Limited to 300 pieces per year · Hand-built in Bienne
Deepstar III Chronograph
Manual Wind
Sixty-four years after the original Valjoux 23, a hand-wound column-wheel chronograph built exclusively for Aquastar by La Joux-Perret. The closest mechanical equivalent to the watch Frédéric Robert drew in 1962.
2026 allocation
27 of 300 reserved
Allocation released on a rolling basis. Reserve with a refundable $500 deposit; balance due at assembly start.
column wheel
in Bienne
200 m
patent
From the archive · 1965
“Operations Deepstar, bezel rotated to mark dive descent. Bottom time 6 min 40 s at 38 meters. No-deco within limits.”
Marine Nationale decompression tables, transcribed 1965. The same data engraved on the bezel that ships today.
Worn by its ancestors
Issued to the Marine Nationale’s combat divers.
The 1962 Deepstar bezel was calibrated to the Marine Nationale decompression tables of the era. The same patented bezel pattern, CH 436 140, inventor Marc Jasinski, filed 1964, sits on the Deepstar III today. The watch the Marine Nationale itself issued to its combat divers from 1979 to 1984 was the third-generation Benthos.
Case geometry, dial layout, bezel: all carried forward from the issued reference. The mechanism is a modern La Joux-Perret column wheel where the original was a Valjoux 23.
Read the Marine Nationale storyFurther reading: best Swiss dive chronographs under $3,000.
1962 vs 2026
What changed. What didn’t.
| 1962 Deepstar | Deepstar III · 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Case diameter | 39 mm | 39 mm, unchanged |
| Case-back gasket pattern | Patented 1962 gasket | Same pattern, modern silicone |
| Bezel geometry | Patented 1964 dive bezel | Identical, from original blueprints |
| Bezel insert | Hand-riveted aluminium | Ceramic bearing, aluminium insert |
| Crystal | Acrylic, domed | Triple-AR sapphire, domed |
| Movement | Valjoux 23 (discontinued 1974) | La Joux-Perret column-wheel, built for Aquastar |
| Lume | Tritium (T) | Old-light-tone Super-LumiNova |
| Water resistance | 20 ATM | 20 ATM, unchanged |
| Production location | Geneva | Bienne |
What arrives
Inside the walnut box.
- Aquastar Deepstar III Chronograph, engraved case back
- Choice of Tropic® rubber strap or Bead-of-Rice stainless bracelet
- Aquastar-signed pin buckle (rubber) or deployant clasp (bracelet)
- Spring bar tool and bracelet sizing tool
- International warranty card (2 years)
- Aquastar service passport, lifetime servicing in Bienne
- Archive print of the 1962 Deepstar reference drawing
- Walnut presentation box with secure travel insert
Full specifications
The instrument, declared.
Movement
High-end Swiss-made La Joux-Perret manual wind caliber, built exclusively for Aquastar. Mono-compax column-wheel mechanical chronograph. 28 jewels. 4 Hz (28,800 vph). 55 h power reserve. Bridges Aquastar-signed and decorated with Geneva stripes. Hand-finished bevels.
Case
316L stainless steel. 39 mm diameter × 14 mm height. 49 mm lug-to-lug. 21mm lug width. Domed triple-AR-coated sapphire crystal. Screw-down chronograph pushers. Screw-down crown. Water resistant to 20 ATM / 200 m / 660 ft. Individually pressure-tested.
Bezel
Bi-directional rotating bezel on a ceramic bearing. Aluminium insert. Patented Aquastar dive-decompression scale inherited unchanged from the 1962 Deepstar.
Dial
Sunburst-finished. Applied stainless-steel hour markers. High-density old-light Radium-tone Super-LumiNova. Painted minute track. Aquastar signed at twelve"Deepstar III" beneath"Swiss Made" beneath six.
Strap & bracelet
Choice of Tropic® rubber dive strap or fitted Bead-of-Rice stainless steel bracelet with deployant clasp. Both 21mm lug width. Aquastar-signed buckle / clasp.
Edition
Limited to 300 pieces per calendar year. Each one carries its own serial engraving on the case back. Original 1964 patent reference engraved inside.
Warranty
Two years, international.
The Deepstar III ships with a two-year international manufacturer warranty covering movement, water resistance, and case integrity. Cosmetic wear excluded. Warranty starts at delivery.
Service
Serviced in Bienne, for life.
Every Aquastar, including this one in fifty years, is serviced in our Bienne workshop, in-house, by a master watchmaker. We hold parts indefinitely. There is no "discontinued" in our catalogue.
How service works →Questions
Before you reserve.
When does my Deepstar III ship?
Watches are hand-built and individually tested in Bienne. Watches ship within 2 to 3 weeks of payment confirmation. The $500 deposit reserves your serial number in the calendar-year run; final payment is taken at the start of assembly.
Can I choose my serial number?
We allocate serial numbers in order of deposits received within each calendar year. If a specific number is meaningful to you, mention it in the order notes and we will try to accommodate where possible.
Tropic strap or Bead-of-Rice bracelet?
Most buyers order both. The Tropic is the original 1965 strap pattern; the BOR matches the 1962 production. Either fits the 21mm lug width. Additional straps can be added to the order before shipping at $90 each.
Does the bracelet need sizing?
The Bead-of-Rice bracelet ships in 21mm lug width with adjustable half-links. Most wrist sizes are handled with the supplied sizing tool. For very small or very large wrists we can size and ship pre-fitted, note your wrist circumference in the order notes.
Is the chronograph water-resistant?
Yes. The Deepstar III is rated to 20 ATM (200 m), tested individually after assembly. The original 1962 Deepstar was rated to only 100m depth.
How is it serviced?
Every Aquastar, including this Deepstar III, the vintage Deepstar from 1962, the Regatta 2000 line, and every model in between, is serviced in our Bienne workshop. We hold parts indefinitely. Recommended service interval is every 5 to 10 years for a dive watch. We do not recommend annual servicing, even if it is dived regularly.
What’s the difference between the Deepstar III and the Deepstar II?
The Deepstar III uses a hand-wound La Joux-Perret column-wheel movement built specifically for Aquastar, the closest mechanical equivalent to the original 1962 Valjoux 23. The Deepstar II uses a modern automatic Sellita SW290. The III is limited to 300 pieces per year; the II is in standard production.
Can I return it?
Yes, regular orders can be cancelled prior to shipment, or returned within 14 days of delivery, unworn, in original packaging for a refund. Pre-order deposits and full payments are non-refundable.
Question not here? Ask a watchmaker in Bienne.
