Jump to content

Watch of Today


mk3

Recommended Posts

15 hours ago, AndyHull said:

I thought to myself, "That is a very striking watch.", so much so that I did a little digging around.

I wasn't aware of the history so this was an interesting read.

https://wornandwound.com/review/zodiac-super-sea-wolf-68-review/

Zodiac has a very rich history. At one time zodiac divers were in competition with Rolex. The worn and wound article was great thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 99p Avia quartz went back on its own band today.

RIMG0103.thumb.JPG.da9e8bc6ed4dccdaab51962d6f5e408b.JPG


When I cleaned up the watch initially, I put it on a new band, as the one it came on was a bit grubby, however the original is a very nice, fairly high quality band and suits the watch, so I gave it the leather cleaning treatment.

This consisted of steeping it in a mix of white vinegar some disinfectant and a little detergent, and giving it a good scrub with a toothbrush.

The initial cleaning solution was then replaced with fresh, and the band was left to soak for a few hours. This allowed the vinegar to "tenderize" the collagen in the leather gently, softening it up. Next it was dried on a radiator overnight, sandwiched between sheets of  kitchen roll, and pressed flat with a couple of scraps of plywood, with a weight placed on top.

Finally the sued side was freshened up with a tiny amount of sued cleaner. Not enough to make it greasy, just enough to make it feel new. The top surface sheen was restotored with an equally tiny rubbing of silicon grease.

The result is a strap that looks like it just came out of the packet, and smells fresh and new.

This also frees up the replacement band for one of my Timex Automatics.

RIMG0104.thumb.JPG.65dc2a899c244380ff4c104994741d73.JPG

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today I'm sporting a textured dial Vostok 2614.2H based Soviet era Sekonda.

RIMG0111.thumb.JPG.b1d8860091eabebd71e5419db0f2aabb.JPG

The 26XX is relatively easy to work with, and almost indestructible,  which is just as well as this one had quite a number of issues.

Fixed and scrubbed up, and with that textured dial, it exudes classical dress watch charm.

RIMG0112.thumb.JPG.b4ba4f650b477ca2a39c92c2641d397c.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, AndyHull said:

Today I'm sporting a textured dial Vostok 2614.2H based Soviet era Sekonda.

RIMG0111.thumb.JPG.b1d8860091eabebd71e5419db0f2aabb.JPG

The 26XX is relatively easy to work with, and almost indestructible,  which is just as well as this one had quite a number of issues.

Fixed and scrubbed up, and with that textured dial, it exudes classical dress watch charm.

RIMG0112.thumb.JPG.b4ba4f650b477ca2a39c92c2641d397c.JPG

I've been thinking about getting a Russian watch myself. Nice piece Andy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, AndyHull said:

Thanks. :biggrin:


A small correction to my earlier post,  it is a Poljot 2614.2H, not a Vostok.

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&&2uswk&Poljot_2614_2H

Anyone considering getting a Russian watch , Should get a Russian watch  I have had good luck with the raketa 2609ha but not so much with the 2609, I also have had better luck with the vostok 2209 vs the 2409.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, yankeedog said:

Anyone considering getting a Russian watch , Should get a Russian watch  I have had good luck with the raketa 2609ha but not so much with the 2609, I also have had better luck with the vostok 2209 vs the 2409.

Thanks for the advise!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As for the Slava,they are ok, but they seem to have weak balance staffs .Stay away from the day/date slava , overly complicated,engineered like they were trying to avoid patent infringement.Poljots can be good runners, but they seem to have poor metalurgy in the keyless works.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Something a little more refined today (not a 404 club member obviously, although I picked it up a while back before the 404 club started, and it cost me almost exactly the same as you would currently pay for a new "Starking" dress watch). 

RIMG0159.thumb.JPG.b0a2ba6613eac2aed755fb54e2669f28.JPG

It does have a couple of minor nicks on the edge of the crystal, and a few minor scratches on the case, and the strap it is on currently is not the correct size, but other than that, it 'aint half bad.

Don't get me wrong, the Starking is not a bad watch for the money, but I know which I would rather have.

Edited by AndyHull
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, AndyHull said:

Something a little more refined today (not a 404 club member obviously, although I picked it up a while back before the 404 club started, and it cost me almost exactly the same as you would currently pay for a new "Starking" dress watch). 

RIMG0159.thumb.JPG.b0a2ba6613eac2aed755fb54e2669f28.JPG

It does have a couple of minor nicks on the edge of the crystal, and a few minor scratches on the case, and the strap it is on currently is not the correct size, but other than that, it 'aint half bad.

Don't get me wrong, the Starking is not a bad watch for the money, but I know which I would rather have.

It's a very elegant watch. The crown reminds me of Cartier. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another bit of old GDR nonsense, this 1950s UMF, liberated last week from the dark recesses of a tiny bric-a-brac shop in a Central European capital.

Runs on a surprisingly large (12.5’’’) Thiel/UMF 54-31, an agricultural movement and totally unacquainted with any jewels whatsoever.

Regards.

