Aquastar Deepstar dive chronograph, on the wrist

The instrument list

The best Swiss tool watches, four families by Aquastar.

A tool watch is a watch built for a purpose beyond the time of day. Aquastar pioneered the tool watch in diving, beginning with the Navigator in 1959. The short list below: which Aquastar is the right Swiss tool watch for the work you are doing.

The four picks at a glance

Every pick expanded below. All Swiss-made in Bienne. All serviceable indefinitely at the workshop.
Best for	Family	Since	Depth	Movement
Divers timing no-decompression stops	Deepstar	1962	200 m	La Joux-Perret column-wheel
Saturation divers	Benthos	1970	500 m	Sellita SW200-1 Elaboré
Skin divers and freedivers	Model 60	1957	200 m	Sellita SW200-1 Elaboré
Pilots and aviation timing	Airstar	1965	200 m	La Joux-Perret L113, Soigné grade

Best for divers timing no-decompression stops

Aquastar Deepstar.

Patent · 1964

The Deepstar bezel was patented by Aquastar founder Frédéric Robert in 1964 to let divers read no-decompression time at a glance. By giving sport and professional divers a wrist-borne way to track decompression limits, the bezel became one of Aquastar's life-saving innovations and the first true tool function on a Swiss dive watch. The same geometry sits on every Deepstar made today; the 2026 Deepstar III houses a column-wheel chronograph built by La Joux-Perret to the original 1962 case.

See the Deepstar collection →

Best for saturation divers

Aquastar Benthos.

First Swiss 500 m · 1970

The Benthos was the first Swiss dive watch rated to 500 meters, and the first dive watch to pair an elapsed-time bezel for the full dive with a central chronograph hand for timing the ascent stops. Both functions on one wrist, a computing tool for the working diver. Listed in the U.S. Navy diving manual the year it launched. The French Marine Nationale issued the third generation to combat divers from 1979 to 1984. The 500-meter rating sits on the 1965 Aquastar dual-gasket crown, both still in current Benthos production.

See the Benthos collection →

Best for skin divers and freedivers

Aquastar Model 60.

Cushion case · 1957

The 37 mm cushion-case Model 60 was Aquastar's first dive watch, designed for skin divers working without compressed air. Don Walsh wore one on the 1960 Trieste descent to Challenger Deep. The MKII Re-Edition is the same case, built in Bienne, with a 60-minute bezel.

See the Model 60 collection →

Best for pilots and aviation timing

Aquastar Airstar.

Pilot's chronograph · 1965

The Airstar was Aquastar's pilot's chronograph, worn by Jacques Mayol and Philippe Cousteau. The 60th-anniversary Re-Edition uses an exclusive Soigné-grade La Joux-Perret L113 column-wheel calibre and the same dial geometry as the 1965 original.

See the Airstar collection →

What makes a tool watch

Built to be serviced, not replaced.

Aquastar founder Frédéric Robert filed eleven patents between 1957 and 1977 to answer specific operational problems: the 1964 no-decompression bezel, the 1965 dual-gasket crown that made a serviceable 500-meter case possible, the 1966 improved bathymeter for the Cousteau-Comex saturation programmes. Each invention was a tool for a job a diver, sailor, or pilot put in front of the workshop.

Every Aquastar can be returned to Bienne for service, vintage or modern. Movements are cleaned, regulated, pressure-tested, gaskets replaced. The international warranty covers two years; the workshop covers the lifetime of the watch. Read more on the tool watch pillar page or in the Deepstar bezel patent story.

Frequently asked

Choosing a Swiss tool watch.

What makes a tool watch a tool watch?

A tool watch is a watch designed and built for a purpose beyond showing the time of day. Aquastar pioneered the tool watch in diving: the Navigator (1959) led the innovations, the Deepstar bezel (1962) gave divers a way to read no-decompression time at a glance, and the 1970 Benthos was the first dive watch to combine an elapsed-time bezel for the full dive with a central chronograph hand for the ascent. Every Aquastar carries a tool function alongside the time function.

Are Aquastar tool watches Swiss made?

Yes. Every modern Aquastar Deepstar, Benthos, Model 60, and Airstar is assembled, regulated, pressure-tested, and serviced in the workshop in Bienne, Switzerland.

Which Aquastar is the best for everyday wear?

The Model 60 Re-Edition is the smallest case at 37 mm, the lightest, and the most compatible with shirt-cuff wear. The Deepstar III at 39 mm and the Airstar chronograph also wear comfortably day-to-day. The 500-meter Benthos is the largest and is built for actual diving rather than dress duty.

Which Aquastar has the longest service history?

The Model 60 has been in the catalogue continuously since 1957, with a service path back to the original 1957 reference. The Deepstar bezel patent has been in continuous production since 1962. Every Aquastar tool watch can be returned to the Bienne workshop for service, vintage or modern.

Were any of these tool watches issued to military divers?

Yes. The Aquastar Benthos third generation was issued to French Navy combat divers based in Toulon from 1979 to 1984. Approximately 3,200 watches were procured over the six-year period. See the Marine Nationale Benthos page for the buy-side and authentication details.

Can I service a vintage Aquastar tool watch from the 1960s or 1970s?

Yes. The Bienne workshop services every Aquastar regardless of age. Movements are cleaned, regulated, pressure-tested, and gaskets replaced. The international warranty covers two years on modern watches; the workshop covers the lifetime of the watch.

See the tools

See the Aquastar collection.

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