Diving Watches: What are the best vintage pieces?

Diving watches, or so-called Divers have been around since 1926. Back then, Rolex was the first to produce a wristwatch which was sufficiently water resistant, that you could take it with you when diving. This was all regarding their invention of the ‘Oystercase’. There are more and more diving watches being produced, by all the watch brands you know. Luckily there are some vintage pieces on the market as well that can be picked up in beautiful condition for very good prices. Let’s look at some notable vintage diving watches.

Kas Klerx

Chief Content

Published at: 22/12/2023

Rolex Submariner Ref. 5512

Rolex introduced their Rolex Submariner 5512 to the market back in 1959. This watch was designed as an upgraded version of its predecessor, the Sub 5510. For their new introduction they improved some features. The first and most significant enhancement was the inclusion of crown guards. These provided better protection for the crown against impacts or any water pressure. before this update, the crown was a point of issue. There are still a small number of Submariner 5512’s who were produced without crown guards. These are highly sought after by collectors today! The Submariner 5512 was powered by their 1560 in-house automatic movement. This was a very precise and durable movement, perfect for a diver. The production of this watch ran from 1959, all the way till 1978. The submariner 5512 played a crucial role in establishing Rolex’s dominance in the diving watch market.

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Omega Seamaster 300

The Omega Seamaster 300 is still for sale to this day. This is all because of the importance this watch had for the brand, for establishing their part in the durable and collectible market of diving watches. The Omega Seamaster 300 brought some very innovative features with it. This watch was one of the first watches to incorporate a Helium Escape Valve (HEV). This allowed the watch to release built-up helium gas that could accumulate during saturation diving, preventing damage to the watch when resurfacing. The early models of the Seamaster 300 were powered by Omega’s Caliber 501. This movement was known for its reliability and accuracy. The watch eventually also rose in popularity, after it was featured in the James Bond movies in the 1990’s. Because of the long-lasting production of this watch, there are a lot of watches on the market, and probably there will be one for your liking, regarding the price, condition, and configuration.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms

The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was introduced in 1953. These watches hold a significant place in the history of diving watches. Their name refers to the watch’s water resistance, which was rated to a depth of 50 fathoms, equivalent to approximately 91 meters or 300 feet. At the time this watch was released, in 1953, this water resistance was groundbreaking an demonstrated the value Blancpain could bring to the table in the watch market. While being a diver, these watches were characterized by their minimalist dial designs, and large luminous hour markers and hands. These war all features to ensure the diver had great visibility in the dark depths of the waters. The original pieces did not feature a date function, to keep the watch as symmetric as possible. These watches gained recognition because of their use in various military units, for instance the French and US Navy! Because of the ruggedness and reliability this was the watch of choice for military divers. The Fifty Fathoms played a crucial role in establishing the template for professional five watches, emphasizing reliability, water resistance and robustness.

Best of the rest?

The vintage watch market has a lot more diving watches to offer than these we mentioned above. There is almost an endless number of vintage divers you could fall in love to or stay far away from. Some more attractive than others. When you go searching for your vintage diving watch keep in mind that there will be a lot to choose from in every price point or configuration you could possibly want. With all vintage pieces, keep in mind that the durability and reliability is a risk you pay when not buying a watch that has been recently serviced. Make sure the watch you would like to buy has all the documentation you would need, regarding the price you are willing to pay. Enjoy your search!