Rolex Red Submariner 1680

The early Rolex submariners consist of the early 6500, 6504, 6536, 6538, 5508 and 5510 followed by the 5512 an 5513. The Rolex 1680 submariner was the first subs that come with the date. It was not the first Rolex Sports watch to carry a date, this honour arguably goes to the Rolex GMT Master, Model Ref 6542

There are 2 versions of the 1680: mark 1 using cal 1556 and mark 2 using 1570 and the Ref 1680 weres produced from 1969-1978- 80. The 1680 series has a special dial using red SUBMARINER.

Within this 12 year period the Red Submariner is widely believed to be produced for the first 6 years, 1966-73. Many original Red Submariners have been serviced and as a result, many would have had their original red dials replaced with the standard white dials during the years making it quite rare to find the Red submariner.

As for the depth there are two versions one with the feet first while the other in meters depending on the region, I guess.The 1680 was succeed by the Ref 16680 using cal 3035, Ref 16610 using cal 3135.

http://www.chrono24.com/web/us/suchen/u/index.htm?myfunction=&myadcode=&do_suche=1&statbrand=0&debug=&BRAND_ID=0&MODEL=rolex+red+submariner&SEARCH_PRICECURRENCY=USD&SEARCH_PMIN=0&SEARCH_PMAX=0&SUCH_MATERIAL_ID=0&LOCCOUNTRY_ID=&SEARCH_REGION_ID=&ENTERDATE=&SORTORDER=1

Vintage watch hobby

The vintage watch collection hobby has been on a quiet side as the "fever" has not been as strong as during the 1980s-90s...those good old days!

However, there is a strong trend towards Vintage Sports watch collection (GMT, Submariner, Explorer, Daytona). The prices of these sports models have escalated so much over the years!

Recently, with the encouragement of my new colleague Dominik, I have began to take out my old collection and start to play with my watchs again! Thanks Dominik!

The hifi audiophiles are too political for my liking... Enjoy!

Atmos Clock JLC

This is a vintage JLC atmos clock from the 1960s. This is one of the classic which automatic wind as a result of the change in room temperature. No winding require!

The clock moves in very elegant manner slowly and in very gentleman manner.

I have always wanted one but the prices are so expensive and often they are not in working condition!

I have manage to find one at the flea street in Hong Kong! It is in good working condition and I remembered bringing it home and the sky was raining! Even though I was wet, I was feeling very happy : )

For details:
The History Of The Atmos Clock

"Living On Air"
The History of the Legendary Atmos Clock:
In the late 1920s Jean-Leon Reutter, a young Paris engineer, experimented with a clock that needed no direct mechanical or electrical intervention to keep it wound, in short a clock powered only by Perpetual Motion.
For centuries, many scientist including Leonardo Da Vinci had experimented with the idea of Perpetual Motion - however, only J.L. Reutter eventually succeeded at incorporating that novel idea into an actual working clock.
Through out his life, J.L. Reutter's dream of a Perpetual Motion timepiece led him to produce a clock with a timekeeping mechanism designed specifically to consume the smallest possible amount of power to keep the clock running satisfactorily.

