Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Tag Heuer 1000 Professional, Night Diver, James Bond, ref. 980.031N, Black PVD, circa 1988
- Maker / attribution
- TAG Heuer (maker)
- Date
- c. 1988
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Stock no.
- vws3247
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws3247)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Tag Heuer - 1000 Professional - Night Diver - James Bond - Model Reference: 980.031N - Black PVD - c.1988 (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws3247), this is a wristwatch by TAG Heuer, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1988. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. 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 — Vintage Watch Specialist
A Very Well Preserved TAG Heuer Night Diver 980.031N with a Fully Luminous Dial and Paired with its Original PVD Coated Bracelet, c.1988 Affectionately known as the “Night Diver” by fans, this luxury watch was the first time Bond had worn a watch with an illuminated dial. Although The Living Daylights had no official watch sponsor, the Night Diver soon became popular amongst watch aficionados and moviegoers alike. Whats on Offer This rare and sought-after watch is in exemplary condition with a fully luminous dial which is blemish-free and in fantastic shape with Mercedes hands and lollipop seconds hand. The bezel is also very well preserved with only very tiny signs of previous wear. The watch is sold paired with its original PVD-coated bracelet, although the coating has deteriorated a little, this is a particularly good example as most surviving Night Divers have replacement bracelets these days. As a discontinued reference, these watches are very much sought after by TAG, Bond and vintage watch lovers alike. We are delighted to offer this watch for sale in such superb vintage condition and we are positive it won't be around for long as the only other watch of this reference sold within a couple of days - so don't sleep on this one!
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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