Here we are again, folks. For the last week, we’ve been venturing to all four corners of the interwebz to find you some of our favorite sales listings. It turns out, we love vintage dive watches — who knew? Okay, I think everyone knew that, but that’s not going to stop us. Get ready for vintage divers everywhere.
Neil’s Picks
Sinn EZM 1
Here we have a bad ass EZM 1 from Sinn. EXM 1’s are not easy to find, but what makes this one even more significant is that it is an older “3H” dialed version with nicely aged tritium. The EZM 1 has developed a cult following and started the long line of excellent EZM Mission Timers from Sinn. The watch was originally developed for Germany’s elite military and law enforcement units and certainly fits the bill. It is a simple, tough, good looking, and functional watch. It has a laundry list of features like titanium construction, shockproof and antimagnetic case, 300m water resistance, anti-reflective domed sapphire, argon filled case, and not often seen countdown bezel. Thanks to the awesome central minute counter, it is uncluttered and easy to read with merely a glance.
The movement is of course based off of the amazing Lemania 5100, of which we are big fans, and I’m especially a sucker for a “destro” model with the crown and chronograph pushers on the left side of the case. These 3H-dialed versions are getting harder to find and prices seem to be climbing, so you might want to jump on this one!
Seiko 6309
I think we can all agree that Seiko represents some of the best values in the mechanical watch market. This is also true for their vintage pieces, from their bullheads, rally divers, and in this case their sports divers. The 6309 bridges the gap between the classic 6105 and modern Diver’s 200m. Spend any time in coastal towns and you’re likely to see this on the wrist of the locals who work the water more than any other watch. The 6309 featured here is in rare all original condition and looks to have been well taken care of. The 7049 on the caseback designation means it was sold outside Japan. The new gaskets, screw down crown, and mineral crystal also means that it can still be used reliably in the water. This is a great example of a 6309. Finding one in all original condition like this is getting increasingly difficult and you even get the period correct Seiko vented diving strap. At around $300, you can’t go wrong.
Isaac’s Picks
Universal Genève Triple Date Moonphase Ref. 11305
Let me first start off by humbly stating that I was wrong. When this whole craze of sorts surrounding Universal Genève first began some few years ago, I was skeptical from day one. As the prices continued to skyrocket upwards, I started thinking that this was all just a hype-driven fad, and that we would see the bubble burst quite shortly. Needless to say, I was far from correct, which one can now see by the hundreds of devoted UG collectors, and the extensive endorsement of certain important pieces by respected horological authorities. They’re here to stay, so we better get used to it.
Just the other day, I stumbled upon one rather stunning example of an early triple calendar moon phase from Universal Genève, while browsing through Christie’s Watch Shop. In pink gold, the reference 11305 has a great, warm vibe to it, that I’d certainly welcome on my wrist. Additionally, the condition of this piece shouldn’t go unnoticed. With a clean dial that’s free of significant blemishes, sharp Spanish day and month markings, and even the original mesh bracelet, you’ve really got a winner with this one. So, if you just so happen to be lending out interest free cash, shoot me an email!
Longines Conquest Munich ’72 Chronograph
At the site, all of us seem to hold a special place in our watch-obsessed hearts for quirky chronographs, so to speak. They may not be the most popular, nor make the most sense from a functional design standpoint, but they sure can bring a smile to our faces. We’ve spoken highly of several of such Omegas, but what we’re looking at today is a monopusher chronograph from Longines, released to commemorate the brand’s sponsorship of the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.
To address the elephant in the room, yes, this piece could hold somewhat of a stigma due to the infamous massacre that occurred during that year’s Olympics. Ultimately, certain people are going to associate this with the watch more strongly than others, but I personally think that this adds some extra historical significance to the piece. Oh, and in case you didn’t notice, this thing looks absolutely awesome: terrific shape, stellar patina, and even includes the original bracelet and box that it was first sold with.
Dean’s Picks
Well, Over the last few weeks I’ve been a bit infatuated with Funky Diver’s (In fact let me pause a minute and put on Holy Diver by Dio while i write this…in fact if you havent seen the original music video stop what you are doing right now and go to youtube). This week we are gonna keep that train moving with a couple more of these wonderful pieces (Don’t worry I’m sure It’ll wear off once I get my MIDO Diver back from service).
Longines Diver ref. 8248 – 1
First off is an absolute HOME RUN of a watch and another piece I would almost rather buy for myself than post up here. As you may remember from last week, I am currently infatuated with funky, affordable watches with character and this next watch is no exception. What we have here is a Longines Diver ref. 8248 – 1. Now, what attracted me at first is the cosmetic aspect of the watch. Bakelite bezel in great condition, super stylized stick markers on the dial, and single orange minute hand….boom, boom, and boom. The watch is equipped with an automatic cal 505., a movement produced by Record watch co. (owned by Longines at the time) beating at 19,800 bph. The kicker? its listed for 950 euro from a well known seller over on Chronotrader.
Nivada Grenchen Chronoking
The next watch I like is (surprise!) another funky diver that has a TON of style and cache. This watch is also for sale up on Chronotrader (are we seeing a trend here?). Okay, so we’ve covered bakelite; we love bakelite. Well this watch has got that shake and bake, not only that, but it has a “Paul Newman” style dial that has to have been made by the same Singer dial manufacture (no, not the one in Texas). What’s more, it’s powered by the venerable Valjoux 72 we nerds love so much. Now, if this watch said Rolex on the dial, it’d be a six-figure watch. Luckily for you, it says “Nivada Grenchen”. Now be forewarned, ye WIS puny-of-wrist (like me), this thing is big (43mm across), but the look is just so classic that it’s bound to get a lot of wrist time for whomever ends up with it. Oh, and it also comes on a nice looking signed bracelet. Please note that I am not familiar with the seller, so do your homework.
Shane’s Picks
Bulova Diver’s Chronograph
Like two women showing up to a party in the same dress, “well, one of us has to change,” was my first thought when I saw everyone’s picks. Luckily, none of us has to change, because you can never have enough crazy vintage dive watches. So, I’m sticking with my picks, and that’s the end of it.
Here we have a vintage Bulova Divers Chronograph, that’s has a tastefully aged look. The bezel could be considered a “ghost insert”, one which people pay upwards of $1,000 for if it’s for a Submariner. Continuing the faded look is the now-grey dial, which was probably either much darker grey or black originally. I believe everything is original but the bracelet, which I’d toss aside for a strap anyway. Powered by the reliable and common Valjoux 7733, this one can likely be serviced anywhere. The seller doesn’t seem to know much about watches, which sometimes helps keep the bidding down. With only a handful of hours left on the auction, this could be a fantastic sub-$500 pickup.
Enicar Sherpa Guide 600 GMT Worldtime
Another brand that pops up all the time in vintage context, but not as much in its revived state. As an aside, I love their planet logo — I’m not sure what it is, I just do. Anyway, here we have a Sherpa Guide 600 GMT Worldtime that ticks a lot of boxes for me: 2nd timezone, cushion case, and inner rotating bezel with offset crowns. This one appears to be in NOS condition, including an awesome OEM bracelet. The seller claims that neither he nor the previous owner wore the watch (not sure what the hell they were doing with it). It appears the only missing link here is a sliding external ring that would sit between the crystal and external bezel — but it still looks great otherwise. At the current price, with only 1 bid, it is roughly the cost of a beat up example. In other words, it’s priced fairly for missing that part. Lastly, the seller is quite clear it will need a service before everyday use. “Time capsule” pieces are rare, and I think this one is a really solid opportunity. There are two days left on the auction and the lone bid is at $1,150.
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