Le Forban Sécurité Mer - French diving watches 60's

[VinceFR]

Hi everyone,

Since few months I was looking for a vintage french diving watches, I've found some brands like Mortima, Le Forban.

The brand, "Le Forban" sounds great and has been recast in 2019 but it's very hard to find information about models, mouvement etc.

I've bought one few days ago, a 70's diver, but I don't know if it's a redial or not for exemple.
The case have been opened by a watchmaker, the movement is a France Ebauche (what ? An other brand that has disappeared ?)



It seems that in 1960's this brand made watches for Marine Nationale :



On the new website (https://leforbansecuritemer.com/la-genese/), the story part is also poor, few lines, the watches were distributed in nautical equipment stores and they've made around 20 models.

What do you think about this brand & watches ?
Stop Talking, let's go for the pictures :




Not mines, from a french forum :

Edited: Jun 15, 2020

 

[queriver]

Like yours - the dial and the angles on the case over the lugs 👍

 

[VinceFR]

Nobody likes or knows this brand ... 🙁

 

[SpeedyPhill]

The French (-Swiss) have made some amazing watches... look at some of the pilot watches worn by L'Armée de L'Air 👍

 

[0uss]

Neat watch! Love that dial layout with that cute little anchor. A french watchmaker once told me they were supplied to the french coast gard. The brand appears to have an interesting, little known history. Shame really. 🙁
The guy's wife has a little Le Forban diver housing a mini ETA 2472. A cool little gem. 🥰

 

[Foo2rama]

@VinceFR that movement really looks like an eta to me.

 

[VinceFR]

Foo2rama

@VinceFR that movement really looks like an eta to me.

It seems to be a FE5611.

 

[jsducote]

VinceFR

The case have been opened by a watchmaker, the movement is a France Ebauche (what ? An other brand that has disappeared ?)

No, this is not a brand. Ébauche is the generic term for a watch movement supplied by a firm other than the name on the dial of the finished watch. In this case, no pun intended, the experts believe it is an ETA (this is a brand) movement.

 

[rootbeer7]

I’ve recently taken an interest in these skindiver watches. It would appear that there are hundreds of different versions of the same watch, quite a few French branded, which makes finding out information rather limited. Yours is very nice and looks original. Does is glow briefly after a flashlight?

 

[VinceFR]

rootbeer7

I’ve recently taken an interest in these skindiver watches. It would appear that there are hundreds of different versions of the same watch, quite a few French branded, which makes finding out information rather limited. Yours is very nice and looks original. Does is glow briefly after a flashlight?

No Idea, do I need a special flashlight for testing?

 

[VinceFR]

jsducote

No, this is not a brand. Ébauche is the generic term for a watch movement supplied by a firm other than the name on the dial of the finished watch. In this case, no pun intended, the experts believe it is an ETA (this is a brand) movement.

I'm not an expert and sorry for that but France Ébauches was a french company which made bankrupt in 1994. They have equipped the Yema superman GMT (The french Pepsi), it's hard to find infos but don't think they've modified ETA movement.

I've read that It was the 6th world quartz's company at his peak, it seems that like all french watches company 90th were complicated.

 

[jsducote]

VinceFR

I'm not an expert and sorry for that but France Ébauches was a french company which made bankrupt in 1994. They have equipped the Yema superman GMT (The french Pepsi), it's hard to find infos but don't think they've modified ETA movement.

I've read that It was the 6th world quartz's company at his peak, it seems that like all french watches company 90th were complicated.

I stand corrected. [Reference: https://www.watch-wiki.net/index.php?title=France_Ebauches]

 

[rootbeer7]

VinceFR

No Idea, do I need a special flashlight for testing?

The torch on your phone will do in the dark. It might glow for a few seconds.

 

[VinceFR]

rootbeer7

The torch on your phone will do in the dark. It might glow for a few seconds.

I confirm, it glows (better) a few seconds what it means ?

 

[Dr.Sascha]

Those are very nice, and demonstrate the same "flair" that one sees in other French or French-influenced dial-makers from that period (e.g. Yema, Wakmann).

The glow is the Tritium releasing the energy stored. You want a dim, brief glow, as that indicates the original lume is still present (this is also visible as it is puffy and expanded beyond the original outlines). A bright, lasting glow, especially greenish white, means the watch has been re-lumed.

 

[omegastar]

Resurrecting an old thread to show a couple of Le Forban Sécurité-Mer Automatic. These two are sturdy professional diver’s watches with screwed down crowns and waterproof to 20 and 30 atm.

 

[JimInOz]

I think I have a Mortima diver somewhere.
It's after dinner here and I'm enjoying a nice Talisker single malt, so I'll find it tomorrow.

 

[Matty01]

I need to get mine serviced, but I love it
Coast Guard
Agreed,, the movement is French and watches were apparently issued to the French Coastguard…

 

[Dr.Sascha]

Here's one from Zedor. A lot of French flair in the design. Uses the same case as the Le Forban Securite Mer.

Edited: Sep 1, 2024

 

[vibe]

here are three I’ve had, I think I still have two of them actually. They are Chanor besançon, BAC (battalion anticrime?) and Le forban. These cases usually have A schild auto or FE manual winding movements. If you are into French watches, I highly recommend Yema/LeJour Superman, I have many!