The Model 60 story
The original Swiss skindiver, 1957.
Frédéric Robert’s first dive watch shipped in 1957 with a 37 mm cushion case and a uni-directional 60-minute elapsed-time bezel. It defined what a skindiver watch is, and it was the proof-of-concept that made the Deepstar possible. Don Walsh wore one to Challenger Deep. The Re-Edition MKII rebuilds it with a Sellita SW200-1 in Elaboré grade and the same case geometry, off the original 1957 drawings.
Explore all skin diver watches and vintage dive watches. Further reading: vintage-inspired dive watches under $2,000.
In the Model 60 line
Every Model 60 we make today.
All 200 m water resistant. All cushion case. All from 1957 drawings.
Frequently asked
Model 60 questions, answered.
What is the Aquastar Model 60?
The Aquastar Model 60 is a Swiss skindiver dive watch first released in 1957, the earliest reference in the Aquastar catalogue and the origin point of the cushion case with integrated lugs that defines the family. The current Model 60 MKII is built from the 1957 case drawings in the same Bienne workshop that produced the vintage originals. A 37 mm case, unidirectional dive bezel, and a Sellita SW200-1 in Elabore grade. It is the smallest, quietest reference in the range.
What is a skindiver watch?
A skindiver is a specific style of dive watch defined by a compact cushion case with lugs machined integrally with the case body rather than soldered on separately, so the strap sits flat against the wrist and does not overhang. The design was engineered in the 1950s for snorkelling and shallow scuba, before dedicated deep-diving watches emerged, and it delivers the flattest wearing profile of any dive-watch case type. The Aquastar Model 60 of 1957 is one of the original skindivers still in continuous production.
Who wore the Aquastar Model 60 historically?
The Aquastar Model 60 was worn by Don Walsh on the 1960 Trieste descent to Challenger Deep, the deepest manned descent in history. It was also carried by early sport and commercial divers through the 1960s and 1970s as the workshop's entry-level dive reference alongside the Deepstar chronograph and the Benthos 500. The modern MKII carries the same case geometry as the piece worn on the historic 10,916 m descent.
What size is the Aquastar Model 60?
The Model 60 MKII is a 37 mm cushion-case watch, the smallest reference in the Aquastar catalogue. Case thickness is under 14 mm and the integrated skindiver lugs sit flat on the wrist, so it slides under a shirt cuff without catching. The 200 m water resistance covers all recreational diving. It is Aquastar's recommended everyday dive watch for wrists smaller than about 18 cm circumference.
How is the Model 60 different from the Deepstar?
The Model 60 is a three-hand skindiver with an external elapsed-time bezel, a Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement, and a 37 mm cushion case; the Deepstar is a dive chronograph with the patented no-decompression bezel from 1964, running a La Joux-Perret column-wheel movement in a 37-39 mm case. Both trace to Aquastar's 1957-1962 origin period. Model 60 is the entry-level dive reference; Deepstar is the technical instrument for timing dives with decompression calculations.
