1960s Duward Océane Diver Bakelite Bezel

Make - Duward

 

Model - Ocèane

 

Case: 36 mm

 

Reference -

 

Movement:

 

Year: 1940s

 

Bracelet - Original bracelet

 

Accessories - Company watch pouch

We have always had a soft spot for the unusual — the lesser-known names that quietly produced watches every bit as charismatic and capable as their more celebrated counterparts. This stainless steel Duward Ocèane is a perfect example of that philosophy. Duward was actually the Aquastar brand sold under the former for the EU markets, in particular the Spanish market.

 

Dating to the golden era of tool watches, it features a striking silver two-tone mirror dial, beautifully executed with a recessed sub-seconds register and crisp crosshair at six o’clock. The dial plays effortlessly with the light, shifting from soft satin to liquid chrome depending on the angle — a detail that gives the watch far more presence on the wrist than its modest proportions suggest.

 

The broad-arrow luminous hands, now aged to a rich pumpkin patina, add wonderful warmth and contrast against the cool metallic dial, while the sharply faceted applied markers — particularly the bold 3, 9 and 12 — bring depth and character rarely seen on pieces of this period.

 

Measuring approximately 36mm, the case sits perfectly in that sweet spot of vintage practicality: compact, purposeful, and extremely wearable. Condition is lovely throughout, retaining strong lines and honest originality. The watch still carries its original bakelite bezel, with slight wear, but complete with the distinctive brass outer coin-edge ring — a fragile component that so rarely survives intact and a charming reminder of early dive-watch construction.

 

Even more special is the presence of its original Duward-signed bracelet with W-logo clasp, stylistically reminiscent of early Gay Frères manufacture and likely produced by the same supplier. Many brands of the era shared these beautifully engineered bracelets, and it completes the watch exactly as it would have left the retailer decades ago.

 

We have seldom encountered this exact dial configuration, and examples of the Ocèane in such preserved, original condition are becoming increasingly scarce. It represents everything we love about under-the-radar vintage divers: distinctive design, mechanical honesty, and tremendous character without the fanfare.

 

A rare and quietly charismatic piece — and something genuinely different for the seasoned collector.