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Obscure and Vintage Dive Watches

  1. redpcar Jan 11, 2015

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    Here's a Nivada Grenchen Depthomatic complete with mechanical depth gage. Currently, I'm at 70 feet ;-)
    Relatively obscure.
     
    Nivada Grenchen Depthomatic.jpg
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  2. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Jan 11, 2015

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    Oris recently came out with one of those hollow tube depth gauges..... claims to be a first! The above Nivada, my Bulova, the old Pierce from the fifties and one other oddball I've seen makes four predating Oris's "new invention"!!!

    P1000170.JPG

    1942 US Navy underwater demolition team watch. UDT later became the SEALS, this has got to be one of the original dive watches as it predates scuba tanks. The crystal is soldered in!

    P1000289.JPG
     
  3. LouS Mrs Nataf's Other Son Staff Member Jan 11, 2015

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    No, I would call that absolutely obscure.

    Not much in the know regarding dive watches, but this Bulova was listed on Ebay starting at $1. It has popped to $5107 in just a few hours. Who's gonna educate me and explain why? Some kind of Blancpain surrogate?

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-197...637124804?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item27f65eaec4Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

    bulova diver.JPG
     
  4. kyle L Grasshopper Staff Member Jan 11, 2015

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    Must be the most expensive Bulova of all time...I'm guessing that is a litmus indicator by the 6 o clock marker?
     
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  5. LouS Mrs Nataf's Other Son Staff Member Jan 11, 2015

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    I thought so too, but it looks scratched off.
     
  6. redpcar Jan 11, 2015

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    People go nuts for the Blancpain style bezels on divers. I had a junkie Waltham bring over $500 on ebay just because it had the look. Cheapie Savoy movement. Buyer left great feedback. Go figure.
    Here's another cool one. Benrus Type I from 1974.
     
    Benrus Type I.jpg
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  7. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Jan 11, 2015

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    over 5 grand for a beat up Bulova???? What?!? did it come with a friggin submarine?::screwloose::

    ......where's that cheap-ass old Seiko I bought last week........ its got its box and papers so it'll be worth a mint...... I hear Cousteau once used one for a doorstop!:whistling:

    P1000605.JPG
     
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  8. LarryG not KennyG, not OG, just LarryG Jan 11, 2015

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    Lou- That appears to be a Mil-W-2181, though Im not sure why there's not a UDT issue marking on caseback. They are beyond rare. There's a couple of interesting write ups, Ill hunt them down. Search MWR for soem more info...
     
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  9. LarryG not KennyG, not OG, just LarryG Jan 11, 2015

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  10. redpcar Jan 11, 2015

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    Crap! Now I'm going to have to bid on the Bulova. Great job LarryG!
     
  11. LarryG not KennyG, not OG, just LarryG Jan 11, 2015

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    A few weeks ago a guy fishes a vintage Longines Hour Angle out of some estate and it sells on Ebay for 22k (yes, I admit to trying to buy-it-now early in the listing). I didn't even get a chance to send the seller of this UDT the "have you a buy-it-now price in mind...." plea; it was only $700, when I happened upon it, on the market for but a few hours, but over 40 people were watching, which told me 35 had already emailed the selfsame question.
     
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  12. LarryG not KennyG, not OG, just LarryG Jan 11, 2015

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    Where do these folks find these treasures?
     
  13. LarryG not KennyG, not OG, just LarryG Jan 11, 2015

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    I absolutely love his comment: Never seen this model before....
     
    Syrte likes this.
  14. LouS Mrs Nataf's Other Son Staff Member Jan 11, 2015

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    Most interesting, Larry, thanks. One sold for USd 14400 at Antiquorum in October 2010.
     
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  15. LarryG not KennyG, not OG, just LarryG Jan 11, 2015

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    If I recall from MWR, there was some question as to the authenticity of that one, cobbled together from legtimate sources but not original to the watch....
     
  16. LouS Mrs Nataf's Other Son Staff Member Jan 11, 2015

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    From Antiquorum? I'm shocked! Shocked, I tell you!:rolleyes:

    Anyway, this one should make interesting viewing.

    I love this hobby.
     
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  17. redpcar Jan 11, 2015

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    Who here owns a Fortis Flipper? Giggle factor = 10.
     
    Fortis Flipper.jpg
  18. LouS Mrs Nataf's Other Son Staff Member Jan 11, 2015

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    Dennis, how come you don't have one of these?
     
  19. STANDY schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector Jan 11, 2015

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    I do know alot of Bulova,s had the 666 scratched of as it was not liked in the dive world when they first came out but think this is before that. Then all of a sudden they were cool. The Dive watch only collectors are harder core than Speedie collectors once something gets rare or unseen. Got out of that game years ago
     
  20. Zuke Jan 12, 2015

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    Very cool watch and history - price is now at $11k
     
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