# Super Compressor Divers...



## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

As promised, here are some pictures of my Super Compressor divers. They seem to have come in 2 sizes: 36mm and 42mm sans crown. Obviously, the latter are more collectable. The upper crown adjusts the internal bezel, whereas the lower crown adjust the time/date functions as per usual. First up is my very recently arrived Invicta. I just love that curled fish back.


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Next up is one of my favourites. A 42mm Technos Sky Diver Super Compressor. Technos (who also put their name to Caribbeans BTW) produced quite a few watches under the Sky diver name. Most notably is the Technos Sky diver 1000m, which used the same case as the Certina DS-2 Super PH 1000m. There are others too and I have examples of all of them. However, I digress. I've only ever seen 2 examples of the Technos Sky Diver Super Compressor. Note the divers helmet log on the inside of the case back. This is the surest sign that a watch has a Super Compressor case, other than the expression "Super Compressor"


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Next up is the NOS 42mm Precimax, another favourite. This one has the Super compressor helmet on the outside of the caseback


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Next up is this custom IWW 42mm Super compressor. Jack Alexyon used a Mk II PloProf dial and Doxa hands for this creation. Note that the internal bezel is the same as the Precimax, as is the case back. The case itself is beadblasted and I really like this one. Pictures reproduced with the kind permission of Jack Alexyon:


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Some more pictures of the custom job:


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

Marvellous collection - there's something about double crowns & internal time elapsed bezels that I like very much









I have a modern twin crowner on my wanted list - the Hamilton Khaki diver









Have a great weekend


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Next up is arguably the most famous Super compressor, the 42mm Fortis Marinemaster. Like the Vulcain Cricket Nautical, it shows the decomp. table (or is it non-decomp.







) on the dial. Such a busy dial tends to divide observers into loving or hating them, much like Marmite







I believe that Fortis did a recent reissue of this watch (not the B-42) in 2002. However, this is a vintage example:


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

pauluspaolo said:


> Marvellous collection - there's something about double crowns & internal time elapsed bezels that I like very much
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Thanks Paul







There are caveats to ownership of the Super Compressors that I hope I don't find out to my cost.







They are that the internal bezel is almost impossible to fix if broken and that the crystals are unique to these watches. Therefore, if on eis for sale, I would always ask about the crystal and more particularly, whether the crown operates the internal bezel as it should.


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

All the above Super Compressors share the same case. However, I have another type of Fortis Marinemasterwith a different case. Nonetheless, I strongly suspect it is another Super Compressor










That's all of my 42mm Super Compressors for now. I will post pictures of the 36mm models next, and then other twin-crowned divers that may or may not be Super Compressors.


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Very nice collection you have there Dave.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Dave what a great collection, I really like that case shape and what a great effort by IWW









You dont want to swap one for a CD by any chance?


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

Great collection.

The compressor cases look great and that custom IWW diver is really nice. I love the colours on that and the Precimax.


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## MIKE (Feb 23, 2003)

Great collection of Super Compressor's. I like this style but sadly only have the one, in the smaller size


















I see you got the IWW custom job, I had admired it in the sales forums but could not justify it at the time









The Fortis is my favourite out of these, nice and colouful









Mike


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## Stanford (Feb 10, 2007)

Nice collection, Dave









I also like the super compressors, but my collection is currently made up only of the smaller ones, like Mike's.

There are a few more to add to this - haven't got round to taking pictures


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

MIKE said:


> Great collection of Super Compressor's. I like this style but sadly only have the one, in the smaller size
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That's a really nice one.







What is the name on the dial?


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Stanford said:


> Nice collection, Dave
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That's a fantastic collection














Pleae correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd like to guess which Super compressors you have







Top left is an Enicar Sherpa Jet, top right is a Rodania (from rondeco?), top middle is a Hamilton, bottom left is a Benrus Ultra Deep. Is the bottom middle one a Bucherer? I can't tell what the other one is.


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

JoT said:


> Dave what a great collection, I really like that case shape and what a great effort by IWW
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Thanks John.







