Vintage VDB is not for the faint of wrist.
This is German-engineered tool-watch maximalism — massive cases, overbuilt dive specs, and small-batch production using everything from bronze and carbon to
vintage military parts. If you want a watch that looks like it could survive a shipwreck and start a conversation at every watch meet, Vintage VDB delivers.
Founded in Erfurt, Germany around 2010, Vintage VDB (short for Vintage-Vertrieb-Deutschland-Baumbach) started as a passion project building oversized divers with
retro-military aesthetics, often using NOS (new old stock) Swiss and German movements.
Every watch is hand-assembled in small numbers, with most models produced in runs of 20 to 100 pieces. Many pieces are one-offs. And every model leans into tactical
durability and wrist presence, with zero concern for mainstream trends.
Vintage VDB has a cult following among military watch collectors, Panerai defectors, and dive-watch purists who want something unique, rugged, and unapologetically large.
Core features:
Signature models include:
Because it fills a niche most modern brands won’t touch — extreme, wearable tool watches that aren’t mass-produced, mass-marketed, or watered down.
These are watches for divers, adventurers, ex-mil guys, or collectors who’ve seen every Panerai and want something with more soul. VDB doesn’t do polished indices
or faux-patina gimmicks. They build serious watches, in small batches, with real materials and real wrist presence.
Inventory shifts constantly, but common options include:
Expect case sizes from 46mm to 52mm, with short lugs and surprisingly ergonomic fit.
Prices range from $1,500 to $4,500, depending on movement, materials, and rarity. One-off prototypes and Damascus or vintage movement pieces may exceed $5K.
Vintage VDB is pure tool-watch testosterone — but with legit watchmaking behind the bulk.
I’ve seen some wild ones come through the shop — bronze cases that patinate in days, sterile dials with lume you could use as a flashlight, and engraved casebacks that
feel like custom knives. They’re huge, yes. But they’re also better-built than a lot of boutique divers out there, and the handmade straps are fantastic.
If you want a watch that feels like gear, not jewelry — VDB is the move.
Delray Watch is always on the lookout for unique Vintage VDB watches — especially bronze limited editions, vintage movement builds, and tactical diver models.
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