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Aquastar Atoll Diver (Ref. 1001), 1970s — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Aquastar Atoll Diver (Ref. 1001), 1970s

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Aquastar (maker)
Date
1970s
Country of origin
Unrecorded in source
Object type
Wristwatch
Dimensions
Case 40 mm
Stock no.
ASTAT1001
Credit line
Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (ASTAT1001)
Catalogue title (original)
1970s Aquastar Atoll Diver (Ref. 1001) (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number ASTAT1001), this is a wristwatch by Aquastar, dated 1970s. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 40 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — Craft & Tailored

The Aquastar brand is a relative newcomer to the watchmaking world, having been established in 1962 in Geneva. As the name implies, the brand is best known for their watersport-related timepieces, including the Benthos 500 and the Seatime. This ref. 1001 Atoll is a slightly more off-the-radar piece from the brand, featuring a more stripped-down aesthetic that leaves nothing to the imagination. It's a classic vibe with a robust case and just enough mysteriousness to keep the conversations going when other watch lovers catch a glimpse. SPECS Stock # ASTAT1001 Brand Aquastar Style Atoll Model 1001 Serial 20XXXXX Size Men's Material Stainless Steel Dial Matte Black Millimeters 40 Strap 2pc Handmade Leather Strap CASE & BRACELET The 40mm stainless steel case looks to be unpolished, with signs of age and honest wear fitting for its age. The cushion case is thick and heavy, and retains its original unsigned crown. The original bezel has faded to a steely grey with a large and patinated 12 o'clock triangle. The case features a screw-down case back with its Aquastar "medallion" deep and legible. The watch is supplied on a two-piece leather strap. DIAL & HANDS The matte black dial draws in the viewer and is made all the more stunning by tritium hour markers aged to a pitch-perfect cream. The oversized baton-style hands are in exceptional condition with inlaid lume that has aged a shade lighter than the dial, and the bright orange second hand pops off nicely. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is keeping time and functioning perfectly, previous service history is unknown.

Historical context

Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)

Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.

Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology

Atlas type guide

Dive and water-resistant watches

Keeping water and dust out of a wristwatch was a long-standing challenge. Rolex's screw-down Oyster case (1926) and Omega's Marine (1932) were landmarks; in the early 1950s Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms and Rolex's Submariner defined the professional dive watch with rotating bezels for timing dives, luminous dials and high water resistance. The ISO 6425 standard (1982) later codified what a 'diver's watch' must do.

Dive watches became icons of post-war design and exploration, and their evolution — helium escape valves, ceramic bezels, saturation-diving depth ratings — records the history of underwater work.

What to look for

  • Unidirectional or bidirectional rotating bezel with minute markings.
  • Screw-down crown and case back; depth rating printed on the dial.
  • Luminous hands and markers (radium before c. 1960, tritium c. 1960–1998, then Super-LumiNova).
  • Reference numbers on the case between the lugs or inside the back.

Dating clues

  • Screw-down Oyster cases: from 1926.
  • Professional dive watches: from 1953.
  • Tritium 'T' marks on dials: c. 1960–1998.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

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