Introduction
Founded in the USA in 1921 by Benjamin Lazrus and his two brothers, Benrus started life as a watchmaker’s shop in New York where it continued until the late ‘20s when the company transitioned into manufacturing watches by importing parts from Switzerland. Built on the back of the popularity of those watches, Benrus emerged as the watch of choice for soldiers within the US military, with their watches becoming synonymous with the Vietnam war and WWII. Offered here, we have the Benrus Ultra-Deep ref. 6088 dive watch from the late 1960s. Created with a different design language to other dive watches of its time, the Ultra-Deep is immediately more wearable than its competitors from other brands, with a 36mm-wide stainless steel case. While other dive watches were typically around 40mm in order to maximise legibility, the Ultra-Deep instead makes use of its abundance of luminescence to provide legibility, with long thick hour markers and large hands, which remain bright against their black backdrop. With a luminous black bezel insert, thanks to its inverted triangle pip, the Ultra-Deep is a wonderful example of just how careful design can compensate for a sports watch’s smaller size. Powered by the robust automatic Benrus cal. FE 2D1 movement (based on an ETA 2452), this robust front-loading monobloc is a wonderful reminder of how Benrus earned their reputation amongst the military personnel who championed their watches.
Loupe This Scorecard
Grade
V 9
Status
Vetted & Approved
Included
Watch Only
Est. value range
$3,000 – $5,000
The Details
Brand
Benrus
Dimensions
36mm (46mm lug-to-lug)
Model
Ultra-Deep
Movement
Automatic Benrus cal. FE 2D1 (based on an ETA 2452)
Reference
6088
Bracelet
Leather strap
Year
Circa late-1960s
Condition
near-mint
Material
Stainless steel
Included
Watch only
Dial Color
Black
THE DIAL
Making use of its substantial luminescent hands and hour markers, the Ultra-Deep's black dial provides an abundance of visibility in low-light conditions, meaning it is still a wonderfully capable diver, even if its case was smaller than other divers on the market at the time.
THE CONSTRUCTION
While its 36mm diameter is certainly smaller than most other dive watches from the time, the Ultra-Deep's 46mm lug-to-lug measurement adds additional heft to its construction and gives the watch a more substantial weight on the wrist.
TIMING MACHINE READOUT
This reading was taken (crown down) with a ONEOF Accuracy Boutique Edition timing machine at time of cataloging. It is provided as a courtesy only, and shall not be construed as a warranty or guarantee of any kind. Please refer to our terms and conditions of sale for more information.
Condition
The watch is in near-mint vintage condition. The steel case shows some light surface wear but is razor sharp and the lugs are well defined. The case back retains some of the original enamel within the engravings, which remain fully legible. The bezel is very well defined, and the insert is clean, with minor spotting in the lume triangle at 12. The dial is in near-mint condition, featuring clean lume on the hour markers. The hands show some discoloration in the lume. The watch is fitted with a JPM leather strap and steel buckle, both in excellent condition.
Our Perspective
Perfectly poised to capitalise on the growing desire for smaller watches, the Ultra-Deep combines its vintage aesthetic and impressive utility with today's demand for smaller timepieces to create the ultimate sports watch that nearly any collector would be happy to have.
Eric Ku
Co-founder
