Ernest Borel Diver

So many wild watches from the 1960s and 1970s have been lost to time.

While many are reissued by their parent companies, others are fished out of drawers to be discovered by the next generation of budding watch enthusiasts. Lots of these pieces are wildly affordable next to their more famous brethren, making them compelling entry points into the watch-collecting universe.

This diver from Swiss firm Ernest Borel may look like a Fifty Fathoms knockoff — but that's not quite the whole story. Back in the mid-20th century, many companies used the same parts suppliers for their watches, which explains why this neat tool watch does in fact look like the spitting image of Blancpain's famous diver. Measuring 39mm in stainless steel with faceted lugs, a large, unsigned crown, an acrylic crystal, and a bidirectional bezel with a fully-hashed dive insert, it features a black dial with an open, outer minute track, luminous and applied indices, a framed date window at 3 o'clock, and a luminous 'sword' handset.

Powered by a reliable automatic movement from ETA and paired to a black Tropic dive strap, this genuine piece of dive watch history is in truly excellent condition for its a age. Inscribed on its caseback with the name of its previous owner, it's a memento of a wildly exciting time in tool watch development. Wouldn't you love to own a little piece of that? We know we would!

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.