (with diving bezel): . . . ._​
Some more Google searching for the history of Anguenot Freres and Herma eventually unearthed some very interesting and detailed historical information (albeit somewhat tentative) with lots of pictures. This history is a bit difficult to summarize briefly. Suffice it to say, highlights that stood out to me included

the Anguenot Frères company tracing back to *Narcisse Ulysse Anguenot* in Villers-le-Lac in 1893, who eventually sold the company to his sons (Alfred and Gaston) who registered two companies in Villers-le-Lac--Marius Anguenot and Anguenot Frères (the latter in 1919).
a fairly complicated sequence of other watch-related businesses within the family, locations of factories, acquisitions/integrations of and purchases by other companies (e.g., *Hubert Lambert et Fils* and the brand *LOV*) and related group/conglomerate names (e.g., *Finhor* group, *Framelec* group, *Matra* group watch division--the latter of which included other notable brands like *Yema*), etc. over the decades.
mixed accounts of whether the Herma brand was created in 1928 or 1953 (e.g., there's an account that the Anguenot Frères company made watches for a German customer Hermann that bore his name, or close to it, and Alfred's son, Robert, eventually came up with the idea of starting the Herma brand, dropping the two "n"s from _Hermann_, in the late 1940s).
some seemingly WW2-era models with cringe-worthy dial iconography.
in the late 1960s or 1970s, Herma moved into the prior factory of the movement manufacturer *Fabrique d'ébauches Cupillard SA* (which eventually became a member of *France Ebauches SA*) in Villers-le-Lac (also, Herma watches reportedly commonly ran Cupillard caliber 233 movements, which later became the France Ebauches SA 233-60 caliber, whereas the _Calypso_ models reportedly ran France Ebauche 3611/4611/5611 movements).
*Richard Mille* began working for the Finhor group in 1974, and eventually became director of the Matra group/*Matra Horlogerie*, which became a subsidiary of *Seiko SA*, named *Compagnie Générale Horlogère*, in 1987, and which Mille left in 1992.
Among Herma's various lines, the _Calypso_ models were named after *Jacques Cousteau*'s research ship, the RV _Calypso_.






Anguenot Frères – Watch-Wiki







watch-wiki.org













Herma Calypso, une plongeuse so 70s…


Herma est une marque française, relativement peu connue, en tout cas bien moins que Lip ou encore Yema. La dénomination de cette marque renvoie-t-elle à l’hermaphrodite ? ou encore aux…




copeaurnwatches.wordpress.com













Chronographe Herma Le Mans


Je vous ai déjà parlé, il y a un an environ, de Herma, fabricant français de montres qui, des années 50 aux années 70, a développé son activité dans le Haut Doubs, essentiellement autour de Villers…




copeaurnwatches.wordpress.com







https://watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=Fabrique_d%27%C3%A9bauches_Cupillard_S.A


.



https://watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=France_Ebauches_S.A


.









17jewels.info: Cupillard 233


The Cupillard 233 is an old french handwound movement, which was produced for several decades. When in 1965 the France Ebauches was founded and the Ebauches Cupillard were part of them, the caliber 233 was produced from then on as FE 233-60. The caliber 233 is a 15-jewel movement with decentral...




17jewels.info










bidfun-db Archive: Watch Movements: FE 3611 (Cupillard 3611)







www.ranfft.de







https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yema_(watch)





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Mille





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RV_Calypso



And last but not least, Google Images searches for "Herma skin diver" and "Herma dive" yield a range of different diver models. E.g., featuring different cases, such as the H-case, a more traditional tapered lugs 50s/60s diver case, and bolder 70s-esque quasi-tonneau cases; brand-name image marks; model branding, such as _Calypso_, _de Lux_, and _Sous Marine_; bezels, dials, handsets, date/no date, and subseconds.



Herma skin diver - Google Search





Herma dive - Google Search


----------



## mcmikey (Oct 25, 2014)

I came across this Smith’s Astral whilst looking for something else. It’s for sale on an American site but I nabbed the pics… looks very similar to my Wolbrook. I’m not sure why they’d name a dive watch Astral though!


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mcmikey said:


> I came across this Smith’s Astral whilst looking for something else. It’s for sale on an American site but I nabbed the pics… looks very similar to my Wolbrook. I’m not sure why they’d name a dive watch Astral though!
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16637097[/ATTACH][/ATTACH type="full"]16637098[/ATTACH][/ATTACH type="full"]16637099[/ATTACH][/ATTACH type="full"]16637100[/ATTACH]/
> View attachment 16637101


Very cool looking skindiver: thanks for posting it 

I believe it's our first vintage *Smiths*, so I'll post some research on the brand soon so there's a record in here. I'll also make a point to dig up whatever I can re: their _Astral_ line, specifically 

--

*UPDATE:*

So Smiths, both the vintage brand and the modern resurrected one, is probably a well enough known brand that I can just dial in the brand history. As information abounds elsewhere.

E.g., for the vintage brand, see:









SMITHS GUIDES


Starting in London as Samuel Smith in 1851, progressing down the years to becoming S.Smith & Sons(Motor Accessories), receiving it's first Royal Warrant in 1907. then becoming S.Smith & Sons (England)Ltd, which split into Smiths Motor Accessories Ltd, Smiths Aircraft Instruments Ltd, Smiths...



www.smithswatches.com













A Thoroughly British Obsession: Interview with Watch(Smiths) James Merrens - Worn & Wound


It’s 1953. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, is about to be crowned (she’s already launched the new royal yacht Britannia earlier in the year). Sugar and sweet rationing comes to a sticky-fingered end. And Edmund Hillary is about to conquer Everest along with his Smiths De...




wornandwound.com













How to collect Smiths watches - the best-value vintage timepieces of them all


Why watch investments don't have to cost the Earth.




www.gq-magazine.co.uk













Smiths Watches: More than Mt Everest - Wound For Life


One of the two brands that conquered Everest, Smiths is not very well known. Let's take a deep dive into who this small time British watchmaker was.




www.woundforlife.com










Smiths - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club







https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smiths_Group











Smith's Watches - anOrdain


An introduction to British watchmaking history Although you may have heard the saying that Great Britain is the mother of Parliaments, you might be less aware that the UK is also often seen as the mother of modern watchmaking. From the invention of the balance spring by Robert Hook in 1664, the...




anordain.com




.









Smiths: a Once-Proud British Icon That No-One’s Heard Of







www.outdoorjournal.com










History of Smiths Watches - UK Vintage Watch Buyer


Smith’s watches are becoming particularly popular among British watch collectors. With the increasing interest in vintage watch collecting Smith’s watches remain at an affordable price point. The combination of affordable prices...




ukvintagewatchbuyer.co.uk










Smiths — The Vintage Watch Co.







www.thevintagewatchco.co.uk





For the resurrected brand by *Timefactors *(Eddie Platts), see:









Smiths


The home of Smiths, Precista, Speedbird, Dreadnought and Sewills watches. High Quality, affordable watches plus a wide range of straps.




www.timefactors.com







https://military-watches.net/smiths











Smiths Everest (Timefactors PRS-25) Review - Worn & Wound


In order to talk about the Smiths Everest watch, one must introduce three brands, two people and one very significant historical event. The Everest, unlike most homage watches, is an homage in name and form, but to two different brands…as well as to their historical intersection at the highest...




wornandwound.com













This $500 Watch Was Worn on the First Everest Expedition…Sort Of


Allow us to explain.




www.gq.com













Best Homage to the Rolex Explorer 1: The Smiths Everest - WatchReviewBlog


The Smiths Everest’s origin is a long and twisted tale. Most homage watches are content to pay homage to a single watch, but the Smiths Everest pays double tribute. Many watch collectors are already familiar with the Rolex Explorer 1, which became famous when Sir Edmund Hillary wore one during...




www.watchreviewblog.com













This British Watch Is a Piece of Mt. Everest History


This week’s Monday Morning Find was one of the last watches made in Great Britain




www.bloomberg.com













Hands On Review: Timefactors Smiths PRS29 - 12&60


My review of the Smiths PRS29 model from Timefactors. It's a near identical recreation of the iconic Smiths W10 watch that was made for the British Army.




12and60.com





What's perhaps more interesting for the thread is that Smiths issued a few different dive watch designs (e.g., different cases, dials, handsets, brand images, model markings):






Smiths Divers | Rollinix-Smiths







www.rollinixsmithswatches.com







smiths dive - Google Search



The Smiths _Astral_ line may indicate one of the desirable Cheltenham, England-made Smiths, or not. See:









How to collect Smiths watches - the best-value vintage timepieces of them all


Why watch investments don't have to cost the Earth.




www.gq-magazine.co.uk





and









SMITHS ASTRAL


SMITHS ASTRAL ENGLISH MANUFACTURED WATCHES. WITH SMITHS THESE WERE A LINE OF WATCHES WITH CHEAPER FINISHES TO THE ESCAPEMENT COMPONENTS. THESE STARTED WITH THE CONVENTIONAL 15 AND 17 JEWEL MOVEMENTS AND ENDED WITH THE ASTRAL NAME BEING USED ON IMPORTED RENAMED PRODUCTS WITH SWISS AND JAPANESE...



www.smithswatches.com





While Smiths had a fewer other diver designs, their H-cased Astral marked ones--either "Smiths Astral" or just "Astral" with a crown logo above it--all seemed to use the same case, bezel, dial (excepting the logo), and handset. The model number was reportedly _CM4501_, and traces back to the mid-1960s.









Owner Review: Smiths Astral CM4501 Skin Diver – A History of a Company


This Smiths Astral Diver dates from 1966. It has a frosted, gilt finished, 60467E 17-jewel movement with a double-roller lever




fifthwrist.com













A Thoroughly British Obsession: Interview with Watch(Smiths) James Merrens - Worn & Wound


It’s 1953. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, is about to be crowned (she’s already launched the new royal yacht Britannia earlier in the year). Sugar and sweet rationing comes to a sticky-fingered end. And Edmund Hillary is about to conquer Everest along with his Smiths De...




wornandwound.com





vs.



https://www.ukwatches.com/product/016-rare-smiths-astral-1969-steel-divers-watch/



Additional photos in sales listings. E.g.,









Smiths Astral dive watch (1968)


This is Smith’s take on the diving watch, which was becoming popular with the top Swiss brands by the 1960s. The watch has a robust, solid stainless steel case and stainless steel strap. The movable bezel, which can be rotated to track your time underwater, is in good condition. I’m not sure how...




mrjoneswatches.com













Smiths Astral - 20 ATM Divers Wristwatch - Caliber 60467e - MADE IN ENGLAND


We Are Sorry But This Watch Is Now Sold - If However You Are Looking To Buy Or Sell Something Similar Then Please Email [email protected] Or Whatsapp/Call +44 7831 454658. Thanks Vintage Smiths Astral Diver - Rare English Made Diving Watch - Caliber 60467e Starting in London...




vintagewatchspecialist.com













Smiths Astral divers watch in a large size stainless steel case | #268672581


Up for auction is a Smiths Astral divers watch in a large size stainless steel case with a screw-in case back. This type of Smiths watch is very rarely offered for sale and must have had quite a limit




www.worthpoint.com













Smiths Astral Divers Wristwatch


Any Smiths watch is a great find and one to be admired, hopefully time will remember them for more than just the last English watch maker in fact these were manufactured in Cheltenham. This particular model ref CM4501 and this is the earlier dial signed Smiths Astral, the later dials had only...




thewatchcollector.co.uk







FS: Smiths Astral Diver CM4501 - myWatchMart



Additional photos via Google Images:



smiths cm4501 - Google Search



--

Anyway, I didn't know about these presumably rare birds. Thanks for sharing!


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## sci (Aug 6, 2009)

Vostok Komandirskie K02 / Amphibia. Cool to have a real vintage watch produced today


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## Paxman (Apr 8, 2006)




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## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

Ordered Tuesday afternoon and was on my doorstep in Connecticut lunchtime Friday. Took it off the bracelet because it was no just too much silver. It will stay on the gray Barton sailcloth for a bit. Might try it on a white nato.

Couple things: on their website, this is described as White / Silver. The dial isn’t white. It is matte silver. The lume is C7. It is green in daylight and glows very green in the dark. The website caption says C7, but if you go down to the specs it says BGW9. Nope it’s all green, all the time.


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## soboy (Jun 21, 2021)




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## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

Couple more pics to show the dial color. And a lume shot. 




























I like it.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

This was a fun little skin diver voting activity, with the heads up from Fratello:









A Collaborative Design: The Airain Sous-Marine Skin Diver


✓ Introducing the Airain Sous-Marine ✓ A skin diver made through collaborative design ✓ A sixties re-issue ✓ Read more here ✓




www.fratellowatches.com





Basically, the revived Airain brand is doing a reissue of the old Sous-Marine skin diver model (with the quirky yet functional yet capable-of-being-misplaced crown cap). 










And they’re soliciting feedback on different possibilities for the final designs via a simple like  feature on their website.










I enjoyed scrolling through and voting via like on options for crystal, handset, re-edition and limited edition color ways, case back graphic, and dial text placement  






CoLAB – Airain Sous-Marine – Step 1: Design foundations | Airain® Watches







www.airain.com










CoLAB – Airain Sous-Marine – Step 2: Revealing the design | Airain® Watches







www.airain.com





The rendered final results should be shown on 6/13/22, and the first round of preorders opens 6/23/22. 

I’m not yet sure on planned pricing (haven’t looked too much into it yet ). 

But their vintage military chrono (Airain Type 20) was about $3k, so I’m guessing entry-level luxury pricing for the Sous-Marine  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

I always thought you'd need to be pretty careless to lose the crown but I suppose its possible if you don't screw it back on properly - I've only ever had one screw down crown pop 'open' when wearing (once is enough of course with this 'cap' style!) The 'DNA' hand is a interesting vintage option but just too fussy and 'cheap' looking for me. The voting is a reasonable way to gather interest and giving a limited choice of options is better than design by 'committee suggestion' - Yema did something similar the other year by asking for designs then holding a 'vote' on them to see which one made production .... nice free publicity....seem to remember the Pearl Diver was the result.

Good to see another obscure design detail in the crown coming back to the market - the rest seems pretty standard simple skindiver, but interesting approach. Price wise a simple (after all they are supposed to be a kinda basic design ...) looking skindiver shouldn't be too high IMO and neither should it really be the company's 'flagship design' as marketed....


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

sci said:


> Vostok Komandirskie K02 / Amphibia. Cool to have a real vintage watch produced today
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16650864[/ATTACH]


You've reminded me I need to get back to a "skindiver-inspired" Vostok 120 case mod project that has been gathering dust for too long 😏



Paxman said:


> [/ATTACH=full]16651383[/ATTACH]


Rainbow Diver looking 70s-fly as always 😎



BigBluefish said:


> [/ATTACH type="full"]16658853[/ATTACH]
> 
> Ordered Tuesday afternoon and was on my doorstep in Connecticut lunchtime Friday. Took it off the bracelet because it was no just too much silver. It will stay on the gray Barton sailcloth for a bit. Might try it on a white nato.
> 
> Couple things: on their website, this is described as White / Silver. The dial isn’t white. It is matte silver. The lume is C7. It is green in daylight and glows very green in the dark. The website caption says C7, but if you go down to the specs it says BGW9. Nope it’s all green, all the time.





BigBluefish said:


> Couple more pics to show the dial color. And a lume shot.
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16658885[/ATTACH]
> 
> ...


Man, those pics do make the dial look white, and the handset lume blue-tinged.

But I'll go with your textual description, and glad to hear you're digging it 🙌

I appreciate my short time with the World Timer.

Super nice BoR bracelet they do too.

Is that strap this guy?









Amazon.com: Ritche Sailcloth Watch Band Quick Release Watch Strap Compatible with Timex / Seiko / Fossil / Citizen Watch Bands for Men Women : Cell Phones & Accessories


Amazon.com: Ritche Sailcloth Watch Band Quick Release Watch Strap Compatible with Timex / Seiko / Fossil / Citizen Watch Bands for Men Women : Cell Phones & Accessories



www.amazon.com





If so, how do you like it? I've always thought it looked quite nice, and the price is compelling.



soboy said:


> [/ATTACH type="full"]16658862[/ATTACH]


👌

Been quite some time since I had that Glycine Combat Sub in the collection. But I remember really digging it when red bezels were still all the rage, and being impressed by the bang for buck on offer (and the thinness).

I was secretly hoping that the new 39mm Combat Subs would just be this with a slightly smaller diameter and l2l 🤷‍♂️



8505davids said:


> I always thought you'd need to be pretty careless to lose the crown but I suppose its possible if you don't screw it back on properly - I've only ever had one screw down crown pop 'open' when wearing (once is enough of course with this 'cap' style!) The 'DNA' hand is a interesting vintage option but just too fussy and 'cheap' looking for me. The voting is a reasonable way to gather interest and giving a limited choice of options is better than design by 'committee suggestion' - Yema did something similar the other year by asking for designs then holding a 'vote' on them to see which one made production .... nice free publicity....seem to remember the Pearl Diver was the result.
> 
> Good to see another obscure design detail in the crown coming back to the market - the rest seems pretty standard simple skindiver, but interesting approach. Price wise a simple (after all they are supposed to be a kinda basic design ...) looking skindiver shouldn't be too high IMO and neither should it really be the company's 'flagship design' as marketed....


In short, concurred 🙂


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## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

ck2k01 said:


> Man, those pics do make the dial look white, and the handset lume blue-tinged.
> 
> But I'll go with your textual description, and glad to hear you're digging it 🙌
> 
> ...


Yeah, the website pics made the dial look white too, but not the "same" white as the while dial on the current auto version (which I think is actually white-white (?)) but either way was OK with me, and, well, so OK, it isn't actually white at all. No big deal. 

The lume does look more blue in the photos than it does to the eye, that seems to be common. Maybe it's just my iPhone's camera settings. 

As for the strap, the one I have is the Barton sailcloth w/quick release. That Richie strap looks nice as well, I might have to pick one up.


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## Well Then Lets See (Dec 30, 2015)

1969* 
BULOVA* _SNORKEL _666 FEET AUTOMATIC
*OCEANOGRAPHER*
variant: G


----------



## Well Then Lets See (Dec 30, 2015)

*WAKMANN*
watch supplied by watch maker *ALSTA WATCH COMPANY*
Caliber: Swiss Made, A. Schild’s (AS) 1906 high grade automatic, 17 jewels

*misc:*
The Wakmann Watch Company was founded in the state of New York in 1946, and began importing, assembling, and manufacturing SWISS MADE timepieces for the American market. This is due to the tax structure of the era that enforced substantial duties on the importation of Swiss wristwatches. Wakmann saw opportunity in their industry by partnering with various SWISS watch makers who supplied the brand with watch components to be given a final assembly, and later sold in the US under the WAKMANN label. WAKMANN was eventually *bought and taken over by Breitling* which most ppl associate the brand with.


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## Well Then Lets See (Dec 30, 2015)

1977
*CITIZEN CHALLENGE DIVER 150M*
_52-0110 dial type-1





















































_


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## Well Then Lets See (Dec 30, 2015)

1983
*SEIKO 6309-7049*
_aka: [sea] TURTLE














































_


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## mistermatt (Jul 19, 2021)

Just got this Helbros from the 70's (I think). 38mm case, 19mm lug


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## Well Then Lets See (Dec 30, 2015)

...


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## Not_A_Guest (Mar 21, 2021)

Well Then Lets See said:


> *CITIZEN CHALLENGE DIVER 150M*


ICYMI: There is a beautiful reissue of this watch that should be hitting retailers any week now.








Watch Out Seiko! Citizen Returns With The 200m Promaster Mechanical Diver


✓ Welcome the titanium Citizen 200m Promaster Mechanical Diver! ✓ Seiko's now got company in the Japanese retro diver game ✓ Check it out! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com




Titanium, sapphire crystal, MSRP on bracelet is only 750 GBP (street price probably much lower than that). Looks good to me.


----------



## Well Then Lets See (Dec 30, 2015)

*CITIZEN* 200M *PROMASTER*
_NY0125-83E_


----------



## Paxman (Apr 8, 2006)

MWW 62MAS


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## jovani (Nov 2, 2007)




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## Russ1965 (Apr 12, 2014)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BigBluefish said:


> . . . .
> 
> As for the strap, the one I have is the Barton sailcloth w/quick release. That Richie strap looks nice as well, I might have to pick one up.


Thanks for the heads up that it's a Barton 🙌



Russ1965 said:


> [/IMG]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51947577420_35925683bd_b.jpg[/IMG]


😱 ☠ Watches on the Screen: Zodiac 😉



Paxman said:


> MWW 62MAS
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16685693[/ATTACH]


Always nice to see this one, and in a way, it brings us back to the OP.

🤓



ck2k01 said:


> . . . .
> 
> 
> 
> ...


A bummer that *Manchester Watch Works (MWW)* closed up shop.



http://www.manchesterwatchworks.com/











Manchester Watch Works


Manchester Watch Works. Отметки "Нравится": 1 861. Timepieces with Masterful Blends of Yesterday and Today, born in the Green Mountains of Vermont, USA




www.facebook.com













ManchesterWatchWorks


I am a watch enthusiast, a watch collector, a watch modder, and a watch builder. Now, I also run my own successful watch company - ManchesterWatchWorks. ManchesterWatchWorks is built on the cornerstone belief that a high quality, aesthetically timeless, painstakingly detailed watch can be...




www.kickstarter.com













Manchester Watch Works - What Happened?


Hey all, just curious, I've owned a couple MWW pieces over the last several years, always very nice and above expectations. I was kind of out of the watch game for a while since we had a baby about a year ago. Just looking around again online and can't find anything more recent then 2019 from...




www.watchuseek.com





A bit about the brand, for history's sake:



https://www.wahsoshiok.com/watch-review-manchester-watch-works-iconik-4/



And a bit about the model posted, including the two dial logo options:









Introducing the ManchesterWatchWorks 62MAS


By now, you should all be familiar with the products that ManchesterWatchWorks is producing. I’ve seen most of their products, and have become a fan, and have managed to convince Victor to j…




www.wristwatchreview.com


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mistermatt said:


> Just got this Helbros from the 70's (I think). 38mm case, 19mm lug
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16684477[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16684479[/ATTACH]


Very cool.

We've never done a deep dive into *Helbros* before.

Fortunately, a good bit of information quickly came up about the brand history per a Google search.

A much deeper dive than the brand summaries I tend to post is available here:









Helbros Watches


Helbros Helbros watches are a fantastic American story. William Helbein, one of the founders and later long-time company president, arrived in the US in 1911, coming through Ellis Island. He becam…




forgottenwatchbrands.wordpress.com





Some highlights include:

An American brand registered in the second decade of the twentieth century by _Helbein-Stone Co. Inc. _and and _Helbein Freres / Manufacture d’Horlogerie Helbros_. Interestingly, the former also registered *Cornavin Watches*, a brand that rebadged Russian watches for export markets for a time (Cornavin | Watches of the USSR). There was also a passing mention of the brand sometimes importing *Rado* watches.
One of the founders and company president, *William Helbein*, a Russian immigrant (from an area in modern day Ukraine), was the first chair of the American Watch Assemblers Association. He was also a Director of the American Watch Association. There's also reportedly a memorial scholarship in his name at Brandeis University.
Helbros's watches, of which there were many styles and named lines (and sporting a few different logos--though primarily the encircled squiggly h), ran a wide variety of movements over time.
The company was acquired by *Elgin* in the late 60s (with mixed accounts about whether the company later became freestanding again), with Helbros not too long thereafter suffering the typical quartz crisis fate in the 70s. There were some vague new or persisting brand-related registrations during the 80s and 90s. The brand name trademark was subsequently acquired by *Jules Jurgensen* in the 2000s.
See also:






Helbros - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club










Helbros Watches - Guide to Value, Marks, History | WorthPoint Dictionary


The definitive guide online for Watches to help you identify and value your antique. Explore antique markings and prices on thousands of Watches items.




www.worthpoint.com







https://www.elgin.watch/companies/helbros/history/



Lots of cool vintage ads from the brand, which suggests that their key diver model (part of the _Invincibl_e model line) came out in 1968 or 1969:









Vintage Helbros Watch Advertisments — Buying On Time Vintage Watches


Browse our collection of vintage Helbros advertisements. We have assembled this collection in hopes of aiding and providing visuals for enthusiasts in search of more data on their current or prospective timepieces.




www.buyingontime.com













1968 Helbros Surf Master Sea Nymph diving watch photo vintage print ad | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1968 Helbros Surf Master Sea Nymph diving watch photo vintage print ad at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com





It's been noted that the Helbros Invincible diver was reminiscent of the Zodiac SeaWolf.






