Solihull Clock And Watch Fair - Caravelle Watch

[Vich]

I went to the clock & watch fair at the Motorcycle Museum in Solihull on 12/7 and enjoyed an extended walk around.  My impressions are that some of the stall holders had lost touch with reality on their pricing.  I would have thought that they would of at least matched the prices on the Bay but I found only two watch stalls where the pricing was what could be described,in my opinion, as fair.

 

One guy was trying to sell 3 accutron 218x movements for £25.00 each but could not say whether the coils were working or not and on one the battery strap and screw with insulator were gone.  He confessed he did not know much about them but thought the price was fair for parts.  I passed on that one, the coils were a big question for me and I would have needed to test them plus whether the fork was still magnetic and again the index wheel  and pawl fingers would need inspection with a scope - too many ifs and buts and not enough guarantee for a £75.00 shot to nothing, if he had wanted £35 for the three I may have had a punt.  Another had a spaceview conversion (poorly defined chapter markings on glass) for which he wanted £300 and guess what, it was not working !

 

I did see a nice Favre Leuba (twin barrel) and 9ct gold Marvin but resisted.  It looked like I was just going to leave empty handed but saw one stall with two big piles of watches and asked the guy how he came by them and they were apparently from an auction.  They appeared to be so called designer watches mainly quartz but he said there were wind up watches in the lot.  The price being £10.00 a watch. I scoured around looking for old leather straps first then screw on backs and older styled crowns but was finding nothing of great interest.  Finally I found a watch that ticked the boxes, old smelly leather strap, dirty case, dome head crown and screw back.  The case is filthy but no dings or deep scratches.  The glass is a mess and cracked but the dial appears ok so I asked for his best price and he said £8.00 so I got it.  Really I just wanted to get something I suppose.

 

 

 

Not an astounding watch but really clean inside though the movement looks a bit mass produced.  The pic makes the screw heads look a bit chewed but that is just the shading / lighting as they are all untouched and I doubt whether the back has been off.  It is working and the date moves over without problem.  I had hoped it would be a Bulova Caravelle but now have doubts though the Accutron Back remover (L) fits perfectly. The gasket is still sound and I like the Crown.  It will go in the queue for total clean and service.

If anyone recognises the actual movement it would be nice to know.  The glass may be a problem but as I am taking it off anyway I should be able to size it, quite a high dome with a magnifyer looking like it is stuck on the underside.

 

Cheers,

 

Vic

[Vich]

Just an addendum. 

 

I found a "Mortima" divers watch that has exactly the same style writing on the dial - Super Datomatic is identical.  Though it is a more modern style watch there are too many similarities in the description, ie - Super Datomatic, Unbreakable Spring, Shockproof and Antimagnetic.  I am not acquainted with this brand but think it may be French.

 

Cheers,

 

Vic

[Lawson]

Just found this post Vich.

That's a nice lookin movement mate.  Very English style of 3/4 plate.

 

Have you given it a service yet mate?

[Vich]

Hello Lawson,

 

Afraid its on the back burner behind an Omega and an Accutron, the Caravelle has a chance to look pretty good with a bit of TLC and it seems quite old so I will get around to it. 

 

Luckily it works quite well so with a service I have a watch for my collection but I still I don't actually know what I have got or whether indeed it is a Mortima which would make it a lower end French watch.  I scoured the internet to no avail and failed to find the same watch via search engines etc.  Perhaps when I take the dial off there may be something to identify it on the movement.

 

All the best,

 

Vic