Dacor Divers Watch 600

Dacor Divers Watch 600

First Generation Dacor 600 diver - Richard Phillips

Dacor was one of the five early American divers equipment makers, which included US Divers Co., SwimMaster, Healthways, and Voit. These companies paved the ways for American military divers like the US Navy frogman seals, Under Water Demolition Team (UDT) today. While US Divers Co. operated in California, Dacor was established in Evanston, Illinois by Sam Davison in 1953. Dacor was later merge with MARE.

This is a Dacor Diver 600ft which is equivalent to 100 fathoms, exceeding the most popular fifty fathoms watch of the same period. This watch was similiar to the Zodiac Seawolf that was so loved by US military and Navy Seals during the Vietnam conflict. Much like the dial on a Zodiac Seawolf, the early Dacor Diver has large arrow containing numbers 3,6,9 and 12, which makes it extremely attractive to read on the dial. Also, accompanying the arrow dial is a pair of broad arrow hands with small red tip arrow center second hand. This watch has a mini-rotational bezel that resembles a Breitling Chronomat Navitimer Pilot’s Bezel.

Early versions use the movement uses a hand wind 17 jewels FHF caliber 73, a very rare movement from Fabrique d’Horlogerie de Fontainnemelon. Later models moved to first AS1701 and then ETA with the 2772 being used for the date version.

This model type watch was worn by Mike Hynson in the 1966 movie The Endless Summer

Features

• Made in 1960s.
• Non date version with manual wind or date with automatic.
• 18mm lug width
• 35mm width ex crown
• 42mm lug to lug
• Normally seen on rubber tropic strap
• FHF manual wind movement on early models/AS1701/ETA2772
• Rotating bezel
• Steel case with screw back
• Standard non screw crown
• 600ft/100 fathoms rating
• Dial signed Dacor with signed caseback and movement
• Early dials have 3/6/9/12 in large lumed triangle. Later models have standard large hour markers.
• radium on early rare models - post 1963 Tritium.

Links

• Dacor

• The Dacor and The Endless Summer

• Civilian Diving Watches