Care and Handling of a Vintage Wristwatch

"Chris S." of Milwaukee, Wis., writes:

"Hi Bruce: I recently received my first vintage watch for Christmas. Can you give me a little education session of vintage watch service and care? Thanks!"

I get this question fairly regularly, so decided to turn this into a blog entry.

To some extent, it depends on the age of the watch. The first wristwatches from the WWI era are officially "antiques" this year, reaching their 100th anniversary with America's entry into WWI in 1917. These watches almost need to be handled as "relics," i.e., worn only occasionally and not for everyday. I liken it to taking a 100-year-old Model T on a cross-country drive. Beside being incredibly uncomfortable, no Model T owner in his right mind would subject a car of that vintage to such punishing conditions. The same with a 100-year-old watch. Original attachments (bands, bracelets) if they are present should be removed when wearing the watch and preserved for when the watch is passed to the next owner. Despite being amazingly durable (hey, they lasted 100 years, right?) the watch's internal parts have nevertheless become fragile, especially the tiny pivots that allow the balance to swing back and forth. A sharp bump, such as dropping the watch on a hard floor, can break them.

Contrast that with a fairly modern vintage watch, let's say an Eternamatic, from the 1950s. By this time, most movements are built with shockproofing mechanisms to protect the balance and its pivots. The number of jewel bearings has been increased on most watches by this time to 17, from seven jewels in early watches, so the general wear and tear on the movement is less. This is the type of watch you should expect could be worn for everyday use. Original bracelets, if they are present, can usually be worn for everyday use as well. Original leather bands should only be worn occasionally, or removed and replaced with something generic for harder and/or longer wear.

That being said, there are some general guidelines for the care and maintenance of ALL vintage watches, i.e., those that are:

* Made before about 1975 before the widespread use of disposable quartz watches;
* Made during the mechanical watch renaissance that began approximately 1985.

First and foremost, keep your vintage watches away from water. Water is Kryponite to vintage watches, regardless of age and whether or not the watch was originally sold as "waterproof" or "water resistant." Casual splashes, getting caught in the rain, or normal sweating are OK. But anything beyond that, remove  your watch first.

Avoid excessive or repeated shock. If you're an avid gardener or engage in any number of manly pursuits such as chopping wood, working on cars or motorcycles, or most anything involving lots of sweat and/or dirt, remove your vintage watch first. This goes for workouts, jogging, and most any contact sport as well. I have a number of clients whom I urge to buy a "weekend watch," an inexpensive, durable (i.e., stainless steel case) watch that they can knock around and not be out hundreds or thousands of dollars if they break or lose it. Metal bands or bracelets are preferable here, because they do not become gross with sweat and dirt like leather bands do. One notable exception is that I would urge NOT wearing metal bracelets if you are working on engines or anything with moving parts that can snag a metal bracelet. Better to wear a leather band and lose the watch rather than losing a hand or arm!

Replacing/repairing bands and bracelets

If your watch has a leather band, a replacement is inevitable at some point. They simply become gross and rot. On MOST watches, this is an easy job, and I urge you to learn to do it yourself. Youtube has several good tutorial videos on this ... just go to youtube.com and search "replace watch band."

Metal bracelets and bands can be more tricky, especially if they need to be repaired or resized (due to weight loss or gain) versus merely replaced. This is particularly the case with watches that have what I refer to as "proprietary bracelets." These are bracelets that are integrated to the case in some way that makes replacement impossible with any type of generic attachment. I typically tell my customers to avoid these kinds of watches, but I understand some models only come this way. So collect these at your peril. My own rule is that if I can't remove the bracelet, I don't buy the watch! In any event, working with metal attachments may require the help of a professional. I advise finding an experienced  jeweler or watch technician to do this. A fair price to expect to pay is in the $5 to $10 area, more for large cities with higher overhead. It all comes down to time ... how much time it takes to do the repair and how the watch technician prices his or her time. If in doubt, call first and ask for a ballpark estimate, but I find most replacement and repairs on metal bracelets can be done in 5-10 minutes, unless fabrication of parts is required.

Regardless of the level of help you may need with bands or bracelets, I can't stress enough the importance of AVOIDING discount department stores and most mall jewelry stores. I have found almost universally that the help in these stores have utterly no sensibility or regard for a fine vintage timepiece. Many discount department stores won't even touch a watch any more (vintage or otherwise) for fear of liability. And most (but not all) mall jewelers will simply jam things together to get you out the door because your repair doesn't represent a high dollar commission to the salesperson. Seek out an independent jeweler (someone with a watch technician on premises) or watch repair shop. If you don't know one, get on the Internet discussion groups and ask around. And, as I mentioned earlier, learn how to replace/resize/repair bracelets yourself. Usually it just requires a few simple tools available online from any number of suppliers for around $20.

How often to have your watch serviced

There is no end of controversy to this question, so I am merely going to state my opinion on this and urge you to ask around, confer with fellow collectors on the various chat groups or wherever, and arrive at your own answer on this.

The short answer is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Seriously. If a watch is running and keeping reasonable time (to within a couple minutes a day or better) why incur the expense and risk opening a Pandora's box of potential issues that inexplicably (and with greater frequency than you might expect) arise when the back of a watch is removed. I have literally had watches in my collection for 20 years or more, and I have NEVER had them serviced. It's only when one of my watches stops all together, or keeps erratic time (stops and starts) that I take it to my watchmaker. As a dealer, I trade and sell so many of my watches anyway, that I rarely need to have a watch serviced. (One in ten, if you were to ask me a number.)

Heresy, you say! Well, maybe, but my "philosophy" has kept me out of the poor house, or at the very least afforded me more money to buy more watches instead of paying my watchmaker's orthodontic bill for this four kids!

