Eterna KonTiki Sonic

It seems like the trio (see Nautilus, ScubaPro and Eterna) has just become a quartet by the addition of the Eterna KonTiki Sonic!

I was pretty much stoked I was able to get this one: it’s got the same case as the KonTiki Super but with a Sonic movement (Eterna’s tunigfork movement) and orange dial. This must be pretty rare in this combination of (at the time) high tech movement and a robust utilitarian design.

The ‘humm’ of the movement is not as audible as the Accutron’s and the sweep of the second hand just as perfect. Another very cool piece of dive retro!

Heuer Carrara 73453

I have a thing for vintage Heuers, even when my collection is mostly about vintage divers. My passion for watches got fueled by onthedash.com, a fantastic reference site about the vintage Heuer.

I was realy lucky to locate this manual wind Carrera with date. It’s got the same case as the Cal.15 I have but this one has a manual wind Valjoux 7734 movement.

The dial and hands are in absolute mint condition and time keeping perfect, as you can expect with these vintage Heuer’s – they are top quality time pieces!!

Eterna KonTiki Super

This is the 3rd and final installmant of the Nautilus-Scubapro-KonTiki trilogy: the Eterna KonTiki Super. These might be best known as they were also used by the IDF – Israeli Defense Force (mine’s a civilian). A real ‘tool’ watch.

For me, this watch became an instant favorite as soon as I got it. The Milanese mesh bracelet is a pleasure to wear (I think is the exact same as Omega’s as used on the PloProf and 1000m Seamaster) and the claps has the trademark Eterna ball bearings on it. And the watch has a nice size too with great bezel action and outstanding lume.

The only thing it did need was a new caseback seal; the original 70’s one turned to goo – according to my watchmaker a typical issue for that era due to a bad rubber used in the factory (I’ve also seen horror stories on the net of crystal seals turning to goo on Heuer Monaco’s and ruining the dial…)

And I must confess, the main reason I started my hunt for one of these, is the hands. The typical hour hand design and the long minute hand, reaching even over the minute markers. And it’s all in the details: the little dab of lume on the short side of the second hand – when I first got it I tought it was a sloppy relume until I compared with other pictures…

An absolute favorite!

ScubaPro 500

Following the post of the Nautilus, this is the watch I was realy looking for: the ScubaPro 500. Somewhat of a legend in the dive-WIS community, as they are pretty rare and hardly come up for sale.

500m water resist, lovely screw down crown and nicely sculpted crown guards. Never had it opened, but I assume it was the workhorse ETA2824 motor doing it’s work under the hood, keeping good time. I swapped the bracelet to a Milanese mesh, which suited it perfect!

But what’s even better about the watch then anything mentioned before is it’s bezel: the bezel action is just plain perfect and on par with the best (my Squale ), smooth but firm clicks, a pleasure to use!

The watch had seen better days but I’m sure it had interesting stories to tell…

Nautilus Professional 500m Quartz

To be honest: I bought this watch just for the bezel.  Most you see of the ScubaPro and Eterna have a battered or completely faded bezel. As the Nautilus uses the same bezel as the ScubaPro 500 and Eterna KonTiki, it’s somewhat of a “poor man’s version” of those. And, I figuered if I ever come across a beat up one, I can use the Nautilus for parts.

I did find a ScubaPro and Eterna (more on those later), luckily with very good bezels, so this one could stay in one piece.

It’s a hefty piece, rated to 500m, helium protected (without a release valve). It even uses a screw down crown with external threads, just like the before mentioned two. And you just got to love that crown protector!

Lume is good too, and as it’s a quartz, an ideal beater watch with nice crisp printing and very legible dial.

Breitling Super Ocean – 1958 original

Here’s one of my latest fiends: an original breitling Super Ocean. These must have been Breitling’s answer to the Rolex sub which got introduced a couple years earlier.

Breitling made a re-edition of these just a couple of years ago and it’s not hard to imagine why: it’s a looker! The sliding bi-directional bezel and it’s lume insert, the applied indexes…it’s such a great design.

The motor is a modified and very nicely decorated ETA movement.

Very nice caseback design too!

Bulova Computron

Here’s something completely different: the Bulova Computron ‘LED’ watch.

I’ve always liked the ‘drivers’ display on these with the display on the front side rather than the top.

The pusher on the side controlled all functions.  The display only works when you push the button on the side, because the LED’s consume too much battery power. If I remember correctly functions are respectively time, seconds and date?

The N6 on the bottom date it to 1976 – my birthyear. The very wide and heavy gold plated bracelet made me look like a pimp though

When I found this one, I got it with it’s original box and user manual!

AquaLung U.S. Divers Quartz

I believe these AquaLung watches were made by Doxa. The bezel is the same as used on many Doxa dive watches. Also dial and hands are exactly the same style of the ones used by Doxa.

Screw down crown with an external thread crown tube. Thecrown also had a red dot on it, but I can’t find a picture of it anymore. No idea why it was there either…

There’s also a link to the most famous of all divers, Jacques Coustea.

Hamilton Cape-Horn

This Hamilton uses one of the most famous dive watch cases around: the compressor case. I believe it had a special way of sealing the case-back and these cases were used by many manufacturers.

The caseback has a big ‘600′ embossed in it, which I think is the waterproof depth in feet, as most of the other compressor watches I’ve seen are waterproof to 200m. 600ft is only 182.88m but that’s a detail I guess…

The lume on the hands looks very grainy. When I first got the watch I thought it was a poor re-lume job, but after studying some more pictures of these watches, they all showed the same grainy lume.

Unfortunately, the bottom crown on mine is no longer original and has no longer the trademark hash as the top crown…always on the lookout to find one though!

These compressors were actually rather small – 36mm. My brother likes watches to be a bit more ‘dressy’ and this Hamilton seems to be on a permanent loan to him…

Breitling Cadette

This was another nice project…when I got the watch it was a complete basketcase. I got this Breitling Cadette from the original owner who got it in the late 40’s.

I had the case replated, new domed plexi and a service, and she was good as new.

Don’t remember the movement, but it must have been either a Landeron or Venus.