If you don’t already love vintage dive watches, do you even have a pulse? Check out why I love this type of watch so much.
Dive watches are a versatile breed. There are no hard and fast rules on how to style one out, and no brand hasn’t tried its hand at making one (well, maybe a few). Even James Bond himself taught us how to wear one with a dinner jacket and not look stupid.
Of all the styles of dive watches, be those the skin diver type, the full luminous type, or those with depth gauges and helium escape valves — the vintage dive watch is my ultimate favorite.
I don’t just mean true vintage dive watches, either. I love vintage-inspired dive watches, too! They have an air of old-world charm about them (especially those clad in bronze or adorned with old-radium-style lume).
To celebrate my love of the vintage diver, I’ve compiled a quick guide. It outlines the history of this watch style, why they’re so collectible, and which ones I’d choose if I were you right now. Let’s jump in.
Table of Contents
The History of Dive Watches
The history of dive watches, at least from the point at which they offered adequate water resistance, is nothing short of fascinating.
Waterproof Technology
Paving the way to the first waterproof watch was the hermetically sealed case. A man named Gruen filed the patent in 1919. Rolex and Zenith later adopted the design, and they are two leaders in this sector today.
The patent comprised a small round case sat inside a chunkier external case. That external section had a lid that screwed down firmly onto the inner section.
Similar to a jar, once screwed on, the case became sealed tight. The design was the first solution to creating a case as watertight as possible. It came at a time when there were no crown sealing systems in place.
The problem with the design was that the lid had to be removed when a movement needed repairing. The grooves on the side of the case would wear over time, warranting a replacement.
Now, of course, we take water resistance for granted in a modern watch. Not that it matters so much now, anyway.
Many enthusiasts who love to collect dive watches don’t intend to use them because of their water-resistant capability. They simply love their style and their utilitarian value. It’s one reason why vintage diver watches are still so popular today.
Still, the hermetically sealed case lasted until 1926, when Rolex revealed the Oyster case. It saw the case back, crown, and bezel all screwed into a solid middle case. It was a revolutionary design for its time.
Developing the perfect dive tool would have been much easier had a manufacturer focused only on water resistance. However, legibility also plays a key role in a watch’s ability to function underwater.
Lighting the Way
In 1916, Officine Panerai, a Florentine-based brand, developed a luminous material called Radiomir. The radium-based powder and paste could emit a rich glow in dark conditions, making it particularly useful for Italian Navy personnel.
Fast-forward 22 years, and frogmen commandos of the Italian Navy were utilizing the Radiomir. It came complete with a sandwich dial, enabling the Radiomir material to show through the cut-outs.
Then, in 1937, Omega released the first dive watch for commercial use, complete with a water-resistant rating of 135 meters. The brand’s Seamaster followed in 1948. Although legible and water-resistant, these watches lacked the qualities that eventually marked a dive watch as a practical underwater tool.
That all changed when Blancpain released the Fifty Fathoms watch for French combat divers in 1952. Its differently shaped markers aided intuitive timekeeping, while its unidirectional rotating bezel assisted with measuring elapsed time underwater.
Combat diving units all over the globe quickly adopted the design.
Into the Abyss
Blancpain may have beaten Rolex to the post, but it was the Submariner that proved its capability in depths reaching over 3,000 meters. Adventurer Auguste Piccard strapped a Rolex to his wrist whilst venturing down to 3,100 meters underwater.
In 1960, Rolex would reach another astonishing achievement when Auguste’s son reached the deepest point of the ocean. An experimental Rolex accompanied the dive, venturing ten times deeper than the first.
Other watchmakers were quick to capitalize on the dive watch’s success. The first model by Japanese brand Seiko, the 62MAS, was launched in 1965 and was water-resistant to 150M.
Due to some teething problems surrounding shock and pressure resistance, Seiko made some improvements. The 1975 Tuna Can arrived with 600-meter water resistance.
Innovations kept coming, however, and it was clear that dive watches were going nowhere. IWC launched the Deep One watch, which has a gauge depth-integrated via a Bourdon Tube. Building on that concept was Oris, with the affordable Aquis Depth Gauge.
Since then, several record-holding water-resistant watches have appeared. These include Rolex’s Deepsea Challenge, worn by James Cameron, and Victor Vescovo’s Five Deeps Expedition watch by Omega.
Why Buy a Retro Dive Watch?
Generally speaking, even the oldest retro dive watches tend to be more durable than standard timepieces made during the same era. It makes them a class better than, say, a vintage dress watch.
Seldom do we wear them for actual diving purposes these days since their water-resistant capabilities are vastly compromised due to age. But since they served a very specific purpose, they’re quite a niche collectible.
Dive watches today have to adhere to a set of criteria. But they won’t necessarily portray that old-school spirit that we’ve come to know and love.
While it’s true that no one really needs a diver’s watch, no one needs a mechanical watch, either. But it doesn’t stop enthusiasts from buying them.
Dive watches bring nostalgia to the wrist and tip their hat to a bygone era. It is an era that, despite today’s technologies, enthusiasts would secretly love to return to!
The 5 Best Vintage Dive Watches
Today, we rarely use dive watches for diving. But it’s nice to know your watch has the capability should you wish to test it.
