Vintage Blancpain Steel Aqua Lung "No Radiations" Automatic Wristwatch

This Watch has a replacement case~Not Original Case (or perhaps, just the bezel/insert is a replacement--see below regarding one  sold by Heritage auctions below with the same case (second link for the original auction listing).

Case: stainless steel, screw back, 45.25 lug to lug, 37.5mm without crown, wide rotating black bezel with reeded/coin edge, No. 301417 on back; lug size 19mm

Dial: matte black, luminous kite shape shield hour index at 12 O'clock; round and baton indexes for the rest, white minute lines, luminous steel batons, yellow and red "No Rad..." symbol at six.

Movement: caliber AS 1700/1, automatic, 17 jewels, rotor signed Blancpain Rayville S.A. ~ This is a correct movement for these Vintage Aqualung watches. Movement dates to ca. 1965.

These recased watches or "pastiches" have been dubbed "frankenstein" watches due to the parts being combined with non-original pieces~that's fine with me.  Someone sent me a link to an obvious fake which was easily spotted by the poor quality replica rotor--totally wrong (Interestingly, I was offered $500 for just the rotor!)

 Certainly, this watch is not for the purist~then again, complete original would be ten times the price!

New Rally Style Leather Band--thick full hide, regular length.

I have had this watch for over 10 years~family member acquired it from another collector--it has been serviced twice--runs well and keeps good time. One of the times it was in for service the watchmaster relumed two of the hour indexes--11 and 3 o'clock--the only way I could recall which two is that the lume is brighter in the dark at 11 and 3 (in hand all the luming is a bit darker--due to photo lights/contrast lume appears a bit lighter.

please note: case back was opened to photograph and has not been subsequently pressure tested for water resistance--vintage watches truly should not be presumed to be water-proof and we make to warranty guarantee regarding waterproof--I would never wear a watch of this caliber in water!

Features baton--correct style--hour and minute hand--second hand is typically an arrow/shield shape--ours features a lollipop style which is found on Military Germany version of this watch. See "TIME ZONE" Article on the History of the Fifty Fathoms--notice the the image of the German Military model from same period, c. 1965--same as our watch--same second hand.

http://people.timezone.com/jmerino/history50.pdf

The watch has been re-cased--NOT the original case (see the near identical watch sold by Heritage in the first linkwith the exact case); the dial is correct--X cross-out over the rad. symbol is correct--typically the black X over the radiation symbol will cover the center red dot on the aftermarket dials.

Following are three similar watches--two with same case numbers/same or similar correct movements.

Of note, The three example links below do not have a correct second hand--but ours has the second hand found on the German military model from 1965.

Here is a nearly identical watch sold at Heritage Auctions (one of the largest/the largest sellers of vintage high-end watches). Even has the exact same case/back including numbering, lettering, exact fonts, layout -- same size -- One would think their vetting experts would easily spot a non-original case--if that is the original case then our watch features the original case as well and just the rotating bezel has been replaced--quite intriguing.

Same crown and the only difference is the bezel and insert which is 0.5mm larger in diameter (37.5 vs 38mm), and movement caliber AS 1681 vs. AS 1700/1~not unusual as different calibers were used over the years of production.

jewelry.ha.com/itm/timepieces/wristwatch/blancpain-steel-aqua-lung-no-rads-automatic-wristwatch/a/5137-58035.s?

Sold for $3750, May 2013.

See this one with same numbering Bezel and also recased--same case number--sold for $3720:  Please Note--this link is no longer working and way back machine was hacked recently but please see screen shots in last two images (recently have been successful on Bravo browser showing link not so on Firefox).

https://auction.catawiki.com/kavels/1562237-blancpain-aqua-lung-diver-s-watch-1960s

See also this one--also very similar and features the same numbering type rotating bezel--can only imagine the price "available upon request" (also was on chrono24):

https://robertmaron.com/blancpain-aqua-lung-automatic-military-us-navy-issued-40mm-new-old-stock.html

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