Helbros Invincible - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club





Per quick searches of Google Images for "helbros dive" and "helbros skin diver," I spotted different dials/indexes, handsets, bezel inserts, color ways, and date vs. day-date, most of which (though with a few exceptions) seemed to be using that same case shape. The dial is sometimes marked with _Invincible_ toward the 6 (or else with _Self-winding_).



helbros dive - Google Search





helbros skin diver - Google Search



Case shape exceptions, e.g.,:



https://www.propertyroom.com/l/helbros-divers-vintage-watch/14243643











Vintage-Gents-HELBROS-Electric-Date-Stainless-Steel-Diver Wrist Watch Fancy Dial | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vintage-Gents-HELBROS-Electric-Date-Stainless-Steel-Diver Wrist Watch Fancy Dial at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com













Vintage Helbros Invincible Divers Watch All Original Working | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vintage Helbros Invincible Divers Watch All Original Working at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com


----------



## Paxman (Apr 8, 2006)

Mas MAS


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

slorollin said:


> One more....
> 
> View attachment 14869073





ck2k01 said:


> Nice! I haven't ruled out eventually trying a HyperChrome LE. So cool looking.
> 
> . . .
> 
> ...





ck2k01 said:


> . . .
> 
> And good to so-so links about Rado and the Captain Cook model:
> 
> ...


NWA for me, which I think we can generally classify as being within the skin diver family, being small, with a modest historical (and even more so in reissues form) WR, and definitely looking more recreational than professional.



















*Rado* HyperChrome _Captain Cook_ 1962 Limited Edition.

The OG(s) (Captain Cook and _Over-Pole_, and the Italian import badged Rado *Ticin*):









#TBT The Rado Captain Cook - A Rare 1960's Diver That Spawned a Reissue


With a surprise reissue at Baselworld 2017, the Rado Captain Cook diver is big news. #TBT on Fratello Watches takes a look at the original!




www.fratellowatches.com













#TBT Rado Over Pole - A World Timer in a Captain Cook Case


#TBT is here with a hands-on look at the Rado Over Pole, a rare 1960's world timer using the same case as the Captain Cook diver.




www.fratellowatches.com













1960s Rado Captain Cook With Tropical Dial


Why This Watch Matters The original Captain Cook. The Full Story Named in honor of the 18th Century explorer Captain James Cook, Rado's quintessential dive watch both modern and vintage continues to stun, decade after decade. The Captain Cook hit the market in 1962, a time when the world was...




shop.hodinkee.com













Rado - Captain Cook - The Vintageur


Rare Rado Captain Cook from 1960's, 36,5mm stainless case, screw back, original crown, plastic crystal, automatic movement caliber AS 1700/01, original radium hands and dial with broad arrow hour hand. Original stainless steel bracelet in perfect condition. This amazing watch, original in any...




www.thevintageur.com













Rado - Ticin - Rare Vintage 1960s Captain Cook


Rado Ticin Captain Cook, this is the rare vintage 1960s example in nice and original condition. S/S rwo piece case &quot...




www.vwcweb.com













Setting Sail with the Rado Captain Cook


Celebrating the Machine with a Heartbeat




revolutionwatch.com





My 2017 reissue version:









The Value Proposition: Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook Limited Edition


A vintage-inspired diver that gets the details right.




www.hodinkee.com













Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Rado Hyperchrome Captain Cook


The Rado Captain Cook, a 1960s dive watch named after 18th century British naval explorer Captain James Cook, did not garner an incredible amount of attention when it was released, yet today the brand has revived it — once again, as an anomaly in its mainly quartz dress-watch lineup — and this time




www.watchtime.com













Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook – Hands-on Review


Set sail on a journey of mid-century dive watch discovery with the Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook.




timeandtidewatches.com













Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook In-depth Review: One of the Best Reissues of 2017


We did not see the Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook - a remarkably faithful reissue - coming.




timeandtidewatches.com













Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook | The Gentleman's Journal


The infamous Rado Hyperchrome watch has released it's newest edition, the Captain Cook. Find out more about this timepiece by the Swiss watchmaker.




www.thegentlemansjournal.com













THE REAL CAPTAIN COOK - Montres Publiques - The vintage watch magazine


The watch is named after Captain James Cook, the famous British sea captain and explorer active in the 18th century…Rado watchmaking history




montrespubliques.com





vs. the 2019 version with lighter champagne dial:









Hot Take: Rado Captain Cook Automatic 2019


The Rado Captain Cook Automatic 2019 is here and we have a subtle, patinated update to the sleeper hit from Baselworld 2017.




www.fratellowatches.com













Oh Captain, My Captain: Rado Releases New Dial Colorway in the Captain Cook Collection


Let me preface this article by stating that I'm a proud owner of the original Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook re-issue from 2017. When it was released in both 37-mm and 44-mm diameters that year, it was a breath of fresh air in the contemporary dive watch scene and a relative value proposition to boot




www.watchtime.com













Review - 2019 Rado Captain Cook Limited Edition 37mm (Specs & Price)


Following up on the 37mm Captain Cook vintage diver collection from 2017 (along with a contemporary 45mm version), Rado has released a 2019 limited edition that pushes the retro vibe even further. Most of what made the 2017 models so appealing returns, but the brand found inspiration from a...




monochrome-watches.com













All the Rado Captain Cook models you need to know


It's been a long road for the Rado Captain Cook, but 2019 is set to be a big year for the heritage diver




timeandtidewatches.com













Introducing the Rado Captain Cook Automatic Limited Edition (with New Dial and Travel Case) - Worn & Wound


Rado is a Swiss brand with a dual personality. On the one hand, they are known for pushing the design envelope with their Ceramica, HyperChrome, and ThinLine collections, utilizing a variety of ceramic compounds to make watches that are durable and modern. On the other hand, they have been...




wornandwound.com













Rado Captain Cook Bronze Patina-Inspired Dial 37mm Watch Hands-On Debut | aBlogtoWatch


Hands-on review & original photos of the ado Captain Cook Bronze Patina Dial watch with price, background, specs, & expert analysis.



www.ablogtowatch.com







https://www.thewatchcompany.com/blog/a-guide-to-the-quirky-rado-captain-cook-dive-watch/



vs. the 2022 Over-Pole (world-time bezel) version; e.g.:









The Rado Over-Pole Jet-Sets Once Again... With A Twist


✓ Rado reintroduces the Over-Pole ✓ A little-known vintage model with a dual-time function ✓ Read an original vintage owner's take here! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com













Hands-On: The New Rado Over-Pole Is A Fun, Affordable World Timer


Fun, functional travel-time capability for the little diver that could.




www.hodinkee.com













Rado Revives The Captain Cook Over-Pole - Worn & Wound


Rado is bringing back a mid-century classic to diversify their expanding Captain Cook collection with a new take on the Over-Pole world timer. This is the brand’s most classic design that presents a straightforward, and non-complicated interpretation of the worldtimer, with no extra buttons, sub...




wornandwound.com













Rado Captain Cook Over-Pole Limited 37mm - Hands-On Review, Price


A new take on Rado's signature watch, made for travellers... Meet the new 37mm hand-wound Rado Captain Cook Over-Pole Limited Edition.




monochrome-watches.com













Rado Drops New Captain Cook Over-Pole With World-Time Indication


An iconic model from the Sixties inspired Rado's latest, the new Captain Cook Over-Pole. It goes without saying that the Legnau-based brand updated it with its latest technological features, while preserving the vintage look. Characteristic design aspects from the original "Over-Pole Worldtimer" hav




www.watchtime.com













Rado Announces Limited-Edition Captain Cook Over-Pole Watch | aBlogtoWatch


Since its reintroduction to the brand’s catalog in 2017, the Rado Captain Cook series has grown to become a true dark horse contender in the hotly contested field of vintage-inspired dive watches. Over the years, the series has grown to encompass a wide array of contemporary reimaginings of the...



www.ablogtowatch.com





Some general Rado brand history:






History of Rado | Rado® US


Rado is a globally recognized watch brand known for innovative design and the use of revolutionary materials. Find out how it all began.




www.rado.com










Rado [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net













A Step Back in Time: Rado's Prominent Watch History - Man of Style


Man of Style takes a look at Rado's prominent watch history - innovators and leaders in the Swiss watch industry since 1917.




www.manofstyle.com







https://mikekeller.beepworld.de/the-rado-history.htm



And lastly, shots of all the vintage Rados you could imagine:



https://www.vintage-rado.de/radomodellemodels.htm





https://www.vintage-rado.de/radomodellemodelsii.htm


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> These two forthcoming skin diver designs randomly popped up on my YouTube feed:
> 
> [/MEDIA=youtube]mmeCqpqKS3s[/MEDIA]
> 
> ...


New Fratello write up on the HTD Aquatíc, Pelletoni and SpaceBoy:









Hands-On: The New HTD Aquatíc Palletoni And SpaceBoy Dive Watches


✓ Retro watch lovers rejoice ✓ This pair of HTD Aquatíc skin divers are ready to make this summer the best one yet ✓ Check them out here! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## effovex (May 11, 2015)

I love skin divers!

I have a few below:


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

effovex said:


> I love skin divers!
> 
> I have a few below:
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16708439[/ATTACH]
> ...


Super cool! Thanks for sharing these.

*1. Lincoln*

I love that quirky *Lincoln* design! I've had a similar *Mirvaine* branded one, with a different handset, in my eBay watch list for some time, that I've just been periodically admiring from afar:









RARE MIRVAINE AUTOMATIC DIVER`S Cal. FELSA 4007N SWISS 25 JEWELS 20 ATM 60s | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for RARE MIRVAINE AUTOMATIC DIVER`S Cal. FELSA 4007N SWISS 25 JEWELS 20 ATM 60s at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com





See also:









Mirvaine Diver


Things sometimes get a little weird here at analog/shift. While most people are off chasing yet another 5512, we are scouring the globe for the coolest things out there - watches that would otherwise be completely forgotten about by the masses of new enthusiasts following the beaten path. The...




www.analogshift.com













NOS Mirvaine Diver - Dial & Bezel


A 37mm dive watch in NOS condition from Mirvaine that features an aquamarine pulsometer track and a lovely original caseback sticker.




dialandbezel.com





Results yielded by a few initial Google searches for a vintage Lincoln watch brand history didn't immediately strike as relevant.

Google Images returns a few listings for 70s-esque dual crowns (super compressor-style) and chronos, in addition to a few dress watches:



vintage lincoln dive watch - Google Search



Though the logo stylizations (e.g., a underlying "V" line) suggested they may not reflect the same brand.

Searches for WUS threads discussing vintage Lincoln watches weren't particularly revealing either.

Mikrolisk searches for both "Lincoln" and "Mirvaine" (and related to the latter, "Ogival") work marks didn't yield any immediately obvious overlapping manufacturer entries.

However, because this information had been provided by the Dial + Bezel listing . . .

_The origins of Mirvaine date back to 1954, when a Polish businessman, having emigrated to Brazil, registered the brand name in Switzerland. The brand soon became a favorite in South America, more especially in Brazil. The founder himself managed the Sao Paulo office, supported by an excellent sales team. After Brazil, the brand expanded to the countries of Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, Ecuador, and Peru. At some point, the brand became related to the Ogival manufacturer and the new old stock Mirvaine diver seen here is a rebrand of an Ogival diver. _​
. . . my best guess for the Lincoln are two South American Mikrolisk manufacturer entries for Lincoln:

Importadora de Relogios Sud Americana SA, registered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1949; and

Leon Michele, registered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1961.

Though there are several other US and Swiss entries that are also possibilities.

So for now, this one has me a bit stumped, other than it being very similar looking to a model from Mirvaine.

Regardless, IMO, one of the funkier cool skin diver designs in the tread 🙌

*2. Vantage*

Fortunately, more information was readily available about the *Vantage* brand, I believe a first for the thread 👌

A Goole search immediately revealed an association with *Hamilton*, i.e., a subsidiary under the parent company of Hamilton (related to the acquisition of *Standard Watch Company*, from whom the movements featured in the mechanical Vantage watches came) that targeted the lower-cost segment of the market (e.g., to compete with the likes of Timex and Bulova Caravelle). Hamilton also used to market Vantage watches in their catalogs.

Vantage Watches and Pin Mallet Mechanisms - Vintage-Hamilton-Wristwatches [includes a 1970 Hamilton catalog shot of a Vantage skin diver with coffin indices]



https://electric-watches.co.uk/makers/vantage/











Nothing Runs Like a... Hamilton?


vintage Hamilton watch restoration repair collecting collections




www.hamiltonchronicles.com













Hamilton Vantage


I am considering this Vantage watch. I presume it is probably form the early 1960s. It is manual wind in NOS condition with all original box and papers. Any thoughts on this watch? Do you know if it is an American movement or a Swiss movement?




www.watchuseek.com





Consistently, a Mikrolisk search for "Vantage" returns three manufacturer entries, all related to Hamilton or its eventual parent company:

Hamilton Watch Co., registered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, and Biel, Switzerland.
Hamilton International S.A, registered in Geneva, Switzerland.
SSIH Management Services SA, registered in Biel, Switzerland.
A Google Images search for "Vantage skin diver" revealed listings for the aforementioned coffin indices model, as well as the posted "even numbers" dial model (albeit with a steel bezel insert and different seconds hand).



vantage skin diver - Google Search











Vantage Sport Skin Diver — Those Watch Guys


Brand: Vantage Model: Skin Diver Case: 37.5mm (Excluding crown) 48mm long, 11.5mm thick, all stainless steel, screw-down case back, original unsigned crown Movement: Standard Time caliber 177A, manual winding, recently serviced Bracelet. Strap: Period correct black rubber, 17mm Featur




www.thosewatchguys.com













TRIPPY~LATE 60s VANTAGE BY HAMILTON 20ATM SKIN-DIVER~SERVICED


FOR SALE IS SEXY AND SLICK 60s VANTAGE BY HAMILTON ALL-STEEL 20ATM SKIN-DIVER WITH KILLER PATINA AND MEGA COOL LARGE ARABIC NUMERAL DIAL. CASE: SLEEK AND SEXY ALL-STEEL SKIN-DIVER CASE MEASURING A LARGE 37.8mm ACROSS CASE NOT INCLUDING SCREW DOWN CROWN BY 48mm LUG TO LUG. CASE IS IN NEAR MINT...



www.retrowatchguy.com













FS: Vantage Skin Diver (Funky Vintage Diver in Amazing...


If you're looking for an awesome vintage skin diver but aren't looking to drop a ton of money here is your watch. I"m offering this great watch up for just $349 shipped CONUS. This awesome Vantage diver looks like a love child of Bell&Ross and Panerai with the font on the dial and wears like a...




www.watchuseek.com





A subsequent Google Images search for "Vantage dive watch" additionally revealed variants similar to the posted model (black bezel and lollipop seconds hand inclusive), albeit with a countdown bezel insert:



vantage dive watch - Google Search











1960's Swiss Vantage Diver — Cool Vintage Watches


1960s Swiss Vantage Diver. Original dial showing a little age. Looks Fantastic. Large markers and numerals. Cool hands. Center seconds. Outer rotating bezel. Large size all steel case with a screw back is in very




www.coolvintagewatches.com













Vantage A-20 600ft. Diver c.1970 — Buying On Time Vintage Watches


By the end of 1966, Hamilton (of Lancaster, PA) ownership also held and produced both Buren and Vantage watch brands. As a result, arguably some of the coolest models from both brands came about within a handful of following years. This circa 1970 600-foot rated Vantage diver is one of those classi




www.buyingontime.com





Said search also revealed two other interesting variants: one with 12/6/9 indices, date, and interesting handset, and one with an electrical movement with funky 12/3/6/9 indices (think Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster, aka the PAC-MAN):


__
https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/fxio5v









Vantage Electric 130E By Hamilton Dive Watch


Offered is this FULLY SERVICED (ultrasonic wash, rinse, and lubrication) Hamilton-Vantage Electric Dive watch. Covered in René Rondeau's book "The Watch Of The Future" on pages 95-96, it was released as a solution to compete with low cost imports under a different name, Vantage. It runs great...




www.unwindintime.com





About the electrical line of Vantage watches (via Hamilton in partnership with the Japanese company *Ricoh*), see also some of the above links and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Watch_Company

3. Cool to see another *Baylor* in the thread 👍

Some previously posted research on the brand:









Post your skin divers/skindivers!


The only thing I'll be diving in… is this torrential downpour




www.watchuseek.com


----------



## effovex (May 11, 2015)

ck2k01 said:


> Super cool! Thanks for sharing these.
> 
> *1. Lincoln*
> 
> ...


That is some great insight! I always love reading about the obscure diving brands that seem to be lost to time


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

effovex said:


> That is some great insight! I always love reading about the obscure diving brands that seem to be lost to time


Ditto!

Usually it's not too difficult to unearth or piece together a quick summary of obscure vintage brands that get posted.

And the modest pace at which brands get posted in the thread keep it from being too much of a burden to do so 😬

Over time, hopefully the thread will serve as an ever more useful resource for those looking for some information about miscellaneous vintage skin diver brands (e.g., to aid late night eBay browsing!).


----------



## mistermatt (Jul 19, 2021)

Thanks for gathering all this data!
I just got a couple of skin divers to add to the blue Helbros, first up is a fun one: Kent on the dial, Continental on the case and movement. France under the 6 and on the rotor, but I think I see '1700/01' under the balance wheel. Does that mean it's an AS 1700 but cased in France?























Second, I found another Helbros but it needs a little cleaning, maybe a new mainspring, and there's something skipping in the keyless works about once per hour when setting.


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mistermatt said:


> Thanks for gathering all this data!
> 
> I just got a couple of skin divers to add to the blue Helbros, first up is a fun one: Kent on the dial, Continental on the case and movement. France under the 6 and on the rotor, but I think I see '1700/01' under the balance wheel. Does that mean it's an AS 1700 but cased in France?
> 
> ...


Cool *Kent*, the first one we've seen in the thread.

(Also, that *Helbros* will be a nice little project.)

I dig the _Skin Diver_ text on the case back of the Kent 

The dial reminds me of the Zodiac Sea Wolf Datographic:



zodiac sea wolf datographic - Google Search



I also dig the broad arrow minute hand, angled date window/printed frame, and roulette (or just red?) date wheel text 

The missing bezel is also very "Marlon Brando" or "Caravelle Sea Hunter mod"; e.g.,









Hands-On: Marlon Brando's Rolex GMT-Master From 'Apocalypse Now'


This is better than Disneyland.




www.hodinkee.com













The Caravelle Sea Hunter 'Devil Diver' Review - The Vintage Watch You Need To Know About


10 for 10 Ep.4: There is an almost endless amount of vintage watches available, so why is this the one you need to know about?




www.watchgecko.com





--

I wasn't able to unearth too much in the way of information I feel confident about concerning Kent.

Some Google searches revealed a blog post and a few forum posts suggesting that the *Kent Watch Company* was a New York-based importer of Swiss watches, registered by *Straus & Finlay* in the late 40s, to serve as the in-store brand of the *Finlay*-operated jewelry departments within New York department stores owned by *A.S. Hirshberg*. Reportedly by the mid-50s, *Finlay-Straus *was acquired by *Kay Jewelers*, which kept the Kent brand going for a time. One of their adverting slogans was also reportedly "Kent is elegance with simplicity."









Kent Watches = House Brand Quality Swiss Made Watches


A number of American jewelry stores had their own house brands of watches, which they imported from Switzerland and marketed with their own names. Kent Watches are among that group. The practice of…




timelesstimepieces.wordpress.com







https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finlay_Enterprises





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterling_Jewelers








who is kent watches?


My amera batteries are dead so. I thought I would go ahead and ask this first. I have a small wristwatch with kent on the top 12o'clock and T swiss made T on the bottom 6 o'clock It is an automatic incabloc 17 jewel. Who is kent and the T swiss made T I thought (probably wrong) was unique to...




mb.nawcc.org










Kent Watch information needed!


I live in Italy and I've inherited a perfectly functioning wrist watch with a seemingly hand-written inscription in the top part near the "12" which to me appears to read "Kent Watch". I attach a photo of the watch, which is hand wound in a classical way. The style and aspect of this watch...




mb.nawcc.org










Kent Watch Inc


Hi All I recently won a watch on ebay named Kent (I bought it because name of my business starts with Kent). The movement says Kent Watches Inc, numbers on the movement are LT and numerals under balance spring (on the movement) are 1700/01. Can any one have an idea on the date of this watch. I...




mb.nawcc.org





A Mikrolisk search yielded generally consistent results, albeit with the word mark _kent_ having been registered by *Finlay Straus Inc.* in New York in 1928.

Now, what may counter the applicability of this backstory for the posted Kent watch is the _France_ marking on your dial. 

To further investigate, I ran a few Google Images searches for _Kent vintage dive watch,_ _Kent vintage chronograph_, _Kent vintage watch France_, and _Kent watches France._



Kent vintage dive watch - Google Search





Kent vintage chronograph - Google Search





Kent vintage watch France - Google Search





Kent watches france - Google Search



Most of the dials of the dress watch listings were marked _Swiss/Swiss Made_. 

I saw one listing for a diver with a tonneau-shaped case, also marked _Swiss Made_.









FUNKY~70s KENT SCUBA-DUDE SKIN-DIVER


FOR SALE IS A SUPER COOL KENT 15ATM SKIN-DIVER MANUAL WINDER WITH KILLER ORANGE ACCENTS. CASE: SHARP LOOKING CUSHION CHROMED CASE IN EXCELLENT SHAPE MEASURING A ROBUST 38mm ACROSS NOT INCLUDING CROWN BY 45mm LUG TO LUG. I LOVE THAT DEEP RADIAL BRUSHED FINISH ON THE CASE-TOP, THOSE SHARP...



www.retrowatchguy.com





But I also came upon a diver choronograph and several other chronos (dressy and pillow-shaped) that were all marked _France _on the dial.

FS: Vintage Lejour Kent Yachting Timer Yachtingraf AND FS: Lejour Kent Yachting Timer Yachtingraf









GLOSSY~60s KENT VALJOUX 7733 REVERSE PANDA CHRONOGRAPH~SERVICED


FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS A SEXY MID 1960s KENT VALJOUX 7733 17J REVERSE PANDA CHRONOGRAPH IN SUPER CLEAN CONDITION. RECENTLY SERVICED. SIGNED 3X CASE: CLASSY CHROMED CASE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. SHE MEASURES A NICE 36mm NOT INCLUDING CROWN BY 42.5mm LUG TO LUG. THE CASE ON THIS ONE IS IN...



www.retrowatchguy.com













BIG & IMPRESSIVE 1960 's VINTAGE GENTS KENT GOLD DIAL CHRONOGRAPH LANDERON 149 | #245240479


BIG & IMPRESSIVE 1960 's VINTAGE GENTS KENT GOLD DIAL CHRONOGRAPH LANDERON 149 Description: Outstanding Classic Circa 1960's Beautiful - Original Gold Dial KENT 2 Register CHRONOGRAPH by The Continent




www.worthpoint.com













Kent - Valjoux 7734 Panda Sports "NO RESERVE PRICE" - Men - 1970-1979


Model: Kent France Valjoux 7734 Chronograph. 1970s. The movement used by companies such as Breitling, Tudor, IWC, Panerai, and Heuer used the Valjoux 7734 during the 60s and 70s. Movement: Hand-wound mechanical Calibre Swiss Valjoux 7734 Stainless case and screw down stainless steel case back...




www.catawiki.com





The diver chrono was the most fruitful lead, as it was co-branded *Le Jour* (whom we've seen before as the US-based distributor of *Yema* watches) and *Kent* (albeit using a different font).









Post your skin divers/skindivers!


