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Squale Sub-39 39 mm Meteorite 18k

Photography on request

Front view

Front view

Dial, hands and bezel as delivered.

Case-back view

Case-back view

Case-back engraving and, where fitted, the sapphire display.

Movement

Movement

Calibre with its finishing and decoration.

On the wrist

On the wrist

Worn shot for proportion and strap drape.

Squale · Sub-39

Squale Sub-39 39 mm Meteorite 18k

Reference 39415OR.93

Reference at a glance

Brand
Squale
Collection
Sub-39
Model
Squale Sub-39 39 mm Meteorite 18k
Reference number
39415OR.93
Year / era
1998 · 1990s — mechanical revival
Complication
Annual calendar
Movement
Automatic, 38-hour reserve
Case material
18k yellow gold
Dial type
Meteorite
Strap / bracelet
Jubilee bracelet
Water resistance
500 m
Limited-edition status
Regular production, not a limited edition
Compare this reference

Case, dial & bracelet

Case dimensions
39 mm
Case thickness
8.1 mm
Case material
18k yellow gold
Bezel
Fixed brushed titanium
Crystal
Sapphire with internal AR treatment
Dial
Meteorite
Hands
Blued steel Breguet-style hands
Indexes
Applied Arabic numerals with luminous coating
Bracelet / strap
Jubilee bracelet
Clasp / buckle
Triple-folding clasp with safety catch
Water resistance
500 m

Movement

Movement / calibre
Calibre 13A — Automatic, 38-hour reserve
Movement type
Manual-winding
Frequency
21,600 vph (3 Hz)
Power reserve
72 hours
Number of jewels
27 jewels
Complications
Annual calendar
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Watchmaker
Finishing, assembly and timing are carried out in the manufacture's own atelier.

Production & market

Production period
1998 – 2003
Limited-edition quantity
Not applicable
Current market information
Consistently trades above retail; waiting lists at authorised dealers remain long.

Designer

Jörg Hysek

Jörg Hysek left Rolex and Seiko's European studios to build a design practice in Geneva, giving houses such as Vacheron Constantin, Breguet, Seiko and TAG Heuer their sculptural, architecture-led cases before founding his own brand, HD3.

Historical significance

Squale Sub-39 39 mm Meteorite 18k sits within Squale's Sub-39 line, introduced in 1998. It carries the house codes established since 1946 — 18k yellow gold case, meteorite dial and automatic, 38-hour reserve — and is one of the references collectors use to date the evolution of the collection.

Interesting facts

  • Early production dials show a slightly different minute track, and collectors pay a premium for them.
  • The case is finished by hand, alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces in a single pass so the edges stay razor sharp.
  • The reference was originally planned as a one-year run and stayed in the catalogue for well over a decade.
SQ

The House

Squale

Brand facts

Founding year
1946
Founder
Charles von Büren
Headquarters
Switzerland
Tier
Affordable & Tool Watches
Major collections
1521, Super-Squale, Matic, Sub-39, 2002
Signature technologies
Anti-magnetic silicon escapement · Composite and ceramic case materials
Famous movements
Quartz · Automatic COSC chronometer · Automatic Powermatic 80 · Automatic, 38-hour reserve
Notable watches
Squale 1521 43 mm Slate Platinum (1954) · Squale 1521 44 mm Black 18k (1955) · Squale 1521 41 mm Black 18k (1984) · Squale 1521 36 mm Black Platinum (1966)

Brand history

Squale has spent more than 80 years refining a single idea: a watch should outlive its owner. From the earliest workshop pieces to today's 1521, the house has balanced technical ambition with a recognisable design language, and its collections remain among the most closely followed by collectors worldwide.

Charles von Büren established Squale in 1946, working from Switzerland at a time when precision was measured by hand. The founder's obsession with finishing and accuracy still defines every Squale calibre produced today.

Historical milestones

  1. 1946

    Charles von Büren founds Squale in Switzerland.

  2. 1969

    The quartz era forces Squale to redefine mechanical watchmaking.

  3. 1990

    Squale enters the modern collector market with its signature lines.

  4. 2024

    Squale continues to produce 1521, Super-Squale, Matic and other icons in limited numbers.

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