A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

A place to discuss vintage watches.
Post Reply
User avatar
namor
Posts: 2796
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:17 am
Name: Seth

A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

Post by namor » Mon Oct 05, 2020 1:57 pm

Back in the late 1960's, an enterprising young Frenchman named Erwin Christian opened up an aquatics center on Bora Bora. He quickly became renowned for his photography above and below the surface of the island, and also for his strong efforts to protect the ocean there. Around the same time, the owner of Nivada Watches, Max Schneider (grandson of the company's founder) spent time at Bora Bora and wanted to help the environment. He decided to bring out a new dive watch - the Taravana, named after something related to native pearl divers - and contribute some of the proceeds of the sales. The first watches were automatics, and debuted in 1970. Schneider also made a limited edition with 'Erwin Christian" and "Bora Bora" on the watch. Later on, the quartz revolution forced him to include a quartz version of the watch, and they also had some made with the Bora Bora name. Despite that, it seems pretty cool to me that the owner actually was a diver and appreciated the function of a dive watch.

These were built on a case that is very similar to the Eterna/ScubaPro 500 cases,40mm diameter with 20mm lugs and 45mm lug to lug, using a different bezel. They're rated at 300M WR, have a unidirectional 60 click bezel, thick flat sapphire crystal, and featured an orange lollypop sweep. I think its fair to say that these are rarer than hen's teeth!

Here is what they look like:
bbn.jpg
bbn1.jpg

PS - Someone decided "Nivada" sounded too much like "Movado", and forced the company to market as Nivada Grenchen, or sometimes Croton.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
www.usmcscoutsniper.org - Life Member
“Qualified to deport with denizens of the deep, mermaids, and other inhabitants of the realm of Neptune.”

User avatar
aikiman44
Tiki Extraordinaire
Posts: 9440
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 7:50 am
Name: J

Re: A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

Post by aikiman44 » Mon Oct 05, 2020 3:18 pm

Great watch history and cool watch.
"We'd better synchronize our watches."

User avatar
jtbenson
Posts: 6186
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2013 2:21 pm
Name: jason
Location: middle west

Re: A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

Post by jtbenson » Mon Oct 05, 2020 3:35 pm

good stuff seth!
is the pictured example yours? or owned by someone you know?
cheers!
Image

User avatar
deepcdvr
Flipper Extraordinaire
Posts: 13267
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 2:29 pm
Name: Paul

Re: A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

Post by deepcdvr » Mon Oct 05, 2020 6:02 pm

Any idea how many were produced or sold?
VR/
Paul

SI VI PACEM, PARA BELLUM

User avatar
CarloDWC
Posts: 2309
Joined: Mon Jul 03, 2017 8:08 am
Name: Carlo

Re: A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

Post by CarloDWC » Mon Oct 05, 2020 8:12 pm

Nice, :thumbsup: I guess it's a 70's Micro... :lol:

I mean I did not think of it before but I did see quite a few brands that were made several years ago and not anymore, maybe they were made in France, Italy, Germany or whatever, just not Chinese... but still small factories or small batches. :grin:

User avatar
namor
Posts: 2796
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:17 am
Name: Seth

Re: A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

Post by namor » Tue Oct 06, 2020 8:43 am

jtbenson wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 3:35 pm
good stuff seth!
is the pictured example yours? or owned by someone you know?
cheers!

Yes, I recently acquired it unexpectedly. Erwin is still on Bora Bora (age 85) and was the source for most of the info.
www.usmcscoutsniper.org - Life Member
“Qualified to deport with denizens of the deep, mermaids, and other inhabitants of the realm of Neptune.”

User avatar
Steve O.
Posts: 3297
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2013 5:31 pm
Name: Uh, Steve
Location: Atlanta OTP

Re: A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

Post by Steve O. » Tue Oct 06, 2020 9:51 am

Saw that for sale. Would have snagged it if able to. Super cool!
"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things." - George Carlin

User avatar
namor
Posts: 2796
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:17 am
Name: Seth

Re: A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

Post by namor » Tue Oct 06, 2020 9:55 am

deepcdvr wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 6:02 pm
Any idea how many were produced or sold?
Erwin didn't say, but the impression I got was that it was a limited edition version of the newly released Taravana diver. Essentially the same as the regular one, but with his name and Bora Bora on it. The case bears a strong resemblance to the ScubaPro500 in person, but its still a mystery who made those watches.
niv2.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by namor on Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:06 am, edited 2 times in total.
www.usmcscoutsniper.org - Life Member
“Qualified to deport with denizens of the deep, mermaids, and other inhabitants of the realm of Neptune.”

User avatar
mattcantwin
mattcreatestonsofwatchrelateddrama
Posts: 18489
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 3:53 pm

Re: A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

Post by mattcantwin » Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:04 am

Cool watch, great back-story; win-win. :cheers:
Image

User avatar
Steve O.
Posts: 3297
Joined: Wed Apr 03, 2013 5:31 pm
Name: Uh, Steve
Location: Atlanta OTP

Re: A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

Post by Steve O. » Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:15 am

You're right - strong case resemblance...


Image
"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things." - George Carlin

User avatar
jtbenson
Posts: 6186
Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2013 2:21 pm
Name: jason
Location: middle west

Re: A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

Post by jtbenson » Tue Oct 06, 2020 11:21 am

namor wrote:
Tue Oct 06, 2020 8:43 am
jtbenson wrote:
Mon Oct 05, 2020 3:35 pm
good stuff seth!
is the pictured example yours? or owned by someone you know?
cheers!

Yes, I recently acquired it unexpectedly. Erwin is still on Bora Bora (age 85) and was the source for most of the info.
nice! thanks for sharing :salute:
Image

User avatar
toxicavenger
President Tranny
Posts: 48084
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2010 8:25 am
Name: HeadDIK
Location: Colorado Springs

Re: A Small Story of a Practically Unknown Dive Watch From 1970s.

Post by toxicavenger » Tue Oct 06, 2020 7:33 pm

dope ass watch! I like it

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 67 guests