Unworn 2021 AWCo x Squale Subino "NOS 1950s Blancpain Case"
Ref: AWCo x Squale Subino

Specification

Points of Mention

This watch is sold with its original Squale box and Squale paperwork. The watch comes paired with its original 19mm leather strap. The watch comes from January 2021. The watch is in unworn condition, as you can see from the photographs. The watch comes with our 12-Month Warranty.

The Watch

Squale was founded by Charles von Büren in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, in 1946 as a manufacturer of watchcases and other components for other watch brands. In 1950 von Buren began to produce professional dive watches under the Squale name. During the 1960s and 70s, Squale produced cases for many brands including Prima, Blandford, Deman Watch, Berio, and Sinn. In 1974 Squale decided to enter the watch market in their own right. Unfortunately like many other watch brands during the “quartz crisis” they stopped production in 1989. Relaunching the brand in 2010 the Maggi family who were previously distributors of von Buren and Squale watches in Italy. Their headquarters can be found in Milan, with watch production in Grenchen in the Jura valley Switzerland.

Here we have an Unworn 2021 AWCo (AWCo is the retailer's Amsterdam Watch Co) x Squale Subino (Italian for little sub) "NOS 1950s Blancpain Case". Inspired by their dive watches of the 1950s the watch is limited to 60 pieces our’s is number 39. Squale found 180 of these cases during the 1950s under the name Von Büren made cases for various dive watchmakers such as Doxa, Heuer, and Blancpain. Blancpain’s MC4 (fifty Fathoms) diver’s watch, as well as the Waltham-branded equivalent, used this case. The 35mm stainless steel case gently curves over your wrist with tapered lugs. A lug-to-lug length of 41.5mm and a case thickness of 12.5mm give the watch an impressive wrist presence. Polished and brushed surfaces transition with crisp edges. On the right is a crown with deep knurling for extra grip. The friction fit bi-directional stainless steel bezel has a “NOS” bakelite-filled insert with cream-coloured numeral markings. A domed “NOS” acrylic crystal sits above a matte black dial. An outer minute track with cream Super-LumiNova C3 painted 12, 3, 6, and 9 indices and batons in between marking the hours. Pencil hands with a sweeping second hand filled with the same cream Super-LumiNova C3. At 12 o’clock we have the Squale motif above “Subino” and at 6 o’clock AWCo is in red. On the reverse, a screw-down case back with Squale engraved into it. Inside an Automatic Swiss Ebauche ETA 2671, 28,800 beats per hour. Originally launched in 1971 its self-winding technology comes from the 1950s developed movements. The watch comes fitted on its original 19mm strap. The watch comes with its Squale presentation box and papers.

Personal Note

It's not every day you find a load of NOS parts, but luckily Squale did and they put them to good use by making an absolutely incredible timepiece in collaboration with AWCo! I personally love how this wears on the wrist, it feels traditional in all the good ways and looks truly vintage. With so few being made and them selling out immediately I wouldn't hesitate on this unworn example if you've been after one.