Top Vintage Inspired Dive Watches
Hello fellow crunchers,
I'd like to put together a list of the top vintage inspired dive watches, microbrand edition. Would love to get your input on what you think the best executions are. I put the fifty fathoms and bb58 as the standard, which microbrands successfully designed a vintage inspired dive watch?
Very excited to see the results!
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Canada
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5.00” / 12.70 cm
The Baltic Aquascaphe!
Aquastar
Lorier Neptune
Based off aesthetics alone, this wins due to acrylic.
Case size, true no date movement, and overall case shape are pluses.
YMMV.
Imperial RoyalGuard nails the vibe and the aluminum bezel, but still loses to Lorier since it's sapphire.
I'd say that both of the Islander Port Jeff models are both fairly vintage inspired. Take the skin-diver look, and make it in a more contemporary 40mm size.
Enlightening to my next acquisition 😍
I gotta 2nd @solidyetti . Lorier is close to the top in this category.
The Benrus Ultra Deep. It’s got the right sizes, date window, cathedral hands and acrylic double-domed crystal with internal magnification (which is no small feat for plastic). Even the caseback is commited to the accuracy of the recreation.
It might not be the super compressor it used to be, but it’s more reliable for it and certainly looks the part.
Ufff that Blancpain is just amazing 🥰
Happens to be on the wrist today
I don’t count the modern mainline 50 Fathoms, here. It has a modern luxury dive watch style.
The tissot 1938 is really nice
Aquastar
Inspired answer. 💯
Yema Superman or any of their Superman variants are really well built, well priced and very handsome.
The Benrus Ultra Deep. It’s got the right sizes, date window, cathedral hands and acrylic double-domed crystal with internal magnification (which is no small feat for plastic). Even the caseback is commited to the accuracy of the recreation.
It might not be the super compressor it used to be, but it’s more reliable for it and certainly looks the part.
Agreed on the acrylic with an internal cyclops.
The Douglas Professional Skindiver II has one as well, roulette date wheel to boot.
For that matter I'll submit the Douglas (sister company to Wolbrook) Skindiver II Professional into the ring.
Oh how the hell i forgot the Farer! Best micro brand imo.
Serica 5301, 5302, 5303
I want a modern touch as well, it's vintage inspired that I'm looking for not purely vintage, but I understand your point of view
To use Rolex terms, it more like 14270 than Smiths 1016.
Ok three more: (actually there are also more like JLC Polaris etc, but tried to pick most reinterpretation ones)
🔥🔥🔥
Oh how the hell i forgot the Farer! Best micro brand imo.
Ohh yes!
Serica 5301, 5302, 5303
Great pieces
Yeah but I'm looking for the top options, not just to make a list of all watches that fit that category
Yeah that was my point. There is so many that choosing the best is preety much impossible. Also by what metrics/parameter and who agreed upon them?
Those are absolute beauties, just not sure if I would put them in the same category
I know you said "vintage inspired divers". I just like Sinn watches. Sorry for the mixed up.
100% Looking for microbrands though
Here is mine!
Yeah that was my point. There is so many that choosing the best is preety much impossible. Also by what metrics/parameter and who agreed upon them?
Everyone just share whatever they think is the best in their eyes
I know you said "vintage inspired divers". I just like Sinn watches. Sorry for the mixed up.
Hahahaha totally understand, Sinn make some amazing pieces
Here is mine!
Great pairing!
Absolute killers
Thank you 🙏🏽
Oh nice piece, I would put that more in the homage category though, what do you think?
This design was very common among several brands back in the 60s. It’s not unique to GO. This Seestern isn’t even the brand I was originally thinking of. That brand was actually making a near identical model back in the 60s. I haven’t had time to go back through all my previous posts to find where I commented on that one.
P.S. I also say that as a SeaQ owner. There’s nothing unique to GO using this design except that they were one of the ones using it back in the day.
Oh nice piece, I would put that more in the homage category though, what do you think?
Found it.
Wolbrook is a revived brand that used this design back in the day.
https://www.watchcrunch.com/Naj341/posts/wolbrook-skin-divers-32394