Wittnauer Diver

We at analog/shift believe in exploration. We believe in action.  We also believe in the tools that accompany one those adventures, the indispensable pieces of kit that make the difference between success and failure. 

When we see pieces like this sweet manual-wind Wittnauer steel diver's watch, we are reminded that there was a time, not so long ago, when men were measured by their deeds and remembered for their daring. With their simple and clean designs and their reliable and robust movements, the tool watches of the 1960s and 1970s were built to accompany the adventurer across the globe and to keep time at its great heights as well as its dark depths. 

Wittnauer, the longstanding subsidiary of Longines, was responsible for some of the more handsome simple divers of the era.  Building on the simple stainless steel contract case commonly seen in other watches of this era, Wittnauer developed a miraculously simple piece, understated in all the right ways.  

We could go on and on about the cleanliness of the Explorer-style dial, or spartan harmony between the polished bi-directional bezel and the steel luminous hands.  But for us here at analog/shift, the important thing is that these watches were designed and produced with a purpose in mind; in this case, the creation of a functional and economic offering for the sport or amateur SCUBA enthusiast.   

And in this condition, it just goes to show you that a watch doesn't have to be an icon to turn a few heads.