I think I'll give the CD a miss, but I'm sure my daughter would love it 

Jack Alexyon does great work and this creation shows that the Mk II PloProf dial goes with hands other than the usual PloProf hands


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Next up are the 36mm Super compressors. Most prominet of these in my collection are the Enicars. Here's my Sherpa Jet in 36mm. They also came in black & yellow and in a 42mm case. I believe that the Jets are the most collectable of the Sherpas, certainly amongst the twin-crownded models. I have a coulple of twin-crowned Sherpa Guides in 42mm somewhere, but I can't find any pictures. These have world time bezels and are lessa valuable than the Sherpa Jets for some reason


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Another collectable Enicar Sherpa is the Super divette, also 36mm. I forgot to mention earlier that it seems that a French company EPSA made the super compressor cases.


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

More pics of the Super Divettte. I must have 2 of these. I just noticed that the one on a strap has a short hour hand that must have snapped.


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Next up is the Supremo Navy. This one might be 42mm, I can't remember. However, there is a problem with the bezel, so I'll probably use it for spare parts.


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Finally, here are some of my twin-crowned divers that might be Super compressors. For example, this Tissot Seastar T12 Visodate is big at 42mm. The case is very similar, if not identical to the 42mm Super compressors posted yesterday.


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Last up is this 36mm Rona Seven Seas double crown diver which I now know is a Super Compressor as I've just noticed what is says on the caseback.


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## Stanford (Feb 10, 2007)

DaveE said:


> Stanford said:
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Very close Dave - (the Rodania was from rondeco), the bottom middle is a Baylor, and the one on the right is a Lip Nautic Ski



















I just love the detail on the second hand:


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## Flashharry (Feb 20, 2007)

Here in a yellow Enicar (from ebay)










Then a Lip look alike (Stowa Seatime)










Ocean 7 LM-2










IWC Aquatimer


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Stanford said:


> DaveE said:
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Very nice


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Flashharry said:


> Here in a yellow Enicar (from ebay)
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Nice.







Are they yours or are they pictures of Super Compressors? For that matter, is the IWC a Super Compressor?


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## Stanford (Feb 10, 2007)

DaveE said:


> Flashharry said:
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I'm not sure about that IWC (Neal, is it an 822?), but am certain about this one


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

Stanford said:


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Wow,







is that one of yours that wasn't in the collection picture?


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## andytyc (Sep 9, 2006)

I'm intrigued by all these watches!

Can somebody please tell me more about 'super compressor' watches? What's unique about them? I have noticed that they all have internal bezels.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Superb! Great watches... Damn I need one...


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## DaveE (Feb 24, 2003)

andytyc said:


> I'm intrigued by all these watches!
> 
> Can somebody please tell me more about 'super compressor' watches? What's unique about them? I have noticed that they all have internal bezels.


Other than the details already in the thread, there are a couple of posts on MWR about them if you want to go over and have a look. IIRC, there was something special about the seals used with the Super compressor cases. However, I do not know what the differences are between them and the Compressor and Compressor 2 designs. Salmonia has posted some diagrams over at MWR. Many names used them and it is relatively common to see Benrus, Lip Nautic-Ski (electromechanical), Wyler, Bulova and Enicar versions.

The Ocean 7 LM-2 and Glycine Lagunare appear to be modern versions or inspired by them. Other than that, Fortis reissued 90 Marinemasters in 2002 with presumably NOS 42mm Super compressor cases. These latter watches hardly ever appear on the sales fora or eBay. The last one I saw was on eBay and was apparently sold outside eBay (to the highest bidder) for over $600.


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## Flashharry (Feb 20, 2007)

Flashharry said:


> Here in a yellow Enicar (from ebay)
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The top one was one I just missed on ebay, the middle two are mine and the bottom one is being offeredto me but I'm not too sure about it ?


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## Flashharry (Feb 20, 2007)

Stanford said:


> DaveE said:
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God that is the dogs dangly bits!! Absolute perfection!!


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