Great thread. I always associated skindiver with thinner case, no crown guards, and low (respectively) WR. [/ATTACH type="full" alt="15425271"]15425271[/ATTACH][/ATTACH type="full" alt="15425272"]15425272[/ATTACH][/ATTACH type="full" alt="15425274"]15425274[/ATTACH] Glad you're digging the...




www.watchuseek.com





The inside of the case back was also marked with *Continental Time Co.* and _France_.

A Google Image search for _Continental Time Co Le Jour_ revealed several other Le Jour chronos (including very similar/the same _Yachtingraf_ model but not co-branded with Kent, and marked Yachtingraf rather than _Yachting Timer_), where the case back and/or movement bridge were marked with _Continental Time Co._ but running movements from others brands (e.g., Valjoux, Venus).



Continental Time Co Le Jour - Google Search











Bring a Loupe: A LeJour Yachtingraf, A Tudor 'Elegante,' Some Fake Longines 13ZNs, And More


This week, almost all our picks are coming directly from Ebay, for better and for worse (you will get two Bidder Bewares at once). You will find a well-named Tudor "Elegante," a beautiful yellow gold Zenith chronograph, and some more shady Longines 13ZNs – one recently sold for more than $15,000...




www.hodinkee.com













LeJour Yachtingraf ref. 9312 Regatta Chronograph


Curating the best selection of vintage wristwatches on the web.




shop.watchsteez.com













LeJour Chronograph Venus 188 | thevintagemovement


Le Jour Chronograph running on a Venus 188 movement. Circa 1960’s.




www.thevintagemovement.com













A GENTLEMAN'S STAINLESS STEEL LEJOUR YACHTINGRAF


A GENTLEMAN'S STAINLESS STEEL LEJOUR YACHTINGRAF CHRONOGRAPH WRIST WATCH CIRCA 1968, WITH FRANCE-SIGNED DIAL Movement:Â 17J, manual wind, Valjoux cal. 7733, signed Continental Time Co. Case:Â Diameter approx. 39mm...




www.lot-art.com













CONTINENTAL (Le Jour) - *Venus 188* Vintage Manual Wind Chronograph - Men - 1950-1959


Extremely rare French Continental "Le Jour" Men's Vintage Chronograph Hand-winding Wristwatch from the probably 1950s. The watch works with Venus 188 chronograph movement. →Case is 37mm (excluding crown), 44.5mm (lug-to-lug). The lug width is 18mm. →The watch comes with a used green leather...




www.catawiki.com





I then thought to run a Google Images search for _Le Jour skin diver_, and lo and behold, I saw at least one listing for a generally similar looking _Le Jour_ branded skin diver (but not exact in all the details, such as the shape of the broad arrow, lugs shape, and case back). And another listing for a *Swank* branded skin diver also reportedly running a Le Jour movement (also roughly similar but not exact).



Le Jour skin diver - Google Search





https://www.mercari.com/us/item/m67528268204/?gclsrc=aw.ds&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=16866250059&utm_content=t0&adgroup=134734263079&network=g&device=c&merchant_id=126358573&product_id=m67528268204&product_id=309694460574&gclid=CjwKCAjwzeqVBhAoEiwAOrEmzbf6yIqaRkIKjfguAV5zglDibgnW-ooOPFPKwjrLVVX4GyOspy3VnxoCqKEQAvD_BwE











SOLD: 2 Vintage Swank skin divers. LeJour movement. One...


FS is a vintage Swank skin diver with a LeJour movement. Serviced last year. 36mm case. I also have a second Swank that isn't running that I'm including here. I bought the second thinking i might need donor parts but my watch guy said both just needed cleaning so I only had him service one of...




www.watchuseek.com





A Mikrolisk search for _continental_ revealed a bunch of word mark entries, but no French registrations (mostly Swiss registrations). So I'm not sure whether Continental Time Co. was a purely Swiss company or whether it had Swiss and French operations but was just registered in Switzerland.

Lastly, I checked that AS movement reference, and it does indeed look mighty similar to a 1700/1701 caliber:






bidfun-db Archive: Watch Movements: AS 1700







www.ranfft.de










bidfun-db Archive: Watch Movements: AS 1701







www.ranfft.de





*Thus, my hunches thus far based on all this are that

(1) Kent was an importer of watches from at least Switzerland and France, at times in coordination with at least Le Jour, to sell branded or co-branded in jewelry departments of New York department stores.

(2) your posted skin diver may well have been (as you suspected) a watch imported by Kent from France, originally put together by Continental Time Co., and running an A. Schild movement.*


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Mhutch said:


> [/IMG]https://i.ibb.co/L5dC6gM/thumbnail-IMG-1829.jpg[/IMG]


🙌

Recently picked this exact model up myself in a "vintage reissue entry-level luxury" consolidation thing I've been doing recently.

See also prior postings re: Oris Divers Sixty-Five:









Post your skin divers/skindivers!


And as I lamented in another thread the second generation of these will sport ceramic bezels. The aluminum bezel insert I would think is a prominent feature of a skindiver. I'm glad I got mine when I did. [/ATTACH=CONFIG]14934895[/ATTACH] I too have circled back around to appreciating the look...




www.watchuseek.com













Post your skin divers/skindivers!


I could be wrong, but I didn't see a thread dedicated to sharing skin divers/skindivers pictures and information. Since there's not all that much research out there about them, nor a universal definition, whatever the term means to you works. Vintage. Modern. Squared lugs. Non-squared lugs...




www.watchuseek.com





I’d been considering a few different options: 36mm vs. 40mm, funky numeral indices vs. more sober square/circle indices, a few different dial colors, and a stainless steel vs. bronze bezel. But I came across a good preowned deal on the 40mm Deauville Blue variant and decided to go for it.

See, e.g., re: the Deauville Blue color way, specifically:









Introducing: The Oris Divers Sixty-Five, A Great Looking, Retro-Diver For Under $2,000 Now With A Blue Dial


We got our hands on the Oris Divers Sixty-Five earlier this year at Basel World, and we loved it. The slim, 40 mm, vintage-inspired piece was well-received by both critics and readers alike – and we can't blame them. Oris has a history of offering sizable utility watches, like the ProPilot with...




www.hodinkee.com













Oris Divers Sixty-Five Watch Grey & 'Deauville Blue' Dial | aBlogtoWatch


The Oris Divers Sixty-Five watch in a new light grey, "Deauville blue," and pale-green color scheme with images, price, specs, & analysis.



www.ablogtowatch.com













Introducing the Oris Divers Sixty Five, now in Grey and "Deauville Blue" (specs & price) - Monochrome Watches


Remember Baselworld 2015... One of the most discussed watches and one of our favorites was, surprisingly, a watch priced below 2,000 Euros - and not one of the ultra-complicated pieces from Patek or one of the latest Rolexes. Frankly, the Oris Divers Sixty Five is a tremendously cool timepiece...




monochrome-watches.com





The bold mix of the light and airy pastel-y grey and blue dial and funky 60s yellow cardinal numerals, with the highly contrasting (framing effect) black bezel and date wheel, is an odd combo (plopping this dial in the no-date Hodinkee LE would have perhaps been a better look). It requires a little extra thoughtfulness as to strap pairings to help tie everything together (I personally think it looks best on light to mid-grey straps).

The brushed faux rivet bracelet, with fit and finishing generally striking as premium. And mighty comfortable with the crazy taper from 20mm to the adorable little 14mm clasp. Oris could have done a better job making the shape of the female end links flush with the angular lugs. Pins and collars also aren’t the most convenient for resizing. But otherwise, it’s 👍 I've yet to get around to trying other aftermarket bracelet ideas (e.g., shark mesh).

Other critiques: the polished case back and sides are very scratch prone, and no drilled lugs. And as widely noted, while the initial brightness of the lume is OK, its longevity is indeed 💩

I’m personally not bothered by the push-pull crown/100m WR, though 🤷🏻‍♂️

And notwithstanding these critiques, the watch undoubtedly has an endearing gestalt 👌

OEM bracelet:



















AliExpress FKM tropics:



















AliExpress FKM waffle:










Bond nato (I forget from whom, but just a basic/standard weave nato):










19mm (as it was the best color-tone match I had) standard grey nato (I think just from eBay):










Watch Steward Mishap Series:










Nick Mankey hook strap:


----------



## mistermatt (Jul 19, 2021)

Cleaned up the Helbros, I really like the arrow seconds hand


----------



## BRN (Jan 28, 2019)




----------



## vmgotit (Apr 27, 2017)

Here is one. Vance.


----------



## digivandig (Jan 16, 2012)

Here's mine









Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mistermatt said:


> Cleaned up the Helbros, I really like the arrow seconds hand
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16741881[/ATTACH]


Cleaned up very well   



BRN said:


> [/ATTACH type="full"]16742397[/ATTACH]






digivandig said:


> Here's mine[/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220706/e3c78ff9b1b2f6339096f1490287a1df.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk


Such a cool BoR on that one, with the somewhat angular beads  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

New Baltic Aquascaphe ti with maxi dial and cool brushed ceramic bezel insert, in black or blue:









Aquascaphe Titanium Watches Collection - Baltic Watches


Discover the Aquascaphe Titanium collection, the latest addition to our range of diving watches, is the ideal ally for adventure. Its light and resistant titanium case, its 300m water resistance, and its 42 hours power reserve will allow you to live your most extreme explorations and expeditions...




baltic-watches.com





















Looks like a solid entry into the ti diver space, being moderately sized (41mm around, 47mm l2l, 13.6mm tall) with vintage stylings and 300m WR 👍 

But €710, so not the cheapest entry.


----------



## jose-CostaRica (Apr 18, 2011)

Lovely tropic sport strap









Enviado desde mi YAL-L21 mediante Tapatalk


----------



## jil_sander (May 12, 2017)

Boy do I love light-weighted divers!!


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jil_sander said:


> Boy do I love light-weighted divers!![/ATTACH type="full"]16747466[/ATTACH]


Ahhhh yaaaa, *Monnin* cases are the jam 

I actually thought about starting up a similar separate thread for Monnin-cased watches, but wasn't sure there'd be enough traction relative to skin divers.

So suffice it to say, I've long been planning to pull together the below 

*Warning: a wall of text follows!*

--

Per Mikrolisk, the word mark _Monnin_ is associated only with the manufacturer *Monnin*, registered in Paris sometime between 1851 and 1861. Though if you click the manufacturer Monnin, there's several other word marks associated with manufacturers that may also refer to Monnin in some way.

I've never found a comprehensive overview of Monnin. Rather, just bits and pieces and roughly paralleling partial or uncertain accounts littered here and there. E.g.,

_However, the diver style quickly exploded in popularity, and no brand’s lineup was complete without an entry into the growing field. The obvious solution was to turn to dedicated case makers, legendary names like Erwin Piquerez S.A. (EPSA), Squale and Monnin. These specialist houses clothed the rest of the Swiss watch industry for decades, bringing virtually every watchmaker on-board the diving train. Along the way, they developed the archetypal skin diver case as a lower-cost alternative to hefty, higher-rated designs._​
*








Love the Skin You're In: the Lightweight Skin Diver - Worn & Wound


Part of the appeal of dive watches is the idea of sheer functionality—the sense that the hunk of metal strapped to your wrist could, at any given time, sink down hundreds of meters into the ocean and work as well as the day it left the factory. It’s a captivating idea, but one that also […]




wornandwound.com




*
_Soon other case makers were clamouring to get into the game. The French casemaker Georges Monnin was among the most successful. Monnin designed the first ever diver for Heuer, known as the Heuer 844. The French cases could also be found on the Aquadive brand. New York-based, Swiss Manufacture T.K. (Theordore Kagen) Company also supplied smaller, lesser-known brands around the world with their ubiquitous skin diver cases._​​*








Other Watchy Bits: The Skin Diver


There was a rakish charm about early skin divers. You could almost imagine James Bond surfacing from a clandestine dive into hostile territory and then walking into a tuxedo to sip martinis with a …




calibre321.com




*
_Ets G Monnin was founded in 1946 by Valéry & Gérald Monnin, somewhere in the Besançon area, and remained a family business producing top quality lathe turned, and later CNC produced, watch parts and cases for high end brands. Some time before 1981 Monnin changed it's structure, to become Monnin SARL, and then in 1989, under the control of Jean-Charles Monnin, Monnin Holdings SA. was founded, which ran side by side with the original Monnin SARL. in 2001 Monnin Holdings was taken over by a consortium of three Swiss watch concerns, Patek Phillipe, the Richemont Group, & Rolex. J-C Monnin retained control of Monnin SARL until 2004, at which time the two entities were merged to form Monnin SA, which is now based in a new facility in Sonzeboz. The Director of Special Projects of Monnin SA is one Jean-Charles Monnin, who, unfortunately, doesn't seem to answer emails._​​_Monnin had a good ongoing relationship with Heuer during the 60's and 70's, supplying them with parts and cases, until finally totally assembling models for Heuer. I'm no expert at all on vintage Heuers, but I do know Monnin produced the 844, and more than likely the 1614, 1611 & the 1589B. as well_​​*








Bessa - a little history and of it's relationship...


Bessa is listed by Andeas at Mikrolisk as a TAG-Heuer brand, with an unconfirmed association with Monnin in France. Having finally got hold of a Bessa I thought I'd share the research I've done in case anyone is interested. Ets G Monnin was founded in 1946 by Valéry & Gérald Monnin, somewhere...




www.watchuseek.com




*
_The dial design comes from the MoD standard, but where does the case design come from? There were probably dozens of watch companies using the case before it was adopted by CWC, but the company mentioned most often is Heuer._​​_Heuer was in some financial difficulty in the mid-1970s and wanted a piece of the lucrative diver market dominated by Rolex and Omega. To lessen the financial risk of developing a new product, they went into partnership with a casemaker. One version of this story has Jack Heuer recalling that the casemaker was M.P.R. in France. A second version says that the watches were built by G. Monnin in France (and indeed early Heuer divers have that name on the inside of the case back)._​​_It seems likely that both versions are essentially correct, in that M.R.P. made the cases and G. Monnin assembled the watches. What is undoubtedly true is that both companies provided cases, or assembled watches using those cases, for a large number of brands. Similar things happen today with casemakers. It is probably not possible to say who first designed the case, or who first used it. There are watches with the 'Heuer' case that appear to predate the Heuer (1979), and there are suggestions that Heuer rebranded an existing Monnin, so all we can reasonably say is that the case is a generic item, and that the earliest examples almost certainly came from M.R.P. . . ._​​_One further thing - there is little doubt that M.R.P. was (and is) Swiss, not French. Some sources give its full title as 'M.R.P. S.A.', and there is today a casemaking company by that name in the Swiss Jura. It is classified as a company with sales of €10 - €20 million per annum, employing 100-200 staff. It's in a French-speaking canton close to the French border, and it would be no surprise if it supplied cases to G. Monnin._​​_Monnin itself seems to have disappeared without trace, although there was a Gaston Monnin operating at the right time on the French side of the border (in Charquemont, 63km from M.R.P. in Alle). There is also a Monnin company operating in today's Swiss watch industry. It manufactures high quality watch parts, and is one of those obscure but significant firms whose services to the industry aren't generally acknowledged by watch enthusiasts (who prefer to genuflect before the deity of 'in-house', despite the fact that the industry hasn't often operated in that way because it brings few benefits)._​​_In reality, these French-speaking companies were probably part of the same watchmaking community regardless of the border. They may have had family or other close connections, and they needn't have been large concerns. They may even have moved their businesses from one country to the other. It's not inconceivable that the 'Heuer' Monnin simply went out of business in the quartz crisis, or was absorbed into another company. It would have been a footnote in a history never written, but for the fact that it once assembled some watches for Heuer._​​_CWC, like many companies before it, simply used what had become perhaps the standard non-Rolex, non-Omega diver case. The case that restored Heuer to financial health went on to provide some pretty tidy business for CWC. You can't erect a metaphorical plaque to it as you can with some watch-cases, but it's notable, nonetheless. Maybe M.R.P. makes the CWC case to this day. Unlikely perhaps, but who knows?_​​_I don't think anyone knows who makes the current CWCs. Silvermans have never shown any interest in providing the information, and I can't say I blame them. The only reliable information I have seen (from Ray Mellor) is that Breitling made the early chronographs, but after that it's anyone's guess._​
*








Routes to a CWC


Detour Ahead Setting out on a journey from my home just north of London to my mother's home sixty miles south of London, it struck me that I could ignore the sensible orbital route, plough through the whole of London, north and south, and go via Silvermans' premises in London's East End. In...




www.watchuseek.com




*
_To tell the story of this watch, we need to tell the story of an obscure but important company called Georges Monnin, SA. They specialized in tooling, making cases and assembling watches. They designed the case this watch lives in, known as the 844, sometime in the mid 1970s. The Monnin 844 was an instant hit, and taking a look at it, it’s easy to see why. It has all the hallmarks of a proper diver including pointed crown guards, a unidirectional bezel, and a comfortable 40.5mm diameter. Used by brands throughout the industry in a variety of executions, the Monnin 844 even housed Heuer’s first dive watch, helping to save them from financial ruin and leading to an award-winning line that continues with today’s Aquaracer._​
*








Lancaster 844 Diver


We’ve joined forces with our friends at 10:25 Vintage, a New York-based operation with a shared enthusiasm for interesting vintage timepieces, to bring you a robust handpicked collection that is both exceptional and affordable. Perfect for the discerning collector on a budget, these pieces...




www.analogshift.com




* [also one of the cooler looking Monnin 844-cased watches I've yet come across]

_But in the late '70s, as Jack Heuer tells it in his autobiography, Heuer was at a sporting goods trade show in Europe and was approached by a diving equipment company that was having trouble finding quality dive watches that could be co-branded. Heuer turned to a French firm, G. Monnin, to outsource a dive watch and ended up with a rather bulbous, oversized case with flared crown guards. Dubbed the reference 844, the watch would end up nearly saving the flagging Heuer brand at a dark time for the company. . . ._​​_After a year of outsourcing to G. Monnin, Heuer took over the manufacturing of the ref. 844, re-named the 980.XXX, and sold some with a full lume dial, in quartz and mechanical versions, different case sizes, in gold or steel (even a PVD version), with bracelet or rubber strap. The interesting thing is, that same 42-millimeter case was used by other watch brands of the same era, long defunct ones like Adura and Bessa. One of the more famous was Cabot Watch Company, or CWC, which used it for its dive watches that it supplied to British Royal Navy divers, succeeding the Rolex Submariner. In fact, CWC still makes the same watch and still uses the same case, albeit modified with welded lugs per the Ministry of Defense requirements. Another company from the '80s that used the same case was Chronosport, for that coveted Sea Quartz 30 that Magnum wore. What remains unclear is whether all the companies that used the case back then sourced them from G. Monnin or whether the design was sold to a Swiss case-making company. This is a common practice even today, with watch brands outsourcing cases to a specialty supplier. Regardless of its provenance, it’s lucky for me, since I could almost get the watch I wanted, from the '80s, but from Heuer._​
*








A Personal Note: Marking Time With A Humble Heuer (Caution! This Story Contains Quartz Content)


We’ve all got our formative years, that period when we came of age, learned to drive, learned to kiss, learned to drink. It’s that period when you start to formulate who you’ll become, adopt your heroes – real or fictional – and find a style that fits. No matter how far away from that time...




www.hodinkee.com




*
However, *Monnin SA* is still around (Monnin SA), so the historical account from one of the WUS threads above seems as plausible as any, in addition to the following:

G. Monnin was a French manufacturing company that gained horological fame in the late 1970s when Heuer, financially struggling and looking to capitalize on the burgeoning dive watch market, used Monnin’s cases for its 844 model. Being as it was a third-party design available to any buyer, watches with ‘Monnin’ cases, like CWC’s RN Diver, were contemporary to the early Heuer divers. While the Monnin company still exists today, its focus is on other parts of the Swiss watch industry, and the ‘Monnin’ case is long gone. It’s a treat to handle what might be one of the better case designs of all time, in brand-new condition. The well-defined brushing, the wide chamfer, and how the crown guards extend organically but terminate abruptly in blocked ends all add to the beauty.​
*








Welsbro Diver Review - The Time Bum


We go hands on with the Welsbro Diver model for a full review with pics, specs, and pricing.




www.thetimebum.com




*
Accordingly, I translated some relevant company (probable) history text from Monnin's website:

_MONNIN FRERES was founded in 1946 by Messrs. Valéry and Gérald Monnin. It began with extremely modest means. There were more children to feed than machines! Over the years, it has developed harmoniously. Successive expansions have made it possible to meet the demands . . . ._​​_In 1967, MJ-Ch. Monnin, son of Valéry, starts in the factory . . . ._​​_In 1978, two children of Mr. Valéry Monnin took over the business, MM. Jacques-Ali and Jean-Charles Monnin. These two partners worked together for 10 years, until 1988. . . . _​​_In 1989, MJ-Ch. Monnin takes over the CEO alone. He also founded MONNIN HOLDING SA, in order to have greater flexibility in buying and selling shares, which a S.à rl does not allow. Since the family management style of the factory was no longer possible, new structures were put in place with managers, and a quality system according to SN EN ISO 9002 was certified in 1994. . . . _​​_In 2001, Monnin Holding SA was acquired by three well-known shareholders in the watchmaking world. This step is an important turning point for the company. Thanks to this alliance, Monnin Frères S.à rl is opening up new horizons and ensuring significant and sustainable development. The production apparatus is increasing and new work surfaces are set up in a rented building located at Rue du Pierre-Pertuis 15. The objective is to offer customers, in addition to turned products of high quality, finished products including finishing operations. . . ._​​_In 2004 Mr. Jean-Charles Monnin passed the baton of general management to Mr. Michel Maruccia. Monnin Holding SA acquires the remaining 5% of MONNIN Frères Sàrl, still held by Mr. Jean-Charles Monnin, thus becoming the sole shareholder. . . . _​​_In 2005, merger of the two legal entities and modification of the company name to MONNIN SA, as well as change of the logo. The company has more than 60 employees. . . ._​​_In 2014, Monnin SA had 117 employees spread over 2 sites. A new entity is created to independently produce and assemble a new product: Clock ball bearings._​
*





Historique | Monnin SA







www.monnin.ch




*
The _844_ case is the most widely known case design from Monnin, no doubt due to it being most commonly associated with *Heuer *and later *TAG Heuer* (_844 Made in France _[outsourced to Monnin] _--> 844 Swiss Made _[brought in-house] --> _980.XXX / 1000 Series_). E.g.,

*








Heuer Monnin 844: A Brief History and Collector's Guide — VEBLENIST


Heuer’s first dive watch — the Heuer Monnin Reference 844, has a special place in the rich history of Heuer. While Heuer did have a strong presence in the racing world, with famous Formula One drivers such as Mario Andretti and Jochen Rindt sporting the Heuer watches…




www.veblenist.com














Heuer 844 Monnin


Heuer 844 Monnin, Automatic (France Ebauche) FE 4611A. 42mm case. c1979 The legendary Monnin, the first dedicated divers watch from Heuer. The Daddy… Back in the mid-late 70’s, Heuer received…




heuerville.wordpress.com













Historical Perspectives: Why The Heuer Diver Professional Deserves A Lot More Credit Than It Gets


When it comes to vintage Heuer, it's the historic chronographs that constantly grab the headlines. I mean, who hasn't recently read a story about some uber-rare, record-breaking Autavia, Carrera, or Monaco? Yet, there's one watch that played a critical role in Heuer’s history that remains almost...




www.hodinkee.com










TAG Heuer Dive Watches – The Oldest, the Newest and 25 of the Years in Between | OnTheDash


The definitive guide to vintage Heuer timepieces.




www.onthedash.com




*
However, Monnin put out other case designs. E.g., I've variously come across a smaller 37-38mm case with beak-style crown guards, a different sort of tonneau case, a squared-off hooded lug design, something akin to the 844 but fitting a chronograph, and a more traditional chronograph case. See, e.g.,

*





heuerworld: Diver


The Heuer Diver 1000 series was launched in 1979 and due to its success it became the mainstay of the Heuer line-up right up to the Tag Heuer era and beyond. A full line of ladies (28mm) and mid size (38mm) models joined the large (42mm) line and incorporated both quartz and mechanical movements...



www.heuerworld.com




*
*


https://www.tag1000diver.com/shop


*
*





Heuer Monnin (FE Cal. 4611A)… | The Watch Spot







thewatchspotblog.com




*
*








Welsbro Diver Review - The Time Bum


We go hands on with the Welsbro Diver model for a full review with pics, specs, and pricing.




www.thetimebum.com













One To Watch: Welsbro Comes Back From The Dead!