On the other end of the spectrum, you have those who say an annual servicing is required. This kind of horseshit is usually propagated by Rolex dealers who want to lighten your wallet by upwards of $1,000 every year for a clean/oil/adjust an "authorized Rolex service technician." This is pure overkill, and scandalously overpriced at that (most any experienced watch technician can provide this same service for $250). But if you are one of those who insist on "regular scheduled maintenance," I would suggest that a servicing of the movement every five years is more than sufficient.

I will offer one piece of preventive advice that I'm sure has saved me many a watch servicing: If you have so many watches that a number of them are in storage (such as a safe or bank vault) take them out once a month or so, and give them a good wind, and let them run. This will help distribute the oil throughout the movement and keep it lubricated and prevent "gumming" of the oil. Gummy oil or dry spots within the gear train will cause a watch to seize up for sure. If your collection is small enough that you rotate through it once per month or so, then you should be in good shape as far as keeping your watches sufficiently lubricated.

If you collect battery operated watches, such as Accutrons or Hamilton electrics from 1957 through '69, there are a few extra common sense considerations with regard to batteries, but all the other things mentioned above apply. Remember that vintage battery operated watches still have mechanical moving parts and require the same care and maintenance as purely mechanical watches. That's all I will say about battery operated watches, as I do not collect them myself and I try to avoid selling them. That's just a personal choice on my part; I prefer purely mechanical watches. If these are your particular cup of tea, I urge you seek advice on the various discussion groups out there on the 'Net.

I hope the above has been helpful. With just a little care and some common sense, your vintage watches should last you a lifetime and the lifetime of the next person who is lucky enough to own it. Considering there are somewhere between 75 to 125 individual parts to a mechanical wristwatch (and more if the watch has complications) and that many of the parts are in constant motion (some as much as 18,000 times every hour) mechanical watches are amazingly durable and reliable. Ask the average vintage car collector if the same can be said for his automobiles, and you'll agree that vintage watches are a breeze to care for and maintain.

Happy collecting,

Bruce

Wakmann and Breitling Watches

Greetings fellow watch nerds

In addition to watches, I enjoy collecting vintage watch catalogs. Not the parts and service catalogs and bulletins, for these are fairly easy to find. I'm talking about the catalogs that companies sent to jewelers annually so they could see the new models. These are much more difficult to find, since jewelers typically threw them out every year when the new catalogs arrived, while watchmakers tended to save the technical catalogs/bulletins.

The jewelers' catalogs are getting harder and harder to find. Up until a few years back, I would find one a month. Now, I'm lucky to find one a year, as collectors are gobbling them up and paying big money for them. I remember a few years back, someone on eBay was liquidating a bunch of old Zodiac watch catalogs. I was bidding in the $100 to $150 range, and continually being outbid by one increment. The next catalog was a really nice one, so I put in a proxy bid of $1,000 on it, just to be sure I'd get it. Guess what? The catalog went for $1,010! I'm pretty sure I know who was buying all these catalogs, and I must admit to a little devilish pleasure in knowing I made the guy reach that high for it!

That's certainly an extreme example, but shows how fanatical some collectors are. As another example, I recently sold a mid-1960s Heuer (pre Tag) catalog to a collector for $400. It's not unusual to see these catalogs go in the hundreds of dollars, especially if the catalogs contain nice, high resolution images.

It's no surprise as to why this phenomenon is occurring. These old catalogs are invaluable sources of information to collectors and historians like myself. You can glean tons of great information about a given watch, such as case and dial options that were offered; what type of attachment (band or bracelet) came with the watch; what was the model name and/or number assigned to the watch; and the original retail price.

At the same time as good vintage catalogs are disappearing, the amount of "junk" being passed off as "vintage" increases. Ebay sellers, for example, are trying to sell 2- and 3-year-old catalogs (handed out at trade shows by the truckload) as "vintage."

But the search continues, because every once in a while I find a diamond in the pile of crap. A recent example is a beautiful 1948 catalog from Wakmann. It was an especially nice find because Wakmann at the time was the sole USA distributor for Breitling chronographs and Election watches. Many of these are illustrated in the catalog, and since the seller neglected to mention this or show any images, I got the catalog for a song ... $20.

More than the "Triple/Triple"

I wrote about Wakmann watches back in 2003 for my newsletter, Wristwatch News, to emphasize that while Wakmann's triple date/triple register chronograph is easily the company's most identifiable watch, they made many other watches as well. This 1948 catalog bears this out. There are many nice dress watches, both in solid gold and gold filled:

Left to right, (Model #, Case, Jewels, Suggested Retail): #1001, RGP/SS, 17J, $31.50; #1020A, RGP/SS, 17J, $38.20 or $44.50 for 10kt/SS; #1405 RGP/SS, 15J, $27.50, available with leather or plastic strap; #1009, RGP/SS, 17J, $31.50; #1004 RGP/SS, 17J, $31.50; #1400, RGP/SS, 15J, $27.50 or $33.00 for 17J movement; #1002, RGP/SS, 17J, $31,50.

Also many more robust "work and sport" watches in stainless steel:

Left to right, (Model #, Case, Jewels, Suggested Retail): #1101, base/SS, 17J, $55 or $63 with RGP/SS; #1300, all SS, 17J, $27; #1103, RGP/SS, 17J, $57.50; #1310, RGP/SS, 17J, $42.

And take a look at these "his-and-her's" dress models:

Elizabeth and Philip (named for the queen and king of Great Britain) $89 and $119.50, respectively, 14kt gold, two-tone pink and yellow, gold markers soldered onto case, 17J, leather strap.

Anne and Michael (named for the queen and king of Romania) $89 and $119.50, respectively, 14kt gold, two-tone pink and yellow, 17J, silk cord (Anne) and leather strap (Michael).

Of course, the creme de la creme of this catalog, at least for me, is the Breitling chronographs. It's unlikely that these could be found in the "budget" price range to which this blog is dedicated, so it's fun to at least look at pictures and see what these watches were originally priced at!




