Tag Archives: Vintage Chronographs

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale – Vintage Eska Valjoux 22 Spillman Chrono w/Stunning Gilt Sector Dial

NOW ON SALE!

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFO ON THIS KILLER ESKA CHRONO

Click here for the full Ad over at the always awesome Omegaforums.net

On offer this month of March is this rare and beautiful circa 1940s-50s Eska chronograph in Spillman case with amazing gilt sector dial, powered by the famed Valjoux 22 movement. A rather unheralded brand, Eska was founded as S. Kocher in 1918 with “Eska” being a simple phonetic version of those initials for the purposes of branding. Like a lot of mid-century manufacturers, Eska made use of the contract oversize Spillman waterproof cases and Valjoux movements to create aviator & military-style chronographs to meet the demand of the WWII and post-War era.

This example is notable not only for the large and sought after 37mm screw back Spillman case and Valjoux 22 caliber with 45-minute counter under the hood but, of course, the obvious superstar is the stunning black gilt dial with super uncommon and beautiful sector dial layout. This is one of the most sought after chronograph layouts in vintage watches, as made famous by Patek Phillipe in several of their most coveted vintage references. While I wouldn’t call this Eska inexpensive, this special piece will certainly set you back a helluva lot less than a period Patek version would.

Overall, this classic Eska chrono is in Very Good vintage condition with a stunning Very Good+ original gilt dial with complex outer chronograph scales, minute track and interior Arabic numeral sector layout for the timekeeping. The case has some wear and the lugs appear to have been given a matte finish rather than the typical polished finish seen on most Spillman cases. The venerable Valjoux 22 movement was serviced recently and is operating well, ready for years’ more faithful service for its lucky new owner.

The all-original and absolutely stunning glossy black gilt dial features complex outer calibrated Tachymeter & Telemeter chronograph scales, followed concentrically by a minute track and Arabic numeral sector dial interior for the standard timekeeping. Engine-turned sub registers for constant seconds at “9” and the 45-minute recorder at “3”, also with gilt numerals. This Eska sector dial represents beautifully on the wrist, often brightly reflecting the light when you move, and the gilt sector dial layout is absolutely stunning aesthetically, not to mention incredibly hard to find in the wild unless on a modern homage. 

There are not a lot of Spillman cased, Valjoux 22 chronographs out there and even fewer with nice black gilt dials. But a gilt/gloss sector dial Spillman cased Valjoux 22 chronograph has got to be the rarest iteration around. Make this very special vintage Eska chrono yours today.

NOW ON SALE!

Click here for the full Ad over at the always awesome Omegaforums.net

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFO ON THIS KILLER ESKA CHRONO

 

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale — Vintage Heuer Carrera ref. 1153S Silver Panda Dial

It may be the dog days of August but what I’m offering here is more of a thoroughbred race horse — a handsome early 1970s vintage Heuer reference 1153 Carrera automatic-wind chronograph featuring a beautiful Mint first execution silver Panda dial with original wonderfully patinaed Tritium luminous plots.

This example is in overall Excellent vintage condition for a 50-year-old watch and, along with its pristine dial, also features the desirable canted Tachymeter scale in the correct deep gray with white print, as well as the superior Caliber 12 version of Heuer’s pioneering modular “Chrono-matic” micro-rotor chronograph movement.

This 1153 also features an early serial number for the model of 148,xxx, which matches the era of the dial & inner Tachymeter scale. It does sport a 3rd execution handset and while this combination is seen often enough in the wild on these silver 1153s it’s probably safest to assume that the hands were replaced at some point during a service in the watch’s long life, either for the superior legibility they provide compared to the thinner previous two execution handsets or because those first two tended to suffer prematurely degraded lume filling.

Personally, I prefer the fluorescent orange chrono sweep seconds hand over the earlier red for its pop and pizzaz, as well as the easily read, highly luminous “wide boy”-style hands so I’ve always been fine with the combo. Either way, it’s a super stunning vintage chrono on the wrist, both elegant and sporty, as you can clearly see, and it makes a killer addition to any vintage chronograph collection.

Check out this classic and classy vintage Carrera 1153S in full via the very Heuer-centric ChronoTrader sales forum featuring full condition report and many more large pictures or contact me directly for more information.  SOLD

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale — 1960s Movado Cal. 95M Chrono w/Stunning Inverse Panda Dial

It”s time to kick off April in stunning style — no fooling. To make that happen I have on offer, a beautiful 1960s Movado caliber 95M chronograph with coveted black dial with contrasting white registers, aka an Inverse Panda dial, one of the most sought after chronograph layouts in vintage watches.

1960s Movado Cal. 95M Chrono Panda

The unique 95M in-house chronograph movement was one of Movado’s crowning achievements and it operates in a funky “upside down” manner, with the bottom pusher starting & stopping the timer and the top pusher resetting it, likely due to its innovative modular design. Also unusual is that the minute counter is calibrated for a full 60 minutes as opposed to the more common 30-minute register found on most chronos.

