Eberhard & Co. Scafograf 200 Onde Bleue

Quick specs Eberhard & Co. Scafograf 200 Onde Bleue
Price: $ 3,900 | € 3.280 | approx. £ 2,800 | approx. CHF 3’100 (rubber)
Size: 43 mm
Reference: 41046 – limited to 137 pieces

This Eberhard & Co. Scafograf 200 Onde Bleue is launched at the Genoa International Boat Show as the brand is the official timekeeper at that event. It also provides the opportunity to underline the brand’s diving heritage again, as the Scafograf plays an important role in the development of diving watches.

Already in 1958 Eberhard & Co. registers the name “Scafograf”, possibly coming from the Italian word for diving suite (“scafandro”). This combined with the word “graph” or “graf”, used for measuring devices like in the word “chronograph”. In 1959 Eberhard launches two models, limited to 200 pieces each; the Scafograf 100 and the Scafograf 200, where the number indicates the water resistance.

Features of the vintage Eberhard & Co. Scafograf

The vintage Eberhard & Co. Scafograf 100, the model from 1959 with reference 11535, is a 36-millimeter stainless steel diver without a rotating bezel. The water resistance is achieved by a one-piece or monobloc case (like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak for instance). It has long chamfered horns and inside runs an automatic Felsa caliber 1560.

The dial design is really suitable for diving as everything is big. Big triangle-shaped markers at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock positions with large round markers in between. All with white/crème luminescent material on a black background with a minute track at the flange. Then a large, short hour hand with large triangle tip, also luminescent, and a luminescent baton-shaped minute hand. The thin seconds hand has a luminescent dot almost at the tip.

Design of the Scafograf 200 Onde Bleue

All the dial design features from the very first Scafograf are present on the new Scafograf 200 Onde Bleue. But of course, there are some changes. The background is deep blue with a light blue wave pattern, “onde bleue” is French for “blue waves”. The case is 43 millimeters and sports a steel unidirectional bezel with blue ceramic insert and luminescent material on the first quarter of the minute scale.

The crown is screwed, and the case has a helium escape valve in order to preserve the movement when diving up tot 200 meters / 660 feet. The triangle hour markers and dots f the 1959 model are still present, and so are the oversized hands in the same shape as the original. The luminescent material used here is vintage style, a yellow-ish / off-white hue.

The Eberhard & Co. Scafograf 200 Onde Bleue has a power reserve of 41 hours

The movement of the Eberhard & Co. Scafograf 200 Onde Bleue is the Sellita caliber SW200-1 b, a three-hander automatic without date. The power reserve indicated by Sellita for this movement is 41 hours. You cannot admire it as the screwed case back is from steel, engraved with the brand’s historic starfish, a symbol of the collection since its creation.

This Scafo comes on an integrated light blue rubber strap with stainless steel buckle or a stainless steel bracelet with double-button clasp. The latter adds about 800 to the price. And where the 1959 Scafograf reference 11535 is limited to 200 pieces, this new one can become even scarcer as it is limited to 137 pieces. A nod to the brand’s age at this moment.