Three Breitling "Premiere" models, SS cases: 3 register, flat pushers, $82.50; 3 register black dial, round pushers, $95.00; 2-register, flat pushers, $72.00.

2-register 18kt gold, flared lugs, $185; "Sprint" SS, $44; Datora triple date, triple register, SS, $229.

The Chronomat (above) was the prototype for the Navitimer which was arguably Breitling's most famous watch. In stainless steel, the watch retailed at $89.50. The 18kt gold version retailed at $209.00.

How Wakmann finagled distribution rights for Breitling (which lasted into the 1970s) is a little easier to understand when you realize that Breitling was a virtually unknown brand in the United States in the late 1940s and early '50s. Still, the distribution agreement was a coup for both Wakmann and Breitling. When the Navitimer came out in 1952, it was named the "official watch" of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which suddenly put Breitling on the map and made Icko Wakmann a force within the Swiss watch industry. Which is unusual for two reasons: He was born in Russia, not Switzerland; and the company never made any of its own movements, but imported Swiss ebauches (rough movements) from Switzerland and merely performed the finishing/casing/dialing in house, either in New York or their Swiss facility in Solothurn.  Speaking of dials, many of the company's chronographs can be found co-branded (Breitling/Wakmann). Others can be found co-signed "Wakmann/Gigandet." Charles Gigandet was a co-founder along with Wakmann of the company in 1925 before Wakmann arrived in New York and established Wakmann USA in 1947.  

While other companies disappeared during the quartz crisis of the 1970s, Wakmann continued on. Their "triple/triple" continued to be a big seller for for fans of mechanical watches. They also sold and serviced mechanical clocks for aircraft, which had been manufactured almost since the beginning in the '20s. Many are still in service today today in vintage aircraft. 

Wakmann himself died in April of 1981 at age 86. His final venture was the Relide Clock Co. (which also produced some wristwatches). He presided over the company until 1979 when at age 84 he finally retired. He was in the watch/clock business for 54 years.

As late as 2003 when I wrote the Wakmann story for the newsletter, the New York office was still operating with one employee. Today, that office is closed, with only offices in Switzerland still operating. The company still sells wristwatches, direct to consumers, via its website (shop.wakmann.ch) and services aircraft clocks. The watches are now all quartz.

Thanks for reading. Also, the Atlantic "stop chronograph" featured in the last blog entry is now for sale on my website for $150 if anyone is interested. Click on the link below to view it:

Atlantic Stop Chronograph

Also, if you haven't order a copy of Hamilton Wristwatches: A Reference Guide, now would be a good time. I have a fresh batch of copies, ready to mail. Click on the link below to order.

Hamilton Book

Happy watch hunting!

Bruce Shawkey

Atlantic "Stop Chronograph" Fun at a Fraction of the Price of an Omega "Chronostop"

© 2016 Bruce Shawkey

I've long maintained that there a TON of watches out there that are unusual, interesting, even rare, that don't cost a lot of money. You don't have to break into the 401(K) fund to have some fun in this hobby.

Take for example this Atlantic stop timer chronograph.





It sort of looks like a chronograph, but without the registers. The top and bottom buttons merely freeze the sweep second hand (top button) and reset the sweep second back to zero (bottom button) whereupon it resumes its sweep as a normal second hand. The freezing of the second hand is a little different from a "hack" feature found on some sport and military watches in that it does not stop the whole movement. In other words, the watch keeps on keeping time, even when the top button is depressed. In this way, the watch does not lose time when the stop feature is being utilized.


Atlantic watches have quite a history, going back to 1888 when Eduard Kummer (born March 26, 1845), established the EKB (short for Eduard Kummer Bettlach) company in Bettlach, near Grenchen, Switzerland. That original name stuck until 1952, so adverts up to that time are seen with the name "Ed. Kummer." Ads after that depict the "Atlantic" name, and sometimes Ed. Kummer, and sometimes the name "Aristex" which was another brand name the company came up with. (Ariston and Opus were two other brands of the company as well.)





Like many watch companies, Atlantic flourished in the years immediately following World War II, when the floodgates opened due to pent up demand for consumer goods during the war. Atlantic came out with many model names, but perhaps their most famous was the "Worldmaster." Also like many watch companies, Atlantic began to disappear in the '60s with the market gravitating toward cheap, disposable watches. The '70s delivered the final blow with the introduction of quartz watches. In 1989, a company called Uhren Verkaufs Büro (UVB) acquired distribution rights to the brand. That company went bankrupt in the early 1990s, and now the Atlantic company distributes its own watches, currently focusing on the Eastern-European markets. "Worldmaster" in the main model it promotes. Here's one from its current lineup, an homage to their original Worldmaster from the '50s:






All of their vintage wristwatches utilized ebauches (rough movements) from other suppliers such as ETA, Fountainmelon, A. Schild, and others. This was a very common practice in its day, since the Swiss watch industry had by this time divided itself into specialty companies. One group of companies made the vast majority of raw movements and sold them to watch companies where they would be "finished" in house, including polishing/plating of the plates, adding a custom part or two, or perhaps an in-house "module" of some kind, etc. Other Swiss companies made cases, while others made dials and hands, and so forth. That is why so many watches from supposedly competing companies from those days bear a remarkable resemblance to one another! (The practice continues to this day; many watch companies buy their movements and cases from the same handful of suppliers.)

The Atlantic stop timer chronograph utilizes the ETA Caliber 1168 movement.







The direct sweep second is continuously running, and is coupled to the fourth wheel with a latching axial clutch. The pusher at the 2:00 position stops the second hand as long as held down. The pusher at 4:00 resets the second to zero, and restarts it when released. Several companies used this movement, including Breitling, and promoted the watch to physicians, time/motion study scientists, technicians, photography darkroom enthusiasts, etc., just about anyone needing a watch to measure short bursts of elapsed time, while maintaining constant time like a "normal" wristwatch. Perhaps most famously, the Omega Watch Co. utilized this concept on their "Chronostop" model, although their movement is based on a Lemania ebauche.