By using vintage cases and movements, a once-forgotten brand is rescued from obscurity.




www.hodinkee.com













Orange Soda - Diver Watch


What makes our Orange Soda Diver so delicious is that we've up-cycled a famous vintage Monnin case from the 80s with a vintage movement and a zesty new dial designed in Japan. After our watchmaker in Japan hand assembles each watch, it will be delivered to you in a lunchbox. We are making 12...




welsbro.com







monnin 37mm - Google Search





monnin 38mm - Google Search











Super Rare Vintage Nivada Automatic Depthmaster Monnin Cased Divers Wa


Photography (bar photos 5,9,10) by the excellent Steve Hughes give him a follow on Instagram @stevehughesphotography this guy is talented! Super Rare Vintage Nivada Automatic Depthmaster Monnin Cased Divers Watch Obscure find, I can only find one other example of this Watch, which is part of the...



www.waecce.com













Jean Paul Monet , Monnin case chronograph, 70s


Jean Paul Monet , Monnin case chronograph




watchlegend.com




*
*








Le Jour Chronograph


We’ve joined forces with our friends at 10:25 Vintage, a New York-based operation with a shared enthusiasm for interesting vintage timepieces, to bring you a robust handpicked collection that is both exceptional and affordable. Perfect for the discerning collector on a budget, these pieces...




www.analogshift.com




*
And as is surely evident at this point, lots of brands used Monnin cases. E.g.,

*








The hunt for a Monnin case dive watch


The Monnin case style dive watches are interesting and from a historical perspective did save Heuer during the quartz crisis. Being a James Bond fan, I have always fancied owning a Heuer 1000 series automatic watch (Heuer Night diver in the Living Daylights) but @ over 1k US$ for a watch in an...




www.watchuseek.com




*
*





Monnin Dive Watches - Info please


Seeing the lovely Heuer 844 Monnin in the Friday thread today has re-kindled my interest in these. I've had a quick look around the net, but I want to find out more & wondered if anyone who had already been down this road before would help me out please? Clearly other watches e.g. CWC's...



forum.tz-uk.com













1970s Aquadive Automatic (Ref. 503.305)


The 1960s and 1970s are filled to the brim with dive watches routinely referred to by a singular and possibly overused, but inescapable word, "funky". It seems to be the only signifier in the English language that can properly capture an aesthetic which while highly particular, is also quite...




www.craftandtailored.com













TACTICAL~80s FRENCH MATY MONNIN CASED 200m DIVER


FOR SALE IS A TOUGH AND EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE LARGE CASED 200M MATY QUARTZ DIVER USING THE VENERABLE MONNIN CASE MADE FAMOUS BY THE HEUER 844. CASE: OVERSIZED AND SEXY ALL-STEEL MONNIN CASE IN GOOD CONDITION MEASURING A HEFTY 42mm ACROSS INCLUDING CROWN GUARDS(NOT INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL...



www.retrowatchguy.com







monnin watch case - Google Search


*
I don't known if it's ever been confirmed whether Monnin 844-esque cases, especially the one(s?) used by *CWC*, or other Monnin-esque cases used by others (e.g., *Nivada Grenchen*), were definitely manufactured by Monnin. See, e.g.,

*


https://cwcaddict.com/rn-diver


*
*








CWC SBS Diver Issue MKII Watch Review | aBlogtoWatch


Full wrist-time review with original photos of the CWC SBS Diver Issue MKII watch, released in 2019, including price, background, specs, & expert analysis.



www.ablogtowatch.com







https://www.intlwatchleague.com/showthread.php?44091-CWC-RN300


*
*








Affordable Vintage: '70s Cool with the Scubapro 500 - Worn & Wound


It started because I had a watch that wasn’t getting worn. We’ve all been there; a piece comes into your possession, and at first it graces your wrist because it’s new, but then it starts to sit. You feel bad so you swap in a new strap and hope to gain a new appreciation for […]




wornandwound.com













ZENO PRS-3 (Broadarrow) - An Affordable Milspec Style...


I recently became aware of TimeFactors' impressive back catalogue, which features quite a few watches that are right up my alley. As I was rather late to the party, it became clear there was a slim chance getting any of these watches now (except perhaps second hand, if at all available). After...




www.watchuseek.com




*
At least one AliExpress brand has even gotten in on the Monnin-esque fun (*QIMEI*):

*





Diving watch - Shop Cheap Diving watch from China Diving watch Suppliers at QIMEI WATCHES Store on Aliexpress.com


Shopping for Cheap Diving watch at QIMEI WATCHES Store and more from on Aliexpress.com ,the Leading Trading Marketplace from China




369938820.aliexpress.com




*
Another fun aside is that Tom Selleck wore a Monnin 844-cased *Chronosport* _Sea Quartz 30_ in Magnum P.I. E.g.,

*








A Personal Note: Marking Time With A Humble Heuer (Caution! This Story Contains Quartz Content)


We’ve all got our formative years, that period when we came of age, learned to drive, learned to kiss, learned to drink. It’s that period when you start to formulate who you’ll become, adopt your heroes – real or fictional – and find a style that fits. No matter how far away from that time...




www.hodinkee.com













Magnum P.I. Watches - Jay Hernandez & Tom Selleck - iknowwatches.com


Magnum P.I. is a charismatic, funny and talented private investigator who has a style you can't deny. But what watches did he wear?



iknowwatches.com













Vivoactive Chronosport Sea Quartz Watch Face Tribute


Tom Selleck wore one in the 80s TV show Magnum P.I. Here’s how I’ve created a Watchface for Garmin’s Vivoactive!




panoptikum.m4r10k.io













Chronosport pic - Magnum Pi


I had never been able to find a decent photo of the chronosport worn by Magnum PI for the first 3 Seasons of the show. I came across this one today while watching season 2 episode 12 Ghost Writer and thought I'd share.




www.watchuseek.com













Magnum P.I. Watch


This arrived today. I’ve been searching for this watch for a long time. The 1980s series tv show was one of my favorites. This watch is almost identical to the one Tom Selleck (Thomas Magnum) wore in the first couple of seasons before he switched to the Rolex GMT Master. I say almost because...




www.thewatchsite.com





--*

Anyway, my two Monnin 844s(-esques?): a *MWC (Military Watch Company)* _1999-2001_ and a *Zodiac* _Red Point_), though the MWC was recently moved on.














































For more about my two (err, now one), see:

*








About MWC


MWC was founded in 1974 by Wolfgang Obrigheimer, although he manufactured a limited number of watches in the mid-1960s and branded the movements Military Watch Company it was not until 1974 following a conversation with another famous watchmaker Albert Wajs of Ollech and Wajs who also lived in...




mwcwatches.com




*
*


https://military-watches.net/mwc











Search: 14 results found for "1999"


MWC is a leading supplier, not just to the military but also to police forces, anti-terrorist units, airlines, mining companies, shipping and salvage companies, outdoor stores and retailers for whom we also manufacture watches under their own brand name.




mwcwatches.com













Zodiac and the Story Behind the Curious Point Series - Worn & Wound


Most watch collectors will at least have a passing knowledge of recent Zodiac history. After a successful period that started roughly in the 1950s and continued through the ’70s, the brand, like so many others, faltered during the Quartz crisis. In the decades that followed, Zodiac went through...




wornandwound.com







zodiac point watch - Google Search


*
*


zodiac dot watch - Google Search


*
—

The original mineral (?) crystal on my Zodiac was a bit scratched and accordingly non-responsive to PolyWatch. I’d seen reference to sapphire crystal mod parts for Monnin 844-cased watches from/by tag1000diver.com (IG: @Jkbenn02). Justin is an enthusiast expert servicer and reseller of vintage Tag Heuer 1000s, the Monnin 844 and smaller “beak crown guards” cases inclusive. I also noticed that he offered a jubilee bracelet very similar to my OEM bracelet (mine had pretty stretched out links such that it wore a little large for me even sized all the way down).

I reached out to Justin and he confirmed he could do for me the sapphire crystal upgrade with gasket, as well as new case back and crown gaskets and new battery, in addition to improving bezel action grittiness and doing an aftermarket jubilee mod (putting my OEM diver’s extension clasp on the aftermarket jubilee, which involved some friction pins and mixing and matching clasp internals and externals). He also just sells the parts if you want to do the work yourself (on eBay or his website).














































I can highly recommend Justin for servicing of Monnin-cased watches: a true expert in these form factors, fantastic customer service, lightning fast work, and extremely reasonable prices  






Tag Heuer Watches - 1000 Parts, Service, & Restoration - Louisville KY


At Tag Heuer 1000 Parts, Service, & Restoration, we offer quality services to customers worldwide. See us a message if you need your Tag Heuer serviced. We work on all models of Tag Heuer, not just the 1000 models. We also service the 1500, 2000, 6000, Kirium, Formula 1, Chronographs, etc.




www.tag1000diver.com


----------



## jil_sander (May 12, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Ahhhh yaaaa, *Monnin* cases are the jam 🙌
> 
> I actually thought about starting up a similar separate thread for Monnin-cased watches, but wasn't sure there'd be enough traction relative to skin divers.
> 
> ...


Really appreciate the info you gathered!!


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Zenith used the Monnin case too - my one is quartz but there was an auto version as well


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jil_sander said:


> Really appreciate the info you gathered!!


You bet. Thanks for the prompt, as I'd been meaning to get around to that for a while now, and I learned some new stuff re: Monnin along the way 🙌



8505davids said:


> [/ATTACH type="full"]16750304[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full" width="480px"]16750306[/ATTACH]
> 
> Zenith used the Monnin case too - my one is quartz but there was an auto version as well


Super cool. I always enjoying when I see the same or similar parts being used across small lost-to-time and major luxury brands like (and then everyone's unique comparative flourishes on those platforms) 🤔 👍


----------



## alec_kojro (Feb 1, 2021)

Any body has a recommendation, a skin diver like the Oris diver 65 but in 37-38mm and lug-to-lug shorter under 45mm?


----------



## FortunateSon11 (Oct 7, 2016)

alec_kojro said:


> Any body has a recommendation, a skin diver like the Oris diver 65 but in 37-38mm and lug-to-lug shorter under 45mm?


I would say maybe a Seals Sea Storm, but the lug-to-lug is apparently 47mm (looks smaller to my eye though).


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

alec_kojro said:


> Any body has a recommendation, a skin diver like the Oris diver 65 but in 37-38mm and lug-to-lug shorter under 45mm?


Oris made some 36mm Divers 65 variants. 

And the Rado CC comes in a few 37mm variants.

I’ll try to think of some more ideas short of vintage, where options in that size range really open up . . .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## alec_kojro (Feb 1, 2021)

ck2k01 said:


> Oris made some 36mm Divers 65 variants.
> 
> And the Rado CC comes in a few 37mm variants.
> 
> ...


I actually bought the 36mm divers 65, looked just too small on me 
and the Rado for me even though pretty, it has a different design to how I imagine a classical skin diver (divers 65, 62mas....)
Many thanks for your reply


----------



## Well Then Lets See (Dec 30, 2015)

*ELGIN DH 113-2879 *
20 ATMOS Diver


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

alec_kojro said:


> I actually bought the 36mm divers 65, looked just too small on me
> and the Rado for me even though pretty, it has a different design to how I imagine a classical skin diver (divers 65, 62mas....)
> Many thanks for your reply


I feel ya. I love the 37mm Captain Cooks, but they’ve got a bit of a unique vibe for sure. 














































As a brief aside, I upgraded from the 19mm Uncle Seiko Omega FOIS BoR to the 19mm OEM BoR that comes with the more recent 37mm iterations.

It can be sourced from Rado through an AD by saying you need the replacement bracelet for your hypothetical non-LE 37mm CC, Rado part # 07.03932.10. If you call Rado in Switzerland, they just direct you back to contacting an AD to source it (they said they won’t sell to anyone directly). Runs about $150-200 depending on the AD. Pricey, pin and collar, and no adjustment holes in the clasp. But quick release, perfect match with the shape of the lugs, cool looking clasp cover, high quality finishing, and quality slender feel.

—

Back on topic. Another thought from peering at my box: the Seestern 62mas. 37mm, 46mm l2l. An admittedly on-the-nose homage (mostly to the Seiko SLA017), but undoubtedly good bang for buck (I downgraded from an SPB143, and have been very happy with it).











Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## alec_kojro (Feb 1, 2021)

ck2k01 said:


> I feel ya. I love the 37mm Captain Cooks, but they’ve got a bit of a unique vibe for sure.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You are 100% about the Seestern, it is perfect, I had the V1, had to send it back because the date wheel was not centered, do you know which version you have?

I still somehow have a problem with Alibaba watches, I know San Martin and co are making good quality watches, but still bothers me a bit....


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

alec_kojro said:


> You are 100% about the Seestern, it is perfect, I had the V1, had to send it back because the date wheel was not centered, do you know which version you have?
> 
> I still somehow have a problem with Alibaba watches, I know San Martin and co are making good quality watches, but still bothers me a bit....


Indeed, I have the v2. 

I appreciate that it’s akin to the OG 62MAS diameter wise, while otherwise being more similar to the SLA017 than the SPB143 (e.g., more traditional H case, 12 index shape, circle 12 bezel pip, framed date, ceramic bezel insert).

I also enjoy the extra Seestern options of a fully lumed insert and lumed date wheel (either of which you can opt to forego, and you also have several dial color options).

My bezel alignment isn’t perfect, but it’s close enough for me at the price point.

Save a few bucks and skip the bracelet. It’s reportedly unsatisfying. Whereas the FKM rubber strap (not a tropic but roughly similar) is quite nice.

Honestly, I’ve got little to critique, especially given the low price (less than $200). Their shipping is quite slow, and it’s undoubtedly an on-the-nose homage. So because of the latter, I appreciate that it won’t be for everybody. 

But for me, beyond the indexes, the OG 62MAS has never struck me as a particularly unique design from Seiko (see, e.g., this thread ), nor one really fitting in with what would soon after become their distinctive design language for divers (whereas the modern reinterpretations make a stronger case for this to my eye). So I’m cool with 62MAS homages  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Carlos_EU (Jun 3, 2010)

Another monnin cased...


----------



## JSchinasi (12 mo ago)

ChaseOne said:


> One of my all time favorites...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Awesome. How is the bracelet? Do you ever throw it on a rubber/other strap?


----------



## FORMULa (Oct 7, 2012)




----------



## Well Then Lets See (Dec 30, 2015)

*1977 CITIZEN 52-0110 CHALLENGE DIVER 150M dial type-1*
aka: the watch that defied the Pacific


----------



## Carlos_EU (Jun 3, 2010)

TH 1000 - 980.006L - monnin


----------



## BenDSkelton (Apr 23, 2018)

alec_kojro said:


> Any body has a recommendation, a skin diver like the Oris diver 65 but in 37-38mm and lug-to-lug shorter under 45mm?


The Aquastar Deepstar II is 37 mm with a 46.5 mm lug to lug. I have a 6.25" wrist and it wears nicely.


----------



## Disco240 (12 mo ago)




----------



## BRN (Jan 28, 2019)




----------



## jose-CostaRica (Apr 18, 2011)

FORMULa said:


>


Hello brother









Enviado desde mi YAL-L21 mediante Tapatalk


----------



## FORMULa (Oct 7, 2012)

jose-CostaRica said:


> Hello brother
> 
> 
> 
> ...


nice...


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

I recall this one has been posted at least once herein before, but after several years of having a Zodiac Super Sea Wolf 53 Skin on the back of my mind, I decided to give one a go as part of my recent "entry level luxury vintage reissue" whim. That is, alongside the 2017 Rado CC 37mm LE and Oris Divers 65 (as the Zodiac SSW likewise seemed to be at the base of the curve: it’s been out for a while, so prices have dropped a good bit; but it’s not yet sufficiently difficult to source that prices have creeped up).

A bit of a photo dump below, but first, some impressions over the past few weeks with it.

*Variant:* I opted for the “serial killer” color way (at least as portrayed in the movie), but the later no-date variant for dial balance and the more stylized crown (model number ZO9206, specifically).









Watches on the Screen: Zodiac


In this edition of Watches on the Screen, we take a look at a watch worn in the film Zodiac, by David Fincher




wornandwound.com













Zodiac Movie vs. Zodiac Killer True Story - Robert Graysmith


Compare the Zodiac movie to the Zodiac killer true story. See photos of the real people behind the Zodiac story as we separate the killer's facts from the movie's fiction.




www.historyvshollywood.com













The Killer Zodiac Watch of the Zodiac Killer


Warning! If you haven't seen the film " Zodiac" by David Fincher (Fight Club, Se7en), this post contains spoilers for the movie. This w...




watchismo.blogspot.com










Zodiac Killer | The Zodiac Watch Ads | Project MK-ZODIAC (An Investigation of the Zodiac Killer)


The Zodiac Watch Ads



mk-zodiac.com





*Dial and handset (including lume): *My wife’s reaction was that the creamy gilt color way looked like a "dad watch," which she clarified wasn’t a bad thing, but just dad vibes 😆 The light plays a bit with the handset and indices. The C3 Super-LumiNova glows light green and is brighter on the hands than the indexes and bezel triangle.

*Bezel: *The bezel action feels “strong” (read: firm, a bit stiff) and the clicks are loud. The look and feel of the bezel give off a utilitarian vibe, which gels with the tool-ish brushed case design (though the watch mixes in “classy” touches with the stylized and polished crown and basically everything underneath the crystal).

*Case (including case back) and crown:* Mostly brushed from top down but with various polished accents (particularly on the crown and case back) to spruce it up a bit. The watch isn’t particularly thin by any means. The lugs have decent turn down, but it still floats a bit on wrist. Nevertheless, it’s got a utilitarian sort of wear on wrist (neither too big nor too small—a solid medium), which I think is overall befitting of the watch. I dig the classy case back and phallic screw down crown. The signed screw-down crown has a fidget-fun little “turn to pop out” thing once you unscrew it.

*Movement:* As for the STP3-13 inside, I’ve noticed that the screw down becomes increasingly “creaky” sounding (it’s not an endearing noise) the more the watch is wound. I’ve seen at least one passing mention to something roughly like this with this movement, so it could be a QC issue or it could be a movement quirk. Otherwise, the movement seems to be running fine. Worst case scenario, I’ve read I can swap out to an ETA 2824-2 or a clone to it.

*Bracelet: *The stock rivet-reminiscent bracelet with solid end links only has the faux caps: it doesn’t actually have the faux bumps. Also, said bracelet is sans (predates) the two flex/stretch links included on Zodiac’s subsequent jubilee bracelet (bummer). While I actually dig faux rivet bracelets, my immediate reaction to this one was that it looks and feels “fine” but that it didn’t really move me either. And paired with the brushed steel bezel, it’s a whole lot of steel.

*Other straps:* Given what I just mentioned about the bracelet, my first thought was to move the watch head over to a light grey FKM tropic strap to increase the contrast a little while still keeping everything light and airy. I've also thought to try a shark mesh bracelet and beads of rice bracelet. I dig it on all three.

Leading up to the purchase, I also found some websites with lots of information and reference shots re: the progression of vintage Zodiacs Sea Wolves, all of which were very helpful for orienting myself to where my reference and all Zodiac's numerous other vintage reissues fit.



https://thespringbar.com/blogs/guides/the-zodiac-sea-wolf/#THE_CLASSIC_ZODIAC_SEA_WOLF








Zodiac SeaWolf - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club





Vintage Zodiacs (also good coverage of models beyond the Sea Wolf)

I'm not sure whether I've ever posted a deep dive on the history of Zodiac brand before, but since summaries of the brand are readily available via Googling, I'll skip an even longer WoT 😉

And without further delay, pictures!

_Fresh out the box_:










_Case/lugs profile_:



















_Freshly torched lume_:



















_Classy_:




























_Shark mesh 4 life_:



















_Flat 6.5" wrist shot time_:


----------



## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe (Jul 12, 2013)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Tressa Sea Tempest + 19mm Strap Boutique (wjean28) shark mesh:











Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Carlos_EU (Jun 3, 2010)

6309-7290...


----------



## jovani (Nov 2, 2007)




----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> [/ATTACH type="full"]16750304[/ATTACH]
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full" width="480px"]16750306[/ATTACH]
> 
> Zenith used the Monnin case too - my one is quartz but there was an auto version as well


Circling back around to *Zenith*, who had a few cool vintage divers, including the _S.58 _(particularly the bakelite-bezeled Mark III and IVs), _A3630 Sub Sea_, _A277,_ and _De Luca_ (the latter two being chronographs with dive bezels).

_S.58_:









Why Doesn't Zenith Make a Dive Watch?


Everyone else is doing it.




www.gearpatrol.com













For Your Reference: Zenith S.58 — Rescapement.


For Your Reference Everything you needed to know about the Zenith S.58 diver.




www.rescapement.com













A Closer Look At The Zenith S.58 Dive Watch


No, It’s Not Named After A Helicopter




curatedclassics.medium.com





_A3630 Sub Sea_:









1969 Zenith Sub Sea Diver (Ref. A3630)


Rare Movado Sub Sea Chronograph 206-704-501. the look of the Super Sub Sea chronodiver changed after Movado and Zenith were united in 1969 under their parent holding company, Mondia-Zenith-Movado. This of course was a banner year for horology, being the debut of the Zenith El Primero




www.craftandtailored.com





_A277_:









Zenith ICONS A277


The A277 was produced from 1968 to 1970 and featured a “reverse panda” dial with a black rotating bezel featuring both dot and baton markers.




www.zenith-watches.com







https://shop.hodinkee.com/products/1960s-zenith-chronograph-reference-a277?variant=29964453806155











Dear Zenith, Bring Back The Brilliant A277 Diving Chronograph


✓ Jorg takes a look at the Zenith A277 ✓ An iconic diving chronograph among Zenith enthusiasts. ✓ It's time for a return of this classic! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com





_De Luca_:









ZENITH ICONS DE LUCA


The El Primero "De Luca" line was featured several references throughout the years with different dial configurations.




www.zenith-watches.com













Zenith De Luca Chronograph


Zenith De Luca Chronograph for sale via Analog/Shift




www.analogshift.com


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Well Then Lets See said:


> *ELGIN DH 113-2879 *
> 
> 20 ATMOS Diver
> 
> ...


Very cool (love that model's indices and handset!), and I think our first *Elgin* 🙌 (to date, we've only got a passing mention to Elgin having acquired *Helbros* in the late 60s).

Lots of Elgin brand history comes right up via a Google search.

In short, the brand started in 1864 in Chicago as the *National Watch Company*, before soon moving to Elgin, Illinois, 35 miles from Chicago, and changing its name to the *Elgin National Watch Company* in the mid 1870s. Several other factories were established over the years in Aurora, Illinois; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Blaney, South Carolina, with the brand relocating to the later town in the early 1960s, and the town also changing its name to Elgin. This major US historical brand (e.g., they produced nearly half of all jeweled pocket watches and wrist watches manufacturered in the US; they produced the only American-made automatic movements) persisted until the end of the 1960s, with its original factory in Elgin, Illinois, having been torn down by the mid-1960s. The brand name was thereafter sold several times, and Elgin-branded watches, wholly divorced from the original brand and reportedly produced in Asia, continue to be seen today (e.g., Robot or human?). Some other interesting tidbits include that original Elgin-branded clocks are still found in Chicago's Union Station, the NBA Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor was named after the company, and references or nods to the company can be found in select songs, a Mark Twain book, and a video game.

