Dan Henry offers vintage-inspired watches at accessible prices. Countless companies might fit that description, but the founder of the eponymous brand has an angle. Mr. Dan Henry is a collector first and foremost, he knows what his fellow collectors want and appreciate — and he's been offering exactly that in highly affordable watches longer than many who would claim the same.
Henry's collection, full of 1,500 pieces amassed over three decades and chronicled as part of his website timeline.watch included rare, expensive and historically important watches. Many are some of the most iconic vintage watches collectors obsess over, but because of their scarcity, few people can actually own, much less wear said icons. So Henry's brand offers ten distinct models named by year (and closely inspired by iconic watches of the era) to give everyone the ability to tap into that collector world and vintage aesthetic — at rock-bottom prices.
One of Dan Henry's earlier (and cult-favorite) models is the 1970, a super-compressor style watch modeled after the Exactus Super Compressor. Available in both 40mm and 44mm cases (and a number of color schemes), the watch features an automatic Seiko Caliber NH35 movement, sapphire coated double domed mineral glass crystal and 60-minute inner rotating bezel. What's more, it costs just $290.
We got our hands on one to see how it wears, its build quality and if it's worth your money.
Dan Henry 1970 Automatic Diver: What We Think
The Dan Henry 1970 offers incredible value: vintage-inspired details, a solid build and no-nonsense components for just $290. While you could spend ten times as much for the vintage watch this was based on (if you can find it), chances are it wouldn't be nearly as reliable. The 1970's Seiko Caliber NH35 movement is great for daily wear, and on the rubber Tropic-style strap the vintage aesthetic is sure to turn heads and start conversations. If you're looking for an affordable automatic diver with retro looks — or that specifically references the unique super-compressors of the 1960s and '70s — this is your best bet for the money.
Spot-on vintage aesthetic
Compare the Dan Henry 1970 and the Exactus Super Compressor side by side and the similarities are endless. The 1970 takes liberties with a few small details like a different second hand shape, modified stick hands and different branding. While the Exactus was a 36mm watch, the 1970 is sized for modern preferences (though these are trending toward the 36mm range once again) — the watch I tested is 40mm.
Functionally, the Swiss LumiNova is bold and bright and the 60-min inner rotating bezel (controlled by the 2 o’clock crown) turns smoothly. The cross-hatched crowns are easy to operate and perhaps even more tactile than the Exactus. While the black PVD-coated steel on my version is more Enicar Sherpa-Ops than Exactus, it still feels period appropriate.
The watch comes with a dive-ready Tropic-style strap, appropriate, given the 1970 is water resistant to 200 meters. And don't worry, while the main crown at 4 o'clock (for winding and time-setting) is screwed down for water resistance, the 2 o'clock crown can still be operated underwater — though it's not as easy to do so as the more familiar style of dive watches with external bezels.
This is a hefty watch
Though super compressors were less chunky than many traditional dive watches, they still needed to be water-resistant, with thicker cases resulting — and the 1970 follows suit. The 40mm watch is 14.8mm thick, so it's even a bit thicker than the Exactus it was modeled on. That said, you know you're wearing it — it's bold, it's eye-catching and it's prominent on the wrist. If you wear fitted dress shirts or long sleeve shirts, it may not share space nicely with the cuffs, but this is a dive watch and it's certainly more suited to casual settings.
The details make it feel more expensive
It's hard to expect a lot from a sub-$300 mechanical watch these days, but the 1970 delivers an array of thoughtful details. The screw-back case features a 3D "Scaphtopus" (an octopus in a dive helmet), the applied indices add a level of polish to the build, the crystal has an anti-reflective treatment and the dual cross-hatched crowns feel more textured than those on the original.
All this with the workhorse Seiko Caliber NH35 movement pack a ton of value into a very robust little package. Would the likes of sapphire crystal and a higher-end movement like a Miyota 9000 series or even a Swiss one be even better? Sure, but those would inevitably raise the price — and there are plenty of other watches that offer that...
Dan Henry 1970 Automatic Diver: Alternatives
While Timex also has an affordable super-compressor style watch at $179, it features a quartz movement, 100 meters of water resistance and a more modern style. If you're looking for something still affordable, but in the sub-$1,000 price range, the Marnaut Seascape (€699) and the Baltic Aquascaphe Dual-Crown ($775) are both solid options. Both of those watches offer 200m of water resistance and automatic movements. Over $1,000 there are numerous super-compressor style watches available, but my personal favorite is the Alpina Seastrong Diver 300 Heritage ($1,695) which features a Sellita SW200 automatic movement and 300m of water resistance.