After studying the design of the 400-Day Anniversary Clock -which was very popular during that era - Reutter made significant changes to that concept, to meet the small input power requirement he was looking for in his new clock design.
Reutters modifications of the 400-Day Clock included changes to the escapement leverage to reduce the arc of the escapement as well as adding jewels to the bearings of the movement. His new clock ran safely and most importantly very reliably.
His new clock design included a special device that would power his clock independently, using a substance that would react to the most sensitive changes in temperature and atmospheric conditions. That substance was mercury. He also designed a special glass tube similar to that of a thermometer for the mercury and encased it all inside a metal cylinder, which is now known as the Bellows.
The result of Reutters achievement was an ingenious new clock unlike any other, past or present. A timepiece that could run independently and continuously and so incredibly sensitive, that it could be rewound by the slightest fluctuations in the atmosphere, or by the slightest changes in temperature, hence the name: "Atmos Clock".
Later, due to dangers in handling and instability, the mercury in the Bellows that powered the Atmos Clock was changed to a special more stable saturated gas, known scientifically as 'Ethyl Chloride'. The technological concept of the Gas filled Atmos Bellows is a remarkable one: Inside a sealed capsule, a mixture of gas and liquid expands as the temperature rises and contracts as it falls, moving the capsule back and forth like a tiny unseen accordion. This motion is used to constantly wind the mainspring thus enabling the clock to run and keep perfect time. A small temperature variation of just one degree is sufficient for over two day's operation. Such variation occurs naturally in normal room temperature and thus without any additional sources of energy, the Atmos clock will continue to run if left untouched, "forever". Hence the term: "Living On Air".
The Marriage of Atmos and Jaeger-LeCoultre
When Reutters Atmos was in its initial production in the early thirties, the lack of enthusiasm from manufactures in general during that time made production of the Atmos clock difficult. Reutter Atmos was in production, but only in small numbers.
Legend has it, while Reutter struggled with production of his Atmos Clock, the manager of a famous Swiss watch making company LeCoultre (a company world famous for fine Swiss watches located in the French Valley of Switzerland) was strolling down a street in Paris one day and noticed one of Reutters Atmos Clocks sitting in a shop window for sale. The man was so fascinated with Reutters Atmos; he walked in and purchased it from the shop merchant.
Later, after a chance encounter between LeCoultre and Reutter he (Reutter) agreed to sell the license and eventually his Atmos Clock patent to the LeCoultre Watch Company.
At the time of LeCoultres acquisition of the Atmos patent, LeCoultre was in fierce competition with another Watch Company, Ed Jaeger of Paris. Eventually LeCoultre merged with Jaeger to form the famous watch making company: Jaeger-LeCoultre.
With the combined knowledge and expertise of their newly joined Company, Jaeger & LeCoultre poured considerable investment collective research and development into Reutter's Atmos Clock. Just a few years later, major production of the newly revamped Atmos Clock was launched under the Jaeger-LeCoultre name exclusively.
The LeCoultre Atmos Clock soon became a very fashionable, prestigious gift in Switzerland and eventually Worldwide.
As the success of both Jaeger-LeCoultre and the Atmos clock continued to grow, the company prospered and in 1979, the 500,000th Atmos Clock left the Factory in Switzerland with much celebrated fan-fair, a half a century after the first Atmos Clock patent was filed.

http://www.atmosclocks.com/history.html

Rolex & Tudor

Vintage Breguet Type 20

The Vintage Breguet Type XX was commissioned by a famous French military in the 1950s used by the French Air Force, Flight Testing Center and Naval Air Alarm.

The Type 20 had a number of features that apparently were military specifications. The case was relatively large for a military watch at 38mm, with black dial, luminous Arabic numerals and hands, a sweep second center column chronograph hand, and 2 subdials at 3 and 9 o'clock. The subdial at 9 was a small seconds indicator. The chronograph elapsed time subdial at 3 had special markings for 3, 6 and 9 minutes. The bezel rotated, in order to keep track of elapsed time.

For more details, please visit:

http://www.classicwatch.com/asp/articles/type20.asp

My Grandfather's watch

This watch belonged to my late grandfather. Even though its not a branded watch, it has tremendous sentimental values!

Moonphase watches

These are vintage moonphase watches from the 1950s..

Rolex with unique dials

Rolex has produced several watches with special dials in the past.

I have managed to find three: Two semi bubbleback with rare

8 Star dials & Peacork and another full Rolex bubbleback wih 9 Rolex crowns!

There is one more Rolex Oysters which is with the 6 crowns missing from my collection....

James Bond Rolex 6536 (with no crown guard)

Detail from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolex_Submariner

Early Submariners (1953-1967)
The Submariner model went into production in 1953, and was showcased at the Basel watch fair in 1954. The assigned case reference number of this first Submariner was either 6204 or 6205. It is unclear which model came first and, in any event, the two watches are nearly identical. Neither has the distinctive "cathedral" or "Mercedes" hands now so strongly associated with the Submariner line. Rather, both of these early submariners have straight "pencil" style hands.
Few if any of the 6205 watches bear the name "Submariner" on the dial, a major distinction with modern submariners. Some 6204 models have the Submariner logo printed below the center pinion, while others have the logo blacked out. It is believed that there were unexpected trademark issues connected with the name "Submariner" at the time the 6204 and 6205 were released which account for the inconsistent use of the Submariner mark on these early Submariners. Trademark irregularities notwithstanding, both the 6204 and 6205 are designated Submariner models in the Rolex product literature of the time.

In 1954, Rolex also produced a small number of ref. 6200 Submariners. This was the first Submariner (although not the first Rolex) to make use of the Mercedes hand set ( a feature of all subsequent Submariners). The 6200 also featured an oversized winding crown (compared with the 6204 and 6205 models).