1960s Movado Cal. 95M Chrono Panda

Further adding to this watch’s allure is the all-stainless steel screwed case, which features an inner anti-magnetic dust cover and was manufactured by FB (Francois Borgel/Taubert & Fils) who also manufactured water resistant cases for Patek Phillipe, Vacheron and Mido among others.

1960s Movado Cal. 95M Chrono Panda

But the real star of the show is the beautiful glossy black dial with contrasting white sub-registers and silver print. That super legible layout gives this 35mm Movado loads of class and wrist presence even with its modestly sized proportions. This 1960s stunner is simply a big league addition to any vintage chronograph collection and is probably still undervalued in the grand scheme of things. Once you behold that Inverse Panda dial and strap it on you’re bound to fall in love with it — just like I did!

1960s Movado Cal. 95M Chrono Panda

Check out the complete ad now over at the always hopping Omega Forums’ Watches for Sale section for many more pictures and complete condition report. I doubt it will last so you better pounce!  SOLD

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale — August selection

The phrase hotter than July has rarely been more apt because I’m offering up another stone cold classic to start this red hot August — a scarce French Air Force-issued Dodane Type 21 pilot’s chrono from the Cold War era.

Featuring an absoultely stunning dial that has aged to a deep chocolate brown, this Type 21 has all the sexy patina and wabi-sabi you could want in a military watch with loads of wrist appeal, not to mention terrific functionality.

Underneath the beautifully proportioned 38mm stainless steel screwed case is the fantastically engineered Valjoux caliber 235 hi-beat Flyback chronograph movement, still performing like a champ after all these years.

With its French Armée de l’Air Fin de Garantie service mark dating from 1979 this beautiful chocolate Dodane Type 21 has all the provenance any MilWatch enthusiast could need. And it’s offered at a fraction of the price of its Breguet Type 21 vintage brother. There’s no substitute for a genuine issued vintage military watch and, as the saying goes, they aren’t making any more of them. So get this amazing Dodane while you can!

Check out the full ad with many more pictures and complete condition report over at the always hopping Omega Forums’ Watch Sales section.  SOLD

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale — June selection, Pt. II

Well, we’re Just about midway through a somewhat up and down June weather-wise but look what just flew in to brighten our day? Wait for it — another fantastic vintage chronograph! Yup, this newly available beauty is a very uncommon vintage Breitling reference 2115 GMT Chrono-Matic in Jumbo 47mm case (don’t faint –it wears great). This example dates from 1970, early on in the great Heuer-Breitling Chronomatic adventure that resulted in some of the most iconic and funky chronographs of the late 1960s and ’70s.

This 2115 features not only an automatic chrono with date with the characteristic crown-on-the-left but also a classic 24-hour hand complication with calibrated “plus/minus” rotating bezel for the calculation of a second timezone. I love a good GMT watch and design-wise this Breitling is one of the cooler and more ambitious ones ever made.

Not for the faint of wrist, this Breitling GMT is nonetheless well proportioned and is a fairly rare beast with a uniquely cool and funky layout — along with the 1809 Cosmonaute one of the nicest on a Chrono-Matic, in my opinion. Check out those great hands not to mention the extra long period original signed bracelet, which is rare as hen’s teeth!

Personally I feel that vintage Breitling could well be the “next big thing” in a year or two. In my opinion the brand’s heritage is undervalued and some real collector appreciation is overdue. Plus, so many other vintage brands are overhyped and — to be honest — underwhelming and overvalued. So if you’ve got the panache to pull off this bad boy you could do a lot worse than adding this beautiful, orange-accented two-timezone beast to your stable. It’s about as fun and funky as a vintage watch gets!

Check out the full ad now over at Watchuseek with many more pictures and complete conditon report. If you like ’em big and complicated you’ll be glad you did!  SOLD

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale — May selection, Pt. III

May is winding down but there’s still time to offer up another great watch before we flip the calendar. And this one’s a pip — a double name Bell & Ross by Sinn military chronograph powered by the redoubtable and complicated Lemania 5100 movement.

This awesome 1990s watch has so many functions that I like to call it the Swiss Army Knife of chronos: engine turned sub dials for constant seconds, elapsed hours & 24-hour indicator; original Tritium luminous Arabic numerals with wonderful patina; apertures for the date and day; black anodized aluminum elapsed time bezel with a pleasing mint of WABI; and of course the iconic Lemania 5100 chronograph layout with neon orange-tipped chrono sweep seconds and “jet” minute counter.

This big fella measure in at a brawny 43mm in diameter and has a classic military pilot’s look. In fact, the Sinn M1 represents the ultimate evolution of the Bund-style aviator’s watch that Heuer-Leonides originally pioneered in the 1960s and there’s little doubt the late Helmut Sinn’s intention was to offer this model for military supply.

This excellent example features an unpolished bead blasted case and uncommon matching B&R-signed blasted bracelet. I’m even throwing in a Sinn aviator’s strap for good measure and maximum versatility. What more could you want if you’re looking for an uncommon double-signed example of a true late 20th century chrono classic?

This handsome and rugged Sinn/B&R is sure to make a great summer addition for some lucky guy. But at its maximum bang for the buck price point I can’t see it sticking around for long.

