Introducing Ollech & Wajs C-1000-A Celebrates 60 Years of the Caribbean 1000 Edition

Joseph Ollech and Albert Wajs established Ollech & Wajs in 1956. They leased a small premises in Zurich and began making watches a year later. In 1964, OW shocked the industry by launching the OW Caribbean 1000 Precision, which boasted a record-breaking depth rating of 1,000 meters. Its innovative monobloc 'Triple-Safe' case could go 700 meters deeper than anything Rolex or Omega had achieved at that time.

After 60 years at the helm, advancing in age and with failing eyesight, Albert Wajs decided it was time to hand the company over. OW’s former distributor for the French market, a long-term collector, took over. Over the previous five years, OW had developed an exceptional new range of timepieces, equal to any challenge and exemplifying the original vision of Joseph Ollech and Albert Wajs.

The dive watch launched in 1964 radicalized the diving watch game with its record-breaking 1000m water resistance rating, taking tool watches to a whole new level. Now, on the 60th anniversary of that timepiece, Ollech & Wajs have launched a tribute model called the C-1000 A.

One common side effect of designing a watch to resist impressive depths is that they often have to be quite large. However, the C-1000 A is only 39.5mm in diameter, making it smaller on the dive watch spectrum, although somewhat offset by its thickness of 15.8mm. 

Designed to keep the DNA of the original watch, the new edition retains the sharp triangular shape of the lugs, resembling two fangs. On top of the case sits a broad bi-directional rotating bezel with a fluted edge and adorned with a 12-hour scale. From a side profile, the dome of both the bezel and sapphire crystal is clearly visible.

The dial features a black and white design emphasizing legibility above all else. Notable updates compared to the original design include triangular hour indices at 12, 3, and 9 o'clock, and moving the date function from 3 to 6. The sword-shaped hour and minute hands and the indices come with a luminescent coating.

The movement inside the C-1000 A offers a choice of two calibers. There is a special edition of 56 numbered pieces equipped with new old stock (NOS) ETA 2824-2 calibres, representing the last of OW’s stock of this historic and well-regarded workhorse movement. Beyond that first 56, the C-1000 A utilizes the Soprod Newton Precision P092 with a 44-hour power reserve and +/-5 seconds per day accuracy.

The watch is priced at CHF 1,856, equivalent to 7,700 AED, on a cadmium yellow RAF-style NATO strap. It is also compatible with the M-Heritage bracelet, which can be bought for an additional CHF 126, equivalent to 525 AED.

For more information please visit Ollech & Wajs official website.