Let's See Your Watches! The Vintage Watch Thread.

[cmoy]

Wearing this 1920's M. Nicolet & Co today. I love these exaggerated number pieces!

 

[rockascout]

seiko 5.

 

[viclip]

seiko 5.

The vintage Seiko 5 models as well as their "Sportsmatic" cousins were very well made & kept great time. I especially appreciate the Japanese penchant for including the day of the week indicator in addition to that for the date.

I generally don't give a hoot about the date but it's sure nice to know what day it is!

 

[rockascout]

I generally don't give a hoot about the date but it's sure nice to know what day it is!

i love mine and with my hectic life, it's great to know what day of the week it is when all the days seem to run into each other!

 

[Seb Lucas]

Seiko 5 is a legendary timepiece. Will run 20 years without a service and keep great time, simple and indestructible and the essence of a great watch. Some of the vintage ones look very cool.

 

[M Hatman]

I just picked up this nice 23 jewel self winding Bulova. 10k gf case. Waterproof.....shockproof.....and in case of nuclear war....anti magnetic!! Adjusted to 6 positions. Date marked 1959. Great condition and keeps good time, one of the quietist operating watches...really hard to hear it working. You have to love these old watches!!
I got it for a song............
Cheers,
M

PS: band looks black and silver in the photo.....but it is black and gold.

 

[VintageEveryday]

Wearing this 1920's M. Nicolet & Co today. I love these exaggerated number pieces!

that's the coolest looking watch i've ever seen! It could even pass for modern day!

 

[viclip]

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, it is incumbent and necessary to resurrect the vintage mechanical watch thread.

Today's showcase watch is a one-button chronograph produced by the LIP company that was based in Besancon, France from 1867 until its bankuptcy in the mid-1970s. This particular timepiece was made in circa 1925:

View attachment 69965

Being a chronograph, it has a watch movement combined with a stopwatch mechanism; the former is LIP's in-house 43 mm (19 lignes) calibre while the latter was provided by the Reymond chronograph mechanism manufacturer (in 1929 Reymond became part of the Valjou brand).

The gold colored hands tell the time in tandem with the running seconds subdial at 6 o'clock. A single press of the small central button incorporated into the crown, starts the black central sweep hand which indicates the elapsed seconds, with the small subdial at 12 o'clock counting the elapsed minutes. A second press of that button stops the counter function, while a third press resets the central sweep as well as the minutes counter subdial.

About the outer perimeter there are no less than 4 scales, variously colored, which can be used while in chronograph mode to compute time-lapse-based information. I can figure out the tachymeter function but I must confess that I haven't the slightest idea about how to use the other 3 scales.

Perhaps a few green beers later today will smarten me up.

Anyways, pocket watch chronographs aren't all that common and to have a well-preserved running example hanging from my vest dating back to the 1920s, is both interesting & entertaining.

Further to this my previous post, I have now figured out how the 4 chronograph scales are used. It wasn't green beer that did the trick, but rather reading a good book (precisely what my father used to tell me to do).

In any event, if anyone's interested in knowing how to read multi-scale tachymeter chronographs, let me know & I'll provide a detailed explanation.

 

[Talbot]

Not for everybody, but I just discovered this brand:

https://danhenrywatch.com/collections/all

I'm not into quartz, but occasionally its handy to leave the vintage watch at home, and still wear something that doesn't jar.

Reasonably priced as well. I'm not affiliated in any way, just sharing.

 

[Talbot]

I just picked up this nice 23 jewel self winding Bulova. 10k gf case. Waterproof.....shockproof.....and in case of nuclear war....anti magnetic!! Adjusted to 6 positions. Date marked 1959. Great condition and keeps good time, one of the quietist operating watches...really hard to hear it working. You have to love these old watches!!
I got it for a song............
Cheers,
M
View attachment 70394
PS: band looks black and silver in the photo.....but it is black and gold.

If you get caught in a Large Hadron Collider you're covered also!

 

[Talbot]

seiko 5.

