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Obscure and Vintage Dive Watches

allwoundup
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This 21 jewel Helsa women’s diver, depth rated to 20ATM, just arrived today. Swung by my WM and had him do a quick check up, polish the crystal and install a blue strap. I will gift it to my wife tonight. With the exception of a scratch on the case back this is a nice little watch in great shape for its age. Helsa was a sub-brand of tool watch maker Ollech & Wajs.
 
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pseikotick
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Just picked this up for the cost of a bad hair cut. Does anyone know anything about these? It seems well made.
orient.jpg
 
Dan S
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pseikotick pseikotick
Just picked this up for the cost of a bad hair cut. Does anyone know anything about these? It seems well made.
orient.jpg

These were very popular in the Asian market in the 1970s, and are probably similar in quality to the generic 5 atm diver-style watches made using Swiss components at the time, just with Japanese-made components. Not actual dive watches or skin divers obviously.
 
Dan S
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redpcar redpcar
...........but it says "Skindiver" on the dial

I think it says King Diver. I understand you're probably joking. Skin divers generally refer to watches with legit depth ratings in the 20ish atm range. Many of these dive-style watches really had no significant water resistance, despite the markings.
 
redpcar
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Dang.
But "Diver" is still there 😉
And a lot going with that dial.
 
janice&fred
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redpcar redpcar
Dang.
But "Diver" is still there 😉
And a lot going with that dial.

there are other kinds of divers besides underwater.

I can't believe I just said that.
 
Dan S
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redpcar redpcar
And a lot going with that dial.

I think that's what people like about them. 👍
 
JwRosenthal
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pseikotick pseikotick
You know you're getting old and your vanity melting away when you leave the Daytonas, vintage Speedmasters, Subs, and all those other fine time pieces at the bank or in your home safe and find yourself wearing an Orient King Diver that looks like a watch one of the H.R. Puffinstuff characters might have worn in 1970. Hell, even the Seiko "Pogue" would have never been of interest to me just a few years ago. Now I am having more fun sporting one of these.
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That you know HR Puffinstuff is what makes you old- not your changing taste in watches 😉
 
JwRosenthal
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One of a sea of Everyman divers that has followed me home lately- been having too much fun with these things.
2A679ED8-02C0-47D6-9BC1-010274324A53.jpeg
 
WYO_Watch
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JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
One of a sea of Everyman divers that has followed me home lately- been having too much fun with these things.
Looks like you can sell me your tradition diver now 😁

I’m sensing a theme with your divers - big arrows ::psy::
 
JwRosenthal
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WYO_Watch WYO_Watch
Looks like you can sell me your tradition diver now 😁

I’m sensing a theme with your divers - big arrows ::psy::
Hey- get yourself your own wannabe Seamaster! 😉
 
JwRosenthal
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And I hate to admit this- but the big arrows and large numerals are actually because I am starting to realize it may be time for glasses. Not so much for focus but contrast. I love watches like my OPD but then silver on silver on silver is a bitch to read in low or overcast light. These things I can see at arms length. I guess my barometer for readability has become- if you can read it under water, that’s good enough for me!
 
WYO_Watch
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Thanks to you - I am looking 🤦 and if I can find one, will maybe be able to do a comparison to my Seamaster and my daughters Beemaster 😁

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Edited:
 
JwRosenthal
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WYO_Watch WYO_Watch
Thanks to you - I am looking 🤦 and will maybe be able to do a comparison to my Seamaster and my daughters Beemaster 😁

2581826B-FE1B-4BAF-9C03-C2C87B01A90C.jpeg
A close friend of mine just gave his 2 year old his indiglo when he got as a kid. She had taken to grabbing his watches off the table throwing them on the floor. That didn’t last long. Maybe I should get an indiglo...that may solve my issues right there!
 
Dan S
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pseikotick pseikotick
I challenge anyone to find another example of this watch. Images from the eBay listing recently don’t count. It had a badly cracked crystal when I found it. I can’t find a single watch from this brand let alone the same watch. It’s actually not the worst quality. And the bezel did once have numbers. And Rito Mundo who designs modern watches is NOT the guy. He was born in 2002. This watch is from the 1965 to 1975 period, I believe.
5B88D00E-5E31-40B7-A895-044C5111F6A8.jpeg

Very likely post 1969 given the "water resistant" labeling. I have never seen one of these before.
 
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