UMF Hungary before 2 v.2.jpg

UMF Hungary uncased 2 v.2.jpg

UMF Hungary UMF 54-31 before v.2.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just went to a wedding and decided to wear my vintage Heuer Ref. 73473, circa 1971-72. This watch is very unusual when compared to other Heuers, and not many made. But interestingly not very sought after by Heuer collectors. As for me, I love the Classic 70's look. It is powered by the Valjoux  7734 and fitted on a vintage beads and rice bracelet. 

 

20190831_163642.jpg

Edited by JasonND
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can never have too much Sekonda...

RIMG0233.thumb.JPG.bbc5fa4781d06a27ca941419b6cd9ecc.JPG

.. but I think this comes close.

RIMG0224.thumb.JPG.4c49b37f0aa6d630de06808fc296653e.JPG
Not sure of the caliber, it may be Russian, I'm no expert. Someone here may know.

It does have jewels, and it does have screws, so it isn't a cheap modern Chinese disposable, which is just as well, as it grunchy and crunchy when I first pulled out the crown and tried to turn the hands.

I didn't go overboard, just a little lighter fluid, a quick out and back in with the gears, and a tiny spot of oil, and now it is running fine and quiet as a mouse.

It has a bit of an excess of bling, especially now that it has been cleaned and polished, but is also very well built, and the strap is a work of art. When laid flat, you cannot see the joins. 

It is a gents sized watch, but not something I would generally wear. Interesting none the less. 

Another freebie picked up in a batch of stuff with one watch that I actually wanted, joins the Russian contingent of the 404 club. 

 

RIMG0236.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its a Timex Automatic TV face day today. A slightly strange one this, it appears to be a Dundee mechanism, french case (this is stamped clearly on the inside of the case back), but the outside of the case back states "Assembled in Taiwan", so probably an early to mid eighties watch, from the period when the Dundee factory was going through a bit of an upheaval. I must confess,  I wasn't paying attention when I cleaned it, so I didn't take a note or picture of the dial number.

The thing got a quick ' Duncan Slunge™ ' Timex service, and a great deal of polishing and cleaning, and is now running nicely. I'll take it a apart again and photograph the dial, when I've finished restoring the band and am ready to put it all back together.

RIMG0255.thumb.JPG.98237692edcd1c10bc3f9cef005849a6.JPG

Its original factory fitted Timex steel band is still in the process of getting cleaned and polished, so I popped the watch on a new old stock embossed real leather band, for that late seventies early eighties vibe.

RIMG0248.JPG

Don't worry, that date works fine, it is just in the process of changing.

Edited by AndyHull
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This rather forlorn looking thing is a Waltham. The logo was so poorly printed that it washed right off when I cleaned the dial.It came with an AS1686 with a rusty keyless works,which I swapped out with one previously serviced.the spiedel band came with the watch it has a '63 production date. I had to remove 5 links. The previous owner must have been a pretty large man.

IMAG0755.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Does anyone knows what size case a need for a dial diameter 20.60mm?
    • Sounds like the story with my Rolex. Poor (expensive) job done by an official Rolex dealer with an "in-house" watchmaker, hence I learned watchrepair and did the servicing myself. Same story as I learned with the Omega 861, again poor job by an "in-house" watchmaker by an official Omega dealer. Once your watch goes through that back-door, you have no idea what is going to happening to it 🫣   Quite nice that they sent back the parts which had been replaced !
    • yes that's definitely not right at all. I have a picture one of my friends has a Omega coaxial there was having issues to lose asking me where he should send it. As that's a specialty watch I suggested the service center. When he got it back he sent me a picture so the replace the dial as you can see the hands the mainspring barrel and I think the price was really quite decent considering all the stuff they can replace. So I do know they do change the barrels but the other person I worked at the service center when I would ask questions and unfortunately I can't remember all the answers. I think a lot of the changing a parts is at the discretion of the watchmaker. Plus I don't know enough about the chronographs and whether that would be considered a vintage watch? I take some of the vintage watches may have been sent directly to Switzerland or another service center. Obviously with a watch like the one down below they probably have a infinite supply of parts is its relatively modern vintage stuff becomes more interesting even the watch companies don't have necessarily infinite supply of parts. But no matter what the watch shouldn't disintegrated six months that's definitely an issue.        
    • glad it worked out, those ESA movements are obsolete but new old stock is still out there, now that you know the make/model you could also do a cross reference to see if something more current would line up with the dial feet and hands...for future use if needed 👍
    • I wish they would have done so in this case. The whole story went like this: I sent my speedmaster to an omega service center about 10 years ago (at that point of time I haven't even started watchmaking). After the watch came back to me it had only about 6 months wristtime until january 2024 (not fair for this nice watch but the other pieces of my collection want wristtime too 🙂). So my conclusion is that the barrel was already faulty when it came back from service, can't imagine that amount of wear in 6 months wristtime. In january 2024 the performance on the wrist was quite bad, so I decided to have a look by myself. I have to admit that I didn't check the barrel close enough as I thought it must be ok, couldn't have issues after official omega service. That was a mistake, I will learn from that. Follow the golden rule: Nothing is certain except death and taxes.
×
×
  • Create New...