Shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union, my Employer took a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway. At one of his stops along the way he purchased a Wrist Watch as a gift for me. I think the watch is described as a Vostok Komandirskie 1945 Sword & Shield and commemorates the USSR's defeat of Germany. Now, after many years, it seems like the appropriate time to wear the watch, so I've removed it from its package, installed a band and wound it up. It took a good deal of time to wind it, so I suspect it will run for more than 30 hours. As a test, using the clock on my computer as a comparator and checking the watch after a 40 hour run it gained 10 seconds. The watch stopped at 45 hours 7 & 1/2 minutes. Regards, PL
3/0 size, 7 jewel Elgin. Really neat hinged nickel case by illinois watch case co. Painted dial with some age. Great watch for a day off! Total transparency, it came in a big box of parts, in pieces, so no clue of it's originality.
Extremely rare Illinois, 3/0, 15J, Adj., Gold Gilded Train, Silvered Dial, S/N 2903350, Model 4, Grade 34, Wristwatch, Made in 1916. Pinchbeck Cushion Case Marked: Illinois, WATCH CASE Co., ARROW, 226243, 3/0. Looking for a Whiplash Regulator Spring. Regards, PL
I think that the Luch company has been acquired by the Swiss. Perhaps they offer tours of the factory for visitors, that would be interesting.
Welcome to the group, Chris. Lots to learn around here. And a pretty good group of folks as well. I am slightly familiar with the Sinn watches, very smooth running movements. Not inexpensive, but they appear to be well worth the price they get, especially if you get it for less. One good thing about the brand is that they are fabulous heirloom pieces. After all, it puts a positive spin on heirs carrying the Sinns of their fathers. Cheers.
Oh, and as far as what I'm wearing today, it's a 17J Girard-Perregaux Gyromatic (ETA 1256) in SS. I like the simple lines of this style, including what I think are some of the best fitting (stylistically) that they could be. And it really is in overall excellent shape for a watch that is probably from the1950's. I got it as a fixer last month, based on what looked like fine condition, and was pleasantly surprised that it was better. Every GP watch that I have keeps truly excellent time. I believe they are a somewhat unappreciated brand. Cheers.
1888 Illinois Model 1 If you listen carefully you can hear it ticking in your pocket as you are walking...
Accutron 2242. I got the movement off the “bay”, wouldn’t set but that wasn’t a problem. Just had to relocate the setting parts under the dial. The electronics are fine but the index wheel was wiped. No teeth at all. I had one from the movement that was in the case. The electronics were bad on that one. Soooo, I took it apart and installed the donor wheel, adjusted the indexing jewels and it’s keeping good time now. Been looking for a decent movement at a decent price for 3 yrs or so.
SEIKO Sportsmatic Day/Date My mother presented me with a 21 jewel Seiko "Sportsmatic" Day/Date back in the 1970s, which had been manufactured in the 1960s. Although that particular watch is no longer running or even presentable, back in the early days of eBay i.e. the 1990s, I acquired an identical replacement for sentimental reasons. Having had it serviced of course in the meanwhile, I've been wearing the watch as part of my wrist rotation since yesterday evening: Those classic day/date wristwatches from the 1960s just do it for me, and the Japanese did them right! I've no clue as to the provenance of this watch but since I acquired it from an American seller, I half expect that it was brought back by someone who served in Vietnam. Many Seikos were picked up back in those days by guys on leave needing something to spend their military pay on. Incidentally I didn't adjust the day indicator in order to save wear and tear on the setting mechanism. While the date has a quick change feature, the watch hands must be continuously manually turned to get to the correct day. Not an issue with an automatic that's worn constantly however, I'll only be wearing it until tomorrow morning so why bother ...
The Seiko Auto 5's were really good looking watches and good time keepers. They also could take their fair share of a rough time and still keep on going. Nice watch and a classic
You wouldn't believe the abuse that my original Seiko Sportsmatic endured, including being worn for some 5 seasons while working as a summer student at the local Ford Motor complex. As my constant companion, I wore the watch into the 1980s when it ultimately succombed to a bad mainspring compounded by an incompetent watchmaker.
