Many wisdom-fuelled individuals in the watch world suggest that picking up one of the best dive watches is a great way to start your collection. They're stylish, hardwearing and – in the modern age – perfect attire for every occasion.
The trend for desk divers has brought this style of watch firmly to the forefront of the industry. But there are still examples which dare to go deeper than the underground car park next to your office.
One such example has just come up for auction – and it looks set to fetch a pretty penny. The JeanRichard Aquastar 60 probably isn't a model that sits atop your grail wish list, but this particular example probably deserves to be.
Worn by Captain Don Walsh on his record-breaking dive to the deepest point in the ocean, the watch is likely to be one of the most well travelled on the face of the planet. After taking it to the depths of the Marianas Trench, the watch accompanied Walsh to the White House, where he was presented with the Legion of Merit by President Eisenhower.
Walsh retired the watch in 2010 – opting for a Rolex in its place – but that wasn't the last time it would traverse the depths. In 2019, Walsh took it on another dive to the same location, managing to push it a further 11m deeper. Then, a year later, Walsh's son Kelly took the Aquastar back down for a third trip.
That makes this the only watch to have been to the seafloor at Challenger Deep on three separate occasions. So, what will the timepiece set you back? Well, the auction is live now, with bidding set to start from $50,000.
Realistically, though, something like this could easily fetch a six-figure sum. While the model itself isn't a household name, the history behind this piece is absolutely astounding and one-of-a-kind. It's the sort of thing which should end up in a museum, really.
The live auction takes place on 15th of November, and we'll certainly be keeping an eye on how it does.
