Favre Leuba Deep Blue Dive Watch Reference 59603

Favre-Leuba has written one of the longest chapters in Swiss watchmaking, with roots dating back to 1737. Yet it was during the adventurous spirit of the 1950s and 1960s that the manufacture truly found its calling, producing an array of innovative tool watches that cemented its reputation for exploration. 

The Deep Blue perfectly captures that philosophy. Introduced during the golden age of recreational diving, it combines purposeful functionality with Favre-Leuba’s unmistakably unconventional design language.  

Today, it remains one of vintage diving’s best-kept secrets, a charismatic and wonderfully wearable sports watch from an era when experimentation was just as important as performance. 

Please refer to the high-resolution pictures to assess the overall condition of the watch. 

MODEL / REFERENCE: Favre-Leuba Deep Blue dive watch, reference 59603. Dating from the 1960s. Inventory Code: ALP-02. 

DIAL + HANDS: Beautifully preserved, MK II grey dial with a gentle, even aging throughout. The applied quarter-hour markers remain crisp, while the elongated luminous indexes have acquired a rich khaki patina that almost matches the original arrow hands. The latter has started to darken on the hour and the seconds hands. Please note the loss of lume on the minutes hand.  

The distinctive circular date aperture between 4 and 5 o’clock remains one of the model’s most recognizable design cues, with a clean sharp disc and crisp, complete printing all over.   

CRYSTAL: Domed acrylic crystal in good vintage condition, displaying various surface marks commensurate with age and use. 

CASE: Stainless-steel case measuring 39mm in diameter, offering an outstanding wrist presence. It retains its original proportions despite honest signs of wear accumulated over decades of use. The broad bevels and flowing lines remain well defined, while the seemingly polished surface retains its brushed finish and displays no major dents, just various light scratches throughout.  

The bidirectional rotating diving bezel is fitted with its original black acrylic insert, which remains remarkably well preserved. The luminous triangle at 12 o’clock is intact, while the insert displays only minor signs of use and a pleasing vintage character. 

CASEBACK: Stainless-steel screw-down case back bearing a crisp and well defined medallion at the centre. The engravings remain deep and legible, while the surface shows honest wear and surface scratches consistent with age. The inner side is clean and decorated with a perlage motif. 

CROWN: Unsigned crown, a generic replacement. It operates well, allowing smooth manual winding, date adjustment and time setting. 

MOVEMENT: Favre-Leuba signed automatic calibre 1152, based on the proven A. Schild 1687 architecture. Featuring automatic winding and date function, this reliable movement has been checked by our watchmaker and runs properly while keeping good time. 

STRAP: Dark brown leather NATO strap with white stitching, offering a comfortable fit. 

ACCESSORIES: Saffiano leather watch roll. 

WARRANTY: We guarantee the authenticity of the watch. We also provide a 12-month warranty for the correct function of this timepiece. All guarantees are subject to the General Terms and Conditions. 

Please feel free to ask questions; we will be glad to answer. Personal or virtual viewing is available by appointment.