Another pocket watch, B W Raymond Elgin. 17 jewels. 1924. I have had this one for some years. The case is bare brass, hour, minute hand gone, crystal gone, lower balance jewels gone. Staff and hspg good. It was trapped in the case. Impossible to unscrew the bezel. I oiled it, tapped it, heated it, froze it, used a razor blade in the seam, all to no avail. Finally I thought what to lose, I put it in my 750 watt ultrasonic for about 30 minutes. The bezel unscrewed! By now it was pretty clean also. I had new old stock jewels, hands, crown, mspg. Assembled, oiled, wound and there she goes. Been keeping good time for 3 days now. The crystal is not the proper one yet. And yes one of the plate screws is twisted off. It would not come loose. Looks like someone tried to drill it and that probably just drove it in deeper. Peter
I really like these movements. The grade 27 changed from 15 to 17 jewels not long before yours was made. The serial number dates it to about 1895. Mine is from 1898, and is serial number 7,019,962. Similar case. It has nice damaskeen inside and out. Should have a stopworks on the mainspring barrel (although half of it is always missing!!) Thanks for showing, I love model two elgins!
You’re right about the date. It’s another one I just repaired with a 27,000,000+ serial that dates 1924. You’re also right about the stopworks half missing. Peter
A few years ago I had a LeCoultre like that only the rectangle of the face was horizontal. Wish I had kept that one. Peter
Yup, the RCAF reissued these things in 1965 with redone dials... that, and a 1942 serial number, is about all I know about the little bugger
SEIKO Sportsmatic Deluxe Day/Date Today I'm sporting the deluxe version of Seiko's Sportsmatic line, these also date to the 1960s or 70s. Besides having 25 rather than the standard 21 jewels, the only differences to my knowledge from a user's perspective are that the deluxe version: a) uses a pusher, at 2:30, to quick set just the date; b) boasts a crown at 3:30 which activates a hack feature when the crown is pulled out to set the time. Cute dolphin on the caseback! And the watch does keep excellent time, it was serviced a few years back.
Komandirskie K34. The legend lives on Komandirskie series were first relesaed in 1960s by Chistopol Watch Factory (USSR). It was designed for the military. Since the collapse of USSR, Komandirskie was a 'toy watch', cheap, often kitshy, low grade model, until the K34 was released - like - 10 years ago. The K34 is a classy, military style, watch - so cool.
Deuber-Hampden, 15-j,14 white gf, ca 1927, Cost $36.50 to order from Sears according to their 1927 catalog. Photo of the illustration from the catalog is included. One could purchase a 14k solid white gold 15-j Elgin for the same price.
Lovely Hampden!!! Today - not a wristwatch, a pocket watch... Sorry for the quality - it's dark and I'm having a beer with my friends It's a lovely watch - my neighbours got it a long time ago as a wedding present. I repaired it some time ago and sometimes wear it. A simple cylinder movement...
SEIKO BELL-MATIC Worn this week as part of my rotation is this 17j automatic. I believe it dates from the 1970s when it was purchased by my father; he seemingly never wore it & the watch remains in near mint condition. This timepiece features an alarm function. The crown at 3 o'clock, in addition to setting the hands, also functions to wind-up the alarm power source & to set the time for the alarm to sound (which alarm time is signified by the white arrow within the orange arc on the dial's perimeter). The pusher at 2 o'clock, in addition to acting as a rapid date set mechanism, further serves as the toggle to active/de-activate the alarm. Whenever I miss out on a nice eBay item due to forgetting to place my bid in a timely manner, I think to myself that I should use my Bell-Matic for daily wear so I could set the alarm as a reminder. But then I'd undoubtedly forget to set the alarm anyways ...
Thanks for noticing Rick. My photography is poor to begin with plus the oak tree leaves overhead insisted upon reflecting off of the crystal & case. The dial is truly a stunner when viewed in the flesh. That portion of the dial within the bezel also reflects light in a sort of double cone pattern which changes location relative to the light source.
For today, this Gruen 21-j. Case is 10K gf, nicely curved back to fit wrist, As in most gf Gruen cases there is some wear through of the gold. Sorry about the quality of the picture. I took the camera from inside the A/C outside to the hot and very humid outside.
Bulova, 23J, Selfwinding, Stainless, 10BZAC, M1= ca. 1961. Can someone identify this Trade Mark? Regards, PL