You can see the ETA 1168 in motion at this link:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1a4kzj_eta-1168_tech


It's labeled "Wall" watch company, but the movement is the same as inside the Atlantic.

In any event, it appears that Atlantic did not have great success with this model, due to its limited timing ability. I'm not even aware that Atlantic gave it a specific model name.

The specimen I have measures 42mm long lug to lug, by 35mm wide, not including any of the crowns. The case composition is chrome plating over base metal for the bezel, with a stainless steel snap back. The bezel shows this was well used (but not abused) by its original owner. Pitting is evident, but not severe. The dial is original and still in very good condition. The hollowed-out arrow hour and minute hands add a nice note of eccentricity to the piece. The watch came to me with an ill-fitting winding crown, and one of the pusher crowns was missing. In restoring this watch, I had to use a hodgepodge of crowns due to weird tap sizes on the stems. Not the most pretty, but everything works as it should. The watch kept acceptable time when I received it, so I did not bother to have it cleaned/oiled/adjusted. (If it ain't broke, why fix it?)





I hate to reveal the exact price I paid for it, but let's just say it was under a hundred bucks. I want to play with the watch for a while, but eventually it will be for sale on my website!

Click here to visit my website

If you are interested in learning more about Atlantic watches here are couple of links:


History (this is a link that will download a PDF containing lots of info about Atlantic)

The current Atlantic (this the link to the company website)


Thanks for reading, and I hope you encounter some unusual "finds" in your travels as well!


Bruce Shawkey

Zodiac revisited

Note: I originally wrote this story for the NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin (W&CB) for the March/April 2016 issue. But due to differences between myself and the new editor that could not be resolved, the story never ran. So here it is for your hopeful enjoyment.

By Bruce Shawkey

I have long admired the Zodiac brand of watches for their great quality and affordability. They fit right in with the philosophy of this blog --- that great vintage watches need not necessarily be expensive. I first wrote about Zodiac watches in August of 2005 for the W&CB. Since then, there have been several significant discoveries and developments about the brand that I wanted to share with you.

But first, let's review the history of Zodiac from inception to year 1978 for those of you who don't have access to W&CB. (The significance of year 1978 will become clear in a few minutes.) This history is well documented on numerous websites, so I am only going to do a few bullet points from their highlights. If you want more info, I suggest you visit www.vintagezodiacs.com.


* 1864: Ariste Calame (1839-1917) establishes a workshop in LeLocle, Switzerland. The company is founded in 1882 and is known simply as "Ariste Calame." The name "Zodiac" is occasionally seen on some pocket watches, but was not trademarked until 1908.

Ariste Calame

* During the early years, the company manufactures movements and movement parts for other companies, notably Favre-Perret and Seiko of Japan (believe it or not, Seiko has been around since 1881).

* 1895: Son, Louis-Ariste Calame, takes over the company. Other family members join the company and the company remains family owned and operated until 1978.

* mid-1930s. Zodiac builds a series of in house wrist watch movements. Two notables are an eight-day Caliber 1551 movement, and another (Caliber unknown) with a patented shock-proofing system. In the photos below, you can see the patented "Z-clip" over the balance that provides shock protection.

Both movements are so obscure they are not even listed in the Bestfit material catalogs. Zodiac decides to use ebauches (rough movements) from other companies and merely finish them in house.

* 1953: Zodiac introduces the Sea Wolf, the first serious watch for divers. It as a turnable bezel ring to measure elapsed time so that divers can keep track of oxygen remaining in their tanks.

The watch is an instant hit not only with divers, but other sports enthusiasts seeking a robust watch with easy-to-read dial. Underwater Demolition Teams (UTD), which later became the Navy SEALs, choose the Sea Wolf as their "official" watch over their government-issued watches. The model remains the company's signature watch to this day.


* 1971: Zodiac introduces the "Super Sea Wolf" with even great water resistance and incorporates orange into the dial and hands to make it even easier to read.

* 1971: The company introduces the "Astrographic" a unique automatic mystery dial watch. Dial calibrations are decaled onto the underside of the crystal. The model is made in round and square/cushion shape versions. The watch was a huge hit with consumers. Not only was the watch a novelty, but it was seen as a robust sport watch (complete with bracelet instead of leather band) AND it was automatic.

* 1978: The last generation of the Calame family sells the company to a large Swiss corporation, and Zodiac is no longer family owned.


OK, so much for the history up to 1978. The first development I want to talk about are the crystals for the Astrographic models. The problem was (and is) that if the crystals are scratched/scuffed (and they always did), you could only get the crystals from Zodiac. And when the company fell on hard times beginning in the late '70s, production of crystals (and indeed replacement parts for most vintage Zodiac watches) ceased, and existing supplies quickly dried up.

Enter Thomas "Andy" Lewis, a watch technician and Zodiac collector from Ohio. He’s found a source to make the crystals for both the cushion and the round models, complete with the underside decals.

As you can see, Andy's replacements (bottom) are very close to the originals (top). 

“The crystals that I have made are hardened mineral glass, so they are slightly superior to the originals,” says Lewis. “Another huge benefit over the originals is that mine are designed to fit the case exactly and be glued in. No need to worry about the gaskets that came with the old crystals and had to be installed to make the crystal fit correctly.” Lewis sells the crystals for $75 each plus shipping (uninstalled) and you or your watchmaker can install them (Lewis recommends ultraviolet cement). Or for an extra charge, Lewis will install it, though I recommend doing it yourself (or your watchmaker) since Lewis is almost always overbooked with repairs. He also sells crystals for Zodiac’s “Super Sea Wolf” (also long unavailable from Zodiac) but these Lewis must install himself due to tiny variations in bezel sizes during the years the model was produced. To contact Lewis, visit www.ultra-vintage.com.


