Some watches are timekeepers, tracking the hours and minutes in an intelligent package. Others, like Aquastar, encapsulate so much more than that. Inspired by the spirit of exploration and adventure, Aquastar watches have a deep-rooted connection to the hidden world beneath the waves.
Aquastar 60 - Credit Aquastar
The Story Behind Aquastar Watches
The story of Aquastar begins in 1962 in the city of Geneva, Switzerland, the watchmaking capital of the world. Mr Frédéric Robert, a diver, sailor, pilot, mathematician and watchmaker, took over his father’s company and changed its name from JeanRichard to Aquastar to better reflect the nature of the products he had in mind - professional grade diving watches. In its first decade, Aquastar was awarded numerous patents not yet held by any other wristwatch manufacturer. These included inner rotating bezels, “no decompression” calculation bezels and crown sealing systems.
Aquastar Deepstar II - Credit Aquastar
For a long time, Aquastar watches were only available through professional diving equipment outlets, and so the designs were something of a kept secret amongst professional divers during the 60’s and early 70’s. In 1974, Frédéric Robert eventually retired and Aquastar was acquired by the EREN Group who developed Aquastar’s dive and sports watches for both professionals and the general public. In 1982 the group sold the company to the Seinet Brothers. Marc Seinet, an avid sailor and third-generation watchmaker understood the changes coming to the market and reached commercial success with quartz regatta watches between 1983 and 2018.
Then in 2019, Marc Seinet met with Rick Marei, a talented businessman who had previously helped re-establish other historic dive brands like DOXA and Aquadive. Together, they decided it was the perfect time to start a new chapter in the Aquastar history and since 2020, Aquastar has confidently recreated several of its most influence dive watches from the 1960’s. That’s the perfect segway to introduce you to Aquastar’s current collections…
Aquastar Deepstar - Credit Aquastar
Aquastar Deepstar Chronograph
Arguably the Swiss watchmaker’s most iconic reference, the Aquastar Deepstar Chronograph pays tribute to the original Deepstar Chronograph that appeared in 1965. This watch was highly influential during the 1960’s, breaking ground with its unique and uncluttered mono sub chronograph dial and patented multiple dive decompression bezel table. All of these features make a reappearance in today’s recreation. The large silvered 30 minutes counter is placed upon a grey, black or blue sunray dial sitting parallel to a small seconds dial at 9 o’clock. Dimensions are faithful to the original at 39mm wide and 14.8mm tall and the steel cases are topped by bi-directional rotating bezels on a ceramic bearing. Aquastar Deepstar Chronograph watches rely on a Swiss made automatic chronograph movement with an impressive 55 hour power reserve.
Aquastar Deepstar - Credit Aquastar
- Regular price
- £1,190.00
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- Sale price
- £1,190.00
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- Regular price
- £2,090.00
- Regular price
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- Sale price
- £2,090.00
- Unit price
- per
- Regular price
- £2,890.00
- Regular price
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- Sale price
- £2,890.00
- Unit price
- per
Aquastar Deepstar II
The Aquastar Deepstar II is another evolution of a historic Aquastar model, this time the original Deepstar watch from 1963. Like its chronograph counterpart, it relies on the same bezel patent and boasts a unique mono sub counter dial, but rather than displaying chronograph complication, a time-only automatic winding movement fuels it. Again, available in black, grey or blue, the dial presents the small seconds in a large subsidary dial at 9 o’clock alongside two large hour and minute hands adorned in old light radium Superluminova. The cases are compactly sized at 36.75mm wide and engineered from stainless steel with bidirectional rotating bezels and 200 metre water resistant ratings. You can order Aquastar Deepstar II watches on either a vintage-inspired beads-of-rice bracelet or a Tropic rubber strap.
Aquastar Deepstar II - Credit Aquastar
Aquastar Model 60
The newest addition to Aquastar’s portfolio of dive watches is the Aquastar Model 60. The vintage-motivated design is inspired by the brand’s inaugural 1957 dive watch of the same name which famously joined US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh on January 23rd in 1960. He made history by journeying to the bottom of the Challenger Deep aboard the bathyscaphe Trieste to a record-breaking depth of 10,916 metres. The modern-day Aquastar Model 60 wonderfully tributes its predecessor, boasting a familiar 37mm wide stainless steel case with a 200 metre water resistance, 60 minute rotating bezel and a bold Superluminova-decorated time-and-date dial. The design also stands out from the rest of Aquastar’s other watches for the La Joux-Perret G100 automatic movement at its core, boasting a KIF shock protection system, a solid Tungsten ball bearing rotor and a 68-hour power reserve.
Aquastar 60 - Credit Aquastar
- Regular price
- £1,190.00
- Regular price
-
- Sale price
- £1,190.00
- Unit price
- per
- Regular price
- £2,090.00
- Regular price
-
- Sale price
- £2,090.00
- Unit price
- per
- Regular price
- £2,890.00
- Regular price
-
- Sale price
- £2,890.00
- Unit price
- per
You can shop the complete collection of Aquastar watches at Watch Gecko here.
