Brief History
These iconic 666 Devil Diver watches were first introduced in 1961, when Scuba diving was extremely popular. Bulova launched its first purpose built underwater watch. It featured a compressor style case, which was normally good for 600ft (200m), but Bulova managed to push that limit to 666ft. This was more than enough for both recreational and professional divers. The Bulova Oceanographer Snorkel is an iconic reminder of our past.
The brand was nicknamed the Devil Diver and amongst the models were the Snorkel, Deep Sea and Surfboard. But the Oceanographer became a pioneering and extremely popular model amongst dive enthusiasts.
The Oceanographer was designed to compete with other established dive watch brands of the time, such as Rolex, Omega, and Blancpain.
Bulova launched the Snorkel in 1968. It featured a crosshair on the dial, a very popular style at the time. The acrylic resin bezel featured a bicolour design, with the first fifteen minutes in red, making timing for decompression easier to track. They added the Oceanographer to the dial in 1969.
The Oceanographer came in numerous guises. There were several different dial options and case designs. This one features the more angular square case. The Bulova Snorkel is now an extremely collectable watch for collectors and is a must have piece.
The dial on this would have originally been blue, but has now turned an amazing brown. Up close, its taken on a honeycomb appearance, which only adds to the beauty.
A Remarkable Piece of Timekeeping History
Over the years, Bulova introduced updates and variations to the Oceanographer line. These included different dial designs, case materials, and bracelet options to cater to different preferences and trends. Some models featured day and date complications, while others focused on minimalistic designs.
The Bulova Oceanographer has gained a reputation for its durability, reliability, and affordable pricing compared to some other luxury dive watch brands. It continues to be a popular choice for watch enthusiasts and collectors, particularly those interested in vintage timepieces.
38mm
19mm
48mm
13.5mm
Mark – Research, research, research. Its so easy to get tied up in the emotion of ‘pulling the trigger’. If it looks too good to be true, it may well be. I got burnt last year on buying without doing enough research and learned the hard way. I guess its all a game of chance when buying vintage watches. Even if it is genuine and running, it still might cost you to get it serviced, assuming you can get the parts.
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