KEY PLAYERS IN ZODIAC’S LATER HISTORY

Another facet of my 2005 story on Zodiac that I want to expand upon is the ownership of the Zodiac brand after the Calame family sold it in 1978. As previously stated, a large Swiss consortium (Dixi Group), bought a controlling interest in the company starting in 1978, and gained total ownership by 1979. The Calame family, which had run Zodiac since its beginning 1882, had simply floundered starting in the late ‘60s due to cheap Swiss mechanical export brands, Then, quartz watches delivered the knockout blow in the early- to mid-1970s.

The next 11 years under Dixi ownership are generally regarded by vintage Zodiac collectors as the “dark years.” The brand all but lost its focus on its core market of sports watches, opting instead for dress watches of uninspired copycat designs of other manufacturers.

Then, in 1990, a savior of sorts arrived in the form of Willy Gad Monnier, a well known figure in the Swiss watchmaking industry.

Willy Gad Monnier

Since the end of WWII, Monnier had climbed through the ranks and was perhaps at the pinnacle of his career with Heuer/Tag Heuer, even being CEO of that company for a time. But his calling presumably lay elsewhere. With a long-held passion for sport watches, he was saddened to see what had become of Zodiac and thought he could bring the brand back. So in a rather acrimonious parting with Heuer/Tag Heuer, Monnier purchased the brand. A 1990 brochure heralded the return of the Sea Wolf and Astrographic. Other iconic models would soon be re-introduced, including the SST 36,000, the Aerospace GMT, and the Corsair.

Despite these efforts, the company went bankrupt in 1997. In Sept. 1998, another rescue attempt was made when Genender International, Inc. (a U.S. company based in Wheeling, Ill.) bought Zodiac’s remaining inventory, all of their trademarks and registrations and other assets out of bankruptcy from the Swiss Courts. Early on, these were generally happy times for Zodiac enthusiasts, as Genender attempted to re-energize the brand, and stay true to its heritage of sports watches. Toward the end however (2000-2001) the brand faltered, mostly because Genender was unable to find a steady and reliable source of mechanical movements. Models were “shuffled” between quartz and mechanical to ration mechanical movements. There were highs and lows. Genender re-introduced the Astrographic in a new iteration, the Astrographic 2000, which today is highly sought by vintage collectors. It is believed that fewer than 500 of these were made during a 13-month period from 2000-2001

Photo by Renaissance Man 

Sadly, the iconic Sea Wolf was dropped in favor of a new “Sea Wolf II” which was only offered with a quartz movement. In 2001, Fossil Inc. approached Ken and Alan Genender, principals of the company, accepted an offer of $4.7 million for the Zodiac brand. It is one of the rare occasions in which the price paid for a watch brand is revealed, owing to the fact that Fossil Inc. was (and is) a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: FOS) and capital acquisitions must be reported to shareholders.

(Alan Genender, by the way, is currently reviving the Clebar brand (both chronograph and time-only), which for years was closely associated with Zodiac. I'll cover that in another blog entry. But in the meantime, check out the company and its watches at www.clebarwatches.com.)

I expand upon the various owners because die-hard Zodiac collectors are meticulously fussy about the pedigree of various models. The Super Sea Wolf model is a typical example … collectors take great pains to distinguish a Calame-era model, from the vastly different Monnier-era model, and from current version offered by Fossil.

The Monnier-era Super Sea Wolf (left) and current version.

FINALLY, A CONTEMPORARY SEA WOLF

Another major development in Zodiac comes from the company that currently owns the brand – Fossil Inc. Back in 2005 when I first reported on the brand, Zodiac to my complete amazement had ceased production of the Sea Wolf, the company's most famous watch. This was, in my opinion, a huge blunder on Fossil’s part, sort of like if Chevy were to drop the Corvette. Well, the company has come around, and it now offers a model called the Super Sea Wolf 53.

It’s been updated somewhat to reflect current tastes. For example the watch is 40mm in diameter versus the original watch at 35mm. But the watch is very true to the original spirit of the watch, (notice the reference to 53, the year the Sea Wolf was introduced), including a mechanical automatic movement, not quartz. And it’s priced at $1,295 retail ($1,095 if you’re willing to forego the stainless bracelet for a silicon strap) which in today’s world of mechanical watches is quite affordable.

The company also offers a "Super Sea Wolf 68" which is a tribute to the original Calame-era Super Sea Wolf. I wish Fossil had not called both Sea Wolfs "Super" because it's kind of confusing but, hey, they never consulted me. Anyway, the retail price on that one is $1,595. They also offer an updated version of the cushion-shaped Astrographic, another watch that was missing from Zodiac’s lineup for several years. The Astrographic is priced at $1,295 and features a steel bracelet and mechanical automatic movement.

Why am I even reporting the "new" Zodiac? I realize that many of you vintage collectors don’t care for modern watches. But you have to remember there are many watch enthusiasts out there who like the “look” of a vintage watch, but want such features as newer, better materials and machining methods, a warranty, and true water resistance for swimming, diving, etc. … all things that a vintage watch cannot offer.

I have mixed feelings about whether to recommend buying current Zodiac models. While I'm happy that Fossil is finally bringing back the classic Zodiac models, Fossil is notorious for poor service, both to its retailers and to consumers. Retailers report they can't get band/bracelet parts and replacements. Ditto with case parts such as crowns and crystals. The Internet lists numerous complaints by customers about sending their watches to Fossil's service center (Metro Service Center in Dallas, Texas) which is also the same warranty service center for Zodiac. Fortunately, Fossil is a member of the Better Business Bureau, and the BBB has gone to bat for numerous consumers over the years and gotten results. But my question is, why does it have to get to that stage? Why doesn't Fossil resolve problems in the first place and avoid public airing of problems via the BBB?

