Vintage diver watch with sub seconds

Grand Malmaison Vintage Diver – Hand-Wound French Mechanical

For sale is a vintage Grand Malmaison diver-style wristwatch, freshly fully serviced and fitted with a new strap.

The watch presents extremely well, with a clean, attractive dial, strong lume, and classic tool-watch proportions.

Key details
- Manual-wind mechanical movement
- Sub-seconds at 6 o’clock
- Stainless-steel case, screw-back
“Waterproof” caseback engraving (period correct)
- New strap, ready to wear
- Running well after full service

Movement & history
Inside is the France Ébauches FE 233-68 E-21, a robust hand-wound French movement produced in the late 1960s–1970s. France Ébauches was a major supplier of reliable mechanical calibres used across Europe, known for practicality, durability, and ease of servicing.

The FE 233 family traces its roots to the earlier Cupillard designs and represents the last strong generation of French mechanical watchmaking before the quartz era.

Why this watch is interesting?
Most dive watches use central seconds for instant legibility. A sub-seconds diver is genuinely uncommon, giving this watch a distinctive, almost experimental feel—combining utilitarian dive aesthetics with a more traditional mechanical layout. It’s a great example of the creative variety seen in pre-quartz tool watches.
Overall
A characterful vintage diver with real mechanical charm, an unusual seconds configuration, and a freshly serviced movement—ideal for someone who wants something different from the usual big-brand offerings.