Real vintage dive watches are great collectibles. Some can even be worth quite a bit of money. But if you’re after a practical, modern timepiece that blends form with function, you need a vintage-inspired dive watch. They promise all the modern spec details you need in a daily beater but with plenty of retro charm.
This curated list of favorites pays homage to some of the most iconic tools in the history of the dive watch culture.
The Seiko Prospex SRP
As you’ll already know, Seiko began manufacturing dive watches very early on. Today, the brand’s catalog offers many reinterpretations to choose from.
The Seiko Prospex SRP launched in 2016, nodding to vintage models of the past with its rounded case edges. The SRP775K1 features the classic black fluted unidirectional bezel, Hardlex front, and recessed crown at 4 o’clock.
You can also take advantage of the watch’s 200-meter water resistance and its Lumibrite dial elements.
This Seiko Prospex is a more affordable alternative to the Seiko Tuna models and could fool anyone with its strong vintage character.
The Oris Divers Sixty-Five
You can pick up the Divers Sixty-Five watch from Oris for a very reasonable price. After all, the manufacturer prides itself on affordability.
Available in 38mm, 40mm, and 42mm sizes, it combines a modern spec with vintage charm. Oris crafts the Carl Brashear Chronograph Limited Edition from bronze, evoking the material regularly used in vintage diving gear. And I just love that! For me, bronze dive watches are the pièce de resistance.
The most eye-catching element of this watch is its bronze top scale. It frames a rich blue dial with a bi-compax chronograph layout at three and 9H.
As its name suggests, the watch pays tribute to the first African-American Master Diver of the US Navy. What’s more, Oris only made 2000 of these watches, constituting a pretty special collectible.
The Rolex Submariner
Whether you opt for a true vintage Rolex Sub or a new one doesn’t really matter. The Submariner watch looks as good today as it did in 1953.Equipped with all the traits deemed essential for diving, the Rolex Submariner became one of the first commercially available dive watches in the world.
Among the most popular models is the vintage ref 6536, with a smaller crown and compact 37mm diameter. Another example is reference 5512, with the “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” text and gilt dial details.
Failing that, modern Rolex Submariner watches are just as desirable. They come packed with some of the brand’s most recent technological innovations. These include Chromalight dial details and scratch-resistant Cerachrom bezels.
The Zodiac Sea-Wolf
Perhaps the least expected vintage dive watch on my list is this Zodiac Sea-Wolf. Although released in the same year, it doesn’t have the same luxury clout as the Rolex Submariner.
Nor is it as recognizable as the Omega Seamaster or Blancpain Bathyscaphes of the world. But that’s exactly why I chose it.
Collectors often overlook modern versions of the Sea-Wolf, yet they’re just as striking. You certainly know your way with the first 15 minutes marked out on a Zodiac bezel.
Today, there are Compression and GMT versions of the Sea-Wolf, but the Pro-Diver Automatic has a retro appeal.
Part of that subtle vintage nod is down to the metal link bracelet, which sits alongside a zesty orange minute hand. Blancpain optimizes the classic black dial for readability, with plenty of Super-LumiNova present.
The Panerai Luminor Base
I could not deny the Panerai Luminor Base a spot on this list of best vintage dive watches. It features a brown dial with luminous Arabic numerals at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock in beige. The vintage lume color and brown dial tones are resolutely earthy and packed full of character.
I particularly like the brown leather strap on this Panerai watch. It enables the vintage-inspired dive watch to pair well with casual and smart attire.
The watch also benefits from an in-house movement. Its simplified display also goes without the subsidiary seconds dial often seen in the brand’s portfolio.
The Best Old Diver Watch
In my humble opinion, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms watch is the best old diver watch. I chose it not merely because it’s a great value proposition but because it marks a historical milestone in horology. It was the first dive watch to offer a rotating bezel.
This top pick is different from the other models in this list. While the others are re-editions of vintage watches — this is a true, old diver watch from the 1970s.
The French Navy utilized the watch in 1953, equalling 300 feet (Fifty Fathoms) of water resistance.
There are 20-odd variations of this lovable diver, equipped with a large bakelite bezel and a 0-ring gasket crown. Quite simply, no other vintage dive watch looks quite like it!
The Fifty Fathoms is so sought after because there were fewer available than, say, the Rolex Sub. The military also used and destroyed many, adding to their scarcity.
Rare pieces sell for between $30k and $50k at auction, but the more reasonably priced models aren’t that cheap either. Expect to pay around $20k for one, but if you have the cash to splash, it’s worth it.
The No-Rad versions of the Fifty Fathom signify the point at which Blancpain replaced the dangerous radioactive Radium material with tritium in the 1970s. These variations were common during this time, but finding one in good condition is paramount.
The no-date models are particularly appealing since they capture the watch’s military connections in a very purist form.
Summing Up
Vintage dive watches are no longer all that relevant to diving. Yet the solutions that watchmakers overcame during this golden era are nothing short of impressive. It’s what makes us so fascinated by vintage pieces.
Rotating dive bezels, durable cases, and legible, lume-coated dials are the features that make some models iconic. They have what we call “cultural presence” — something that enthusiasts look for when looking for one.
If you want to get your hands on one, the options I’ve listed here are certainly solid investments.
Don’t forget to share your favorite in the comments below!
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