So my advice with buying a current Zodiac is assume the best, but prepare for the worst. The watches do appear to be solid, and have gotten good reviews by several respected websites, including Hodinkee. But watches do break during the warranty period, so be prepared. Save all paperwork with your watch, especially the receipt. The warranty card typically means nothing without the receipt! Meanwhile, out-of-warranty service can probably be done on most models by a qualified watchmaker, since the movements in most of Zodiac's classic remakes are made by ETA. Exceptions might be the models with compression cases (Super Sea Wolf, for example) which would likely need to go to Metro Service for out-of-warranty service.

HEUER AND ZODIAC … NO CONNECTION

Finally, I wish to dispel a rumor that has started in recent years, and that is the notion that Heuer/Tag Heuer at one time made watches for Zodiac, that Zodiac watches are somehow a “poor-man’s version” of a Heuer/Tag Heuer. Even as I write this, there are several watches selling or recently sold on eBay described as being "made for Zodiac by Heuer." This is pure Internet urban myth, designed to artificially increase the perceived value of the watch, according to Butch Dunn, Zodiac collector, historian, and owner of the website www.vintagezodiacs.com. Says Dunn: “In 20 years now I have not turned up any documentation that ever confirmed, nor even suggested, that Heuer ever made any watches for Zodiac.” There are indeed several Zodiac watch models (chronographs in particular) that bear a remarkable resemblance to models by Heuer, and by other manufacturers for that matter. But that’s only because by the 1950s, most watch manufacturers were buying their cases, movements, dials, and bracelets from the same specialty companies, and assembling them into their particular version of the completed watch.

And speaking of Dunn, it is worth mentioning that www.vintagezodiacs.com is still the number one site (as it was in 2005) for the best and most complete information about VINTAGE (pre-Fossil) Zodiac watches. A companion site, www.zodiaccatalogs.com, operates on paid subscription and hosts an extensive collection of vintage Zodiac jeweler catalogs. Together, the two sites offer what I believe is the most comprehensive resource on vintage Zodiac watches to be found anywhere.

Enjoy! Oh, and by the way, please click on the link below to visit my website and see the awesome collection of vintage watches I have for sale!

Bruce's Vintage Watches

Sincerely,

Bruce

Accepting Orders for New Hamilton Wristwatch ID Book

I am pleased to announce that Hamilton Wristwatches: A Reference Guide, the first Hamilton wristwatch identification book to be released in 17 years, is now available for order.

I'll give you the link in a moment, but first a little about the book. Here's what one fellow you may know had to say about it:

"Bruce has done the watch collecting community a huge favor with this book," says René Rondeau, Hamilton watch historian, and author of the last ID book on Hamilton mechanical wristwatches. "My own Collector's Guide, published back in 1999, has been out of print for many years, leaving a serious gap in the modern watch collector's arsenal of essential information."

So great is the demand for an identification guide on Hamilton wristwatches, that copies of Rondeau's out-of-print book have sold for as much as $500 on eBay. The new book retails at $49.95.

I approached Rondeau in 2014 about his interest in writing a second edition to his book. As great as his passion still is for Hamilton watches, he said he just didn't have the time or energy to do it, and so passed the torch to me to write the followup book.

The 226-page book (compared with Rondeau's 182) contains about 20 previously unknown models or model versions that have come to light through the efforts of dedicated Hamilton collectors who have shared their discoveries through articles and online discussion forums. These include The 1917 0-size "Cushion," the 18kt gold "Rectangular," the "Vancott," and the "Model A" to name a few. Also, 19 "Hamilton-Illinois" models made in the mid 1950s are identified, in addition to the so-called "M-Series" watches made in the early 1960s. Perhaps most importantly, quality of the nearly 900 watch images has been greatly improved from Rondeau's 1999 book thanks to advancements in digital imaging during the past 17 years.

The 0-size "Cushion" (left) and 18kt gold "Rectangular"

"Model A," (left) and Vancott

Two years in the making, the book involved the help and cooperation of Rondeau, and two additional recognized experts in the field: Mark Cardelucci, webmaster of the web forum, vintagewatchforums.com; and Dan Keefe, blogmaster at hamiltonchronicles.com. 

"Bruce's  book will serve as an invaluable resource to future generations of Hamilton collectors," says Keefe. "I commend him for his tenacity and his dedication to pulling it together."

In all, 892 images from company catalogs and collections were scanned and digitally enhanced to make identifying any known Hamilton model easier for collectors. The watches are arranged chronologically, and Watch Identification Tables located at the end of the book enable the user, in about three or four steps, to narrow the identity of a given watch to a handful of choices. Those choices can then be looked up by picture, and a positive ID made.

In addition, each watch lists the case composition, movement or movements used in the watch during its production, and the number of years the model was produced. Production numbers (i.e., units that left the factory) are also provided for models made between 1917 and 1940.

I must tell you up front that Hamilton Wristwatches is NOT going to be the perfect book for everyone. I have not covered certain "on-off" (one-of-kind) special order watches and special order dials. (However, factory dial variations -- such as white or black -- are noted.) Also, band attachments (straps and bracelets) are not covered in the book, which I know is of interest to many Hamilton collectors who want specimens with original attachments. Such an undertaking was, I felt, impossible to accomplish and would bog down the book for mainstream collectors. Think of this book as "Rondeau Version 2.0." Another better, more detailed book will ultimately come along, but I won't be the person to write it! 

Also, as with Rondeau's 1999 book, the time period covered ends at 1969, when the production line at Hamilton's Lancaster, Pa. factory was shut down. This is generally considered the "end of the line" for most Hamilton collectors. There is interest cropping up in post-1969 Hamilton models, but again this will have to be addressed by a future author! I also did not include market valuations. Such an attempt is a fool's errand because ultimately price is determined by what a willing buyer and seller agree upon. Condition is also a huge consideration. Anyway, such market value information is readily available online from such sources as eBay for free, or from terapeak.com, or watch-prices.com, both of which are by paid subscriptions. 

