Vintage Zodiac Wristwatch 113.21.07 Quartz Red Dot Night Diver circa 1990s

SPECIFICATION

Reference: Zodiac 113.21.07
Movement: ETA 955.114
Age: Circa 1990s
Case Size: 38mm
Case Thickness:10mm
Lug to Lug: 44mm
Lug Width: 18mm
Condition: Used Zodiac watch
Box and Papers: No
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Warranty: 12-Months Warranty

POINTS TO MENTION

• In great pre-owned condition, with some light wear
  
• Case and bezel have some light scratches and marks
  
• Night diver dial has some light freckles
• Serviced quartz movement
• Zodiac signed crown
• Paired with its original signed stainless steel jubilee bracelet with dive extension that fits up to a 7 3/4 inch wrist closed

THE WATCH

The Zodiac Watches reference 113.21.07 is a vintage Swiss-made quartz diver that has developed the nicknamed the “Red Dot Diver” or “Night Diver,” this model was produced around the early 1990s, approximately 1990–1991. It represents a transitional period for the brand, blending traditional dive-watch design with the practicality and accuracy of quartz technology.

The 113.21.07 features a stainless steel case measuring 38 mm in diameter, making it slightly smaller than many modern dive watches but very typical for its era. It is powered by a Swiss ETA quartz movement, the ETA 955.114, known for reliability and ease of maintenance. The watch includes a rotating dive bezel, a screw-down crown and the most bit, the fully lumed dial, along with bold hands and markers for underwater legibility. A date window is positioned at 3 o’clock, and this watch is still fitted with its stainless steel jubilee bracelet style with a dive extension.

To understand the context of this model, it helps to look at the broader history of Zodiac. Founded in 1882 in Le Locle, Switzerland, the brand became especially well known for its tool watches, particularly dive watches such as the Sea Wolf introduced in the 1950s. During the quartz crisis of the 1970s and into the 1980s and 1990s, Zodiac—like many Swiss brands—adapted by producing reliable quartz models. Around the time the 113.21.07 was released, the company was under the leadership of Willy Gad Monnier, formerly associated with TAG Heuer, and some design influences from that era can be seen in the watch’s practical, sport-focused styling.

A BIT OF TRIVIA

In 1882 Ariste Calame sets up a workshop to produce specialized watches. The son of a watchmaker, Calame was obsessed with the thought of creating the most precise watch of all time. The result of his careful work became the first Zodiac — a pocket watch with a unique character. Thus began the foundation for a whole series of technical wonders in the world of Swiss watches. Because of its high quality and technical innovations, Calame's dynasty managed to become one of the fastest-growing companies in Switzerland. In 1908 Calame patents the name Zodiac as a brand. Zodiac manufactures its own calibres and movements that are used in the production of pocket watches, and the rest is history.

At the Basel Fair in 1949, Zodiac launches the Autographic: a self-winding watch with a power reserve gauge measuring hours of power. This was one of the only two watches at the time to have a power reserve collection. 4 years later the Sea Wolf arrives — one of the first serious diver watches manufactured for the masses. that quickly lead to the Super Sea Wolf, an evolution of its predecessor. With a patented crown/stem system and improved caseback design, the water pressure rating increases to 750m.

In 1990, former TAG Heuer executive Willy Gad Monnier purchased the Zodiac brand and, based on the Zodiac watches that emerged from that period, brought a lot of TAG Heuer design influences with him.  Zodiac went bankrupt in 1997, with all its assets and inventory sold to a firm called Genender International in 1998. Genender stripped down the Zodiac product line, discontinuing many of its automatic models and the original Sea Wolf references, before eventually selling the company to its current owner, Richardson, Texas-based Fossil Group, in 2001.

OUR THOUGHTS

The Zodiac 113.21.07 feels like an honest, no-nonsense dive watch from an interesting period in watch history. It doesn’t try to be flashy or oversized, and its classic proportions make it comfortable and versatile on the wrist. The strong lume, simple dial layout, and solid quartz movement give it a practical tool-watch character, while its connection to Zodiac Watches adds heritage and depth. It’s the kind of underrated vintage piece that stands out precisely because it isn’t mainstream.