Seeking Information on Vintage Ancre Dive Watch
I recently acquired a vintage dive watch from Ancre, and I'm thrilled with this classic timepiece. However, I'm eager to learn more about its history and specifications, and I was wondering if anyone in this fantastic community could help me out.
I'm particularly interested in understanding the type of caseback it has. Is it a screw-down caseback, a snap-on caseback, or something else? Additionally, I'm curious about the proper way to open it. Does anyone have experience with Ancre dive watches and could offer some guidance on safely opening the caseback?
If you have any insights, information, or even just anecdotes about Ancre dive watches, I'd greatly appreciate your input. Feel free to share photos if you have a similar piece in your collection.
Thanks in advance for your help, and I look forward to hearing from fellow watch enthusiasts!
Best regards, Roan
It is a screw back. It used a special key that fit in the grooves of the back to open it. Hard to find those keys though. Can just try to open it with a rubber ball case back opener you can get off Amazon. There are other tools to open that type of back though, best to just take it to a local watchmaker.
You might not like what you see inside. Many companies used the "Ancre" name. Some were in France or Switzerland, most were in Germany (West and East). They are of wildly differing quality. I am wearing an "Anker" in my WRUW photo today.
I hope when you open the back you are treated by a fully jeweled P.U.W. or Durowe movement or something like it. This looks to be a late 1960's or early 1970's skin diver. It was a popular style at the time. The dial says "automatic" and brags about its "shock" protection, so far, so good. It does not tell you a jewel count. The omission may be telling.
And this the point in the lecture where I play a short film by our friend @Porthole who warns you about the dangers of Georges Roskopf's invention that brought affordable watches to the masses.
Not a lot of due diligence going on prior to vintage purchases which is worrying; I know it’s exciting but people are going to get stung.
So I seem to have been summoned like the horological daemon that I am. I can grant you riches, but only if they are sub-34mm Swiss jobbers.
You are lucky - that will have a France Ebauche 3xxx or 4xxx automatic, because a quick google search shows that watches83 sold one recently and there is a picture. It’s an early 70s 17J automatic, and luckily, not a pin-lever. Has its quirks, but you are very lucky this wasn’t a wasp nest. Ancre was a common trademark, so all you need to know is that it’s a jobber of no real provenance, and the brand is long dead, but the style of watch is very popular and desirable so provided you didn’t pay too much that is a decent find.
It is a screw back. It used a special key that fit in the grooves of the back to open it. Hard to find those keys though. Can just try to open it with a rubber ball case back opener you can get off Amazon. There are other tools to open that type of back though, best to just take it to a local watchmaker.
Thnx, I have a rubber balland will try that to open the case.
It is a screw back. It used a special key that fit in the grooves of the back to open it. Hard to find those keys though. Can just try to open it with a rubber ball case back opener you can get off Amazon. There are other tools to open that type of back though, best to just take it to a local watchmaker.
Got the caseback off, but did not see a lever to remove the crown. Cleaned it up a bit and put a strap on it.