_See_:



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elgin_National_Watch_Company





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elgin,_Illinois





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elgin,_Kershaw_County,_South_Carolina





[ELGIN] Help on Elgin Watches








Elgin National Watch Company: History, Serial Numbers, Production Dates


Brief history of the Elgin National Watch Company including watch serial numbers and production dates. Traces the evolution of the Elgin National Watch Company, America's largest watch manufacturer, from their founding in 1864 until their demise 100 years later. Learn more about your Elgin watch.



www.pocketwatchrepair.com













Elgin Watch Company History & Profile | Pocket Watch Database


Company history an summary for Elgin.




pocketwatchdatabase.com







Elgin Watches Serial Numbers | Elgin National Watch Company Serial Number, Elgin pocket watch











The History of The Elgin National Watch Company


It was once the largest site dedicated to watchmaking in the world. Read on to learn more about the history of Elgin National Watch Company.




www.timesticking.com










ELGIN WATCH COMPANY HISTORY


hISTORY OF THE ELGIN WATCH COMPANY



www.thewatchguy.com













Elgin Watches History | Watch Cue


In the spring of 1864 half a dozen ambitious Chicago businessmen decided that if Massachusetts could build a factory that built watches – Illinois could, too. Harper's magazine summed their senti




watchcue.com





Mikrolisk search for "Elgin"

Anyway, as for their vintage dive models, in addition to the posted watch, a Google Image search for "Elgin vintage dive watch" reveals that they had several other dive models. E.g.,

H-shaped, more oyster-style, and 70s-esque cases.

Dual-colored (e.g., the rad "Christmas" bezel, black/orange, pepsi) and solid black bezel inserts (bakelite-looking and aluminum), and steel inserts, with various markings and pips.

12/6/9 coffin, even numbers, coffin indices, and other dials, some with and without date and/or day, in black, sunburst grey, etc.

Broad arrow, 62MAS-esque, and other handsets.

A sub seconds model.

_See, e.g._:









Elgin Skin Diver — Those Watch Guys


Brand: Elgin Case: 37mm (excluding crown) all stainless steel, skin diver case Movement: PUW cal. 1341, automatic Bracelet/ Strap: Grey Eulit perlon, 19mm Features: Matte black dial, tritium lume, date window, broad arrow sword hand set, orange pointed seconds hand, faded red/ green ou




www.thosewatchguys.com













Sweet Elgin Diver — Cool Vintage Watches


1960's - Original matte black colored dial looks fantastic. Markers have aged nicely with a rich patina. Very Cool hands that match the patina. Day Date model. Red date wheel. Large all steel case with a screw back is in excellent condition. Outer rotating bakelite bezel is killer. Sporting a ver




www.coolvintagewatches.com













Elgin M135 diver c.1970 — Buying On Time Vintage Watches


While the Elgin National Watch Company effectively ended in 1968 when they ceased American manufacturing in their last plant in South Carolina, the Elgin brand continued to produce some great pieces with the turn of the decade in 1970. The Elgin "M135" bakelite-bezeled diver watch is one




www.buyingontime.com










mentawatches.com — Elgin Canteen Diver Watch —


Up for grabs is a very rare Elgin watch made for diving. This model was the last dive watch assembled at Elgin's facility located in the state of Illinois.




mentawatches.com













#TBT The Most Captivating One-Eyed Elgin Diver's Watch


✓ Tomas shares his very uncommon Elgin dive watch ✓ The "One-Eed Bandit" with an enormous sub-register. ✓ Check it out! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com













3 Affordable Vintage Watches for Sale from Historic American Brands


These stylish vintage watches offer great value and a look into American watchmaking companies of the 20th century.




www.gearpatrol.com





_See also_:



elgin vintage dive watch - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Carlos_EU said:


> Another monnin cased...
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16771376[/ATTACH]


🙌

Our first *Technos*, which also put out a few other vintage dive watches in the skin diver vein.

Fortunately for me, another brand for which a bit of information comes up via Googling 😅

In short, the brand was originally founded by Melchior Gunzinger as *M. Gunzinger-Hug* in Welschenrohr in the northwest of Switzerland. The brand name was changed to *Gunzinger Bros Ltd.* by the founder's son at the start of the 1920s, who also registered the trademark and brand name *Technos* / *Technos SA* in 1924. Circa the quartz crisis, the brand was sold to *General Watch Co. (GWC)* / *ASUAG* in 1970 and then transferred to Biel/Bienne in 1977 to be managed alongside *Montres Edox SA*, with *Certina* also being integrated with them in 1980.

The brand reportedly had historically done good business in Japan and Brazil. In 1982, the brand was sold to its Japanese importer, *Heiwado & Co*, who, in turn, granted a limited license to Technos's Brazilian importer, *Centauro Importadora* (later renamed *Technos Relógios SA* and under the parent company of *Technos da Amazônia Indústria e Comércio Ltda*; also affiliated is the Swiss company *Technos da Amazonia Swiss SARL*; and a reorganized *Grupo Technos* / *GrupoTechnos*, among other related entity names) in the 1980s, later selling the rights for South American and the Caribbean to the related set of Brazilian companies in the mid-1990s, and then selling the remaining worldwide rights to said Brazilian companies in the early 2000s. The Brazilian companies persist to this day, with Techos reportedly continuing to have a sizable marketshare in Brazil.

_See_:






Technos (watches) - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org













Technos Watches: A Short Account of a Long History


In 1900, a watch company under the name of M. Gunzinger-Hug was founded by Melchior Gunzinger at Welschenrohr in the Swiss Jura canton of Solothurn, Switzerland. The firm started manufacture of wristwatches in 1918 and in 1920, the watch manufacturing facility passed to Melchior's son, Joseph...




www.thewatchforum.co.uk










Technos Watches


Technos



montre24.com







https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Watch_Co





History



Mikrolisk search for "Technos" (includes some figure marks)

As for their vintage dive watches, in addition to the post Monnin 844-cased watch, a Google Images search for "Technos vintage dive watch" revealed variants of the _Sky Diver_ line, including super compressor-looking designs; a 12/6/9 dial model; a subseconds model; and a tonneau-cased model, among potential others.

_See, e.g._:









The Technos Sky Diver — A Proper Vintage Beauty


✓ Mike takes a look at a stunning vintage Technos Sky Diver watch ✓ The vintage market still has plenty to offer ✓ Check it out here! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com













Five Affordable Vintage Dive Watches for Sale Right Now


Get into the vintage watch game with one of these five funky timepieces from the 1960s and ’70s.




www.gearpatrol.com













Vintage TECHNOS Sky Diver Automatic Stainless Steel 20 ATM Men's Diver Watch | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vintage TECHNOS Sky Diver Automatic Stainless Steel 20 ATM Men's Diver Watch at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com













Technos Supercompressor


Technos watches were produced under the careful eye of a family of watchmakers in Switzerland for a nearly 80 years before the brand was consumed by the Japanese market. During that time, Technos produced excellent watches in a variety of designs and functions. This late 60s Skydiver is a very...




www.analogshift.com













Found: 3 Vintage Divers That Are Classy Enough to Wear with a Suit


Three vintage beauties from Technos, Hamilton and Universal Genéve.




www.gearpatrol.com













Technos Diver — Danny's Vintage Watches


The Story Vintage skin divers are a gloriously underrepresented category in the vintage watch hunt. This Technos is in remarkable condition with creamy patina on the lume and ultra-desirable Rolex Explorer-like 6, 9, 12 numerals. Broad arrow minute hand, steel bezel and a quickset date wrapped in a




dannysvintagewatches.com













Mega Rare - 50’s Technos Guzinger Freres - First Diver (Sky Diver) | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mega Rare - 50’s Technos Guzinger Freres - First Diver (Sky Diver) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com










1970 Technos Sky Diver 1000M Watch For Sale - Mens Vintage Date Diver Split seconds Time only


This is a 1970’s iconic style chunky wristwatch by Technos. The Technos Sky Diver 1000m is run with an automatic movement, has an over-sized 44mm tonneau shaped case, and an original bright orange dial and bezel. Click to buy this vintage Technos watch at Matthew Bain, Inc.



www.matthewbaininc.com





_See also_:



technos vintage dive watch - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

pIonEerOFtHeNiLe said:


> View attachment 16788164


Very neat--I dig the 12/6 font and concave dial 🙌

Definitely our first *Foresta*, and the first time I've seen the brand.

While there's not all that much info I could find about the brand via Googling, what I did find seemed relatively straightforward, and also kind of fun as far as what the brand developed into (i.e., starting in 1974 and up to today, a German manufacturer of orthodontic products).

Per the *FORESTADENT* website (FORESTADENT History):

_[1907] Founded, by then 27-year old Bernhard Förster (1879–1963). He developed a unique design and manufacturing process for making spring rings for the jewellery industry. This put our company on the map and made us well-known around the world._​​_[1934-1972] Foresta – a name becomes a successful brand in the watch market. The brand Foresta was a registered watch brand after the war – a full success. Bernhard Förster was among just a few companies in the world that produced automatic date & time wrist watches._​​_[1950] Post-World War II in 1950 we built our main production site at the Westliche Karl-Friedrich-Strasse 151. We still manufacture at this location today._​​_[1960] Watch assembly in the1960s. Then, as today: high-precision micropartsrequire extreme care._​​_[1974] A new chapter started: entrance into orthodontics. Rolf Förster – a member of the 3rd generation of the owner family, saw the opportunity of using the available machinery pool, qualified technicians and know-how to produce orthodontic products. A success story which continues today._​​_[2012-2017] The new building and a huge modernisation of the old building at our main site in Pforzheim offers twice as much capacity as before. With investments exceeding EUR 13 million, the company is focused on the future! Also a confession to ,,Made in Germany“._​​_FORESTADENT is one of the world's leading suppliers of dental technology products for modern orthodontics. The product range now includes well over 10,000 items, which are shipped to customers in over 100 countries worldwide with an export rate of 70 percent._​
A Mikrolisk search for "Foresta" yielded consistent results: the word mark and three figurative marks are associated with Bernhard Foerster in Pforzheim, Germany (foresta with a line underneath, a shield-looking logo, and a crown logo).

A Google Images search for "Foresta dive watch" revealed a Monnin 844-cased design running a quartz movement, a wide-lugged (almost tonneau-shaped) model, and a different H-shaped model than the one posted (fully-indexed black bezel; different dial logo and indices and featuring a date window at the 6; and different handset).

Always a treat to see brands using both my two favorite case designs: the 844 and H-shaped skin diver case 🤓

_See_:



Foresta dive watch - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Well Then Lets See said:


> *1977 CITIZEN 52-0110 CHALLENGE DIVER 150M dial type-1*
> 
> aka: the watch that defied the Pacific
> 
> ...


Glad you posted this, as I've been meaning to orient myself to *Citizen*'s early dive watches (having seen some cool ones on IG that I'd yet to get around to looking up) 🙌

It seems I can forego a summary history for Citizen, with it being a very large (read: one of the world's largest), well-known brand. Though since I actually didn't know the company details, I'll just post some links to historical recaps for anyone curious:



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Watch








Corporate History｜CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.







www.citizen.co.jp










History｜The CITIZEN -Official Site [CITIZEN]


The CITIZEN brand was created in 1995 as the embodiment of CITIZEN’s watchmaking ideals. Explore the history of the brand and its ongoing quest to craft the next ideal in timekeeping. [The CITIZEN microsite]




www.citizenwatch-global.com










Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. -- Company History







www.company-histories.com










Citizen Watch Co. Ltd | Encyclopedia.com


Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.




www.encyclopedia.com







https://vintagewatchinc.com/citizen/








Citizen [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net













Citizen Watch Group: A Look Behind The Scenes -


Learn about the huge Citizen Watch Group and its brands such as La Joux-Perret, Arnold & Son, Frédérique Constant, and many more!




bespokeunit.com





Back to vintage skin divers, a Google search for "Citizen skin diver" revealed a very helpful site: Vintage Citizen Watches

And a Fratello article about the new reissue-y (of the _Challenge Diver_) Citizen _Promaster Mechanical Diver 200M_ (Watch Out Seiko! Citizen Returns With The 200m Promaster Mechanical Diver) also linked to another very helpful site detailing all the early Citizen divers: Citizen’s Vintage Mechanical Divers, 1962 to 1980

Browsing around these sites, it seems the early Citizen divers followed a (very) roughly similar trajectory to Seiko's early divers (excuse any slight dating or model naming errors, or omissions), though it's easier to group these (for the most part) in terms of water resistance than date or some other classification rule. Though for dating vintage Citizen watches/divers, see Dating a vintage Citizen watch

*50m (grandfather quasi-diver):* Quasi-dive watch (the first _Parawater _model as part of the _Deluxe_ line) launched in 1959.
*100m (with one exception, the lowest WR diver lines): *_Seven Star_ line first launched in 1965 (a bunch of variants including the rate _Crystal Seven_) and _Dandy Seven_ line (also had several variants).
*40m, 120m, 150m and 200m (skin divers):* 40m non-H-case (_Auto Dater_), 120m H-case (_Jet Auto Dater _/ _1120_ with "Parawater" written on the case back) circa 1962, 120m non-H-case (_Super Deluxe _/ _920_), 150m non-H-case (_Super Jet Auto Dater_), and 200m H-case (_Auto Dater_ with "Skin Diver" written on the case back) circa 1962-1965 (there's also rare silver and silver/gilt versions for some of these).
*150m (more professional): *A bunch of "more" professional iterations with relatively modest differences, and different color ways, from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s (e.g., [_Super Auto Dater Professional_ / _1150_]; [_Crystal Date_ / _5410_]; _Super Crystal Date_; [_5401_ / _62-5370 _/_ B52806_ / _62-5370_]; [_7200 _/_ 4-722710 Y_]; [_7470 _/ _68-5372_]; [_Challenge Diver / 6000 / 62-6198_]; [_8200_ / _51-2273_]; [_8210_ / _52-0110_]).
*500m (most professional):* The "most" professional diver (_Chronomaster 500m Chronometer_ / _5420 _or _5240_).
_See, e.g._:









Diving


Diving vintage Citizen watches External bezel, compressor style cases, blue dial, red, orange, silver, black dial, 100m wr to 500m wr. Parawater and Water resistant. Love them all! In the picture a…




vintagecitizenwatches.com





Citizen Parawater – THE Parawater and CITIZEN WATCH and Citizen Parawater, the first-ever water-resistant Japanese watch, revived as the Kuroshio ‘64 - The Watch Hand

Citizen Jet Autodater 120m – the first diver and Why you should hunt down a 1960s Citizen Parawater 120m Jet Autodater









super jet auto dater – Vintage Citizen Watches


Posts about super jet auto dater written by Citizen Guy




vintagecitizenwatches.com













Citizen Auto Dater 200m, the Skin Diver


Could this be the first real diver made by Citizen? Well.. maybe it is this one, maybe it is the 120m (that for sure I will write about in the future – read about it HERE). Either way, it is …




vintagecitizenwatches.com





Citizen Auto Dater para40mwater Diver and The Mysterious Vintage Citizen Auto Dater 40M Diver ADOS 3001-D









Complete Vintage Citizen 150m Divers


No Citizen collection can be considered a real collection until a 150m diver is included. This is the most recognizable diver line in vintage Citizen so sooner or later for sure one model will come…




vintagecitizenwatches.com













Citizen Super Auto Dater 39J 150m Professional


That is a long title! In fact it is even longer, it is: “Citizen Super Auto Dater 39J Para150mWater Professional SADS52801-Y” This must stand for something and for sure it means busines…




vintagecitizenwatches.com













Citizen Chronomaster 500m Chronometer


This is THE holly grail of Citizen collectors! This is one of the most sought after vintage watches! This is my dream, my so long waited one and the answer of all my intensive searches! People ask …




vintagecitizenwatches.com





(Among other blog posts on this site worth checking out about the different models.)

Citizen’s Vintage Mechanical Divers, 1962 to 1980 (one-stop shop of info and images of all these models).









The Vintage Citizen Super Crystal Date And Super Jet Auto Dater


We take a look at two fascinating vintage Citizen 150 meter watches: the Super Crystal Date and the Super Jet Auto Dater.




www.fratellowatches.com





Also some about the Tropic-branded straps accompanying some of the old school Citizen divers:









Citizen Divers and Tropic Straps


Anyone interested in vintage divers recognize what a Tropic strap is. The others should know that this is a certain type of rubber band, made in Switzerland during the 1960s and 1970s. They were …




vintagecitizenwatches.com





_See also_:









Introducing: Citizen Announces A Pair Of Vintage-Inspired Mechanical Dive Watches


An easy-to-love, back-to-basics skin diver from Citizen.




www.hodinkee.com













The new, no-nonsense Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200M NB6021


A barnacle-covered 1977 Challenge Diver serves as inspiration for the titanium Citizen Promaster Mechanical Diver 200M NB6021.




monochrome-watches.com





The *Vintage Citizen Watches (VCW) *website also developed an homage to mostly the 120m _Jet Auto Dater_ and 200m _Auto Dater _"Skin Diver" with the Finish manufacturer *Pook Watches*:









VCW & Pook – because we dream


Time does’t matter. Or does it? We all love vintage watches and Citizen made quite a few memorable ones. Some of the most beautiful diving watches were made in Japan. In 1959 the …




vintagecitizenwatches.com










VCW edition – official.pookwatches.com







official.pookwatches.com





A bit confusing to wade through at first, but the rough WR classification system above is helpful for getting your bearings. And FWIW, the five watches listed in the skin diver subcategory are arguably the most classically skin diver-y.


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## jeffthe1 (6 mo ago)

A brichot aquaguard (eta2452)


----------



## jeffthe1 (6 mo ago)

Villereuse (as1950/51)


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## Time2watchout (7 mo ago)

Skin diver? I’d consider my 6105-8009 that very thing if it was 1980 or so… yet considering the vintage value, I’d likely not take er in to the drink.
Its lite weight and Shallower depth resistance is how I see the watch… a Snorkle watch

Then of course the Skx007j is more modern and A dime a dozen. New gaskets with screw down crown… I’d actually Skin dive and use for real snorkle and Scuba.

So my answer is Two part.
-Oh and you must have a salt resistant knife to accompany


----------



## jeffthe1 (6 mo ago)

A few more, most of these were bought very cheaply on eBay in various states of disrepair and I've serviced/restored them, a couple of them (tell) are custom builds using nos parts.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jeffthe1 said:


> A brichot aquaguard (eta2452)





jeffthe1 said:


> Villereuse (as1950/51)





jeffthe1 said:


> A few more, most of these were bought very cheaply on eBay in various states of disrepair and I've serviced/restored them, a couple of them (tell) are custom builds using nos parts.


Ya man! Cool varied vintage skin diver collection 🙌

While we've seen a few of these brands, I'm going to have my work cut out for me sometime soon for several of these 😉



Time2watchout said:


> Skin diver? I’d consider my 6105-8009 that very thing if it was 1980 or so… yet considering the vintage value, I’d likely not take er in to the drink.
> Its lite weight and Shallower depth resistance is how I see the watch… a Snorkle watch
> 
> Then of course the Skx007j is more modern and A dime a dozen. New gaskets with screw down crown… I’d actually Skin dive and use for real snorkle and Scuba.
> ...


Rock on! Love that vintage 6105-8009 (and who doesn't love an SKX?)!

One of the cool things about the thread, to me, is to see how folks variously conceptualize what a "skin diver" is. As lord knows my thinking about the definitional issue has fluctuated over time, and I've never really landed on a particularly great operationalization. Because, for instance, the general notion frequently overlaps with other ways by which one may classify or "tag" a watch, with line-drawing problems coming up for me often enough.

So I've just resolved myself to there being several possible definitions, and the ol' "you know it when you see it" works well enough for me. But that subjectivity returns me back to my first point: why I like to see what others think across the thread 🤓


----------



## Time2watchout (7 mo ago)

It’s been in the Atlantic down in Mexico-And Hawaii/ Pacific ,swimming….so I guess it’s “skin diver” worthy.
Tag Link- one of my Favorites!


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Time2watchout said:


> It’s been in the Atlantic down in Mexico- swimming….so I guess it’s “skin diver” worthy.
> Tag Link- one of my Favorites![/ATTACH type="full"]16795860[/ATTACH]


Ha! Get it 🏊‍♂️ 🤜 🤛:


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## alhig72 (Oct 7, 2018)

Sent from my SM-F711B using Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

alhig72 said:


> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220730/5fda251dde26f8b869b8dac7761ed9fc.jpg[/IMG][/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220730/b6f17195f4c2a0fd02b06158ec086af0.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my SM-F711B using Tapatalk


Among other things, very cool indices on that Waltham 👍


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## jeffthe1 (6 mo ago)

alhig72 said:


> Sent from my SM-F711B using Tapatalk


I'm sure you probably know this but your Waltham is a blancpain bathyscaphe and is the watch Paul Newman wore in a movie or maybe he owned one, I forget.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jeffthe1 said:


> I'm sure you probably know this but your Waltham is a blancpain bathyscaphe and is the watch Paul Newman wore in a movie or maybe he owned one, I forget.


Interesting 🧐









A Follow Up: Paul Newman's Waltham/Blancpain Bathyscaphe Diver -


After some further research, we identifed the dive watch on the wrist of Paul Newman. Turns out it was a Waltham dive watch made by Blancpain!




deployant.com













Waltham Blancpain "Paul Newman"


This stunning circa 1959/60 Waltham branded Blancpain Bathyscaphe really is something remarkable and special. The watch is presented in what can only be described as museum quality condition, having all its original parts, including crown and benefiting from without doubt the best case, bezel...




thewatchcollector.co.uk





Just waiting for when a skin diver goes for millions at Phillips'


----------



## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




----------



## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe (Jul 12, 2013)

hard to find, great vintage shape & patina, doxa like barrel case.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jeffthe1 said:


> A brichot aquaguard (eta2452)





jeffthe1 said:


> Villereuse (as1950/51)





alhig72 said:


> [/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220730/5fda251dde26f8b869b8dac7761ed9fc.jpg[/IMG][/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220730/b6f17195f4c2a0fd02b06158ec086af0.jpg[/IMG]
> 
> . . .





pIonEerOFtHeNiLe said:


> [/ATTACH type="full"]16808142[/ATTACH]
> 
> hard to find, great vintage shape & patina, doxa like barrel case.


Since a lot of new brands have recently been posted, I'll try to keep the research relatively streamlined for each (also not that hard since not much came up about all but Waltham via Googling). I'm not getting to all the newly posted brands in this post, but I'll keep chipping away at it.

*Brichot:*

_Microlisk_:

"Brichot" search: Manufacturer: *Sparky's Gem Gallery Inc.* (said manufacturer is also associated with the work mark _Sparky's_; Registered office and details: Charlotte Amalie, USA (US Virgin Islands); registered on 21.5.1963

"Aqua-guard" search: Manufacturer: *Tiara SA *(said manufacturer is associated with numerous other word marks, but not Brichot); Registered office and details: Saignelégier and Zurich, Switzerland (registration dates ranging from the 1940s to 1980s for other word marks)

_Google Images_:

Some range in skin diver designs, only some of which are marked _Aqua-Guard 660_. There are also Tiara-branded skin divers and 70s-esque case designs with the dials marked with _Aqua-Guard 660_, so there's probably a connection, for that model name, at least. Perhaps Brichot was importing Tiara watches and rebranding them for the Caribbean market?



Brichot vintage dive watches - Google Search





Brichot skin diver - Google Search





tiara aqua-guard - Google Search



*Villereuse:*

_Microlisk_:

"Villereuse" search: Four word marks and one figurative mark associated with the manufacturer *Villereuse Watch Co*: _actual_, _Villereuse_, _Villereuse Watch_, and _Villereuse Watch Co / VWCo / Swiss_ (in circle with banner); Registered office and details: for all, "small watches, import; Brooklyn (NY), United States."

Reportedly, *Villereuse Watch Corporation *registered in New York State in 1962, and said registration expired in 1995:



https://www.corporationwiki.com/p/2naf7o/villereuse-watch-corporation



So presumably an American importer of watches by an unknown Swiss manufacturer(s). While this may be an overstatement since not all examples appear to be marked _Swiss Made_, it's also worth noting that the Swiss-Made thing, while it traces back to the 1800s, didn't become a legal thing until 1971.

The History of the Swiss Watch Industry:









At the Origins of... - Swiss-Made Indication on Watches - Trends and style - WorldTempus


While most of us will be familiar with the Swiss-Made mark on certain timepieces (although its exact signification may be more obscure), what do we know of its origins?




en.worldtempus.com







https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_made



_Google Images_:

Two different brand logos and a few different skin diver designs. Some dials marked _Skin Diver_ or _Skindiver_.