A great beater. Run some 1200 + and water over the crystal and follow up with Brasso. It'll be like new again

 

[M Hatman]

Here is a mid-60's (I think, this brand is hard to date after 1957). 21 jewel self winder....original strap.
Cheers,
M

 

[M Hatman]

Here is a 21 jewel Bulova, 1947. Period expansion band believed to be original to the watch. Very much an Art Deco look, has luminous hands. Wore it this past weekend. Kept great time!!!!!! Again, more quiet than a mouse.......
Cheers,
M

 

[M Hatman]

Ok.....one more....a "Max Minck & Company Lahore, Swiss Made" as the dial says.....full plate key movement, key wind, key set....1890 ish........Demi-Hunter. Very nice sterling case.....keeps good time. I tend to wear this in the vest of my tuxedo.......
M

 

[VintageEveryday]

Here is a 21 jewel Bulova, 1947. Period expansion band believed to be original to the watch. Very much an Art Deco look, has luminous hands. Wore it this past weekend. Kept great time!!!!!! Again, more quiet than a mouse.......
Cheers,
M
View attachment 71272

I love the late '40s Bulovas. They're nice transitional models between art deco and midcentury modern

 

[M Hatman]

I love the late '40s Bulovas. They're nice transitional models between art deco and midcentury modern

YES.....they really are!!! GREAT watches and Great design!!! I really like them too!!!!

 

[viclip]

Ok.....one more....a "Max Minck & Company Lahore, Swiss Made" as the dial says.....full plate key movement, key wind, key set....1890 ish........Demi-Hunter. Very nice sterling case.....keeps good time. I tend to wear this in the vest of my tuxedo.......
M
View attachment 71275 View attachment 71276 View attachment 71277

Demi-hunter pocket watches are uncommon and desirable, especially in sterling. A very nice dress timepiece which must make for a great conversation piece when pulled out.

 

[M Hatman]

Demi-hunter pocket watches are uncommon and desirable, especially in sterling. A very nice dress timepiece which must make for a great conversation piece when pulled out.

Yes, this does get attention......especially with the heavy engraving......opens lots of conversations from watches to horses.......collectibles and antiques in general. I even have anouther silver chain with a horseshoe pendent.
M

 

[viclip]

This Illinois Model 3 pocket watch of Grade 275 was acquired from my father & has been in my possession since 1984. He never really gave it to me, I took possession through osmosis i.e. it just wound up with my things:

This timepiece was made in 1925, the year following my father's birth. Regrettably I don't know when or how he acquired it, for all I know he in turn could have obtained it from his father, my paternal grandfather. My father apparently seldom if ever carried the watch (unless prior to meeting my mother, for she has no recollection of it), nor did I until a couple of years ago after I had it serviced by my watchmaker.

The 14-sided chromed or nickeled bezel somewhat sets off this 12-size "gentleman's watch". The dial is painted rather than fused glass enamel; I wish it was the more durable melted enamel however its 21-jewel movement is a plus.

I particularly enjoy hanging my father's vintage Illinois pocket watch from my vest. What a shame that I never thought to ask him about it, I'll never know anything more about the watch's history.

 

[M Hatman]

This Illinois Model 3 pocket watch of Grade 275 was acquired from my father & has been in my possession since 1984. He never really gave it to me, I took possession through osmosis i.e. it just wound up with my things:

View attachment 71353

This timepiece was made in 1925, the year following my father's birth. Regrettably I don't know when or how he acquired it, for all I know he in turn could have obtained it from his father, my paternal grandfather. My father apparently seldom if ever carried the watch (unless prior to meeting my mother, for she has no recollection of it), nor did I until a couple of years ago after I had it serviced by my watchmaker.

The 14-sided chromed or nickeled bezel somewhat sets off this 12-size "gentleman's watch". The dial is painted rather than fused glass enamel; I wish it was the more durable melted enamel however its 21-jewel movement is a plus.

I particularly enjoy hanging my father's vintage Illinois pocket watch from my vest. What a shame that I never thought to ask him about it, I'll never know anything more about the watch's history.

Having a family heirloom like that should always be treasured.........it is indeed much more valuable to it's wearer than ANY ten watches I may purchase from an anonymous source ..........
M