Record Automatic Diver

Why We Love It When pressed to think of dive watches from the 1960s, your mind will often go to the known brands. Rolex, say, or their daughter brand Tudor, whose Submariner more or less sets the standard for what a dive watch is supposed to be. Or Blancpain, who arguably created the whole subgenre with their Jacques Cousteau-approved Fifty-Fathoms. Then there's always Seiko, whose Reference 6105 saw service in the Vietnam War. But in terms of vintage divers, that's merely scratching the surface. Record is a brand that might not get a lot of recognition - hell, you'd be forgiven if you've never even heard of it before. But has a pedigree that's just as respectable as the horological heavy hitters mentioned above. A sub-brand in the Longines family, Record was responsible for a number of extremely cool and well-built value-driven sports watches in the 1960s and 70s. This particular example, a solid steel cased automatic diver, clearly takes its inspiration from the DOXA Sub line introduced in 1967. From the cushion case to the vibrant orange dial, this little Record is punching way above its weight class in terms of design and features. Fitted with a day/date calendar, oversized luminous plots and hands and a domed acrylic crystal this watch is very much of the era in every regard. And we love it.