If you would like to buy a copy, click on this link. Cost is $49.95 plus postage. This is the single source for the book. It is not available in bookstores, nor on amazon.com or any other online source at this time.

Thanks to all of you who provided support and encouragement on this project!

Bruce Shawkey

Gruen Imperial Tank, Model Number 17

The Gruen "Tank" models, produced from 1929 to 1935, are particularly hard to find. It seems that it's easier to procure an 877 Techniquadron than a Tank! I've only come across two or three in the 30 years I've been collecting, and all of those have been the "small" Tank, measuring a mere 32mm long by 24mm wide, and easily mistaken for a lady's watch.

Imagine my thrill at being offered an "Imperial" Tank a couple months ago from a collector friend of mine. It was in rough shape ... a really bad dial, and a movement that was missing parts, although at least it had a good balance. I really hesitate to refinish the dial on a watch, but I think you'll agree the dial on this was too far gone:

In addition, it needed a new canon pinion and a minute wheel ... both were shot. I was able to scavenge both parts from a spare Grade 885 that I had in inventory. The dial and two hands went to Kirk-Rich Dial of California and were refinished at a cost of $149.50. (Guess they didn't have the heart to bump me up to an even $150!) Wow, redials are getting expensive, aren't they? But I think you'll agree Kirk-Rich did a kick-ass job:

I had Kirk-Rich do the luminous paint on the dial and hands in an antique tan color, so the dial looks aged, though artificially of course. This is my personal preference; there's something just too "shocking" to me about an 87-year old watch with green luminous that makes the watch look looks like it came right out of a gumball machine! Anyway, the clean/oil/adjust was $45, so I'm $194.50 into restoration.

The case on this Imperial Tank is 37.5mm long lug to lug, by 25mm wide, not including the crown. There is no mistaking that this was a man's watch, at least by standards of the day.

It is solid 14kt white gold. It is the Tank Model #17, as was recorded in the Gruen "Guild" master catalog of 1929. It is the same as the Model 16 in green solid 14kt gold. It has a very pleasing decorative engraving on the top and sides of the case.

The case is in excellent condition with no personalized engraving. The pierced lug holes are nice and round, not all stretched out from excessive wear.

Dial and hands, as mentioned, are refinished. Very nicely done, including the SWITZERLAND signature on the bottom. All Gruen wristwatches, at least those produced under Fred Gruen's aegis, are signed SWITZERLAND at the bottom, not SWISS. The story goes that Fred insisted that Gruen dials bear the name of the actual country of origin, rather than SWISS which is merely an adjective.

The crown is most likely a replacement, but it is a correct crown for the age. Acrylic crystal is also a replacement.

The Caliber 885 is a basic FHF (Fontainemelon) 10.5 ligne Grade 1186, finished in house at one of Gruen's facilities in Switzerland. With 15 jewels, it has hour and minutes only; no seconds.

The history of the Gruen Tank is interesting in several respects. They were only made for seven years, from 1923 to about 1930. If scarcity is any indication, the models did not sell all that well. The case design is quite interesting in that the back covers the complete watch, even the lugs.

Also, there is an extra collar between the stem and crown designed to keep out dust and moisture. I believe it is these two features that gave Gruen the idea for the name ... i.e, "built like a tank." The fact that the watch bears a striking resemblance to the Cartier Tank was, I believe, merely a coincidence.

Some believe it was Cartier that forced Gruen to quit making the Tank models because of a trademark infringement. But that is not the case. As best I can tell, Cartier did not legally register the trademark "Tank" as it applies to watches until the 1970s, and didn't begin enforcing it until the 1990s. It was in fact Bulova that sought to end the model's manufacture because the company claimed it had already patented the stamping process for making the "cover-all" back. Bulova ultimately prevailed in the lawsuit ("Kay Jewelry Co. vs. Gruen National Watch Case Co.") and as far as I am aware Gruen did not produce the watch after that. Whether sales of the Tank models would have continued into the 1930s is questionable anyway, since consumer tastes were running more toward the streamlined look versus "blocky" designs like the Tank.

In all, just 28 distinct Tank models were created that I am aware of. Fourteen of those were of the "Imperial" size, and of those just eight models were cased in solid gold. Which makes this "Tank" a rare find in my book. This one is going in my personal collection ... at least for now!

Happy watch hunting,

Bruce

Seiko Automatic 12-Hour "Bullhead" chronograph

Today's watch is the super-cool, super '70s Seiko "Chronograph Automatic, " or "Seiko Bullhead Chronograph" as it's come to be called by collectors. So named because the pusher buttons are at the top of the case (rather than the side) and are reminiscent of a bull's horns, with the crown between the two pushers completing the look of a bull's head.

I've also heard it called the "UFO" due to its flying saucer appearance.

Seiko made this chronograph model from about 1974 to 1979.

Here are the details on this particular specimen: All stainless steel "hidden lug" case with screw back. Case 46mm high by 43.5 mm wide, not including crown, 46mm high, and 15mm thick. The head alone on this watch weighs 3.3 ounces. Few dings on the case, nothing serious. Bezel insert is in excellent condition. Excellent condition original dial, brown with gold colored registers. Excellent original crown and original pusher buttons. Crystal is a replacement, a correct beveled edge glass crystal.

Movement: 21 jewel Caliber 6138 movement winds and sets perfectly, keeps time to within 2 min/day. All chrono functions operate perfectly ... start, stop, and reset. Chrono zeroes up perfectly. Not known when last serviced. Day and date are both quick adjustable by pulling out crown to first "click" and turning clockwise to adjust date, and counter-clockwise to adjust day.

Brand new aftermarket "fishbone" bracelet with signed Seiko deployment clasp. The case serial number of 658296 dates this specimen to May 1976.

