Horological Meandering

A month ago I was once again, like each year, fighting against the nearly irresistible need of buying a Rolex watch for diving. Not that I plan to enter the Comex, or even the Ifremer that is more my local culture, but living on the seaside means that you can easily get caught on a ride on the ocean!

The bad summer weather meant very little time spent underwater so I was probably missing some beach time.

I easily resisted the IWC competition daily brought back by the vision of the Calypso in front of my office on the other side of the harbour.

Still I rapidly realized that once again I was looking for a tool watch for boating and diving, looking at vintage Rolexes that can hardly be a tool anymore, and risking to be looked at if I had the idea to choose a modern and shiny modern Submariner.

I had to find another solution and my budget was limited too, much too limited for an obvious JLC Diving GMT and even more for the other possible choices.

42mm of heavy steel

So I looked back in my old catalogues and brought back to the surface a watch I had seen two or three times and that had really marked my mind.

Inner bezel

Eterna produced for a few years an upscale version of its Kontiki diving watch, limited to 250 pieces a year. I could remember what I had at the time appreciated as superior build and finish.

A proper sport watch

Eterna is a very old and respectable brand although they've lacked the glamour necessary to shine in the last years. I wonder why because it is owned by the Porsche family, makes very nice watches, is even a real manufacture today. Eterna was also before a manufacture before its calibre department got separated to became ETA, no less!

Matt dial and brushed steel

The Kontiki line is dedicated to the 7600 kms crossing from Peru to Polynesia made in 1947 by the Norvegian scientist Thor Heyerdahl and his 5 crew in 97 days on a very small boat called Kontiki.

A nearly unknown legend

The Kontiki was built like a prehistorical boat could have been built to prove that populations could have made the same trip centuries before.

I love boats

Obviously Eterna diving watches specially made for the team were on their wrists and performed flawlessly. The Kontiki watch was born.

A diver's watch

Thor Heyerdhal died six years ago. Don't hesitate to search about his fascinating life! My grandfather died two years later. Don't look after him he was unknown, but not by me!

I had seen an Eterna on his wrist all long of his life since the 5^th of January 1972, as is testified by the original papers I keep preciously with that watch. The watch was never serviced in that long time and stopped only was he was in the hospital. It is now serviced and it is my watch for the great times of my life!

Solid bracelet and very nice clasp

My little collection will soon welcome another diving watch named Polaris, but I will keep this Kontiki for my boating activities as it is the original intention of my choice, a watch to live!

The Kontiki

I hope to share more with you about this watch next year when the summer will be back !

Screw down crown

At least I know that sometime I wear a watch that bear the same name that the watch one of my heroes was bearing! 

Best regards

Dje