1938
- At the beginning of the year Wempe takes over the production of watches of the Chronometer Werke GmbH.
- The Italian Military Navy commissiones the family business Panerai to construct a dive watch which should stand the toughest charges. The hand made and Rolex movement-equipped "Panerai Radiomir", thanks to the luminous material Radiomir (later called "Luminor"), is well readable also under water and in low light conditions. It is only worn by the Italian combat swimmers force "Gamma" and for a long time is subject to the military secret.
- Longines introduces the first diver's watch with screwed caseback, screw-down crown, and radium hour markers.