Hamilton Super Compressor 600 Diver, c. early 1970s

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Never heard of a ‘Super Compressor’ before? Check it out — this is dive watch history, right here: The Super Compressor name refers to an innovative case design that utilizes a ‘compressor’ system to increase watertightness the deeper a watch was submerged. As the atmospheric pressure increased, the case back compressed, pushing on the gaskets and creating a tighter seal. Despite the logic of the design, the compressor case wasn’t any better at preventing water intrusion than the garden-variety screw-down crown — in fact, it was less effective in many models — but due to their good looks, compressor cases proved to be wildly popular during the 1960s. Eager to get into the burgeoning dive watch market, many of the best Swiss brands turned to EPSA (Ervin Piquerez, S.A.), the leading manufacturer of compressor cases at the time, for cases within which to house their divers. This particular Super Compressor is from Hamilton, which had moved its American manufacturing base to Switzerland in the 1960s. Dating to circa the early 1970s, it features a stainless steel Super Compressor case, an acrylic crystal, twin, cross-hatched crowns, a polished bezel, and a sunburst silver Tritium dial with applied indices and a date window at 3 o’clock, a matching handset, and a inner, rotating black timing ring. What's more, this piece comes with a correct, multi-link stainless steel bracelet with a signed locking clasp. Awesome. While the technology of the Super Compressor may be superfluous considering the simple, effective design of the contemporary diver with screw-down crown, vintage Super Compressor watches themselves continue to fascinate collectors with their history and good looks. This piece marks an important era in dive watch history, and does so for a fraction of the cost of many other notable divers. Try this one on, and we’ll sure you’ll find it as compelling as we do!