Vintage Dive Watches

[OrneryOsprey]

Hello,

I just introduced myself in the “new person” thread and was told some may be interested in some vintage Dive watches I have collected over the past few years. I have a particular interest in scuba branded watches, but appreciate dive watches of all forms!

I am not sure how to post my photos in here yet, but this link should work for now:

Scuba Branded Divers

If anyone else has old dive watches laying around or would like to share their current dive watch, that could be cool too!

 

[tbone1004]

@OrneryOsprey right click on the image, then click copy image address. In the bar with bold/italics/etc there is a landscape picture between the smiley face and the video reel. Paste the image URL in there and it will go.

 

[NothingClever]

Welcome Osprey,

The Saba is interesting....is that a depth meter or is it simply a conversion chart to quickly switch between Imperial and Metric?

 

[OrneryOsprey]

Welcome Osprey,

The Saba is interesting....is that a depth meter or is it simply a conversion chart to quickly switch between Imperial and Metric?

View attachment 570134

Glad you like it. It’s actually a capillary depth gauge. These were not common on watches, but did occur from time to time. Most commonly I believe they were seen on old Squale models marketed as “Profundus”.

If you look real close at 3 o’clock there is actually an opening in the crystal to allow water to enter the gauge.

 

[NothingClever]

Glad you like it. It’s actually a capillary depth gauge. These were not common on watches, but did occur from time to time. Most commonly I believe they were seen on old Squale models marketed as “Profundus”.

If you look real close at 3 o’clock there is actually an opening in the crystal to allow water to enter the gauge.

Cool....the capillary gauge is neat. I was hoping to get the Oris’ current model of the capillary depth gauge but the price is several hundred more than a second Shearwater so I bailed and got the current Citizen which has been dead on accurate and exceptionally readable at depth.

 

[OrneryOsprey]

Cool....the capillary gauge is neat. I was hoping to get the Oris’ current model of the capillary depth gauge but the price is several hundred more than a second Shearwater so I bailed and got the current Citizen which has been dead on accurate and exceptionally readable at depth.

Oris is great, but you’re right, more affordable options out there. I would imagine a capillary depth gauge built into a watch is mostly a novelty at this point.

That being said, if you just like them and don’t intend to dive with it, there are some vintage options out there for a much better price than the Oris.

 

[W W Meixner]

Hello,

I just introduced myself in the “new person” thread and was told some may be interested in some vintage Dive watches I have collected over the past few years. I have a particular interest in scuba branded watches, but appreciate dive watches of all forms!

I am not sure how to post my photos in here yet, but this link should work for now:

Scuba Branded Divers

If anyone else has old dive watches laying around or would like to share their current dive watch, that could be cool too!

O-O...

Not sure what classifies as ''vintage''...attached photo of my SEIKO Quartz-Professional Divers 600 M-Titanium...

Purchased new in Yanbu Saudi Arabia in 1980...makes it 40 years old...on only the second battery...blemish free...rubber band is long gone...Black NATO strap looks good...

Watch has a very thick crystal...camera does not seem to want to filter through it...

W.M...

 

[OrneryOsprey]

O-O...

Not sure what classifies as ''vintage''...attached photo of my SEIKO Quartz-Professional Divers 600 M-Titanium...

Purchase new in Yanbu Saudi Arabia in 1980...makes it 40 years old...on only the second battery...blemish free...rubber band is long gone...Black NATO strap looks good...

Watch has a very thick lense...camera does not seem to want to filter through it...

W.M...

View attachment 570165

This is a terrific watch. One I have considered buying on multiple occasions! Colloquially known as the “Golden Tuna”.

Always nice to hear from an original owner who put their watch to good use. It still looks quite good!

 

[W W Meixner]

This is a terrific watch. One I have considered buying on multiple occasions! Colloquially known as the “Golden Tuna”.

Always nice to hear from an original owner who put their watch to good use. It still looks quite good!

Thank you...

Don't wear it in the water...when travelling...dive travelling...the vintage Rolex GMT stays home and I take the SEIKO...

''Golden Tuna''...I've never heard that...I've always tried to take best of care with the watch...it carries my history of a very important period in my life...which is as important to me as the watch...

Best...

Warren...

 

[OrneryOsprey]

Thank you...

Don't wear it in the water...when travelling...dive travelling...the vintage Rolex GMT stays home and I take the SEIKO...

''Golden Tuna''...I've never heard that...I've always tried to take best of care with the watch...it carries my history of a very important period in my life...which is as important to me as the watch...

Best...

Warren...

That’s great to hear. I always appreciate stories of watches as that is often the most interesting aspect.

The tuna was really an impressive watch from an engineering perspective and was actually first created by Seiko due to complaints from a Japanese saturation diver that Seiko Divers watches often filled with helium and lost their crystals in saturated environments. The first was introduced in 1975 and is now regarded as the “Grandfather Tuna”. Later, in 78, they introduced a high torque a quartz movement and thus the “Golden Tuna”.