Squale can be traced back to the late 1950s, a time when sport diving was just coming into its own and big manufactures like Rolex and Blancpain were beginning to produce watches that would become the cornerstones of the dive watch world. Charles Von Buren, Squale's founder, had actually begun putting together watches as early as the late 1940s, but didn't develop a cohesive brand until 1959 when he minted the Squale name (Italian for 'shark') and its recognizable curved shark logo. During the 1960s and into the 1970s, Squale was a major producer of stainless dive watch cases and responsible for the cases of some major brands, including Blancpain, DOXA, Auricoste and Heuer. Their signature Atmos case, featuring a 4:00 crown position, can be seen many watch lines of the era and has become an iconic styling still used today (think Seiko SKX007). In addition to filling contracts for other dive watch producers, Squale developed their own line of dive watches that were very well regarded among sport and professional SCUBA divers alike. By the 1970s, they had won various awards for technical and design elements. It was around this time that began to develop heavy-duty lugless style cases with depth ratings well over 1000 meters. This particular example is a gorgeous example of their 1970s case: the hefty 40mm case rounds seamlessly to the hooded lugs, the bakelite bezel anchored by a screw-down top ring that also worked to retain the ultra-thick mineral crystal. Inside, the seventeen-jewel ETA 2772 non-hacking automatic movement clips along at 21,600 beats per hour and features a date function with 12-8-12 'quickset' function. Squale may not be the first name on the collectible dive watch list, but when it comes to an honest no-BS brand that has stuck to their guns making true tool watches, you can't get much better. For a more in-depth look at the brand and its history, check out this great piece by our buddy Jason Heaton on Hodinkee, HERE.
