The
Super KonTiki is easily one of my favorites and would probably make it
on to my top ten-list (which I will put together as soon as we reach
present
day). This version was the limited edition reissue based on the dive
watch
from 1973 (hence limited to 1973 pieces) and is perhaps most known as
the watch that was issued to the IDF. I’d been looking for a used one
for so long but they rarely showed up and when they did they were
located in
the US (as they always are!) and the pricing was ridiculous. Then suddenly in May 2014 it
popped up
on my local forum and of course I sat there with no cash and all my
money tied
up in watches. I tried to get the seller interested in a trade but
without any
luck. I thought it would be gone in an instant but apparently it wasn’t
that
sought after on the Swedish market and I was lucky enough to have a
whole month
to sell of some stuff and later in mid-June when I had scraped the cash together I
finally got
it.
 |
| #227 - The Eterna Super KonTiki 1973 limited edition from the Heritage series, ref. 1973.41.41.1230. |
To me the Super KonTiki is one of those true dive watch icons just like the
Doxa SUB or the Omega Ploprof 600. I thought it was going to wear big with its
44mm but it felt smaller and was actually great to wear. Looking at it made me
smile. I loved the shark mesh but I was afraid that the belt buckle clasp would get caught in something which would cause it to open, and I didn’t want to
experience what a drop to the ground would do to a heavy watch like that. So I
bought a new shark mesh with a polished butterfly clasp for it from Strapcode,
just like I did for my blue Squale 50atm, and it turned out fantastic. I later
picked up a 22mm Isofrane rubber and that really became a smash hit. It looked
awesome and I ended up wearing it on the Isofrane most of the time. Just by
looking at it I would easily classify it as a 1000m watch and it is quite disappointing
when you learn it is only rated to 200m. With a case like that I was sure it must
be able to withstand greater depths than that.
 |
| With the new mesh and clasp. |
 |
| At a wedding. Didn't really fit under the shirt. |
I kept it for about a month and a half and when I sold it in late July I was
lucky enough to find someone just like me who also was looking for one within
Sweden and who also happened to appreciate the replacement mesh with the butterfly
clasp and the Isofrane rubber. So for once I could pass it on without losing a
bunch of money. Since I sold it there has only been a few times when I have seen
this model for sale and every time I have been sitting there with my finger on the
trigger ready to pull it. It really is a fantastic watch and I could easily
see myself owning one again.
 |
| A picture of the full set right before it was sold. |
One detail worth mentioning a little extra was the accuracy of the
movement. I never had to set the time except for once when I received it. Then it kept on ticking spot on +/- 0 seconds/day during the whole time I had it. Pretty amazing for a
regular non-COSC certified ETA 2824-2!
 |
| Out pike fishing in the end of June 2014. |
 |
| Watches approved for fishing! |
Last year Eterna released a couple of new Super KonTiki’s but with SW200
movements (instead of ETA) and a new dial design. Not a very successful design
in my opinion. They all looked boring. I prefer the limited version and the original look.
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Flipper's Diary unless noted.
