Aquastar
Biel/Bienne, Switzerland · Est. 1962
Founded by Frédéric Robert
Aquastar is a Swiss watch brand with origins in the 1960s in La Chaux-de-Fonds, associated with early professional dive watches worn during the Cousteau era. The brand has been revived to produce faithful re-editions of its classic Benthos and Regate models, appealing to vintage diving watch collectors.
- Founded
- 1962
- Headquarters
- Biel/Bienne, Switzerland
- Group
- Independent
- Price Segment
- Entry
- Status
- Revived
Key Collections
- Deepstar — Aquastar’s Deepstar collection is the brand’s signature professional dive-watch line, centered on historically inspired underwater timing design and modern re-editions for serious diving and collecting.
- Model 60 — Aquastar Model 60 is the brand’s heritage dive-watch collection, reviving the original mid-century tool-watch concept with a compact, retro-styled layout aimed at enthusiasts who value classic underwater functionality.
- Benthos 500 — A deep-sea diver built around a 500-meter depth rating and positioned for professional saturation diving, reflecting Aquastar’s heritage in purpose-built underwater instruments.
- Regate — Aquastar Regate is the sailing-focused timing collection, designed around regatta countdown use and competitive yacht-racing utility while staying consistent with the brand’s aquatic tool-watch heritage.
Timeline
- 1962 — Frédéric Robert, a fifth-generation watchmaker and scuba diver, rebrands Jeanrichard SA as Aquastar SA in Geneva to focus on dive instruments.
- 1965 — Files patents for innovative crown gaskets, anti-slip bezels, and the multi-dive non-decompression bezel.
- 1970 — Builds the predecessor to the modern dive computer — a wrist panel combining watch, compass, thermometer, depth gauge, and dive tables.
- 1975 — Frédéric Robert retires; Aquastar sold to the Eren Group, expanding from professional diving outlets to mainstream retail.
- 1982 — Seinet brothers acquire Aquastar, continuing the tradition of sailing and diving watches.
- 2019 — Synchron Group acquires Aquastar under Rick Marei, relocating to Bienne and reissuing classic models for collectors.
Frequently Asked Questions about Aquastar
- Why is Aquastar significant in dive watch history?
- Frédéric Robert filed numerous patents that became foundational to modern dive watches — including decompression bezels, improved crown seals, and the ancestor of today's dive computer.
- Is Aquastar still making watches?
- Yes. Acquired by the Synchron Group in 2019, Aquastar produces faithful reissues of the Deepstar, Benthos, and Regate for the collector market.
- Where were Aquastar watches originally sold?
- Initially only through professional diving equipment dealers like Scubapro and Aqualung — not traditional jewellers. This changed in the 1970s after the Eren Group acquisition.