#620 ETERNA KONTIKI DIVER 1000M AUTOMATIC CHRONOMETER RARE Reference 1594.44.40.1154 | Swiss Made

ETERNA KONTIKI DIVER 1000M AUTOMATIC CHRONOMETER

Reference 1594.44.40.1154 | Swiss Made

ASKING PRICE: $9,850 OBO

A rare and imposing Swiss professional dive watch combining Eterna’s heritage dating to 1856, the legendary Kon-Tiki expedition story, serious 1,000-meter diving specifications and an officially certified chronometer automatic movement.

The Eterna KonTiki Diver Ref. 1594.44.40.1154 is not simply another luxury sports watch. Its enormous 46 mm architectural case, unusual internal dive-timing system, power-reserve display, luminous professional-diver dial and historic KonTiki raft caseback make it one of the most distinctive modern watches produced by Eterna.

THE ETERNA STORY — SWISS WATCHMAKING SINCE 1856

Eterna’s history dates to 1856 in Grenchen, Switzerland, giving the company more than a century and a half of Swiss watchmaking heritage.

Eterna became particularly important in the development of automatic watches. In 1948, the company introduced an innovative automatic winding system using five miniature ball bearings to support the rotor, reducing friction and improving efficiency.

Those five ball bearings became such an important symbol of the company that they inspired Eterna’s famous five-dot logo, still visible on the dial of this KonTiki.

THE LEGENDARY 1947 KON-TIKI EXPEDITION

The KonTiki name has a remarkable history.

In 1947, Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl and five companions set out from Peru aboard a hand-built balsa-wood raft named Kon-Tiki.

Heyerdahl wanted to demonstrate that long-distance Pacific voyages could have been accomplished using relatively simple ancient sailing technology.

The six-man expedition spent approximately 101 days at sea, traveling roughly 8,000 kilometers / 4,300 nautical miles across the Pacific before reaching the Polynesian region.

Eterna’s historical account states that members of the expedition carried Eterna watches during this remarkable journey.

The expedition became the inspiration for Eterna’s famous KonTiki collection.

That history remains visible on this watch today—the caseback carries the distinctive KonTiki raft medallion, connecting this modern professional diver with the legendary Pacific expedition.

ETERNA KONTIKI DIVER 1000M

Reference 1594.44.40.1154 represents a much more modern and technically extreme interpretation of the KonTiki concept.

Instead of producing a conventional recreational dive watch, Eterna created a substantial professional mechanical instrument originally engineered for an extraordinary:

1,000 METERS / 3,300 FEET / 100 ATM WATER RESISTANCE

The result is an unmistakable watch with tremendous wrist presence.

DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS

Brand: Eterna
Collection: KonTiki Diver
Reference: 1594.44.40.1154
Manufacture: Swiss Made
Movement: Mechanical automatic / self-winding
Caliber: ETA 2897
Certification: Officially Certified Chronometer
Case Material: Stainless steel
Case Diameter: Approximately 46 mm
Case Thickness: Approximately 16 mm
Crystal: Thick anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Dial: Black
Water Resistance: Originally manufacturer-rated to 1,000 meters / 3,300 feet / 100 ATM
Hours: Central
Minutes: Central
Seconds: Central
Date Display: Yes
Power Reserve Indicator: Yes
Dive Timing: Rotating internal diver scale
Luminous Material: Super-LumiNova hands and markers
Strap: Black rubber
Clasp: Folding/deployant diver-style clasp
Caseback: KonTiki expedition raft medallion

OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED CHRONOMETER

At the heart of this KonTiki is the respected ETA 2897 automatic mechanical caliber.

This particular KonTiki was designed as a precision instrument and carries the coveted:

OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED CHRONOMETER

designation directly on its dial.

In addition to hours, minutes and central seconds, the watch incorporates a date display and highly visible power-reserve indicator, providing the wearer with an immediate indication of the remaining stored energy in the mechanical movement.

DISTINCTIVE PROFESSIONAL DIVE-WATCH CONSTRUCTION

Look closely at the side photographs.

This KonTiki has an extraordinary architectural case design with large open sections around the perimeter.

It is dramatically different from the traditional case and external bezel found on most Swiss dive watches.

The model incorporates an unusual internal rotating diver scale and purpose-built operating mechanism.

The massive stainless-steel construction and approximately 46 mm diameter give the watch a formidable presence while maintaining the distinctive industrial styling of this generation of KonTiki.

SUPER-LUMINOVA NIGHT DISPLAY

The large hands, indexes and diving indications were designed for excellent visibility.

The included actual lume photograph demonstrates the dramatic nighttime appearance of the dial.

Large luminous hour and minute hands combined with prominent markers allow the display to remain highly legible under low-light conditions.

ICONIC KONTIKI CASEBACK

Turn the watch over and its heritage becomes immediately apparent.

