Ref. Report - Eberhard Scafograf 300

Ref. Report: Eberhard Scafograf 300

This is an interesting one. Toward the end of my trip to California—after several successful finds and a number of spectacular watches sold—I was still missing one final discovery: this Eberhard Scafograf 300. I spotted this beauty two weeks ago at a coin shop. I had previously purchased from them, so it was a pleasure to see that they had started offering vintage watches as well. Being a gold and silver coin buyer means people often bring in other valuable artifacts, including vintage watches. One of the associates, familiar with my preference for vintage pieces, showed me the Eberhard. It was dirty, untouched, and fitted with a heavily scratched crystal — exactly the kind of condition that makes a discovery exciting.

Even though it was difficult to clearly see the dial, the tone of the lume could still be spotted — a dark, perfect pumpkin orange. The sales associate mentioned they had purchased the dive watch from a local older gentleman who had found it in a storage unit. As I mentioned in my last article, pieces like this are relatively easy to evaluate in terms of originality. I could spot the sharpness of the HF case without even holding it, and the original bracelet was tight and complete. Everything appeared correct — it simply needed a fresh service and the right audience.

The day I first spotted the diver, we couldn’t agree on a price. To my surprise, this past Saturday I received a counteroffer that seemed fair. I jumped in the car and didn’t look back. It turned into a smooth and quick deal, and I couldn’t be happier.

Let’s dive into this gem. This is an Eberhard Scafograf 300 ref. 26013 from 1965 — the clasp is dated 4/65. The Scafograf line of divers was initially introduced in 1958. First came the Scafograf 100, without a rotating bezel and aesthetically closer to a simple tool watch like the Rolex Explorer 1016. Then came the Scafograf 200, now with a larger crown, a straight-lug case, and an outer rotating bezel. Finally we arrive at the Scafograf 300, featuring a fantastic twisted-lug case made by Huguenin Frères.

Yes, my initial thought was the same — it resembles an Omega Seamaster 300, but with its own personality. The case is indeed made by the same HF manufacturer. As a result, we get an incredibly attractive 42mm twisted-lug design with a slim, almost hidden signed crown. The aluminum bezel insert is in excellent condition and still retains the original tritium lume triangle at 12. The case remains unpolished, showing no significant dents or scratches. My guess is that it was probably not worn regularly but stored somewhere with some exposure to light, which allowed this beautiful and even patina to develop — before eventually ending up in the darkness of a storage unit.

This reference features stick hour markers and stick hands filled with tritium over a matte black dial. Some earlier dials were gilt and featured triangular markers and hands — a bit funkier in appearance. The date wheel is roulette, which adds another cool detail to this already under-the-radar diver. Finally, I’m taking this beauty home, and it will accompany me and my partner for a hunting week in Mexico City. Not too flashy, but definitely recognizable to the trained eye. It also feels like the perfect way to close out a wonderful trip to California.

P.S.

This watch was almost going to be offered on a strap, as I momentarily lost one of the end links down the drain while doing a deep cleaning. It was eventually found after two hours — and a lot of help.