By now, I think we’re all familiar with the formula when it comes to vintage watch reissues.
A brand — often one that’s been resurrected after decades of dormancy — faithfully recreates one of its watches from the mid-twentieth century, swapping in modern materials and movements but otherwise keeping the original design intact.
There’s nothing wrong with this strategy, and it has proven quite popular as it provides contemporary buyers with watches that look and feel vintage but offer far greater reliability and durability.
Aquastar, one of those aforementioned reborn brands, has utilized this blueprint many times since resurfacing in 2020, and to great success. But for the latest reimagining of one of its mid-century dive watches, the brand has taken a slightly different approach.
What If a 1970s Dive Watch Evolved?
Aquastar has already produced a couple of pretty straightforward reissues of its iconic Benthos 500 chronograph diver from the 1970s with the Benthos 500 II chronograph and the time-only Benthos Heritage I.
But for its latest take on the Benthos, Aquastar’s designers asked themselves a simple question: What would’ve happened if the brand hadn’t gone extinct during the Quartz Crisis?