The caseback carries an elaborate KonTiki raft medallion, commemorating the legendary Pacific expedition that gave this collection its name.

For collectors, this is one of the most attractive design details of the KonTiki series.

COLLECTOR APPEAL

Ref. 1594.44.40.1154 brings together an unusual combination of characteristics:

• Historic Swiss manufacturer founded in 1856
• Legendary Kon-Tiki exploration heritage
• Rare Ref. 1594.44.40.1154 configuration
• 46 mm professional diving case
• Original 1,000-meter / 3,300-foot depth specification
• ETA 2897 automatic movement
• Official chronometer certification
• Power-reserve complication
• Date display
• Sapphire crystal
• Super-LumiNova illumination
• Unusual internal dive-timing system
• Architectural stainless-steel case construction
• Black rubber strap
• Elaborate KonTiki raft caseback

For a collector who already owns the more familiar Swiss dive watches, the KonTiki offers something substantially different.

It combines Swiss horological history, exploration heritage and extreme professional-diver engineering in a watch rarely encountered in everyday collections.

CONDITION

Actual watch shown in the photographs.

Please examine all photographs carefully because they are considered part of the condition description.

The photographs include the actual:

Front dial
Side profile
Crown and case construction
Rubber strap and clasp
Caseback and KonTiki medallion
Luminous dial display

Any cosmetic wear visible in the photographs should be considered part of the watch’s condition.

IMPORTANT WATER-RESISTANCE NOTICE

The 1,000-meter / 3,300-foot / 100 ATM figure refers to the model’s original manufacturer specification.

Because seals and gaskets age, no pre-owned mechanical dive watch should be taken underwater based solely on its original rating.

Professional pressure testing and inspection by a qualified watchmaker are recommended before any underwater use.

PRICE

ASKING PRICE: $9,850 OBO

Serious and reasonable offers are welcome.

HighTech Labs LLC
Contact: 415-200-5635

Reference: Eterna 1594.44.40.1154

A remarkable opportunity to acquire an uncommon piece of modern Eterna history—a professional Swiss mechanical diver carrying the name and spirit of one of the twentieth century’s most famous ocean expeditions.

FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE — COPY & PASTE

ETERNA KONTIKI DIVER 1000M AUTOMATIC CHRONOMETER – RARE SWISS WATCH

Ref. 1594.44.40.1154

PRICE: $9,850 OBO

Offered for sale is an impressive Eterna KonTiki Diver 1000M, one of Eterna’s most distinctive professional mechanical dive watches.

This is a substantial approximately 46 mm Swiss automatic chronometer, originally engineered for an extraordinary 1,000 meters / 3,300 feet / 100 ATM water resistance.

THE KONTIKI STORY

Eterna’s history dates to 1856 in Grenchen, Switzerland.

The KonTiki name commemorates Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl’s legendary 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition.

Heyerdahl and five companions departed Peru aboard a hand-built balsa-wood raft and spent approximately 101 days crossing the Pacific, traveling roughly 8,000 kilometers before reaching Polynesia.

Eterna’s historical account states that members of this famous expedition carried Eterna watches.

The adventure subsequently inspired one of the company’s most recognizable watch families—the Eterna KonTiki.

The beautiful raft medallion on the back of this watch commemorates that history.

WATCH SPECIFICATIONS

Brand: Eterna
Model: KonTiki Diver 1000M
Reference: 1594.44.40.1154
Swiss Made
Movement: ETA 2897 automatic mechanical
Certification: Officially Certified Chronometer
Case: Stainless steel
Diameter: Approx. 46 mm
Thickness: Approx. 16 mm
Crystal: Sapphire
Dial: Black
Original Water Resistance: 1,000M / 3,300FT / 100 ATM
Power Reserve Indicator: Yes
Date: Yes
Luminous Hands & Markers: Super-LumiNova
Dive Scale: Internal rotating system
Strap: Black rubber
Clasp: Folding/deployant
Caseback: Historic KonTiki expedition raft medallion

WHY THIS WATCH IS SPECIAL

This is not your typical Swiss dive watch.

The Ref. 1594.44.40.1154 combines a massive architectural stainless-steel case, unusual internal dive-timing system, certified automatic chronometer movement, power-reserve display and Eterna’s historic KonTiki design language.

The side of the case is particularly impressive, with open architectural sections giving the watch an almost mechanical/marine-instrument appearance.

The nighttime lume is equally dramatic—see the actual lume photograph included in the listing.

CONDITION

Actual watch pictured.

Please review all photographs carefully for cosmetic condition.

The original 1,000M water-resistance specification does NOT guarantee current water resistance. As with any pre-owned dive watch, it should be professionally pressure-tested before being taken underwater.

$9,850 OBO

Serious reasonable offers considered.

HighTech Labs LLC
415-200-5635

Eterna KonTiki Diver 1000M
Reference 1594.44.40.1154

Swiss heritage. Legendary exploration history. Serious professional-diver engineering.