So check out the full ad now over at the always hopping Omega Forums private sales section for many more pictires and complete condition report — Sinning never looked so good.  ON HOLD

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale — May selection, Pt. II

The hits keep on coming as we merrily roll along in May. Newly on offer is this ultra-cool late 1960s Movado Datron HS360 Super Sub Sea diver’s chronograph with beautiful black and white inverse Panda dial featuring the more uncommon rotating Tachymeter bezel. It also comes on its original Gay Freres “Ladder”-style bracelet with Rolex-esque fliplock clasp & divers’ extension, a nice added bonus.

Under the hood of this big steel beauty is the legendary Zenith/Movado “El Primero” 3019 PHC automatic movement, the pioneering high-beat automatic chrono caliber that set the watch world on fire in 1969 and continues to be a technological pacesetter to this very day.

With its handsomely brawny all-steel case and uncommon rotating Tachymeter bezel giving it a racier look than standard diver-bezel counterparts this Datron just oozes “man of action,” ready for the track or beach. And with vintage Movado chronographs finally getting their due in long-overdue esteem it also represents great value for money now with good upside potential in future. And hey, who doesn’t like a classic Panda dial layout on their wrist?  This beautiful Movado Super Sub Sea El Primero is definitely ready for its close-up on yours.

Come check it out today on Watchuseek’s Dealers sales corner to see the full ad with many more pictures and complete condition report.  SOLD

 

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale — February selection

And just like that it’s February! Where does the time go? I can’t tell you that but I can tell you how to track it — with this absolutely gorgeous early 1970s Omega Seamaster “TV Case” chronograph featuring the amazing Lemania-derived caliber 1040 and a stunning metallic blue dial.

This fantastic Omega automatic chrono not only tells the time but also has complications for quickest date, constant seconds, 24-hour indicator and full chronograph functions for recording seconds, minutes via the characteristic orange-tipped “jet” center-mounted minute counter and 12-hour totalizer at “6.” This sexy beast also features a sunken dial that has aged to delightful purple-blue surrounded by a fixed Tachymeter scale protected by a mineral crystal, all in a large faceted rectangular case with wonderful sweeping lines that retains its original factory finish.

The TV Case Seamaster chrono is one of the more striking and distinctive designs that Omega came up with in the 1970s following the successes of their tonneau-cased Mark II & Mark III Speedmasters. If you’re looking for retro funk and terrific functionality with a stunning blue dial, you’ve found your watch. And when you look at how the prices of vintage mechanical chronos have skyrocketed in the past few years, the Omega Seamaster TV Case model in steel is a premium piece that still represents excellent value for money. Better pounce before these finally have their day in the sun!

Check out the full ad with many more pictures and complete condition report over at the always hopping Omega Forums’ Private Sales section. You’ll be glad you did. SOLD

tomvox1’s Watches for Sale — October selection

Up for sale this month is this uncommon late 1960s Omega ref. 145.020 Seamaster “Soccer Timer” chronograph with beautiful original cream-white dial featuring high contrast red/black sub registers and an inner fixed Tachymeter ring. While it was originally believed that these chronos were manufactured for use in yachting regattas the accepted wisdom now is that they were designed for soccer trainers and referees with the addition to the minute register of a figure for 45 minutes, the length of a football half.  Either way, it is an awesome looking watch and in fact the dial design was so striking and distinctive that recently Omega reissued some modern versions of it.

omega145020soccer-sun-copy

This fantastic and ultra-cool Soccer Timer features sharp chamfers and essentially perfect sunburst satin finish on top of the large 40mm case. Even better, though, is the gorgeous original creamy-white Omega Tritium dial featuring a finely articulated dark gray minute track and red/black sub-registers, with the oversized minute counter specially marked to easily read 45-minute intervals. The dial has a delightful textured matte finish, shows very few signs of age and all Tritium lume plots are present and have acquired a pleasing patina. The bold matching hour and minute hands and fluorescent orange chrono sweep seconds just complete what is simply a terrifically pleasing and unique original Omega Seamaster Soccer Timer layout in top condition.

omega145020soccer-move-copy

Under the hood is the redoubtable Omega manual-wind caliber 861, the same workhorse as found in their famed Moonwatch after they phased out the legendary cal. 321. With a 27 million serial number dating it to circa 1968 and looking very bright and pristine, this classic chrono movement had a complete service at Omega UK in 2013 and so is running like a champ, with all timekeeping and chronograph functions operating flawlessly.

omega145020soccer-wrst-copy

When you look at how the prices of vintage mechanical chronos have skyrocketed in the past few years, the Omega Soccer Timer remains a premium piece that is still reasonably affordable for both the aspiring or experienced collector. If anything, a beautiful example like this one has got upside potential once people figure out it’s a better quality watch than many others currently in its price range. For style, functionality and pure funky cool you can’t go wrong with this beautiful cream dial Soccer Timer. You’re sure to be noticed in the best possible way.

Check out the complete ad with many more pictures and full condition report over at the excellent OmegaForums.net’s Private Watch Sales forum.  SOLD