# Aquadive Time-depth Info Search



## jeffb (Feb 6, 2007)

Hi all,

I came across one of these and am starting at zero as far as the depth of my knowlege of them.

First and foremost is the battery number and type. It had an energizer 344 in it but wasn't running. I replaced it and the watch runs but I didn't want to leave it in more than a few seconds until I found out if this is supposed to be run on a 1.35 or the 1.5. I can't find any battery charts that reference this watch.

Is there a way to date these watches? I know from searching around that they were made ca 1975. Is it possible to figure out more precisely with the sn?

Has anyone ever seen or know if there are any tech or maintenence references available?

This watch was originally owned by a US Navy hardhat diver and has his name, service number, USN and UDT engraved on it. I've not gotten any information about him yet but hope that he is still around so I can communicate with him. It would be interesting to hear any history

Thanks for any responses


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## philjopa (May 18, 2005)

jeffb said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I came across one of these and am starting at zero as far as the depth of my knowlege of them.
> 
> ...


Hi Jeff

Welcome to









If you do a Google for "Aquadive Time", you should see a few for sale that give a bit more info which may help. They seem to date from the 1970s.

It'd also be good if you could post a pic for us to drool over!


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## jeffb (Feb 6, 2007)

Will post some pics tonite or in the morning.

I think I've found most of what shows up on a google search so far. There are probably a couple I haven't squeezed out yet.

Tks for the rely.

Jeff


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Also do a search on here - Colin has one ISTR.


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

JonW said:


> Also do a search on here - Colin has one ISTR.


Yup, I think I even posted pics from a SCUBA magazine review.

But to try to answer a few questions:

- Aquadive aren't around any longer, so you aren't going to be able to date the watch from the SN.

- I don't remember which newer batter works (my Aquadive Model 50s are in storage), but there are ones that work. There are even 1.5Vs that are 'resistored' down to be 1.35V in order to replace the old Hg batteries.

- Silver Hawk know lots more about the movement and batteries than I do.

- If the previous owner was a UDT diver, he's unlikley to still be around. If he is, he's prolly in his 70s at least. You could try to locate him through some UDT vet social organisations - search on line. If you know which UDT he belonged to, that will make a search easier. BTW, if he was a UDT diver, he was a SCUBA diver, not a hard hat.


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## jeffb (Feb 6, 2007)

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies.

I did see the Scuba Times review and it was cool reading about the watch but like all mag reviews it didn't really shed any light on the technicals of it.

This watch isn't in as nice a condition as the one you pictured and the depth gauge is a bit off. It would seem that there should be some adjustment possible.

I have some inquiries out about the diver and hope that I can get something back about him eventually.

This watches sn was "0'd" over like another that I read about, it might have been yours. It might have been a different one. I'll post some pics in the morning and show that as it might answer some questions or just add one bit of information.

That is a good point about the UDT. The person I purchased this from got it from the original owner a few years back and he said that he was a HH diver, retired from the USN. Could be that he thought of himself as more of a HH than a scuba diver.

I'll post any info that might surface.

Jeff


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## jeffb (Feb 6, 2007)

Here are some pics of the Aquadive. For the sake of discretion I covered some of the service numbers but it is the standard pre social security number US military service number style and sequence.

The mans name didn't really show up too well but it is in the same engraving style as the USN and UDT and the service number.

I went back and saw that the overstamped serial number was the one mentioned in Nalu's post. Since this watch has the same type of sn cancellation I wonder if this has something to do with the watches being sent back for an upgrade in the type of oil that was used in the Scuba Times article referenced in that posting. This watch has another engraved 4 digit serial in the style of the overstamped one that is 371 pieces later so that might be a possibility.

I think that I have figured out that this movement seems to be the same one that was used in the earlier Hamilton electronics so that might be some help if anyone is trying to find repair parts. I hope that this doesn't apply to me. I also hope that my pics show well enough.

Look forward to finding out if the depth gauge can be adjusted to zero or close.














































Jeff


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## jeffb (Feb 6, 2007)

Sorry for the scrolling side to side situation. I tried to break with the paragraph command but it didn't seem to work. j


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

Maybe one of the mods could help reformat the post?

The depth gauge, AFAIK, is not repairable on these. Many older ones have had the depth gauge port sealed following failure. The only way I've been able to somewhat safely perform a function check is to _gently_ apply pressure to the neoprene port 'membrane' and observe whether the gauge moves. Given the condition of the seals on the two I own, I would not recommend wet-testing!

Excellent thoughts on the SN situation, I'd have to agree. I'll check and see if mine have a secondary SN anywhere.

The provenance is murky. Someone is mis-remembering or mis-representing if you believe the case engraving (which I do). No UDT man would ever consider himself a hard-hat diver and vice versa. UDTs were the predecessors of the SEALs (the units co-existed for a time). UDT divers are combat divers, vice the 'mud-puppy' working hard hat divers of the Navy. They attend different training courses and are in different units. Naturally, there is a bit of a rivalry between the groups.

The only possible explanation I can think of is that rather than become a SEAL when the UDTs were being de-activated, the diver in question chose re-training as a working diver. That's a stretch!

BTW, I'm a US Navy-trained, US Army Diving Medical Officer with four years service in special operations. During that time and since, I have accumulated a large library of historical material on (primarily) US and British SOF from WW2 to present. If you can determine a name or team, I can check for some background information.


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## jeffb (Feb 6, 2007)

Thanks for getting the pics in line.

Nalu (Colin), Is it ok to email you with some info and take you up on your offer to see if you can come up with anything on the previous owner?

Jeff


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Cool watch, love the engraving etc. Nice score. I must get me one of these, I keep missing them or being skint when they come up for sale.. sigh.

Its great to be able to track some history and info on watches like this. Let u know how you get on.


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

jeffb said:


> Thanks for getting the pics in line.
> 
> Nalu (Colin), Is it ok to email you with some info and take you up on your offer to see if you can come up with anything on the previous owner?
> 
> Jeff


Jeff,

You're welcome to email me. I'll be in the field this week and next, but able to respond after the middle of next week. I did look at mine and it has the 'auxiliary' SN. No case back opener just now, so I cannot inspect the battery.


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