Aquastar Watch Company

[andrema]

For years, I have always admired the Aquastar Benthos dive watches. So I wanted to type up an informational thread on the company and provide some photos of some of their watches that from the past few decades.

The company was formed in 1962 by diving enthusiasts. Aquastar originally specialized in diving watches, as well as other equipment for diving such as compasses, temperature and pressure gauges. The first Aquastar diving watch, called the Benthos 500 introduced a new technology of round ‘o’ rings. This was new in the diving arena, as the previous method of flat ‘o’ rings didn’t resist the entry of water at any significant depth. The new Aquastar technology allowed for water resistance up to 500 meters.

The company has three watch patents, one of them received in 1964 allows for the counting of a restricted number of minutes. Sailing experts have embraced this because it enables them to countdown exactly the five or ten minutes prior to the start and end of the race. TAG Heuer collaborated with Aquastar on some of the first Regatta watches. Some of these watches are co-branded with Heuer and Aquastar and are very valuable collectors items. Aquastar watches have consistently met the needs of match racing enthusiasts and the company continues to develop new leading edge nautical timepieces.

THE SIXTIES

BENTHOS 500 DIVING WATCH.

Automatic self-winding mechanical movement. Produced at the end of the sixteen's.

When diving, by pressing on the button at 4 o'clock, the orange minute hand is set automatically at 12 o'clock and the diving minute count-down starts. The duration of diving in hours is obtained by rotating the bezel and by placing the triangle at the same position as the hour hand.


THE SEVENTIES

REGATTA WATCH - OLYMPIC START

Provided with an automatic self-winding mechanical movement with regatta countdown for 2 times 5 minutes.

The pusher at 14 o'clock allows the re-setting of the regatta function to zero.

To mark the minutes, a colour disc is elapsing in the 5 round cut windows of the dial between 10 o'clock and 14 o'clock. A well seen second central hand of orange colour is marking the seconds of each elapsing minute.

During the first 5 minutes of the count-down, a blue disc is elapsing in the windows. During the following 5 others minutes, a red disc is elapsing and is marking the remaining minutes until departure.

THE EIGHTIES

BENTHOS I DIVING WATCH

Provided with a mechanical self-winding (automatic) movement.


Diving countdown with the twice orange central minute hand.

Case is made out of one single steel piece, waterresistant to 1000 meters.

TODAY

MATCH RACE II

REGATTA TIMER

Please note: All pictures are from the company website. The historical data provided above is sourced from internationalwatchclub.com.

Here is a link to the company website: http://www.aquastar.ch/en/index.asp

[wcbartlett]

I am also a great admirer of the Aquastar brand, here is what I have.

Aquastar Benthos 1000m



Aquastar Benthos 500m



Aquastar Glasstar



I never get tired of these watches.

[cali kid]

Cool watches and naturally Mr. Bartlett has a few in mint condition!

[andrema]

One of these may be the next target. I really love the Aquastar divers!!

[docrwm]

You are one fire with the buying these days.

[bodypeersur]

That's cuz he's rollin in the dough! I was looking at the Tudor Chono he just bought....pretty damn pricey!

[andrema]

Was a little steep, but still cheaper than many watches.

I have been a little nuts this year...I picked up a bunch of watches. A lot of them that I had admired for years though.

[jimyritz]

Excellent info...Thanks.

Mike

[docrwm]

Was a little steep, but still cheaper than many watches.

I have been a little nuts this year...I picked up a bunch of watches. A lot of them that I had admired for years though.

There's no challenging your taste my friend. Solid buys and given your attention to $ issues I'm sure they were all good buys.

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