Villereuse vintage dive watches - Google Search





Villereuse skin diver - Google Search



*Waltham:*

Since I think we've previously covered the American *Waltham* (and probably Swiss *Blancpain*, at least in passing, and information abounds on both brands via Googling, we'll just go with some links to information about the Waltham _Bathyscaphes. _Though of note, as mentioned in some of these links, the Waltham Bathyscaphes seemed to come from a Swiss subsidiary of Waltham, *Waltham International SA Switzerland*, in the context of the parent company being sold, reorganized, and merged a few times throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 80s. Also, there were yet other private label Bathyscaphes, including from the French brand *Moeris *(I also spotted the American *U.S. Divers* on Google Images). And there are a few different Waltham Bathyscaphes, at least including the _MC4_ (big 12), the posted Paul Newman/_Harper_ reference, and a 62MAS-esque reference.









Blancpain Bathyscaphe


Blancpain, the esteemed Swiss manufacture that opened its doors way back in 1735, is known worldwide for crafting some of the most elegant pocket and dress wristwatches in history. Many of these pieces are brilliant works of horological art, and as a category are worthy of in-depth study and...




www.analogshift.com





Affordable Vintage: A Tale of Two Private Label Bathyscaphes - Worn & Wound and https://shop.hodinkee.com/products/waltham-diver-with-stainless-steel-case-1?variant=33064406319179

A Follow Up: Paul Newman's Waltham/Blancpain Bathyscaphe Diver - and Waltham Bathyscape "Paul Newman" (sold)

https://shop.hodinkee.com/products/1960s-waltham-bathyscaphe?variant=5435030765583 and Tropical 1960s Waltham Bathyscaphe



waltham bathyscaphe - Google Search





private label bathyscaphe - Google Search



*Hema:*

_Microlisk_:

"Hema" search: There are a few results to stitch together into a little bit of a suspected narrative.

The word mark _hema_ associated with the manufacturer *Henry Maurer* (also associated with the word mark _Oreale_) and registered office and details of "clocks, clock parts; La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland; registered on 8/5/1926."

The word marks _aquasport_, _Assilla_, _hema_, _Oebra_, and _Volpinex_ associated with the manufacturer *Hema Watch Co. SA*, with various registered office and details of "Neuchatel, Switzerland," "Neuchâtel and La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland," "Lausanne (1951), Neuchâtel and La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland," and "clocks, clock parts; Neuchâtel and La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland; registered on 11/06/1946; Brand taken over by Henri Maurer."

The word marks _hema_, and also _Topic Aquasport_ and _Hema Aquaspot_, are also associated with the manufacturer *Tiara SA*, whom we just saw in potential connection to *Brichot*, and with registered office and details of Saignelégier and Zurich, Switzerland.

Finally, there is the word mark _Frany_ associated with the manufacturer *NV Hollandsche Eenheidsprijzen Mij Hema* and registered office and details of "clocks; Amsterdam, Netherlands; registered on 08/22/1934," and word mark _Perlon_ associated with the manufacturer *Hema SA* and registered office and details of "La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland."

Piecing this all together, it seems possible that the Hema brand was started by Henry Maurer in Switzerland in the 1920s, which evolved into Hema Watch Co. SA, and which he had or resumed control over at some point. It also seems there was some connection to Tiara SA, at least for the _Aquaspot_ and _Aquasport_ models. The _Frany_ word mark seems unrelated/irrelevant (presumably a label for the Dutch department/variety store chain, Hema; e.g., Google Translate: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/HEMA), but the registered office locations suggest there could be something to _Perlon_ word mark_. _The strap? I doubt it, but who knows?

_Google Images_:

There's results showing a different skin diver and 70s-esque case designs, including chronographs.



hema vintage dive watch - Google Search





hema skin diver - Google Search





aquaspot vintage dive watch - Google Search


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jeffthe1 said:


> A few more, most of these were bought very cheaply on eBay in various states of disrepair and I've serviced/restored them, a couple of them (tell) are custom builds using nos parts.


*Part 1 of 2:*

If one searches the thread, previous skin-diver-focused brand research has been posted for the following of these: *Caravelle*, *Helbros*, *Jubilee*, *LeGant*, and *Oris*.

Thus, by my count, that leaves these for me to follow up on: *Clebar*, *Clinton*, *Corvette*, *Favre-Leuba*, *Hampden*, *Jell* (or *Tell*?), and *Swank*.


----------



## jeffthe1 (6 mo ago)

ck2k01 said:


> *Part 1 of 2:*
> 
> If one searches the thread, previous skin-diver-focused brand research has been posted for the following of these: *Caravelle*, *Helbros*, *Jubilee*, *LeGant*, and *Oris*.
> 
> Thus, by my count, that leaves these for me to follow up on: *Clebar*, *Clinton*, *Corvette*, *Favre-Leuba*, *Hampden*, *Jell* (or *Tell*?), and *Swank*.


I custom built the tell watch with nos parts, eta 2452 movements, they are Frankenstein's basically.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

jeffthe1 said:


> I custom built the tell watch with nos parts, eta 2452 movements, they are Frankenstein's basically.
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16811669[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16811672[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16811673[/ATTACH]
> ...


Gotcha. Cool project.

And one less for the still outstanding pile of brands 🙃


----------



## jeffthe1 (6 mo ago)

ck2k01 said:


> Gotcha. Cool project.
> 
> And one less for the still outstanding pile of brands 🙃


I have some more I can dig up later too


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Saw this online:


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Also found this:


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

While on the subject of Mickey Mouse, this AW1599-00W definitely has a skindiver vibe.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Mickey Mouse skin divers is a whole new rabbit (mouse?)  I’m looking forward to exploring more  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## vmgotit (Apr 27, 2017)

Here you go! Vance.


----------



## jeffthe1 (6 mo ago)

ck2k01 said:


> Gotcha. Cool project.
> 
> And one less for the still outstanding pile of brands 🙃


Here's one, a modist ladys skindiver with a screw down crown and an eta 2452 automatic movement.


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

First of all my compliments to @ck2k01, I like your style! I too like doing research into watches (more specifically Citizen's use of titanium and surface treatments since 1970) and post the results in a long thread (62 pages now).

I've read through this complete thread the past days, and I see near the end some Citizens made an appearance, and not long after you dove into Citizen's history. Unfortunately the prices of vintage Citizen divers are insanely high, getting close to Seiko levels of crazy, but at least their new re-issue gets a fair price.

I'm not a huge fan of dive watches, but I do like the classic skin diver look and that's how I ended up in this thread. No arrow hands for me though, so I guess my favorite that I've seen in this thread is the Lanco Barracuda.









All these H-cases reminded me of something. A smaller version of the H-case, without a rotating bezel, so more of an Aquastar 63, made its way into some of the Vietnam War era military watches. Most people probably associate round case field watches with the Vietnam War, but here is an Elgin with an H-case.


















I think these H-case Vietnam era field watches are much less known than their diver counterparts, the Benrus Type I and II you have discussed.

Some Desert Storm era military watches also follow this design, but using plastic unibody cases.


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

I will also offer you a riddle. I have removed the name of this Japanese microbrand from the lower dial. Can you find out what it is?









They made a few different versions, here is another.









And another.









Some are discontinued, but still available.


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

The Heimdallr 62MAS homage was only briefly featured in this thread.

















Here is another 62MAS homage using the NH35, which looks like it comes from the same factory.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

CitizenPromaster said:


> I will also offer you a riddle. I have removed the name of this Japanese microbrand from the lower dial. Can you find out what it is?
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16818310[/ATTACH]
> 
> They made a few different versions, here is another.
> ...


Is a reverse image search via Google cheating with a capital C?

Or is it more “*Lowercase* c” cheating?

In terms of the ethics of such an approach, would it be unbecoming of, say, a *Naval* officer?

 ️  

In all seriousness, some good looking quartz skin divers  









NAVAL WATCH Produced by LOWERCASE


1800年代にスイスのオリブ市で生まれた腕時計のブランドです。ヴィンテージやミリタリーをデザインモチーフとしたウォッチコレクションを展開しています。



www.navalwatch-jp.com






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

ck2k01 said:


> Is a reverse image search via Google cheating with a capital C?
> 
> Or is it more “*Lowercase* c” cheating?
> 
> ...


I didn't expect any less of you (than a reverse image search) 

It looks like it was only a half-attempt on a smartphone though, because you seem to have missed their other website, where you could have also seen this automatic NH35 skin diver (with automatic thickness).


























Also made in black. I recognize the side profile of the case from something else in this thread, but I don't remember what it was, though I'm sure you can tell me!




























Their second website: Wrist Watch | Naval Watch Swiss (navalwatches.com)


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

CitizenPromaster said:


> I didn't expect any less of you (than a reverse image search)
> 
> It looks like it was only a half-attempt on a smartphone though, because you seem to have missed their other website, where you could have also seen this automatic NH35 skin diver (with automatic thickness).
> 
> ...


Totally did miss that site (and also totally because of browsing on my phone while dozing off ). Good looking out 

That one, side profile included, reminds me of a vintage *Omega* _Seamaster 300_, like the reference _ST165.024_.









Omega Seamaster 300 Collectors Guide | Omega Passion


A comprehensive guide to the Omega Seamaster 300 watch. This website is aimed at avid colectors and will help in establishing the true heritage of the watch




www.omegaseamaster300.com













Omega Seamaster 300


Omega Seamaster for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




www.analogshift.com





See also, e.g., *MKII*’s _Project 300_ homage:






Project 300 — MkII







www.mkiiwatches.com





Thought the *Naval* _Mil.-05_ seems to have some of its own things going on too, including the slightly different handset and dial printing, chunkier gear-tooth-ish bezel edging, bezel insert, non-asymmetrical case, and crown shape. Plus, the PVD variant. 

So it’s also got some *DOXA* _SUB 200_ and vintage *Eberhard* _Scafograf_ vibes (particularly the bezel edging and case) to my eye. (I think Eberhard also did the cases for DOXA’s original SUBs before the iconic tonneau case shape.) But still it’s own thing if you look closely.









Doxa Sub 200 - a short presentation to celebrate the GPHG “Challenge” category nomination


Doxa Sub 200 was launched this year at Baselworld. A good looking diver that will be available for the public starting with 1 Nov. 2019. When I think of




watchilove.com













An owner’s guide to the pros and cons of the DOXA SUB 200


Released in 2019, it’s an affordable Swiss-made 200m water-resistant three-hander with an ETA 2824-2 movement, from a venerable brand with a rich association with dive watches. That heritage perhaps informs the watch's robust functionality with its sapphire crystal, sapphire bezel and endearing...




timeandtidewatches.com













Doxa Eberhard-Case Sharkhunter


Doxa Eberhard-Case Sharkhunter for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




www.analogshift.com













Eberhard Scafograf 300


Eberhard Scafograf 300 for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




www.analogshift.com













The return of the Eberhard Scafograf 300 - overview of an Iconic dive watch - Monochrome Watches


Eberhard occupies a great chapter in the history of the Swiss watch industry. However, it belongs to a segment rather obscure and less known from a wider audience. A segment which contains companies likes Venus, Martel, Leonidas, Lemania, Minerva, Excelsior Park, Gallet, Nivada, to name a few…...




monochrome-watches.com





Anyway, while a bit of a chunky monkey as you mentioned, good price for an homage to the general aesthetic (e.g., ¥25,300 converts to $187 US)  


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----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Thanks Mr. King !


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> Thanks Mr. King !
> View attachment 16819347


Awesome!

Looking even classier on that strap choice than I ever had it  Good versatility, that one.

Enjoy 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Awesome!
> 
> Looking even classier on that strap choice that I ever had it  Good versatility, that one.
> 
> ...





ck2k01 said:


> Awesome!
> 
> Looking even classier on that strap choice that I ever had it  Good versatility, that one.
> 
> ...


Ya , vintage tropic and Zodiac definitely play well


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

ck2k01 said:


> Totally did miss that site (and also totally because of browsing on my phone while dozing off ). Good looking out
> 
> That one, side profile included, reminds me of a vintage *Omega* _Seamaster 300_, like the reference _ST165.024_.
> 
> ...


They are certainly interesting offerings at that price point, especially if you get them basically unused from a private seller. I've seen the quartz one mint in box for 21,500 yen.

It was actually your Tressa chronograph that triggered my crude recognition sensor, but maybe that was just the angle. I see the resemblance with the ones you mentioned though.


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

This is for sale in my country.










































Movement ST (FHF) 96-4 and serviced in 2020. What would be a fair price?


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

These old Clinton’s are neat . They use too come packed in a tube full of water . What better advertising!


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

CitizenPromaster said:


> They are certainly interesting offerings at that price point, especially if you get them basically unused from a private seller. I've seen the quartz one mint in box for 21,500 yen.
> 
> It was actually your Tressa chronograph that triggered my crude recognition sensor, but maybe that was just the angle. I see the resemblance with the ones you mentioned though.
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16819451[/ATTACH]


Gotcha. I love the look (and grip) of a thin mid case + overhanging bezel with a skinnier underpart to it 👌



CitizenPromaster said:


> This is for sale in my country.
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16819565[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16819566[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16819568[/ATTACH]
> ...


While I'm not particularly savvy when it comes to vintage pricings, my sense just from looking at completed/sold eBay listings of vintage Helbros skin divers is in the $100-300 range, depending on confirmed service history, variant, condition, etc.









helbros skin diver for sale | eBay


Get the best deals for helbros skin diver at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!



www.ebay.com







Grinderman said:


> [/ATTACH type="full"]16819635[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16819638[/ATTACH]
> These old Clinton’s are neat . They use too come packed in a tube full of water . What better advertising!


Super cool packaging idea for sure! Though hopefully a seller of a vintage piece these days would go sans any actual water in the tube 😉


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Gotcha. I love the look (and grip) of a thin mid case + overhanging bezel with a skinnier underpart to it 👌
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think it depends on case material and the hands . Stainless is obviously more preferred


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Gotcha. I love the look (and grip) of a thin mid case + overhanging bezel with a skinnier underpart to it 👌
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I would hope not . Long retired


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

ck2k01 said:


> While I'm not particularly savvy when it comes to vintage pricings, my sense just from looking at completed/sold eBay listings of vintage Helbros skin divers is in the $100-300 range, depending on confirmed service history, variant, condition, etc.





Grinderman said:


> I would hope not . Long retired


He is asking €269, so near the top end of that range. But if I was in the market for a skin diver I'd lean towards a Seestern 62MAS V3, or the Japanese Naval that nobody else will have.


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Well they call it a Skindiver but at 300m WR its not a skindiver.... nice fitted bracelet though


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## mistermatt (Jul 19, 2021)

CitizenPromaster said:


> He is asking €269, so near the top end of that range. But if I was in the market for a skin diver I'd lean towards a Seestern 62MAS V3, or the Japanese Naval that nobody else will have.


269 euros is high in my opinion, especially since the case is plated and not stainless steel. They don't come up very often at all, but I watched one go for 80 usd not long ago on a popular auction site.


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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

mistermatt said:


> 269 euros is high in my opinion, especially since the case is plated and not stainless steel. They don't come up very often at all, but I watched one go for 80 usd not long ago on a popular auction site.


Same , i think I saw that same listing


----------



## alhig72 (Oct 7, 2018)

Sent from my SM-F711B using Tapatalk


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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

alhig72 said:


> Sent from my SM-F711B using Tapatalk


Waltham bathyscaphe is definitely on my bucket list one day


----------



## alhig72 (Oct 7, 2018)

Grinderman said:


> Waltham bathyscaphe is definitely on my bucket list one day


Don't wait too long,prices are on the up lol

Sent from my SM-F711B using Tapatalk


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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

alhig72 said:


> Don't wait too long,prices are on the up lol
> 
> Sent from my SM-F711B using Tapatalk


Oh I know ! I’m watching one on eBay now .


----------



## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe (Jul 12, 2013)




----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Not an H-case, but 100% a skin diver! Have fun researching it 🙂






































Edit: movement EB8810, 20mm lugs, 37mm excl. crown


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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Love these pizza dials


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

I don’t know if you guys are ready for this…




















































Anker with UMF 24 movement, circa 1975.


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## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe (Jul 12, 2013)

Grinderman said:


> Love these pizza dials
> View attachment 16821672


one bite everybody knows the rules.

i've been close to buying that mitchell but for one reason or another it never happened.

my search and find vintage skin diver binge is pretty much over. it's a lot of work sifting through the web and ebay trying to find x watch for y price.


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## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

And who doesn’t know Karex?


----------



## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe (Jul 12, 2013)

CitizenPromaster said:


> And who doesn’t know Karex?
> 
> View attachment 16823174
> View attachment 16823175


that vintage tropic might be worth more than the watch itself. that was another perk in searching for those older divers. most sellers didn't pay any attention to the strap when selling them. pretty sure it's easier to find than getting an amazing price on the present day ebay.


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

pIonEerOFtHeNiLe said:


> one bite everybody knows the rules.
> 
> i've been close to buying that mitchell but for one reason or another it never happened.
> 
> my search and find vintage skin diver binge is pretty much over. it's a lot of work sifting through the web and ebay trying to find x watch for y price.


I hear ya , part of the fun for me anyway is hunting for these specific models or something that just catches my eye . I usually flip and flop between skins and vintage dress watches . Have been dabbling a bit with some modern as well .


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

pIonEerOFtHeNiLe said:


> that vintage tropic might be worth more than the watch itself. that was another perk in searching for those older divers. most sellers didn't pay any attention to the strap when selling them. pretty sure it's easier to find than getting an amazing price on the present day ebay.


I bought a vintage Vostok that of all things was on a NOS tropic in 19mm . Paid 65 bucks for everything.


----------



## BRN (Jan 28, 2019)

So many wonderful vintage skin divers posted here lately! It makes me want to hit eBay hard but I’m so afraid of spending money on a ticking time bomb and losing my money.

This thread has been a gold mine for research purposes though and it might just push me over the edge.


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Love the Sears Tradition divers . Just so aesthetically pleasing to me .


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)




----------



## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe (Jul 12, 2013)

BRN said:


> So many wonderful vintage skin divers posted here lately! It makes me want to hit eBay hard but I’m so afraid of spending money on a ticking time bomb and losing my money.
> 
> This thread has been a gold mine for research purposes though and it might just push me over the edge.





Grinderman said:


> I hear ya , part of the fun for me anyway is hunting for these specific models or something that just catches my eye . I usually flip and flop between skins and vintage dress watches . Have been dabbling a bit with some modern as well .


yeah, it's fun looking. well, it use to be for me. i do a lot less if not any now. it's not like you you can't find a hassle free, fair or market price and get what you want from all the skin divers. (around 500) in some aspects it's worth it pay more. but the days of getting a more expensive model for a low price and steal are very hard to come by. 

your watches look like they're in amazing condition. there are so many ratty models out there for one reason or another. condition became very important for me as well.


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

pIonEerOFtHeNiLe said:


> yeah, it's fun looking. well, it use to be for me. i do a lot less if not any now. it's not like you you can't find a hassle free, fair or market price and get what you want from all the skin divers. (around 500) in some aspects it's worth it pay more. but the days of getting a more expensive model for a low price and steal are very hard to come by.
> 
> your watches look like they're in amazing condition. there are so many ratty models out there for one reason or another. condition became very important for me as well.


Condition is by far the most important thing for me . Most of the cosmetics are irreplaceable. Movements can always be serviced or fixed .


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> View attachment 16823378
> 
> Love the Sears Tradition divers . Just so aesthetically pleasing to me .


You know, I never noticed it before, but setting aside their differences (e.g., case shape, bezel, dial color, seconds hand, window frame width)--the overall similarity of the dials, and hour and minute hands, between the *Retras* dive watch (itself an homage to an old *Dugena* model) and the Tradition skin diver are uncanny 🧐









Retras Watches


Retras Watches are Retro design inspired, modern Watches produced in limited additions only. Retras Watches combines Dutch craftmanship for design and assembling with the finest modern materials in watch making (swissautomatic).




www.retraswatches.com













Retras Dive Watch 38.5mm Review - Watch Clicker


Want to know more about the limited edition Retras Dive Watch? Mike takes a look at the vintage inspired watch to see how it stands up to the competition




watchclicker.com





^ link to peep the vintage Dugena model.

Off the Cuff: The Retras Dive Watch and Other Watchy Bits: The Retras Dive Watch (A Year on the Wrist)









Retras Dive Watch - The Time Bum


Today, I’ve got a rather dandy retro-style watch for review, and I do mean “retro.” Retras Watches let me try their debut model, a midsize diver assembled in the Netherlands…




www.thetimebum.com













Retras Diver, Vintage-Inspired Dive Watch // Value Proposition Review


Meet a new microbrand from The Netherlands and their first watch, the Retras Diver, an accessible retro-looking dive watch... Now reviewed!




monochrome-watches.com













Introducing: The Retras Dive Watch


The watch world is full of, for want of a better word, fluff. Complications imitating the celestial orbs of the solar system, cases capable of surviving the crushing depths of the Mariana Trench, dials inspired by the night sky over the Alps under a full moon after too much cheese. It’s all a...




oracleoftime.com













Introducing: The Retras Dive Watch


The watch world is full of, for want of a better word, fluff. Complications imitating the celestial orbs of the solar system, cases capable of surviving the crushing depths of the Mariana Trench, dials inspired by the night sky over the Alps under a full moon after too much cheese. It’s all a...




oracleoftime.com













Retras Dive Watches







www.thecoolector.com





Interestingly, I randomly came upon mentions of

*Heuer* having made watches for other brands, using Heuer designs, including *Zodiac*, *Primato*, *Dugena*, *Tradition*, and *Sears*.
Dugena having consisted of a group of German watch companies, including *Alpina*.
Dugena having a history of riffing on design cues from other brands beyond Heuer (e.g., *Aquastar*), and navigating the quartz crisis via both adopting quartz technology and diversifying its watches, to include rebranded Heuer-made watches.
All of this is to say, the resemblance of the Retras and Tradition dials, and hour and minute hands, would seem to relate back to a probable relationship of some sort, back in the day, between Dugena and Tradition.









The Vintage Corner - The Story of Dugena - Or the Poor Man’s Heuer?


“Poor Man’s Heuer” is a term often used in the vintage collector’s world. It refers to a sport or tool watch that was made in the 1960s and 1970s, with design or style cues from racing Heuer watches, but with another brand stamped on the dial. Whether it’s the bright colours to accent the dial […]




monochrome-watches.com













Dugena "Poor Man's Carrera" Chronograph


Dugena "Poor Man's Carrera" Chronograph for sale via Analog:Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




www.analogshift.com






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----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BRN said:


> So many wonderful vintage skin divers posted here lately! It makes me want to hit eBay hard but I’m so afraid of spending money on a ticking time bomb and losing my money.
> 
> This thread has been a gold mine for research purposes though and it might just push me over the edge.


It's been awesome to see the increased action in the thread recently (🙌 all around).

And a growing list of to-get-to brands to look further into as time permits 👍

--

I'll throw one more onto the pile that came in about a month ago for me, which I'll discuss further soon.

*Oriosa Superautomatic*, cutely dubbed "The Real Snowflake" by Fratello ❄ 🤓






















































#TBT Oriosa Superautomatic — The Rescue Mission For The Real Snowflake


✓ Tomas shares his Oriosa Superautomatic. ✓ Discovered by accident, it has a snowflake hour hand ✓ More deserving of the name than a Tudor! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

CitizenPromaster said:


> I don’t know if you guys are ready for this…
> 
> View attachment 16823148
> View attachment 16823149
> ...





CitizenPromaster said:


> And who doesn’t know Karex?
> 
> View attachment 16823174
> View attachment 16823175


In a happy coincidence, some research for the Karex *and* the Anker - including the UMF 24 movement - has already been done in another thread, where you can also see another skin diver:








I need help identifying this vintage "Jumbo" watch


Greetings, I have come across another confusing watch, the "Jumbo". It was to my understanding that "Jumbo" was a size increase compared to the standard size watches had at that time, so seeing a watch with simply "Jumbo" as it's name leaves me with little to no lead as to uncover which company...




www.watchuseek.com


----------



## archaeobeat (11 mo ago)




----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> You know, I never noticed it before, but setting aside their differences (e.g., case shape, bezel, dial color, seconds hand, window frame width)--the overall similarity of the dials, and hour and minute hands, between the *Retras* dive watch (itself an homage to an old *Dugena* model) and the Tradition skin diver are uncanny 🧐
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I definitely think you are on to something. I remember seeing a watch that looked basically the same as the the tradition. Could have been a dugena. Didn’t put much thought into it at the time . I’ve always been curious who could have made the tradition diver though . Only markings are Sears related . Also I’m pretty positive that my chrono big eye is Yema made . Apparently they were trying to beat out Heuer for the contract and made a couple pieces. I find it so Fascinating that there were so many manufacturers trying to get into the Sears catalog at the time . Would make sense cause Sears was still a retail juggernaut at the time . I love the Sears stuff it holds a bit of nostalgia for me.


