Cadola with helium escape crown

Just purchased a 1960s Cadola 20 atmos divers watch.

I'm struggling to find out anything about the brand?

The interesting thing it has a helium escape winding crown.

Is this case and crown used by other manufacturers? Did Cadola just put there on dial too the case and movement?

Most other Cadola watches are average in quality, this has a really high end quality. All steel, 25 jewels, automatic with glucydur and Nivaflex proudly emblazoned on the dial.

Just feels a massive step up for the brand.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

Badenhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...60bee42927.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...09a94678a0.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f16f1e7ff4.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...3dee5b05bd.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...213641edcc.jpg

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Very hard to get some info on this Baden.

The only thing that I found was that the watch was manufactured in SA Neuchatel, Switzerland and made by Foidevaux in the late 1960's.

I think Nivaflex is the coating that they apply to the dial to protect it.

Glucydur is the trade name for a metal alloy used for making balance wheels and other parts for mechanical watches.

Nothing useful to add other than it's gorgeous

Stunning.

Well done Sir, that's gorgeous

Nivalex is spring steel, not dial coating.

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Originally Posted by igorRIJEKA

Nivalex is spring steel, not dial coating.

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Thanks igor

The helium escape valve on a 1960's watch is fascinating. The 60's were very early days for saturation diving and the quality of the components in the watch indicates it might have been made specifically for sat divers. Is it a screw down crown?

Reason for talking about sat diving is that this is the only time a helium escape valve serves any purpose. Sat diving involves replacing the nitrogen in the air we breathe with helium to prevent high pressure nitrogen narcosis. The divers spend a month at a time in sat chambers at high pressure and breathing this mixture. When they go into the water, they're lowered to depth in another pressurised chamber (the diving bell) and then open the hatch on the bell floor to enter the water. After the dive is completed, they're back in the bell and then back in the sat chamber. Once their month is up, the chamber is slowly (typically over a week) brought back to normal pressure. As helium is a very light molecule, it diffuses through most things including the watch seals, so the relief valve allows excess pressure to bleed off and prevents the glass from popping out. The divers also have to ensure all bottles like coke, water, tomato ketchup etc are open, otherwise you get quite a messy result.

The 20 bar rating is perfect for sat diving as the watches internal and external pressures are balanced, so there isn't really much differential water pressure when diving.

If it is an early sat diving watch, then I suspect it'll be very rare.

I've never heard of that brand before but that's a really nice looking watch. Great find.

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Originally Posted by LorneG

The helium escape valve on a 1960's watch is fascinating. The 60's were very early days for saturation diving and the quality of the components in the watch indicates it might have been made specifically for sat divers. Is it a screw down crown?

Reason for talking about sat diving is that this is the only time a helium escape valve serves any purpose. Sat diving involves replacing the nitrogen in the air we breathe with helium to prevent high pressure nitrogen narcosis. The divers spend a month at a time in sat chambers at high pressure and breathing this mixture. When they go into the water, they're lowered to depth in another pressurised chamber (the diving bell) and then open the hatch on the bell floor to enter the water. After the dive is completed, they're back in the bell and then back in the sat chamber. Once their month is up, the chamber is slowly (typically over a week) brought back to normal pressure. As helium is a very light molecule, it diffuses through most things including the watch seals, so the relief valve allows excess pressure to bleed off and prevents the glass from popping out. The divers also have to ensure all bottles like coke, water, tomato ketchup etc are open, otherwise you get quite a messy result.

The 20 bar rating is perfect for sat diving as the watches internal and external pressures are balanced, so there isn't really much differential water pressure when diving.

If it is an early sat diving watch, then I suspect it'll be very rare.

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Thank you so much for your really informative reply, I’ve struggled to find any info on these watches.
The crown does screw down and the case is really well constructed so quite high end.

I’ve managed to source an early Accurist diver again with helium escape valve crown, this watch is being sold to me by the original owners son.
His dad worked in shipping so I’m hoping it was a specialist purchase? Does the case have to be specially constructed to fit a helium crown?

Regards Baden

Perhaps take a look at Von Buren /Squale?

I have a similarly aged Squale with a helium escape crown...

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Originally Posted by Mouse

I've never heard of that brand before but that's a really nice looking watch. Great find.

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I concur. Lovely looking thing.

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Originally Posted by Broussard

Perhaps take a look at Von Buren /Squale?

I have a similarly aged Squale with a helium escape crown...

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Case sides and crown look pretty similar to mine, but my Squale lugs are straight across rather than following the dial shape.