Once again I want to talk about vintage watches that won’t break the bank and that deliver a lot of stylistic bang for the buck. And for the guy who likes a rugged, retro look there are some great values in the vintage dive watch market. Having owned a bunch of these bargain beauties I can tell you that there is still a lot of fun to be had out there for well under a grand.

For example, take this stunning 1970s Elgin automatic diver: big all-steel screwed case at 41 x 45mm and obviously a mega-cool blue-orange “roulette”-style layout on the dial and hands. If you want a watch that pops on the wrist, you’re looking at it. Plus, it has a very intriguing and robust A. Schild full-rotor automatic caliber 1913 under the hood where one quickly advances the date by repeatedly pushing in the crown. You don’t see that very often and I’m not sure of its overall effect on water resistance — I imagine there is a pretty good gasket system in that crown & tube assembly. But in any event, it’s a pretty bloody cool way to quickset the date! Best of all, all that style and eccentricity will only set you back around $750.

The world of Super-Compressor divers, a profoundly influential late 1950s design innovation that continues to be used today, offers plenty of variety and choice, from the psychedelic to the downright elegant. Continue reading →