WRUW Today?

Have a great boxing day .wearing my 1952 seamaster .

GSOTM

Very nice. I’m still waiting for my 1952 Seamaster to return from the spa.

Another Austin from my new collection of them.

1977 CITIZEN 52-0110 Challenge 150M Diver dial type-1
originally sold and paired with 20mm BEST FIT SWISS TROPIC MOD DEP rubber diver strap

THE (original) BARNACLE DIVER ...

An anecdote about

Neil Blakers and his walk on the beach in 1983 stumbling on to a long lost divers watch made in 1977 washed up on shore still in working condition at Long Reef Beach in Australia most likely thrown up by a heavy surf. At that time, it was covered with a large number of barnacles, so it was nicknamed the "Barnacle Diver". Mr. Blakers decided to send the watch to Citizen Watches Australia at Brookvale, who then forwarded the watch to CITIZEN Headquarters in Tokyo Japan. Citizen Japan asked their Product Quality Section @ Tanashi Factory to determine the model and make and gain some insight to what the timepiece might have gone thru, it was found to be a model 52-0110 made in 1977 with a stamped dial (no applied details or markers) which was produced and used prior 1978 (dial type-1). Since barnacles take time to build up, the watch evidently had been underwater for quite a few years.

Question is, was the watch lost when it was brand new in 1977 and then found in 1983, Citizen did confirm that the watch at a minimum must have been submerged at least 2 or 3 years ...

HOW TOUGH are they ?

Numerous examples are available for sale in cyberspace. The imperfections on these Citizen divers are real and reflect a life lived earned thru its intended purpose as a CHEAP TOOL WATCH for both professional and recreational divers, despite the battle scars, dings, scratches, dents, somehow it's BRIGHT GREEN LUME seem unaffected a testament to it's over engineered design, like it's crystal sealing system for instance uses TWO GASKETS (o-rings) to seal against moisture, one sits under the crystal the other around the circumference between the crystal and the case (Seiko at this point uses ONE L-shaped gasket under it's crystal, sorry Seiko fans). Yes though Omega and Rolex are used by divers, CITIZEN (along with Seiko) were the actual day to day, every work day (for professional divers), wear and forget pieces. If they got lost or damaged " I CAN ALWAYS BUY ANOTHER " mentality was applied.

My 1977 CITIZEN 52-0110 Challenge 150M Diver dial type-1 was recently overhauled in 2022 (see last photo) which included both DRY and WET pressure tests ........ it passed with flying colors !!!

Here too @Lou P

Speedy Tuesday

Enicar Sherpa Graph Mark IV, 1967 (V72).

Steve @Duracuir1 did an excellent job on that strap. Love the baseball stitching he included on the keeper.

Christmas watches my grown sons are wearing today: Lorier Falcon III and Baltic Aquascaphe GMT. I narrowed their choices based on what I read from you fine friends and those were their choices. Fine choices that suit their personalities well.