This Watch

Here we’ve got a cracking 1970s Mondaine diver that leans hard into that wonderfully offbeat era of design. The first thing you notice is the case shape — not quite round, not quite tonneau — more of an oval “egg-shape” profile that gives the watch a softer, more organic look on the wrist, while still wearing with proper tool-watch intent. At 38mm it has a lovely presence without being overbearing, and thanks to the subtle curve of the case and those shouldered lugs it sits comfortably and securely (with a 46mm lug-to-lug and 12.8mm thickness).

Up top you’ve got a bi-directional steel bezel with grippy knurling and its original bakelite-style 60-minute insert, framing a domed acrylic crystal. The dial is the real focus point though — a deep matte black field with an outer minute track, raised polished hour markers, and Tritium hour plots that give it that “proper vintage diver” warmth. The handset is classic and purposeful too: steel arrow/baton hands filled with Tritium, plus a sweeping seconds hand counterweighted with a luminous rectangle that’s pure period charm.

At 6 o’clock you get one of the nicest little details on the watch — the date window showing attractive red date text (a punchy splash of colour that pops against the black dial), magnified through a cyclops that’s built into the underside of the crystal. Finish it all off with the Mondaine motif at 12 and you’ve got a dial that’s simple, legible, and genuinely charismatic — the kind of face you catch yourself looking at even when you don’t need the time.

On the reverse, the screw-down caseback is engraved with the watch details, and inside sits the reliable ETA 2783 automatic (25 jewels), running at 21,600 bph with a handy quick-set date. It’s paired with a well-suited 19mm rubber strap and pin buckle to complete the look. leather available on request

Extra Points

Mondaine is today well known for its railway-themed watches, which have been licensed by the Swiss Federal Railways since 1986. However, their history goes back to 1951, when the Mondaine Watch Company was founded by former tailor Erwin Blenheim in Zurich, Switzerland. In 1993, they were awarded the DESIGN PLUS AWARD for their iconic watch design. Their headquarters is at the Lessingstrasse in Zurich. Shares in Luminox were purchased in 2006, and the final 50% were bought in 2016. In 2009, they built a new factory. Celebrating 75 years in 2019.

What we think

There will always be something a bit magic about a proper vintage skin diver on the wrist — and this Mondaine is exactly the sort that reminds you why. The unusual oval “egg-shape” case gives it a personality you just don’t see in modern divers, and when you pair that with the original bakelite-style bezel and that bold, no-nonsense dial layout, it becomes the kind of watch that feels instantly collectible.

What really elevates it, though, are the small, thoughtful touches: the reverse cyclops built into the underside of the crystal, the chunky block indices, and that wonderfully purposeful handset that looks like it was designed to be read at a glance in any light. Add the dependable ETA 2783 automatic movement into the mix and you’ve got something that isn’t just quirky — it’s genuinely well-made and properly wearable.

Honestly, this is one of the best examples of this model we’ve seen: sharp, characterful, and still packed with those original details that so often get lost along the way. If you like your vintage with a bit of attitude — and you want something you’re unlikely to see on someone else’s wrist — this is the one. I wouldn’t hang about; I can’t imagine another turning up in this sort of shape anytime soon.

Spec Stuff

Reference : Diver style Egg
Movement : Automatic Eta 2783
Age : 1971/1980
Specific Age : Circa 1970s
Case Size : 38mm
Case Thickness : 12mm
Lug to Lug : 46mm
Lugs : 19mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : None
Case Material : Stainless Steel

Service History : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty

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Antique Watch Co Ltd 19 Clerkenwell Road, London, EC1M 5RD (Appointment Only)

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Antique Watch Co Ltd
19 Clerkenwell Road,
London, EC1M 5RD (Appointment Only)