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

[Talbot]

Very nice Elgin,

Here's my Bulova A-11 just back from restoration. New Crystal, NOS dial, and replaced second and minute hands. This is the Sterling silver version from 1943. Original band which is still wearable.

and the "before"

Beautiful work. That's a very nice piece

 

[Saint-Just]

Your UG is an outstanding watch, and its history* ties in beautifully with the Golden Era of commercial transatlantic flights, since it is one of the 2 watches developed specifically for commercial pilots.

* I am not sure the author's knowledge of aircrafts matches his horological nous.

 

[Talbot]

SJ, I know of the UG connection with transatlantic flying. What was the other watch developed for the purpose?

Great site BTW. UG are nice watches, but getting harder to find parts for. I have a polerouter bumper with my watch guy for what seems like a year now - gotta do something about that... I have always lusted after a UG Tri Compax.

 

[Tomasso]

I have always lusted after a UG Tri Compax.

That's a nice watch. I was looking at one in pristine condition at a watch show a while back.

 

[Saint-Just]

SJ, I know of the UG connection with transatlantic flying. What was the other watch developed for the purpose?

I was thinking of Pan Am and the Rolex GMT...

 

[Talbot]

SJ, Thanks. I wasn't aware of the connection. Some research for me I guess....

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

From Russia with Love

My latest addition just arrived today. A NOS "Zakaz"-marked Vostok Komandirskie with Russian 2414 movement.

 

[Stearmen]

Takes A licking

I keep forgetting to post this watch. Not very fancy, but it has been my everyday watch for most of this year. I was wearing my Timex Titanium watch since the late 80s, excellent watch, always on time. In the past year, I went from needing a battery every few years to 3 in eight months! Batteries are not cheap anymore, so i looked through my watches and found this one, which was given to me in the 90s. I found another battery watch with this band, switched them out and voila! It was gaining about a minute a day, no big deal since I have to wind it. In October, I rode my motorcycle to the Emma Crowford Coffin races, in the parking lot one of the spring bars let lose, the watch went down on the asphalt hard. It is true, "takes a licking, keeps on ticking!" On the funny side, it now keeps perfect time. Watch repair person, we don't need no stinking watch repair person!

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

^^
A classy timepiece!

What I hate about quartz watches is changing the batteries even if it's once every few years. Because with the exception of a few brands like Swatch you either have to incur the added expense of having someone open it up to replace the batteries or invest in some watchmaker's tools to do it yourself.

 

[rlk]

Gruen Curvex Ristside "Lord" 1938

 

[BenchLoom]

There are few things better than a nice tank watch - uncommon, slim, elegant and still masculine. I have a nice but inexpensive Bulova I inherited from my grandfather. While it's not worth much, I get compliments on it frequently.

Another incredible watch - a reproduction - is that from Swiss creative genius Max Bill and pioneering German watchmaker Junghans. I wore it into a shop just last week that sells Patek and Rolex (tons more expensive) and they were duly impressed. Here's the link to the watch and a background on Junghans as well as a link to a blurb on Max Bill, which opened my eyes.
Watch: http://www.benchandloom.com/shop/gear/57
Max Bill: http://www.benchandloom.com/livewell/max-bill-architect-of-purity

 

[jamespowers]

I keep forgetting to post this watch. Not very fancy, but it has been my everyday watch for most of this year. I was wearing my Timex Titanium watch since the late 80s, excellent watch, always on time. In the past year, I went from needing a battery every few years to 3 in eight months! Batteries are not cheap anymore, so i looked through my watches and found this one, which was given to me in the 90s. I found another battery watch with this band, switched them out and voila! It was gaining about a minute a day, no big deal since I have to wind it. In October, I rode my motorcycle to the Emma Crowford Coffin races, in the parking lot one of the spring bars let lose, the watch went down on the asphalt hard. It is true, "takes a licking, keeps on ticking!" On the funny side, it now keeps perfect time. Watch repair person, we don't need no stinking watch repair person!

Those old Timexes last forever

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Those old Timexes last forever

[video=youtube;HVatUaplyVU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVatUaplyVU[/video]

They supposedly used a Rolex movement in a Timex case for the commercial.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Great watch! I love the detailing on the case above and bellow the face.

 

[jamespowers]

[video=youtube;HVatUaplyVU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVatUaplyVU[/video]

They supposedly used a Rolex movement in a Timex case for the commercial.

Those pin pinion movements probably could have taken that kind of a whack. There really is nothing to fall apart in them.
They just took an old dollar watch movement and skrunk it down to fit a wristwatch case.

 

[Lights]

Great watch! I love the detailing on the case above and bellow the face.

Very handsome watch.

 

[Unlucky Berman]

Regarding classic tank watches, over the christmas holidays I use this little fellow, a Hamilton Turner from the mid 1930s:

A not very common style nowadays and while it is small, it still looks prominent on the wrist and looks definetaly more masculin with this cornered case and the art deco numbers.

 

[O2BSwank]

Love the watch and photo! I have a Hamilton 1932 replica gold tank that my wife bought me about 25 years ago. Love it and wearing it now. I guess it qualifies now as vintage. I also have a Seiko wafer thin black tank that always seemed too fancy to wear regularly. Wore it once to work and cracked the crystal. Going to have it fixed some day. Too busy to post pics today. Merry Christmas to all.

 

[esteban68]

Beautiful Hamilton there......here's a Roamer Standard sub dial that I sorted for a friend, he thought it was gold plated but as soon as I saw the gold back I new it was all gold(9ct), I cleaned the dial a little, polished the case.

When you work on watches every so often one comes along that you really don't want to give it back, this was one such watch, I really like the dial and the number font used is great, I think it's 50's /60's not sure but it looks that way.

 

[jamespowers]

Beautiful Hamilton there......here's a Roamer Standard sub dial that I sorted for a friend, he thought it was gold plated but as soon as I saw the gold back I new it was all gold(9ct), I cleaned the dial a little, polished the case.

When you work on watches every so often one comes along that you really don't want to give it back, this was one such watch, I really like the dial and the number font used is great, I think it's 50's /60's not sure but it looks that way.

That Roamer is in very nice shape for its age. I posted one I got a while back. The face on mine is a mess though. Roamer is still around although they don't stock parts for older watches. They will be able to tell you more about your watch though.