The Benthos story
Approved in the U.S. Navy diving manual ,
throughout the 1970s.
The 1970 Benthos 500 used a screwed case back with a new gasket pattern that meant it could go to 500 meters and still be serviced. Every modern Benthos, the Heritage II, the H1, the Professional, the 500 II, uses the same case architecture and sits among Aquastar’s Swiss dive watches. The crown sits at 2 o’clock. The bezel marks elapsed time in 120 clicks. The dial is semi-gloss black with X1 SuperLumiNova.
Further reading: military dive watches.
In the Benthos line
Every Benthos we make today.
All 300 to 500 m water resistant. All 904L or 316L Swiss steel. Each with its own serial engraving.
In the field
The Benthos at work, photographed by the people wearing it.
Frequently asked
Benthos questions, answered.
What is the Aquastar Benthos?
The Aquastar Benthos is a Swiss professional dive watch first released in 1970 and the first dive-watch case rated to 500 meters without a monobloc construction, meaning it could be opened and resealed for service rather than sealed for life. The third-generation Benthos was issued to French Marine Nationale combat divers based in Toulon from 1979 to 1984, approximately 3,200 pieces over six years. The modern Benthos family (Heritage II, Heritage One, Professional, 500 II) is built in Bienne around the same 1970 case geometry and the original gasket pattern.
How deep is the Aquastar Benthos rated?
The Benthos was the first Swiss dive-watch case rated to 500 meters of water resistance, achieved in 1970 through a screw-back construction with an improved dual-gasket pattern rather than a sealed monobloc. That rating covers the deepest recreational and commercial diving profiles with an ample safety margin.
Which Benthos was issued to the French Marine Nationale?
The third generation of the Aquastar Benthos was issued to the French Marine Nationale combat divers based in Toulon from 1979 to 1984, approximately 3,200 watches over that six-year contract. The procurement was for the bezel and case, not the badge; the Marine Nationale specified mechanical Aquastar bezel watches over quartz alternatives for that period. The modern Benthos family is built on the same case architecture as the issued piece.
Are vintage Aquastar Benthos watches still serviceable?
Yes. The Bienne workshop services every vintage Benthos, though not all original parts are still available, so what is possible depends on the condition of the specific watch. Movement service, gasket replacement and pressure-testing are routine; case, dial or hand restoration may require sourcing period-correct parts and is assessed piece by piece. Service turnaround is 10 to 12 weeks.
What steel is the Aquastar Benthos Professional made from?
The professional Benthos references are cased in 904L, the higher corrosion-resistance stainless steel, over the 316L standard used elsewhere in the range. Bezels carry a ceramic insert. The crystal is triple-coated anti-reflective sapphire, with X1 grade of Super-LumiNova on the hands and markers. Movements come from La Joux-Perret and Sellita in Soigne or Elabore grade.
