1960s Triton Spirotechnique Diver W/ Hinged Top Lugs

There are dive watches… and then there’s the Triton Spirotechnique — a gloriously unconventional tool diver born from the golden era of underwater exploration. Developed in 1963 by Jean-René Parmentier for La Spirotechnique — the elite French diving outfitter co-founded by Jacques-Yves Cousteau — the Triton was designed from the ground up as a serious professional instrument. Sold exclusively through Spirotechnique outlets and priced as the most expensive dive watch of its time, it was built for military and combat divers and even found its way onto the wrists of Cousteau’s own crew, as well as French and American special forces.

Its sharply faceted 37mm case features a hinged upper lug and a distinctive 12 o’clock crown with an integrated guard — a radical yet practical design to prevent wrist interference. A bold, oversized acrylic bezel with luminous inserts surrounds a deep black dial with circular lume plots and a dramatic arrow-shaped minutes hand. Though eccentric in design, the thin profile and articulated lug make it surprisingly wearable, with a unique wrist presence that balances function and flair.

Though largely unknown outside professional diving circles, the Triton remains one of the most original and purpose-driven dive watches of its era. Its obscurity and technical charm have earned it cult status among collectors, and in 2023, the design was reimagined and revived in a modern reissue — further cementing its place in the pantheon of serious dive instruments.

This particular watch — the first we’ve ever had the pleasure to offer, is a completely original and particularly well-preserved example from the early 1960s. A wearable representation of times past, when design, ingenuity, and utility constituted the watch industry and birthed the icons or avante-garde creations we celebrate today.