The Seiko "Chronograph Automatic" really shook up the market in its day because this 12 hour model sold for quite a bit less money than 12-hour chronographs from such companies as Heuer or Breitling. First models of the Seiko sold for around $145, while a Heuer Autavia retailed for around $230 with a steel bracelet. Seiko's chronograph sold quite well in the states because Seiko had already established a solid reputation. The idea of no running seconds already had a precedent with the Caliber 11/12, made by Dubois Depraz with financial and technical assistance from Heuer, Hamilton/Buren, and Bretling. All of these companies had an interest in this chronograph movement and would eventually come out with chronographs containing the Caliber 11 and its improved version, the Caliber 12.

The Seiko 6138 was quite a mechanical marvel in its time, and I believe matched the technical excellence of not only only the Caliber 11/12, but also the Zenith Caliber 3019, used in its El Primero automatic chronograph. Granted, Seiko had five years to study those movements and learn from them, but take into consideration that Seiko made the movement entirely in house, including escapement and hairspring. The movement is amazingly durable. Even the most cosmetically beat up specimens frequently have working movements!

Today, the Seiko Bullhead is popular among collectors, partially because they provide the biggest bang for the buck for a 12-hour chronograph. But they are going up in price. A few years ago, you could buy them all day long at $250 and under, many complete with the watch's signature "fishbone" bracelet. Now, it's not unusual to find them starting at $350 to $450, and if you find one with an ORIGINAL fishbone bracelet (not aftermarket) you can add another $100 to that price.

Because it sits so high on the wrist, the watch tended to get banged around quite a bit, both on the sides and on the surface of the bezel insert on which is printed all the tachymeter numbers for calculating speed of a moving object. This specimen has a few dings on the case, but the bezel insert is in surprising good shape.

Two color combinations of this model were offered. This one is the brown dial with gold colored registers; the other is a black/blue combination. I'm not aware of one color combo being more desirable than the other.

The crown on this watch can actually be used as a secondary means to wind the movement. Most Seiko automatic utilize the crown only to set the time and calendar functions as needed. They rely solely on the rotation of the rotor to wind the mainspring.

This is one watch that definitely requires a bracelet. A leather band on this watch looks ridiculous in my opinion. The best option for a bracelet is of course the original "fishbone" bracelet that it came with. The bracelet has earned the name among collectors because the thin inner links of the bracelet look like the bones of a fish once it has been filleted. The problem is, original bracelets are nearly impossible to find because they tended to take quite a beating by their original owners. Enter the Chinese, with their amazing ability to duplicate nearly anything, especially once it's learned there is a demand for it! There are a number of sellers on eBay offering aftermarket "fishbone" bracelets, specifically for the Seiko Bullhead that are near-perfect replicas of the originals, right down to the perfect fit between the end pieces and the watch's lugs. The bracelets sell for between $35 and $50. They are generous in size (I'm certain they will fit up to an 8-inch wrist) and, honestly, I have no problem attaching one of these to a Bullhead (as I have with this one) as long as one is honest about disclosing the fact.

I should add that complete Chinese-made fakes of the Seiko Bullhead have appeared on the market. They are fairly obvious to spot. Apart from the fact that most are shipped from China (which should raise a red flag immediately) the aftermarket dials and hands are fairly easy to spot. But just be aware. Here is one such example:

Here are some additional photos of this REAL ONE I have:

The watvh is for sale, and if you'd like to make an offer on it, please contact me by clicking here.

You can see my complete listing of watches for sale here.

Hope you have enjoyed this blog entry!

Sincerely,

Bruce

Rare 1936 Hamilton Taylor with Swivel Lugs

Here's one for you Hamilton lovers! A rare 1936 Hamilton "Taylor":

This specimen has a 14kt yellow gold filled case measuring 40mm long tip to tip, by 21mm wide. Case is in very good condition. Few flea bites on bezel corners but most gold filled on the decorative embellishment is intact.

Back is monogrammed "EJ".

And the case manufacturer on this model was the Stat Watch Case Co. of Ludington, Mich.

Good original dial, some darkening, but still very readable. This is the dial option with the gold applied markers. The other option from Hamilton was black inlaid enamel numerals. Crown appears to be the original, or at least a replacement that is correct to the period.

Glass crystal is most likely a replacement. 17 jewel Grade 980 movement winds smooth and sets perfectly. Keeps time to within 2 min/day, but unknown when last serviced. Serial number of G77186 corresponds to 1935-'36 date of manufacture, so the movement is age-correct to the watch, and I believe the original.

Finished with a new old stock Speidel 16m black leather band.

The "Taylor" model is quite interesting, and was only made for one year in 1936, and then discontinued. A brief notation from company sales reports indicates that that Taylor was "renamed" the Talbot in 1937. However, you can see that the two watches, while similar, are distinct from one another:

Taylor                                        Talbot

The Taylor has decorative embellishments on the bezel along the top and bottom. The Talbot's bezel does not have these embellishments. In addition, the lugs on the Talbot are fixed; they do not swivel. Hamilton likely found out early on that the hinged lugs were problematic, and remedied the situation with the new case design. In any event, the Talbot didn't do much better than the Taylor; it was discontinued after its appearance in the '37 catalog.

There are no factory records indicating how many "Taylors" were made. If not "rare," then at least this model is "unusual," and this is the first one I've ever seen. I would suspect only a fraction of these have survived in the ensuing 81 years because all of Hamilton's hinged lug models (Piping Rock, Pierre, Wilshire, etc.) were known to be fragile and prone to breaking whenever the delicate lugs took a hard knock. Many are the Piping Rock specimens out there with repairs to the lugs!

I think overall, this is a very nice specimen, and the piece is already in the hands of an astute Hamilton collector just a few days after I acquired it. If you ever see one of this, you should probably pick it up!

I would like to thank Dan Keefe for his help on this blog entry. If you don't know about his website (click here) you should check it out. It's one of the best sites I've ever seen for Hamilton watch collectors!

Cheers,

Bruce Shawkey