The whole BP rolex debate, which was first etc.

Mredsnapper

Interesting thread here

http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?276991-Movado-WW2-watch-gorgeous!

Interesting especially given the eternal debate over which came first, the BP FF or the Rolex sub. Looks to me like rotating bezels had actually been around for a long time already.

Wibbs

Yea they have alright M. Both internal and external bezels/pointers. The earliest I've seen of the rotating external bezel type(usually lockable, but not always) were late 20's early 30's on pilots watches like the Longines Hour angle(which was the first of that particular breed). Oh if I win the lotto...

On dive watches I can't recall seeing any rotating bevels before the mid 50's, though I could be way off there? I suppose it may have been a sealing/reliability issue? World war two era divers watches were bezel free. EG the original Panerais(though Rolex had an in there as the originals(usually) used their movements).

Mredsnapper

It seems logical (to me anyway) that if timing was required for a divers watch then the working external bezel tech from aviation would have been used. Unless of course the bezel mech. was too fragile in its original aviation format to be easily transferred to diver's. Would love to learn more about this given the endlessly reoccuring Rolex/BP first to innovate argument.