Watch for Sale: NOS CATOREX 37 mm SkyDiver 300 m ETA 2824-2
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Reshot the pictures on Easter 2005, finally some time for watch pictures while everybody is searching for Easter eggs - there are a lot more pictures after the description and dimensions below. You can see, this is one of my favorites. But if your wrists are larger then 7 inch, I do not really recommend this watch. It looks in my opinion best on 6 to 7 inch wrists.

I could not resist this NOS Beauty and had to add one to my private collection. I really love this great looking Submariner-like. The President-style bracelet makes this watch a bit dressier then its Oyster-bracelet relatives. The Tritium (T) luminosity is very good, the movement is a an ETA 2824-2. There are many movement pictures further down on this page too.

If you have a slow connection, then please click here. The link will take you to my private collection site's CATOREX Table (the watches there are not for sale). All the pictures on my private collection site are on their own page. This makes it easier to chose what picture to look at with a slow connection.

Why I think this WATCH is interesting:
I had spotted the watch in the vintage watch shop before. At that time, they only had one watch there with slightly worn off bezel markings. When I found this one in perfect condition, I had to have it. Like so many other watches on PMWC, I bought if for my private collection first. Because I find it a beautiful Submariner-style watch and I also like its dial and its name "Sky Diver". The dial is very clean, the Tritium glows nicely with the typical initial bright glow after exposure to light. Of course, the lume cannot be compared to a "Monster" SEIKO with Lumibrite. The watch is powered by an ETA 2824-2 which is nicely colored in gold. Gold colored is not golden! It is a surface treatment to protect the movement from oxidation, aging and patina. This is an automatic caliber which can be handwound and it is also hacking. The 28'800 beats per hour make the second hand sweep smoothly. If you have trained eyes, you could tell the difference to a less smooth motion from e.g. a 7S26 which beats at 21'600 beats per hours (bph).

Details about this Watch

Price: Is firm, my margins are very small, no additional discounts sorry. See the CATOREX overview table for the price please.
Watchbox and Papers: International CATOREX warranty with authorized dealer stamp, original CATOREX outer and inner box with wooden pattern and white pillow
Watch Description and Condition: Watch is new in box, NOS watches occasionally might show very tiny hairlines but no scratches from having been handled in the shop. Not normally visible without magnification!
During Easter 2005 I had time to re-shoot the watch and also measured the power reserve of the watch in my private collection: 44 hours. Thus I trust to say, those NOS watches including their movements are in very good condition.
Shipping, Packing and Refund Policy: Please click here for all the details. Please use the back button of your browser to come back to this page, thank you.

Dimensions (mm):

Case Diameter excluding crown: 37 mm
Height: 13
Lug to Lug: 45
Lug Width: 18
Bracelet tapered 18 to 16 m

Weight 110 grams


Nice President-like bracelet with polished middle links, of course solid-links


New picture from Easter 2005 - I tried to show the still very good luminosity (Tritium) with the watch face have lit and have in the shadow of the bezel


The 12 sided polygonal case back is typical for earlier water resistant watches. Additional grooves like Rolex is using, make it actually easy to open the back. I opened the watch with my Rolex opener, even so I own a Bergeon case opener specially designed to open polygonal case backs. And of course 300 m could not be achieved without a screw-down crown. Those are NOS watches and I did not pressure test them, so I will not be able to guarantee their 300 meter Water Resistant. If you are "cruel" enough to go diving with a Vintage Diver, then please see a watchmaker first and have the watch pressure tested. A good idea with for every watch which is used for SCUBA diving.


Signed CATOREX clasp, not easy to see on this picture, but the safety lock contains small and nicely engraved "CATOREX"


Thinking of jumping into a wet suit*? No problem, simply open the hidden Diver's Extension underneath the clasp! The Diver's extension gives you about 1 1/8 inch more length!
*Please note: those are NOS watches, I have not pressure tested them, while I have absolutely no problems wearing mine in the sticky and hot tropical climate, I would suggest to be careful wearing these watches for SCUBA Diving. It is a beautiful watch for us "desktop divers"! And to be honest, I would not want to scratch the polished middle parts of the links either! I will take utmost care of my watch since I think this is really a "New Old Stock" marvel that will be harder and harder to find!


I could not resist and opened the CATOREX SkyDiver from my private collection. And what a nice surprise. I had suspected to find only an ETA Caliber 2824, the older version, but I found an ETA 2824-2 which puts the manufacturing date of this watch into the mid 80ies. You will find the same pictures in my private collection on the CATOREX page with my personal copy right mark


The picture from the side is not just a waste of time or bandwidth: I want to show the really MASSIVE metal spacer that holds the movement firmly in place. I have rarely seen such a "junk" of metal spacer, this is great stuff! After finding the gold-tone ETA 2824-2, this was the second very positive surprise when opening the SkyDiver with the Bergeon Bergeon 5338-1 F opener for polygonal watch backs.


Moving a bit closer to the reliable work horse from ETA which today powers the majority of all handwinding and hacking automatic wrist watches! Also interesting is that the regulator is exactly at 0 between the - and + marks on the regulator scale. The CATOREX watches will therefore run very accurately out of the box. I noticed that many watch companies tend to "pre-set" their watches to run a bit fast, maybe assuming their customers will not service them until the start to really slow down. If the watch runs too fast out of the box, then of course, the first service interval will be further in the future.


And now we move yet a bit closer. Once can say a lot about ETA's latest movement strategy (raising prices, raising minimal order quantities) but they make fantastic movements with a great value for money. ETA was able to create such a following due to their global service network. You can literally find 2824-2 parts all over the world! And any watchmaker will be familiar with this movement. The monopoly or attempted movement oligarchy has its good sides too.


Watch shows the really beauty when worn - intended or not, the CATOREX logo incorporating Poseidon's maritime tool can be very easily confused with a Rolex crown. Despite this, in my opinion, this watch has a true character of his own and looks a lot less then a Submariner then many of the homage watches out there.  The watch simply looks fantastic on the wrist. It sits proud and well on the wrist and the glossy President-style bracelet sparkles making your friends believe you got something really expensive on your wrist. I think this watch is precious, not expensive. It is simple luck that we are still able to get these NOS watches today!

More wrist shots are on the CATOREX table of my private collection (link opens new window)


Watch comes with Original International Warranty papers (small booklet picture below) and original CATOREX watch box with outer CATOREX card hull as in picture



CATOREX International Warranty booklet with Service Locations (There is a USA Service Location) and open date Warranty Certificate