Cornavin Genève Diver P.810 First Series

This rare and cool Cornavin Genève reference P.810 is a diving watch from the 1960s. Its generously sized 42 mm stainless steel case houses an unusual black dial with decompression scales and a rotating hour display at 6 o’clock. Particularly interesting is the rare early dial variant featuring a radium luminous ring around the outer edge, an anchor logo and the inscription “MOD. DEP.”.

The history of the Cornavin P.810 dates back to 1953, when French inventor David Jayet filed a patent for a diving watch with integrated decompression scales. The model was introduced in the Swiss watchmaking press as early as 1955. Unlike the emerging diving watches of the time, which relied on rotating bezels, the Cornavin featured several concentric scales that allowed divers to determine the required decompression times based on diving depth and duration.

The highlight of this Cornavin is undoubtedly its unusual black dial. This is a rare early version featuring a radium luminous ring around the outer edge of the dial, which, together with the four square luminous markers, was designed to improve legibility underwater. Another characteristic of this early dial variant is the anchor logo and the inscription “MOD. DEP.”, an abbreviation of the French “Modèle Déposé”, referring to the registered design of the watch.

The time display also follows an unusual concept. Instead of a conventional hour hand, the P.810 features a rotating hour disc visible through a window at 6 o’clock. This design was intended to prevent confusion with the minute hand, which was essential for measuring diving time.

The 42 mm stainless steel case was generously proportioned for its time and remains in very good condition. Thanks to its impressive size and the absence of a traditional diving bezel, the case has a particularly distinctive appearance and an impressive presence on the wrist. A unique design that simply looks cool. The screw-down caseback features the reference P.810 along with various technical markings. The central AMF logo refers to American Machine & Foundry, the American company that acquired the patent rights to the design. Inside beats the automatic Felsa caliber 810.

A rarely encountered early diving watch with a distinctive technical design, an unusual time display and a characteristic dial layout.

Condition Report
Dial: flawless black dial - fully intact decompression scales - original radium luminous material on the hour markers and outer dial ring with even, authentic patina - signed: "Cornavin Genève", "25 Rubis", "MOD. DEP."

Case: 42 mm stainless steel case - very minor signs of wear - intact lugs - screw-down caseback with very well-preserved engravings - width between the lugs: 22 mm

Movement: Felsa automatic caliber 810 - timegrapher results: rate -7 s/day, beat error: 0.1 ms, amplitude: 265°.

Serial number: 45x

Int.Exe.: 2853200