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Another German skin diver, Kienzle Sport with handwound 085b25, supposedly from the late 60s. 36mm without crown, world time bezel replaced.


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

CitizenPromaster said:


> Another German skin diver, Kienzle Sport with handwound 085b25, supposedly from the late 60s. 36mm without crown, world time bezel replaced.
> 
> View attachment 16824308
> 
> ...


That’s a killer dial . Especially like the 12 o clock lume


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

"Selling my vintage OLMA Skin Diver diver's watch with the reliable A. Schild 1863 automatic movement.

OLMA Numa Jeannin Co. Ltd (since 1906) was based in Fleurier, where manufacturers Chopard, Parmigiani Fleurier, Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier and Bovet Fleurier also had their HQs.






Watchmaking in Fleurier, Switzerland - A few milestones


We owe the introduction of watchmaking in Fleurier (Switzerland) to David-Jean-Jacques-Henri Vaucher, as early as 1730.




www.fleurier-quality.com





Measurements: diameter 37 mm without winding crown, lug-to-lug is 46 mm.
The thickness measures 11.7 mm, the lug width is 18 mm.

The watch runs great, power reserve is healthy at 40 hours. It is the cal. AS 1863.





bidfun-db Archive: Watch Movements: AS 1863







www.ranfft.de





The case is in good condition, the inscription on the back is fully legible. The watch has the original crown. The dial and the hands are original, but the dial has been corrected at 11 o'clock (picture). The bezel is legible and without severe scratches, but there is damage between 10 and 11 o'clock. The watch comes on a vintage rubber strap, which is most probably original. 

Watchmaking in Fleurier, Switzerland - A few milestones"


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Gamma is another I never heard of but Loves the looks.Has quick date and all stainless case . Only other one I’ve seen similar is under the name Heros . French I assume


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Another _interesting _design from Anker, more specifically Meister-Anker, with a Ruhla M24.


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> Gamma is another I never heard of but Loves the looks.Has quick date and all stainless case . Only other one I’ve seen similar is under the name Heros . French I assume


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

ZentRa C quartz skin diver, 35mm without crown, 39 mm L2L.


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

CitizenPromaster said:


> "Selling my vintage OLMA Skin Diver diver's watch with the reliable A. Schild 1863 automatic movement.
> 
> OLMA Numa Jeannin Co. Ltd (since 1906) was based in Fleurier, where manufacturers Chopard, Parmigiani Fleurier, Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier and Bovet Fleurier also had their HQs.
> 
> ...


I like the unique chapter ring


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

"Dugena Watertrip vintage Skin Diver.
The watch runs. The bezel is slightly faded (red)
The case is made of stainless steel.
Movement: Dugena 2123 (Durowe) automatic
Width: 38mm Height: 14mm Lug: 19mm"


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Avia Marino, approx. 1960, handwound, power reserve approx. 50 hours, diameter 36mm, height 11mm


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Belair seapearl 600


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Basis, 38mm, bidirectional bezel. Same caseback graphic as the Meister-Anker.


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

1971 Timex Marlin handwound, 36mm excl. crown, 38 mm L2L


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

450k yen starting bid 550k yen buyout price...
・Bezel diameter: φ 38
・Case size: Length 47 × Width 37 (including crown 40.5) × Thickness 12.5
・Weight : 50 g


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> I definitely think you are on to something. I remember seeing a watch that looked basically the same as the the tradition. Could have been a dugena. Didn’t put much thought into it at the time . I’ve always been curious who could have made the tradition diver though . Only markings are Sears related . Also I’m pretty positive that my chrono big eye is Yema made . Apparently they were trying to beat out Heuer for the contract and made a couple pieces. I find it so Fascinating that there were so many manufacturers trying to get into the Sears catalog at the time . Would make sense cause Sears was still a retail juggernaut at the time . I love the Sears stuff it holds a bit of nostalgia for me.


Some good write ups on the department store brands:









Post your skin divers/skindivers!


That is a great looking piece! Thanks. Really enjoying this one right now. Very comfortable on the wrist at 39mm and has a cool vintage/skindiver vibe to it.




www.watchuseek.com





I think I bought (well, I picked it out, but my mom bought it) my first ever watch at Sears. Was maybe 7 or 8 or so.

Apparently, some of my tastes have changed little since then 

*Then (I eventually figured out what it had been and sourced another one):*










*Now:*











Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> I think I bought (well, I picked it out, but my mom bought it) my first ever watch at Sears. Was maybe 7 or 8 or so.
> 
> Apparently, some of my tastes have changed little since then
> 
> ...


The top timex was you’re first watch ? That’s awesome that you still have it . Never seen that green color on the f-91 . I like it


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> The top timex was you’re first watch ? That’s awesome that you still have it . Never seen that green color on the f-91 . I like it


It was  The original is long gone (no idea what I ever ended up doing with it as a kiddo). But two or so years ago I went on a hunt to figure out what model it had been (my memory for that specific strap—which I recalled completely trashing as a kid—was a big help). I eventually figured it out, in part by just browsing around Google Images and eBay; hunted for a decent condition one to pop up on the bay; and then was able to source a NOS strap separately.

My first true WIS watch (informed by lurking WUS before ever jumping in with an account) didn’t happen until years later in grad school: an SKX013. Regrettably, when the 7S26 eventually needed a service, it was before I had learned how to mod (otherwise I would have just plopped a new 7S26 or NH in myself). And so I sold it as needing repair rather than paying to have it serviced (this was back when you could still get SKXs for sub-$200 all day). I’ve got another 013 back in the collection that I’ve modded out the wazoo. But sadly, not my original one. 

Same sob story for my first skin diver (a mod) depicted in the OP for this thread. Nor is that green one my first F-91W 

But at least the 013 and FiftyFour mod (and presumably however many F-91Ws I’ve had over the years) went to new WIS homes 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Almo, 40mm (excl. crown?)


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Kelton, "French Navy 1969", 37mm excl. crown


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Etienne "Racing Diver" 1969, 41 mm (excl. crown?)


















































You guys want me to stop or keep going?


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Don't stop me now, I'm having such a good time, I'm having a BALL











Cimier Sea Timer, bidirectional bezel, 5 ATM, 39mm incl. crown


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

The Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook 2017 LE, my favorite dressy skin diver reissue. 











Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## BSwed (Jul 14, 2021)

CitizenPromaster said:


> Etienne "Racing Diver" 1969, 41 mm (excl. crown?)
> 
> View attachment 16826041
> 
> ...


That was an odd one  A wild style mesh.


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Now this is a brand name I am surprised to see on a skin diver. 36 mm excl. crown


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Not particularly affordable, but at least they got the look right and kept the WR skindiverish.


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> The Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook 2017 LE, my favorite dressy skin diver reissue.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Arguably one of the first to do a vintage reissue at a vintage size - weren't many divers on the market below 42mm at that point I seem to remember. 
With the Braun and others all with generic dials, I'm pretty sure you must have been able to order a batch of watches with your brand on it and sell or issue them for advertising/promotional use.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> Arguably one of the first to do a vintage reissue at a vintage size - weren't many divers on the market below 42mm at that point I seem to remember.
> With the Braun and others all with generic dials, I'm pretty sure you must have been able to order a batch of watches with your brand on it and sell or issue them for advertising/promotional use.


My recollection is similar: that it was definitely one of the first major reissues sub-38mm, back in 2017, if not the first. As the Oris Divers 65, while released back in 2015 in 40mm, wasn’t offered in 36mm until 2019. Somewhat similarly, the Zodiac Sea Wolf Skin, while first released back in 2015, was 39mm and ~48mm l2l.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Nods - these watches (dare I say it!) started a trend back to 'sensible sizes' .... especially with L2Ls. The Breitling Superocean Heritage was available in 38mm before then but you really had to scratch around to find any divers below 42mm and choice was very limited.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> Nods - these watches (dare I say it!) started a trend back to 'sensible sizes' .... especially with L2Ls. The Breitling Superocean Heritage was available in 38mm before then but you really had to scratch around to find any divers below 42mm and choice was very limited.


Mm, good call re: the gen 1 Breitling Superocean Heritage 38, which traces back to 2007. IDK if I’d ever come across it before. 






SuperOcean Heritage 38 - a37320


Breitling Watch Detail




www.breitlingsource.com





*EDIT:*

Too bad [T]he subsequent ‘57 reissues jumped up to 42mm [but only at the top of the sloping bezel; the case is 38mm]; as the two  LEs were otherwise [are] 

*/EDIT*









Introducing: The Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 Capsule Collection (Live Pics & Pricing)


Gone Surfin'




www.hodinkee.com













The Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Capsule Collection (Specs & Price)


Inspired by one of the brand's cult 1950s dive watches, meet the new Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Capsule Collection, available for limited time.




monochrome-watches.com













Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Capsule Collection


Celebrating the Machine with a Heartbeat




revolutionwatch.com













Go Bold: The Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 Limited Edition “Rainbow” - THE COLLECTIVE


These days when you hear about a watch with “rainbow” in the name, you probably imagine a classic sports watch dripping with colorful sapphires and dangling from the wrist of some A-list celebrity. The Breitling Superocean Heritage ’57 Limited Edition...



www.europeanwatch.com













Introducing: The Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 Limited Edition II In Support Of Frontline Healthcare Workers


There is now a second version of the colorful watch, and it assists the fight against COVID-19.




www.hodinkee.com













Rainbow Redux: Breitling Issues Second Superocean Heritage '57 Limited Edition for COVID-19 Charities


Breitling unveiled a new "capsule collection" of its vintage-inspired dive watch, the Superocean Heritage '57, during its Summit Webcast back in April. One particular model in that collection caught on like wildfire — a limited edition with a multi-colored "rainbow" dial. This week, Breitling announ




www.watchtime.com













Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 Rainbow Diver to Raise Funds to Fight Covid-19


A new limited edition blue dial version of the popular rainbow diver will raise money for organisations around the world.




watchtime.me





Fratello had some interesting thoughts re: the Breitling Superocean Heritage ‘57 vs. Rado Captain Cook, including a passing mention to the vintage *Gruen* _Precision Ocean Chief_.









In-Depth Review: Breitling Superocean Heritage '57


We take a long look at the Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 where I'll attempt to convince you that it's worth a try. We don't deserve the Breitling




www.fratellowatches.com





See also:









Gruen Ocean Chief


Gruen Precision Autowind Diver for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




www.analogshift.com







https://shop.hodinkee.com/products/diver











50s Gruen Precision Ocean Chief | Hairspring


In a speech given to a group of investors and businessmen in 1920, Dietrich Gruen stated, ‘It has always been our aim, ever…




hairspring.com













Tropical 1960s Gruen Ocean Chief Diver W/ Box


As an American watch company based in Ohio, Gruen produced cleverly designed timepieces that housed Swiss-made movements, and the brand was once the largest watch company in the entire United States. In competing with other American watch manufacturers such as Hamilton, Elgin, and Bulova...




www.craftandtailored.com













A barn find to give you hope – the story of a very special NOS vintage Gruen Ocean Chief - Time and Tide Watches


A story to give all barn find hounds hope! This story is a beauty, and the moral of it, is always ask what's behind the desk and not on show.




timeandtidewatches.com






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----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

With the 38 Breitling - it used to be relatively cheap on the used market - but now smaller divers are back they have gone up in price! Don't think they make it anymore - strange that when others are moving into that size range and having good sales. that they should delete it.


----------



## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

I consider this my "Dress Dive Watch", and one of my favorites. It's hands-down THE most expensive watch I own, and one of only two non-Microbrand dive watches:


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

TheGanzman said:


> I consider this my "Dress Dive Watch", and one of my favorites. It's hands-down THE most expensive watch I own, and one of only two non-Microbrand dive watches:
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16828661[/ATTACH]


So good  

*EDIT:*

And with the 42mm diameter [at the top of the sloping bezel] being counterbalanced by [a 38mm case,] a short l2l of 46mm (the Doxa SUB 200 pulls off this same trick), and a lovely side profile and thickness just shy of 10mm, this one remains on my hypothetical short list of “consolidation pieces” 

*/EDIT*









Superocean Heritage '57 Special Edition II Stainless steel - Blue A103702A1C1A1 | Breitling US


Discover the Breitling Superocean Heritage '57 Special Edition II in a combination of Stainless steel, Blue and Metal bracelet Stainless steel. Find out more online.




www.breitling.com










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----------



## Paxman (Apr 8, 2006)




----------



## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

TheGanzman said:


> I consider this my "Dress Dive Watch", and one of my favorites. It's hands-down THE most expensive watch I own, and one of only two non-Microbrand dive watches:
> View attachment 16828661


Does it have a screw down crown?


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> Does it have a screw down crown?


I’m pretty sure I read that they do not


----------



## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

BobMartian said:


> Does it have a screw down crown?


Nope, which is probably why it's only rated to 100 meters. Not uncommon for dive/water watches back in the '50's to NOT have screw down crowns - the first Omega Seamasters didn't either, nor did the original Breitling SuperOcean that this is an homage to...

I don't think I'd ever dive with this watch, but I wouldn't be afraid to swim with it. I wouldn't be afraid to dive with it from a potential water intrusion standpoint, I just wouldn't use it due to potentially messing it up. I'll not likely dive below ~80' anymore either - I think I could make it to the surface on a single breath from 80' even w/o a BC. I did a 50' free dive a few years ago - mask & fins only - on a single breath. There's a fresh water pond in Wellfleet on Cape Cod named "Long Pond" with a rock at the bottom with a "50" on it to mark 50 feet; wonder who planted it there and how many years ago THAT was? The water is incredibly clear!
https://www.massachusettspaddler.com/long-pond-wellfleet-barnstable-county


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Paxman said:


> [/ATTACH type="full"]16828928[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16828930[/ATTACH]
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16828931[/ATTACH]




My wife’s 39mm MoP cousin:





























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## pIonEerOFtHeNiLe (Jul 12, 2013)

Paxman said:


> View attachment 16828928
> View attachment 16828930
> View attachment 16828931
> 
> ...


certina has done a great job capturing the vintage vibe with their re-releases. i'm glad they're big. it's easy to say no. hopefully all the 39mm ladies have diamonds so i can say no again. i don't have much interest in the action models which are sized better.


----------



## TheGanzman (Jan 12, 2010)

Got a damned flea bite RIGHT under where I wear my watches, so it's a "light watch on a loose strap" kinda day. Though it's rated to 300 meters, its size/thinness makes it a Skin Diver IMHO:


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

I think the problem with many modern skin divers and field watches, is that they are too expensive. They should almost be disposable, or at least not give you any reservations about using them as a beater.

The retro vibe, price (€65) and WR (100M) makes this a worthy skin diver purchase in my not so humble opinion. And there is a Miyota 2035 inside, so no worries there either. You can even go crazy with colors. Weirdly the MSRP is much higher. Maybe they went bankrupt and are selling off stock?





























Sure, I have plenty of watches that were once around €1,000 MSRP, but I buy them used for MUCH less, and even then I find it hard to justify spending the money.


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

CitizenPromaster said:


> Almo, 40mm (excl. crown?)
> 
> View attachment 16826031
> 
> ...


This caseback graphic also appears on this Palerma.


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

"Yema Junior Diver, 26 mm excl. crown, ETA-2551, circa 1970"


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

Another familiar side profile on this Jenny Caribbean.


















































37mm (excl. crown?). Valjoux 7733.


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

CitizenPromaster said:


> First of all my compliments to @ck2k01, I like your style! I too like doing research into watches (more specifically Citizen's use of titanium and surface treatments since 1970) and post the results in a long thread (62 pages now).
> 
> I've read through this complete thread the past days, and I see near the end some Citizens made an appearance, and not long after you dove into Citizen's history. Unfortunately the prices of vintage Citizen divers are insanely high, getting close to Seiko levels of crazy, but at least their new re-issue gets a fair price.
> 
> ...


This Elgin is most likely fake, so my apologies. But I do have a new favorite that is not directly seen in this thread. No way I would pay the current prices though.


----------



## dustytriumph (Aug 24, 2015)




----------



## watchersam (Oct 12, 2016)




----------



## pipehack (Jul 14, 2020)

I guess I could chime in. Definitely a homage to Omega, but still a nice watch and great bang for the buck. Ticino Depthmaster.


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

pipehack said:


> Ticino Depthmaster


Very cool 🙌 

I've looked at the Helson and Borealis ones, but hadn't seen the Ticino 👍

Did a quick search, and looked like it had a good bit going for it for the price 👌


----------



## pipehack (Jul 14, 2020)

I have the fifty fathoms homage from this brand also. It’s very nice and gets plenty of wrist time. This popped up “New” last Friday in the fs section. I had to snag it. Got it today, it is brand new.


ck2k01 said:


> Very cool 🙌
> 
> I've looked at the Helson and Borealis ones, but hadn't seen the Ticino 👍
> 
> Did a quick search, and looked like it had a good bit going for it for the price 👌


----------



## FORMULa (Oct 7, 2012)

CitizenPromaster said:


> This Elgin is most likely fake, so my apologies. But I do have a new favorite that is not directly seen in this thread. No way I would pay the current prices though.
> 
> View attachment 16835342


I would love to see Benrus do a modern version of this one, but I feel it would be north of $1200, if not more...


----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

FORMULa said:


> I would love to see Benrus do a modern version of this one, but I feel it would be north of $1200, if not more...


Yes, their prices are pretty ridiculous. The last owner of the Benrus brand was making Type I and II re-issues in the 250-300 usd range. They were specced lower, but still. They did go bankrupt, but maybe they paid too much for the rights to begin with it.


----------



## Paxman (Apr 8, 2006)




----------



## Bsw_sc (Jul 12, 2014)




----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)




----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)




----------



## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

In Dutch we have a saying “beter goed gejat dan slecht bedacht”, which basically means: it’s better to steal a good idea or design than to come up with a bad idea or design.


----------



## Paxman (Apr 8, 2006)




----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

200m maybe a bit too much for a skindiver but one of the forerunners of that classic skindiver shape (though of course its depth rating that makes a skindiver not shape) ..... this one currently has Seatime hands but I do have a correct set of NOS 63 hands ...somewhere....


----------



## dustytriumph (Aug 24, 2015)

My contemporary EMG Nemo appears to have been strongly "influenced" by the Zenith A3630 of the 1960's.


----------



## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Does indeed favour the Zenith - can't decide if I like the numbers on the bezel (with 15/30/45 missing) or not! Either way - nice caseback too.


----------



## dustytriumph (Aug 24, 2015)

8505davids said:


> Does indeed favour the Zenith - can't decide if I like the numbers on the bezel (with 15/30/45 missing) or not! Either way - nice caseback too.


There are a bunch of subtle changes throughout. I have no complaints with the aesthetics of this piece. I really like this bezel insert. The applied indices and the chapter ring are a bit different from the Zenith. 
I know nothing about the A3630 other than pics I've been looking at from google-image searches. It appears there were 3 or 4 different handsets they came with including a set that appears very close to these. I see mostly the set with the arrow minute hand which I also quite like.
You got me to take my watch off....yeah, I like this case back too.


----------



## JLS36 (Feb 5, 2016)

dustytriumph said:


> My contemporary EMG Nemo appears to have been strongly "influenced" by the Zenith A3630 of the 1960's.
> View attachment 16849471
> View attachment 16849472


I've always liked these. 

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk


----------



## dustytriumph (Aug 24, 2015)

JLS36 said:


> I've always liked these.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk


I'm not sure where I first saw one of these but I believe it was a comprehensive review of it here on WUS by Boatswain with fantastic pictures that sold me. That and a seriously low price on sale from EMG. 
This piece has continued to grow on me while it's been in my collection especially once I noticed a few months ago it's derivation. 
Here's a link to that review.
Boatswain Review: HKED/EMG Nemo | WatchUSeek Watch Forums


----------



## deepsea03 (Apr 3, 2018)

1970 
Caravelle Sea Hunter and Gracie


----------



## dustytriumph (Aug 24, 2015)

deepsea03 said:


> 1970
> Caravelle Sea Hunter and Gracie


Gracie is awesome!! What a sweetheart. The Caravelle Sea Hunter not too bad either.


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Homage to the 1969 Spezimatic diver


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

TheGanzman said:


> Got a damned flea bite RIGHT under where I wear my watches, so it's a "light watch on a loose strap" kinda day. Though it's rated to 300 meters, its size/thinness makes it a Skin Diver IMHO:
> View attachment 16833293


 watch looks to be a nod to the universal Geneva diver


----------



## deepsea03 (Apr 3, 2018)

dustytriumph said:


> Gracie is awesome!! What a sweetheart. The Caravelle Sea Hunter not too bad either.


Thank you!


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Something interesting upcoming from Dan Henry:










A few more details from DH's Facebook and IG pages:

_Your choice of:_​_Four dial colors_​_Two bezel styles_​_Two case sizes (37 and 39mm)_​_Two movement options (automatic or meca-quartz)_​_Two strap styles in high-performance FKM Rubber_​_Optional stainless steel bracelet_​_All watches will be ready to ship, prices starting at US$250 with High-domed sapphire crystal._​








Dan Henry Watches


Dan Henry Watches. 8,493 likes · 61 talking about this. Vintage watches created by the renowned watch collector Dan Henry. Limited edition watches and chronographs. Free shipping worldwide




www.facebook.com













Dan Henry Watches (@danhenrywatches) • Instagram photos and videos


34K Followers, 1,054 Following, 547 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Dan Henry Watches (@danhenrywatches)




www.instagram.com





Given the model name of _1975_, I checked the watches timeline resource on their website (Timeline Watch), and the only skin diver I saw for that year was the *Sicura* _Diver 400_ (1975 Sicura Diver 400 automatic).

So that's my best guess as to the watch this will be homaging.

I thought I'd done a deep dive on *Sicura* in here before, but maybe not? I couldn't find anything more than passing mentions via a thread search. So assuming no, here goes.

Sicura reportedly traces back to the brand *John Gobber* in 1939 in Grenchen, Switzerland, with the brand name *Sicura, John Gobber* emerging in 1951, which evolved into *Montres Sicura Watch SA* by 1955. Per a Mikrolisk search for _sicura_, the work marks associated with the brand are _sure_, _Sicura Formula 1_, _Sicura Formula 2_, _Safety Guaranteed_, _Sicura quartz_, and _Surica Safari_.

During the mid-century era, Sicura was owned by Théodore Sfaellos, and upon his death in the 1960s, his son-in-law, Ernest Schneider, took the helm. Sicura was known for making affordable watches responsive to market trends, including dive watches reportedly stylized akin to the popular Rolex Submariner (the _Diver 400_ is also referred to as the Submariner 400, and some variants featured the word _Submarine_ on the dial). And their approach reportedly helped them to navigate the quartz crisis, as they incorporated electromechanical, quartz, LCD, and solar technologies alongside their mechanical watches.

A highly notable thing about Sicura is that they acquired *Breitling* in 1979. Ernest Schneider served as Sicura's and then Breitling's long-time CEO/president. After acquiring Breitling, Sicura was eventually phased out, such that it was all Breitling by 1993, and the Schneider family continued to own and operate Breitling until 2017 and 2018, during which it was sold in two phases to *CVC Capital Partners*.









