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Back in early 2013 we posted the “Jaws watch” in a Watches on the Screen segment. As we mentioned in that post, the question as to what watch was on the wrist of Richard Dreyfuss, playing Hooper, was one of the best known and longest running “mysteries” among watch nerds. It wasn’t until 2010, 35 years after the film’s release, was the mystery solved: the watch was an Alsta Nautoscaph. The brand has been long since forgotten and few examples of the watch are still out in the wild. But, if you want to capture the look of the “Jaws watch” there is still a way.
Resco Instruments, founded in 2009, makes a variety of divers and military style watches. Their first generation Patriot is on the wrist of over 100 active US Navy SEALs. This brand, based out of Coronado, California, has taken the design of the Alsta Nautoscaph and recreated it in the Resco Hooper.
The Hooper is a modern version of the Alsta that captures the look of this great vintage dive watch. There are subtle differences in the dials and the seconds hand has the Resco trident but otherwise they are spitting images. The Hooper has a 42mm case available in stainless (limited to 100) or PVD finish (limited to 200) with a 200M WR rating and a domed sapphire crustal with an inner anti-reflective coating. The bezel, with 120 clicks, is a great remake of the Alsta with the same black and silver finish with both five minute markings hour markings as well.
As mentioned the dials are very similar in appearance. The Resco has slightly smaller markers for some of the hours and the date wheel is white on black, rather than black on white on the Alsta. The Resco text at 12 recreates the curved look of the Alsta text on the original, while the descriptive text above 6 does differ on the Resco, using an italicized font. The Hooper uses BWG9 SuperLuminova which should give it a great, strong lume.
Inside the Hooper is the Valanvron VAL-24 automatic movement. This is a 25 jewel movement beating at 28,800 vph with a quickset date and hacking seconds. Reports are that the movement is based on the Sea-Gull ST2130 which is rebuilt to qualify for the Swiss Made label. The VAL-24 is designed to be an ETA 2824 “competitor” and is similar in many ways.
The Hooper ships on a 20mm Resco NATO strap and can be ordered directly from the Resco website. The stainless model will run you $1,055 USD while the PVD version is $1,255. Both are limited runs as mentioned above, so if you want to grab one get in before they’re gone.
