Up for sale [SOLD] is arguably one of the best everyday beater watches on the market today — the Steinhart Ocean One Bronze with box & papers and extra unused OEM leather strap & buckle.
This example of Ocean One Bronze features the “faded” greenish-brown elapsed time insert with lume pip, a 42mm solid bronze mid case & bezel with heavy stainless steel screw-in back and a sapphire crystal, as well as signed screw-in bronze crown. All that insures this rugged diver has the same depth rating as a modern Rolex Submariner. The thing I like about this Steinhart, though, is that it’s not just direct copy of a Rolex like so many of their other offerings. Instead, it has its own distinctive style, with horizontally brushed dial that changes in the light from “gray metallic” (as Steinhart calls it) to pure chocolate (which is more accurate, IMO), plus military inspired super Luminova “Explorer”-style quarter Arabics & triangle and large gilt sword hands that glow like a torch.
Under the hood is another quality feature — a rock solid ETA 2824-2 automatic movement with hacking seconds, the same ebauche you’ll find in Swiss watches that cost ten times as much as this bad boy. Bought by me in 2017, this watch has never been opened and still keeps excellent time. With its incredible build quality and scratch resistant bronze case, this is a true dive watch and can handle pretty much anything you can dish out. It’s been with me to the beaches of Mexico and the south of France and is basically a perfect watch to wear when you still want to show some style but don’t feel like flashing your high value pieces. It’s certainly also good as a no thought required daily driver up for any activity from yard work to manning the grill to jacuzzi to scuba. A rather remarkable value-to-quality proposition, this Ocean One is pretty much ready for anything you want to do.
This big 42mm dive & military-inspired watch is in overall Excellent condition with just a few light marks here and there and the bronze case, crown and bezel are developing a very attractive patina (which can easily be reversed with a light polish if one so wishes). This Ocean One Bronze comes complete with the original box & papers and I am throwing in a brand new unworn Steinhart leather strap with extra signed screwed bronze buckle in addition to the original OEM leather-backed canvas strap with its bronze buckle that I usually wore the watch on. Like the case itself, the canvas strap has also developed some attractive wabi from wear and is nicely broken in without being thrashed. Its olive drab color and canvas texture really make the bronze case pop, IMO.
This example of long discontinued and long admired professional grade dive watch has the more uncommon stainless steel case (most were made in titanium) with matching fantastically designed integrated bracelet. Better yet, this true tool watch from the great Schaffhausen marque comes complete with inner and outer boxes, manuals & IWC guarantee card (in Japanese), bracelet tools and a couple of extra links.
Running like a top and ready for action this big steel IWC Aquatimer 2000 GST is ready for any aquatic adventure you’re likely to dream up. And if you find yourself stuck here in wintertime at least you can console yourself with a stylish, tough and rapidly-becoming-vintage classic on your wrist that can stand up to digging your car out of a snow drift and still help you cut a fine figure when you finally make it your office or evening’s engagement.