The history of the Sicura watch brand


Watches from the 60s and 70s - 42 mm and larger - preferably affordable.




largevintagewatches.blogspot.com










Sicura - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club










Sicura Submarine 400 - Chronopedia







chronopedia.club










Sicura [Watch Wiki]







www.watch-wiki.net













Are Sicura Watches Worth Collecting, Will They Rise in Value? : Northern Watch Co Magazine


The latest news on new and collectable wristwatches.




thenorthernwatchco.com













The SICURA and BREITLING story


During my raids of international eBay and the smaller Swedish cousin Tradera I have come across a great deal of Sicura watches. One of the m...




the-watching.blogspot.com







https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breitling_SA











#TBT Ernest Schneider And The Twin Bezel Sicura Rally GT


If there is something that drives Breitling collectors nuts, it’s all the online listings where sellers claim that Sicura was a sub-brand of Breitling.




www.fratellowatches.com







https://www.watchonista.com/articles/history/sibling-rivalries-complicated-history-sister-brands



Google Images links (which also seem to indicate that Sicura produced watches rebadged as *Sears*):



sicura skin diver - Google Search





sicura vintage dive watch - Google Search



Anyway, back to the forthcoming Dan Henry 1975. If it does end up being a riff on a Sicura 400 (I can king of see it here), I'll be quite interested, as I've certainly considered Sicura 400s and _Rallye GTs_ before 👍 I think I ended up not springing for one (they remain quite affordable and relatively plentiful on the bay) because I decided that the case shape was pretty similar to a *Vostok* _Generalskie_ I have (09x case). And I gotta draw the line somewhere: I can't have all the watches 🙃


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Glycine vacuum case from the 60’s. These were popular with some other company’s as well . Pretty sure Glycine adopted it first . This skin diver version is really uncommon being that it has a bezel and snowflake hour hand . Most were bezeless with stick hands and a champagne dial .


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> Glycine vacuum case from the 60’s. These were popular with some other company’s as well . Pretty sure Glycine adopted it first . This skin diver version is really uncommon being that it has a bezel and snowflake hour hand . Most were bezeless with stick hands and a champagne dial.
> 
> [/IMG]https://www.watchuseek.com/attachments/32103591-c738-4449-b97a-a3ecde46d4f4-jpeg.16865401/?hash=395415329e42f5a8dc93c504145de24c[/IMG]



That's SUPER cool. Gonna have to look more into that one for sure 🙌


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> [Re: Dan Henry 1975 and possible inspiration from the Sicura 400]


So this did get released yesterday. The dial and handset ended up not really looking like the Sicrua. Not really my jam, but not a bad offering 👌 



https://danhenrywatches.com/products/1975-skin-diver











Dan Henry 1975 Skin Diver - Accessible Dive Watch Review (Price)


Four retro divers with colour and style bring the 1970s to your wrist. We review the cool and accessible Dan Henry 1975 Skin Diver.




monochrome-watches.com













HANDS-ON: The Dan Henry 1975


The Dan Henry 1975 captures a snapshot of the playful character mixed with practiced refinement emblematic of 1970s divers.




timeandtidewatches.com













Don Henry 1975 Skin Diver - Accessible Dive Watch Review (Price) - Watchover


Don Henry 1975 Skin Diver - Accessible Dive Watch Review (Price) Watch Skin divers are always fun because they usually have a more stylish take on custom




watchover.watch













Nice release by Dan Henry - 1975 Skin Diver







www.watchuseek.com


----------



## mistermatt (Jul 19, 2021)

ck2k01 said:


> So this did get released yesterday. The dial and handset ended up not really looking like the Sicrua. Not really my jam, but not a bad offering 👌
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice! I really like the short lug to lug, glad to see some new watches in the smaller/thinner skin diver style. Might even tempt me to pick one up for the occasions I don't want to wear my vintage pieces (like for a swim)


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mistermatt said:


> Nice! I really like the short lug to lug, glad to see some new watches in the smaller/thinner skin diver style. Might even tempt me to pick one up for the occasions I don't want to wear my vintage pieces (like for a swim)


Definitely  

While the top-down stuff didn’t quite stick the landing for me, it’s a lovely looking and sized case (that part is Sicura reminiscent to my eye). And lots of options for a contemporary (read: durable) affordable skin diver pickup, with something different than the now more common H case  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## dustytriumph (Aug 24, 2015)

ck2k01 said:


> Definitely
> 
> While the top-down stuff didn’t quite stick the landing for me, it’s a lovely looking and sized case (that part is Sicura reminiscent to my eye). And lots of options for a contemporary (read: durable) affordable skin diver pickup, with something different than the now more common H case
> 
> ...


I was very intrigued and hoping for something different. I'm not a fan. I was imagining more of a vintage look and this looks contemporary to me. No crown guards would also have been my preference. Just as well, I'm feeling like I have too many watches.


----------



## mcmikey (Oct 25, 2014)

I haven’t been here for a while but I thought I’d post a pic I took of my Wolbrook Skindiver skindiving!


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Typical Sicura fashion countdown chrono . What’s everyone think when it was made ? Maybe late 70’s - 80’s?


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Grinderman said:


> Sicura


Whoa 

That's wildly awesome! 

Funk like that's gotta be 70s I would think.

Per Mikrolisk, Sicura registered the _Formula 1_ and _Formula 2 _word marks in 1970. A Google Images search suggests the Formula 1s are a manual chrono line too. So 70s in my best guess.


----------



## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Whoa 😳
> 
> That's wildly awesome! 🙌
> 
> ...


Figured the same.


----------



## dustytriumph (Aug 24, 2015)




----------



## pipehack (Jul 14, 2020)




----------



## mistermatt (Jul 19, 2021)

Got a new one, but this one's for the wife. How about a Tetra
The minute hand is a little bent unfortunately, but runs great. Have not opened it up to see the movement yet


----------



## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mistermatt said:


> Got a new one, but this one's for the wife. How about a Tetra
> The minute hand is a little bent unfortunately, but runs great. Have not opened it up to see the movement yet
> 
> [/ATTACH]16895376[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]16895377[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]16895380[/ATTACH]


Super cool 👍 

Classy dial. Count-down bezel. And tiny!

And wild strap pairing!

I'll add Tetra to me list, which I'm quite backed up on ATM (regrettably, a work grind the last few weeks).


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

On another note, looks like *Orator* has been revived, starting with a slightly larger-sized _Sportsman_ model reissue:









Orator - Swiss Made automatic watches


Renaissance der ORATOR Präzisionsuhren: Das Erbe von exzellentem Vintage-Design, neu interpretiert zu außergewöhnlichen Zeitmessern auf dem neuesten …




orator.de













Hands-On With The Revived Orator Sportsman


✓ Tomas reviews the revived Orator Sportsman ✓ A historically important skin diver with one of the best bezels ever ✓ Check it out! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com













MICRO-MONDAYS: The Orator Sportsman Diver


The new Orator Sportsman Diver is a 1:1 recreation of the original watch from the ‘60s, and it’s ready to be a force in entry-level luxury.




timeandtidewatches.com





Currently Kickstarter-ing:









ORATOR Sportsman - Swiss Made Limited Edition watches


Renaissance of ORATOR Precision watches: Heritage of excellent Vintage design reformulated to exceptional state-of-the-art timepieces.




www.kickstarter.com





Always was one of the coolest bezels (crown, diamonds, sideways 30) in the biz, IMO.

Though not my fav Orator dial. Neither the Sportsman nor what I think may be a new dial design and handset from them.

I was always partial to the more minimalist dial variant, and when re-badged as *"Aqua-Lung" US Divers Co.*

E.g.,









1967 Aqualung 666 US Divers


The Dan Henry watch colletcion – Breitling Heuer Rolex Omega Universal Patek Longines Tissot Vacheron IWC Sicura Bulova Movado Tudor Edox Doxa Eska Eberhard Eterna Zenith Audemars Piguet Military Pocket




www.timeline.watch













Aqualung Dive Watch


Aqualung "Skin 666" Dive Watch... for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




www.analogshift.com













Aqualung Diver


Aqualung Diver for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




www.analogshift.com





The Aqualung skin diver chrono is 🔥 too:









Aqualung 666 Diving Chronograph


Aqualung 666 Skin Diving Chronograph for sale via Analog/Shift, New York City-based purveyor of fine vintage and superlative contemporary watches in Manhattan and online at analogshift.com.




www.analogshift.com





Hopefully they do well with this first release, and move on to reissuing my faves 😎 As I've long considered picking up one or the other vintage (but those ain't cheap 😳).


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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)

Gladstone diver . Pretty strange watch . Only hands are lumed . Indices looked to be either gold or copper plated that has worn over time .6 o’clock date is kinda neat though .


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## Grinderman (Apr 22, 2017)




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## sirjohnk (Sep 8, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> So this did get released yesterday. The dial and handset ended up not really looking like the Sicrua. Not really my jam, but not a bad offering 👌
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The Dan Henry skindiver looks to be a near 1 for 1 homage of the Omega Geneve Admiralty divers


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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

Just saw this for sale on Reddit


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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

Royalguard 200. This will be available preorder in October


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## CitizenPromaster (Aug 4, 2016)

sirjohnk said:


> The Dan Henry skindiver looks to be a near 1 for 1 homage of the Omega Geneve Admiralty divers
> 
> View attachment 16912852


Only time + tide mentions it:
"Browsing Dan Henry’s personal collection online, as you can do here, I believe the main inspiration for the Dan Henry 1975 is this Omega Admiralty from 1971. Although the colour variants and completely different, this burgundy version also shows that they were made both with and without date complications."


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

sirjohnk said:


> The Dan Henry skindiver looks to be a near 1 for 1 homage of the Omega Geneve Admiralty divers
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]16912852[/ATTACH]





CitizenPromaster said:


> Only time + tide mentions it:
> "Browsing Dan Henry’s personal collection online, as you can do here, I believe the main inspiration for the Dan Henry 1975 is this Omega Admiralty from 1971. Although the colour variants and completely different, this burgundy version also shows that they were made both with and without date complications."
> [/IMG]https://www.timeline.watch/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/omega-admiralty.jpg[/IMG]


Indeed. Neglected to clarify that in my follow-up post. Thanks for doing so, guys. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> Royalguard 200. This will be available preorder in October[/IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220921/11aaf85ef2fd7a7c960fd920474477f0.jpg[/IMG]


Thanks for sharing. 

I didn’t see them acknowledge it, but nevertheless, a cool *Eberhard* _Scafograf 200 (Ref. 11536)_ homage. Reportedly a pretty rare model from Eberhard in 1961.









Horological Meandering - Vintage Diver Review: Eberhard Scafograf 200 ref 11536 from 1961


Watchprosite- Dear all, I would like to share with you the joy of having found a rare watch that I have been hunting, shall we say fishing for some time: the Eberhard Sc



www.watchprosite.com













Owner Review: Eberhard Scafograf 200 – The iconic big crown


In the early 50’s the Ernest Hemingway novel “The old man and the sea” renewed the charm of the challenge




fifthwrist.com













The Horological Halfwit: An Unquenchable Obsession With Eberhard


When I was a kid, my father used to call me "Johnny One Note." Why? Because I would become obsessed with one particular thing, and that's all I'd talk about for weeks, until the mania finally ran its course. It was a very appealing trait, I'm sure. Amongst my odd and varied childhood obsessions...




www.hodinkee.com





The dimensions look overall good (38mm * 47mm * 20mm), save for being a bit tall (14mm, running an NH35).

One I’ll be keeping an eye on  









Imperial Watch Co.


Vintage aesthetics combine with the durability and elegance of the modern-day dive watch to bring you the complete package in sleekness, elegance, and wearability. Imperial Watch Co. maintains a nod to history through its timeless design while adding precision, quality, and attitude.




imperialwatchco.com






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## mistermatt (Jul 19, 2021)

Just found another beat up Helbros to restore. Bezel is seized, and the dial I think was originally blue but is now turned golden + purple-ish. Also, most of the other selfwinding pieces like this have Germany on the dial, but I think I see 'T swissT' at the bottom, and as a bonus it's still ticking! Can't wait to open it up



























































Edit:
Inside is an AS 1916 sourced through Elgin.


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## mistermatt (Jul 19, 2021)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Lastly, since I posted such egregious walls of text this morning, a picture of my new Vostok Amphibia 120 mod from the bay (sticker still on the dial!) that I plan to redo (fully bead blast, coin-edge bezel, faded insert, black hour and minute hands, signed crown, and scuba dude case back).
> 
> Just waiting on the parts to arrive from Russia . . .
> 
> ...


So, this FINALLY got done last night, with some evolving ideas in the interim 






































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## boatswain (Sep 4, 2014)

ck2k01 said:


> So, this FINALLY got done last night, with some evolving ideas in the interim
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice work!


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

boatswain said:


> Nice work!


Thanks, b!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mistermatt (Jul 19, 2021)

Just found one that I didn't think I'd ever get, a 1963 Devil Diver!
It was listed as not working, without bezel, and crystal pretty scratched, so I took a chance that I could get it working again.
























Turns out the balance staff had been knocked off it's jewel sockets. I removed the balance wheel assembly, looked fine so I replaced it and started ticking! Needs a service I'm sure, but seems to keep the time pretty well.
Still has a deep scratch that I haven't been able to get out, but I think it's possible with enough elbow grease (and polywatch)


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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Looks good, even without the bezel, hole aside - good luck with finding a bezel! There are a few complete watches on fleabay so you can see what sort of bezel it should have... simple steel bezel, and looks like a black dial version as well.


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## Techme (Nov 22, 2014)

LJM


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Just now seeing some of Balls’s newest Skindiver-named stuff. 

Mid-tier luxury pricing, and all very long l2l with 22mm lugs and 300m WR. So the skindiver branding is debatable, though they seem to be using it synonymously with “vintage inspired.”

But I do like me a curved bezel and tritium tubes all around, bezel inclusive 



https://shop.ballwatch.ch/en/search?search=Skindiver



Upcoming model:









Introducing: Ball Engineer M Skindiver III Beyond


Long-time readers will no doubt have realized that, yes, I do have a thing for tritium tubes on watch dials. Particularly as the wider tubes have gotten more traction, I’ve been watch for the…




www.wristwatchreview.com























See also:









Introducing: Ball Engineer M Skindiver III


While I will admit that not every single release from Ball Watch lights up my tritium tubes, there have been a number of them as of late that really have caught my eye. I’m not sure if anyone…




www.wristwatchreview.com





E.g.,




















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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

Typsim 200M


















Browse Typsim Watch Collection - Watches Made to Wear — Typsim Watches


Explore the Typsim watch collection of classic, sport, diving and vintage inspired watches, on the Official Typsim Website.




www.typsim.com


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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

ck2k01 said:


> Just now seeing some of Balls’s newest Skindiver-named stuff.
> 
> Mid-tier luxury pricing, and all very long l2l with 22mm lugs and 300m WR. So the skindiver branding is debatable, though they seem to be using it synonymously with “vintage inspired.”
> 
> ...


Yes - obviously not a skindiver with 300m but I guess nobody told them about that and they thought it was a cool name. Nice bracelet though.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> Typsim 200M
> 
> [/ATTACH type="full"]17019594[/ATTACH]
> 
> ...


I've long been digging these from afar. Among other things, I love me a lifebuoy bezel 🙌

How're you liking it?


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## BobMartian (Sep 23, 2011)

ck2k01 said:


> I've long been digging these from afar. Among other things, I love me a lifebuoy bezel
> 
> How're you liking it?


I swiped that picture from their website. I haven’t bought one. I do think it is a cool design.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

BobMartian said:


> I swiped that picture from their website. I haven’t bought one. I do think it is a cool design.


Gotcha. The Time Bum recently did a nice review on the chronometer one: Typsim 200M-C - The Time Bum


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

While I've regrettably been a bit too busy on other fronts lately to find the time for obscure vintage brand research for the thread, I've still been keeping an eye on upcoming skin diver releases.

The first model from *Foster Watch Co.*, from one of the guys from the 40 and 20 podcast (40&20: The Watch Clicker Podcast - Watch Clicker), dubbed the _11 Atmos Skin Diver_, is dropping 11/25/22 at Foster Watch Co. for $500

For now, the best way to check out the initial three models are on the brand's IG page: Foster Watch Co (@fosterwatchco) • Instagram photos and videos

Episode 211 of the podcast features an interview with said guy and his partner.

FWIW, I like the content put out by these folks. So glad to see them hopping in on the watch brand front.





































*EDIT: *Just listened to most the podcast. 

Some fun stuff: e.g., *Foster* is a local Portland reference (a street name); _11 Atmos_ is an inside joke: 10 points for each 10m of WR up to 100m, and then 1 point for all WR beyond that. 

And some interesting, purposeful design choices: e.g., 48-click single-piece DLC-coated SS bezel; acrylic crystal for the look; eschewing all specs markings as superfluous.


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

Also, *Squale* just announced its new line of skin divers, the _Super Squale_.









Supersquale || Squale Official Website







www.squale.ch



















































On bracelet, looks to be $1,067 without VAT.

Nice size (though note 18mm lug width), specs, and looks to my eye. But also not among the more affordable options within this space.









Squale Goes Skin Diving with the New Super-Squale - Worn & Wound


What makes a watch “Super” in 2022? In Squale’s case, the “Super” designation means that the watch fits into the skin diver category, as opposed to divers oriented more toward professionals. The skin diver is a classic invention of the 1960s, born out of the burgeoning popularity of diving as a...




wornandwound.com






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## 8505davids (Jan 14, 2017)

Nice simple skindiver - bit underwhelming, but nice. Little on the expensive side when you compare it to a 1521. I'd have liked to see a modern sapphire update of Squale's great bi-coloured bezel inserts


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

8505davids said:


> Nice simple skindiver - bit underwhelming, but nice. Little on the expensive side when you compare it to a 1521. I'd have liked to see a modern sapphire update of Squale's great bi-coloured bezel inserts


I had a similar reaction  

Also just now noticing the 12/3/6/9/bars dial layout for the “classic” two color ways vs. the trapezoid/circles layout for the three “flashier” (or steep bezel insert) ones  

Subjective, but I prefer the latter: more classic Aquastar-y 


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## mistermatt (Jul 19, 2021)

ck2k01 said:


> View attachment 17023729
> 
> .


I just now noticed the case back on the Foster, really channeling the 60's/70's cases made in France


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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

mistermatt said:


> I just now noticed the case back on the Foster, really channeling the 60's/70's cases made in France


I dig it too: recessed, cool looking swirly line, and purposefully eschews specs 👍


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## Ryeguy (Jun 24, 2009)

I just picked up this Seiko SBDC165 “Save the Ocean” model during Gnomen’s Black Friday sale and I have to say, I am very impressed with the watch. 

It reinforces my perspective that it is really hard to beat Seiko in the sub $1K price point category.


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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




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## rschmidt97 (Aug 10, 2018)




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## strawmerrymovie (Nov 27, 2021)

Main takeaway after handling the Foster 11 Atmos for about an hour: I dig it, especially the bezel and the dial. I won’t say much more than this because I’m barely acquainted with the watch, but there are some things I’d like to note.

The watch comes with a 12-month warranty. I don’t believe this is mentioned on their website.
The clasp, as reported by YoureTerrific, is tough to open but not unusable.
The dial has a metallic sheen that adds, IMO, just the right amount of visual flair to an otherwise unfussy design.
The bezel has a crisp feel and a resonant click; however, it has some lateral play, i.e., it doesn’t just rotate, it… shuffles?
I’m comfortable with how it fits my smaller-than-average wrist. But, given the case design, it wears larger than the dimensions suggest.
Some arguably unnecessary context to this purchase: I purchased this watch in part because I like the design but also because I listen to the 40&20 podcast and had taken an interest in the company before the launch of this model. Would I have purchased this watch had it not been for the podcast? Probably not. But now that I have it in hand (yeah, I know, I haven’t had it that long), I kind of pity the alternative version of myself that didn’t purchase it because each time I look down at it I crack a bit of a smile—it's just a fun watch.

Please excuse the terrible photo. I’ll try to get some better shots of it in natural light in the coming days.


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## dubhead (Jan 14, 2020)

A desk diving skin diver


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## BigBluefish (Aug 13, 2009)

ck2k01 said:


> Also, *Squale* just announced its new line of skin divers, the _Super Squale_.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I like the silver one.


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## Xerxes300 (Jul 3, 2017)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

strawmerrymovie said:


> Main takeaway after handling the Foster 11 Atmos for about an hour: I dig it, especially the bezel and the dial. I won’t say much more than this because I’m barely acquainted with the watch, but there are some things I’d like to note.
> 
> The watch comes with a 12-month warranty. I don’t believe this is mentioned on their website.
> The clasp, as reported by YoureTerrific, is tough to open but not unusable.
> ...


Congrats on the NWA!

And thanks for the initial impressions and shot

As a fan of his podcast too (plus, you know, skin divers . . .), I was definitely tempted.

Keep the thoughts and shots rolling as they occur 



BigBluefish said:


> I like the silver one.


Probably the one I'm vibing on the most too 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## strawmerrymovie (Nov 27, 2021)

strawmerrymovie said:


> Main takeaway after handling the Foster 11 Atmos for about an hour: I dig it, especially the bezel and the dial. I won’t say much more than this because I’m barely acquainted with the watch, but there are some things I’d like to note.
> 
> The watch comes with a 12-month warranty. I don’t believe this is mentioned on their website.
> The clasp, as reported by YoureTerrific, is tough to open but not unusable.
> ...


A slightly improved picture of the Foster 11 Atmos relative to my last effort. After wearing the watch for four days, I have additional observations to share.

The watch is very comfortable to wear. I imagine the comfort is largely attributable to the recessed caseback.
While I can’t speak to the overall quality of the bracelet (I haven’t worn it—I’m just not a bracelet person), I tested the clasp a few more times, and it is indeed too stiff.
The rubber strap, however, is nice. I’ve mostly worn the watch on a nylon strap, but I had no complaints after wearing the rubber strap for a day.
The watch is surprisingly—verging on suspiciously—accurate. Anecdotally, it loses about a second a day. I’m not sure if this performance will continue, but I’m impressed for now.
In addition to the bezel and the dial, the proportions of the hands stand out as a well-considered design choice. The hands are neither too short nor too long and interact with the dial elements in a pleasing way. (The seconds hand extends nearly to the extremity of the dial. The minutes hand overlaps about halfway down the markers denoting 1/12 of an hour and nearly touches the tops of the intermediate markers. The end of the hour hand almost lies tangent to the circular hour plots and fits neatly inside the cardinal plots.)
I think this is a solid first offering from Foster and, more generally, a good skin diver. I usually know after a few days of wear whether a watch is likely to stick around in my collection, and, despite the few issues I flagged, I think this one is a keeper. As I said in my previous post, it really is just a fun watch.


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## Techme (Nov 22, 2014)




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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




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## BRN (Jan 28, 2019)

This recent Fratello/Oris Star LE collab caught my eye. I think it looks amazing but I still prefer my OG D65.


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## BRN (Jan 28, 2019)




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## Mhutch (Apr 6, 2014)




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## ck2k01 (Jun 7, 2017)

On the Oris note, some more recent stuff from Fratello on its Oris 65 LE, relative to the original Oris Star source of inspiration:









How The Oris Divers Sixty-Five Fratello Limited Edition Came To Life


✓ RJ talks about how the Oris Divers Sixty-Five Fratello Limited Edition came to be ✓ A peek inside the process of creating a collab watch ✓




www.fratellowatches.com













#TBT My Original Oris Star Reunites With The Divers Sixty-Five Fratello Limited Edition


✓ Tomas's Oris Star from 1968 inspired the Divers Sixty-Five Fratello Limited Edition ✓ And now the two watches meet again ✓ Read it here! ✓




www.fratellowatches.com





And on the Fratello note, good recent coverage of the vintage Zenith A3630:









Dear Zenith, Bring Back The Sub Sea Ref. A3630


✓ Jorg explains his love for the Zenith Sub Sea ref. A3630 ✓ And his desire to see a new version linking the past and present ✓




www.fratellowatches.com


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## BSwed (Jul 14, 2021)

ck2k01 said:


> On the Oris note, some more recent stuff from Fratello on its Oris 65 LE, relative to the original Oris Star source of inspiration:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The Oris looks great. However, I think 40mm diameter is a touch too much. Around 38mm would have been perfect.


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## alec_kojro (Feb 1, 2021)

BSwed said:


> The Oris looks great. However, I think 40mm diameter is a touch too much. Around 38mm would have been perfect.


Huge miss going for 40mm instead of 38mm, I have the feeling Oris is keeping the 38mm for more special things


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## [BOBO] (May 12, 2020)

Q: Do you know how they circumcised Moby-Dick?

A: They sent down four skindivers

Wait, what were we talking about?


----------

