Why This Watch Matters A legendary Super Compressor case is combined with an uncommon brand name and a stellar slate grey dial to make this Duval an under-the-radar vintage diver. The Full Story The two cross-hatched crowns are a sign of the famous Super Compressor case, which was patented and manufactured by the supplier Piquerez. Those cases relied on a very ingenious principle: They were constructed so that as water pressure on the outside of the case increased, the gaskets would be further compressed so that the watch actually became more water resistant the deeper you went. For that reason, the crowns are not even screw-down (as you will find, by contrast, in the Oyster case from Rolex, among others). The Super Compressor cases came in two sizes: 42mm, as seen in some vintage Longines Divers, or 36mm, as seen in this Duval. Not much is known about the Duval brand – a sign of all the research that has yet to be done in the world of vintage watches. Our Super Compressor cased diver here is signed "Duval" on the dial and "Duval Jewelry Co" on the inside caseback and movement. Searching around, you can pick a couple of different answers to what all this means. There's reference to a Duval Jewelry Co. operating out of Tampa, Florida from the 1930s through the 70s; the store, or chain of stores, advertises selling of watches. Otherwise, Heuer is reported to have purchased a distributor in the UK by the name of Duval in 1997 after a long run of successfully marketing watches from Heuer and other brands to the British market. Looking for Duval branded watches that have sold around the web, some come out of the UK, and some come from the US. A few movements are stamped with US import codes, but most are not. The exact story has remained untold. What we do know is that Duval partnered with Swiss brands to create its watches, that much is obvious. A few examples of Nivada Grenchen's rare Datomaster model have popped up with "Duval" branding and Super Compressor divers, like the one we have for sale here, with the Duval name looking very similar to other retailer brands, like Baylor for Zales. In the era that Duval watches were created, really centered on the 1960s, Swiss watchmaking was a bit of a cottage industry with movement, case, and dial suppliers coming together to create timepieces of high quality. This Duval is a great example of that collaboration; the entire watch was likely manufactured through supplier contracts. In spite of its cloudy past, the Duval we have for sale here is extremely sharp looking in the metal. The slate grey, sunburst finished dial glistens and plays with the light and the lume patina throughout the dial is spectacular. Wrapped in a crisp Super Compressor case, the resulting look is really special. We paired the Duval with our Bedford Watch Strap in Sand to match the lume on the dial and on the 12 o'clock marker of the inner rotating bezel. The Fine Print Maker: DuvalModel: N/AReference: 10464Year: Circa 1960sCase No: N/AMaterial: Stainless steelDimensions: 36.5mm diameter; 13.5mm thicknessCrystal: PlexiglassLume: Yes, tritiumCaliber: A. Schild, self-winding, caliber 1903Bracelet/Strap: HODINKEE The Bedford Watch Strap in SandLug Width: 18mmBox/Papers: No What we Love and What You Should Know This Duval diver is in great overall condition. The case is in very good condition, probably unpolished, retaining crisp edges to the lugs and case sides. There are very minor nicks and wear to the edge of the case and lugs. The reverse sides of the lugs have some scratches from strap removal and placement. The caseback has some deeper scratches throughout, most likely from opening the caseback. The engravings on the caseback are all visible, some only at a certain angle. The dial is in great condition with a light patina to the slate grey sunburst finish. The hour markers have developed some patina. The lume on the dial is full and has aged to a very pleasing custard color. The hands have developed a patina that matches the color of the lume on the dial. The lume plot at 12 o'clock within the inner rotating bezel has developed patina and aged to a slightly darker color. The correct cross-hatched crowns are in good condition with a few scratches. The dial, caseback, and movement are all signed by Duval or Duval Jewelry Co. This watch was photographed on a 175mm/6.9inch wrist.
