PW Project Watch

When it was presented in Basel with its bright colors, the Jenny Caribbean 1000 was considered the most innovative watch at the fair. Behind this iconic watch hides a watchmaker that has played a leading role in underwater watchmaking.

THE JENNY FAMILY

The history of Jenny Watches is a purely family history that began as a third-party watch manufacturer. There were numerous brands that used cases and watches to which they associated their name. Among the best known we can mention Philip Watch, Festina, Haste de Luxe, Dugena, Fortis, Ollech & Wajs and Aquadive.

The turning point came in 1963 when in Lengnau, Switzerland, Paul G. Jenny, son of Gustav Jenny, founder of the original company, creates Jenny & Cie S.A. and thus creates their first line of diving watches. From that moment, in 1964, the Caribbean 1000, their best known model, was born. Initially, it was traded under the Ollech & Wajs brand.

Ollech & Ways immediately understood the potential of Jenny and in particular of their revolutionary case sealing system. For this reason, OW secured a license to include the Caribbean 1000 in their Precision collection. After the first 1000 OW cases, other brands branded their watches with the Jenny Fish logo which was synonymous with quality and robustness in the creation of diver watches.

A clarification: the first Caribbean of some of these brands differed from the 1000 version of the OW. In particular, the resistance to impermeability was not 100 atmospheres but 70. For this reason, the dial said Caribbean 700. Despite the different waterproofing, the two models have the same reference number 702 on the back of the case. Last peculiarity: the Caribbean 700, in the bottom of the case, had the logo of a marlin that only later will give way to the iconic little fish of abstract shape Jenni Fish.

Due to the crisis induced by the arrival of quartz watches for several years, the production of timepieces with the Jenny brand was interrupted. However, the Jenny family’s history as a third-party watch manufacturer continued with Walca SA founded by Peter P. Jenny in Bienne in Switzerland in 1976.

In 1997 the Jenny family acquired Doxa Watches.

In 2019, the fourth descendant of the family, Romeo F. Jenny became Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Walca Group.

In recent years, Jenny Watches has amazed us with some releases. In particular, between 2012 and 2013, for the 50th anniversary, it launched the new Caribbean 300m model and in 2022 the Caribbean 300m H.R.V..

JENNY CARIBBEAN REFERENCE 702

In 1964, Jenny created the world’s first diving watch that guaranteed a depth of 1000 m: the Caribbean with reference 702.

This model had a monobloc case, that is, obtained from a single block of steel.

The opening took place from above through a screwed metal bezel that tightened the plexiglass against the case made waterproof by 3 o-rings. The same winding crown was screwed through a double thread and made airtight by 3 o-rings. (Swiss patent n° 5292/68 with the name of “triple safe”)

A curiosity concerns the dials of this reference. To ensure better visibility, they were colored with Scotchlite paint that enriched with micro glass marbles gave a highly reflective effect.

Jenny continued to develop different technical solutions over the years. In 1969 he patented the particular bezel with the decompression scale to perform scuba diving more safely. (USA patent n ° 3,613,354)

TECHNICAL DETAILS CARIBBEAN 1000 REF. 702

• Year: 1967/69
• Case diameter: 38 mm
• Bezel diameter: 40 mm
• Thickness: 15.5 mm
• Glass: Plexiglass
• Movement: ETA 2452
• Lug width: 18 mm
• Waterproof: 1000 m

JENNY CARIBBEAN 300

For the 50th anniversary, Jenny proposed the famous Caribbean in 5 limited versions of 500 pcs. per color.

This commemorative edition was on sale on the official DOXA website.

TECHNICAL DETAILS CARIBBEAN 300

• Year: 2012
• Case diameter: 42 mm
• Bezel diameter: 44 mm
• Thickness: 12.3 mm
• Glass: sapphire anti-reflective treatment
• Movement: ETA 2824-2
• Lug width: 21 mm
• Waterproof: 300 m

NEW JENNY CARIBBEAN 300 H.R.V.

In 2022 Jenny re-proposed in a modern key, the Caribbean model inspired by the old 702 reference in 4 different color versions.

Aesthetically they are very similar.

Compared to the vintage monobloc case, the new model has the screw case-back and the integrated helium valve.

Clearly vintage technical solutions are more expensive. The modern construction concept is more standardized and economical. Despite this, it falls within the entry-level price range of luxury watchmaking.

It is important to open a parenthesis on the incisions of the Jenny case-back. This last configuration has only the writing Jenny. The 50th anniversary edition, on the other hand, has the marlin logo that commemorates the case-back of the very first Caribbean 700 models of the 60s. However, in the past Jenny has also used the logo of the abstract fish, the Jenny fish, which has now been integrated into Doxa watches.

The Dauphine hands are treated with white luminova and have a black perimeter color that creates a contrast with the pastel yellow color of the dial.

The rectangular hour markers that are in relief on the cardinal points are also treated with luminova, while the rest is printed on the dial.

The bracelet has president-style links. These are removed by means of the pressure pins. Personally, I find this safer than screw pins, as there is no risk of them unscrewing and ruining the screwdriver’s invitation to cut.

The ends are made of full steel and the clasp has the extension for the diving suit.

The box is composed of a counter box and a blue box in rigid cardboard.

The four orange, yellow, blue and black models are on sale exclusively from the authorized Purchase Direct dealer.

The warranty is entrusted to the retailer as there is no official Jenny brand card inside.

TECHNICAL DETAILS CARIBBEAN 300 H.R.V.

• Year: 2022
• Case diameter: 42 mm
• Bezel diameter: 44mm
• Thickness: 12 mm including glass
• Glass: sapphire anti-reflective treatment
• Movement: Sellita SW 200
• Lug width: 21 mm
• Waterproof: 300 m
• Helium release valve

The 60s are definitely the most interesting and productive period for underwater watchmaking. This era marks an important moment characterized by technical innovations and unique designs. At this stage several brands wrote history, surely the Jenny Watches with its Caribbean 1000 model is one of them.

(Another very important company is Squale, in this article I tell its whole story: squale the history behind an important diver watch brand).