Within a few years, Rolex revised its Submariner line, producing the 6536 (small crown) and 6538 (oversized crown) models. These watches had "improved" movements (the cal. 1030), including a chronometer version in some 6536 models (designated 6536/1), the now-familiar Mercedes hands, along with the Submariner logo and depth rating printed on the dial.

By the early 1960s, these models gave way to the 5508 (small crown) and 5510 (large crown) models. All of these early Submariners used either gilt (6200, 6204, 6205) or gilt/silver gilt (6536, 6538) printing on glossy black dials. Radium paint was used for the luminous indices.

The next wave of Submariners, the 5512 (chronometer version) and 5513 (non-chronometer) marked a significant change in the appearance of the popular Rolex design. "Shoulders" were added to the crown side of the case to provide protection for the winding/setting mechanism. In early watches -- perhaps until 1964 or so -- these shoulders were pyramid-shaped, ending in points. Later watches were manufactured with rounded shoulders. In addition, the 5512 and 5513 were both fitted with the oversized crown, which became a standard feature of the Submariner line thereafter. Sometime in the early 1960s, Rolex discontinued the use of radium paint for the luminous indices, switching to the comparatively safer Tritium-infused paint. In 1965-1966, Rolex discontinued use of gilt/silver gilt dials on the Submariner watches, switching to white printing. A final important change came with the introduction of the 1680 model in the late 1960s. The 1680 was the first Submariner to be equipped with a date complication, marking the completion of the transition of the Submariner line from specialist tool watch to mass market fashion accessory. While many professional and military divers used -- and continue to use -- Submariners in the most demanding underwater environments, by the late '60s the watch had undeniably become a mass market product, as well. Throughout the next 40 years, the Submariner was updated with improved water resistance, new movements, and numerous small cosmetic changes. Nonetheless, the modern Submariner of today bears a very strong resemblance to the 5512 or 5513 of the early 1960s, and is an unmistakable descendant of the very first Submariners introduced more than fifty years ago.

In 2003, Rolex celebrated the Submariner's 50th anniversary by launching the Rolex Submariner anniversary edition ( 16610 LV) . Its distinguishing features were the green bezel and Maxi dial.

http://www.chrono24.com/web/us/suchen/u/index.htm?myfunction=&myadcode=&do_suche=1&statbrand=0&debug=&BRAND_ID=0&MODEL=rolex+6536&SEARCH_PRICECURRENCY=USD&SEARCH_PMIN=0&SEARCH_PMAX=0&SUCH_MATERIAL_ID=0&LOCCOUNTRY_ID=&SEARCH_REGION_ID=&ENTERDATE=&SORTORDER=1

Rolex Big Bubbleback Ovettone with date

This is a rare ROLEX OYSTER DATE , aka "big bubblebacks" or called Ovettone by Rolex .
This is a s/steel and gold oyster case band , auto date , cal.740 , super oyster crown
red and black date [ so called roulette date ] ref.6031 [ 36 m/m dia. case ] c1951
signed case , dial , movement , band [ orig. later added steel & gold band ]

There are two versions of the vintage Big bubbleback, the Rolex Ref 4467 & 6031 using the real and thicker bubbleback movement, and the dial wording Rolex Oyster perpetual; and the later Model ref 6105 and 6305 Ovettone, with dial Rolex Oyster perpetual DATEJUST , using the slightly flatter semi bubbleback movement. Produced in less than 1000 examples from 1950-1952.

I have stopped actively collecting vintage watches for nearly 2 years asI was pre-occupied with my vintage hifi equipment.

Lately, I have managed to come across a nice Big bubbleback 6031 and the desire to try to add in the big bubbleback to my bubbleback collection grew. I have managed to find the small bubbleback, the medium size bubbleback, the semi bubbleback but not the Big bubbleback Ovettone. Now, I am eagerly waiting for the arrival of my Ovettone! The bracelet is a later Rolex bracelet..

Vintage Air Force pilot watch

Air Force mechanical wristwatch AVIATOR LACO, brand 2-MChZ (The second Moscow mechanical watch factory) with steel case, made in Moscow 1937 year. The design of these watch was taken at a popular watch among pilots of German Army Luftwaffe period.

RARE GENEX WITH CLOISONNE MAP

RARE GENEX WITH CLOISONNE MAP

NEAR MINT Original dial signed "GENEX SWISS MADE" with a cloisonne map in the middle, depicting the map of INDIA with the land in gold tone and the ocean in dark blue color

Vintage pocket Watch - 大八件

大众一般认为，钟表为西方发明，与中国有何关系之有？其实早在明朝末年，西方的传教士就已引入钟表，后来拥有 钟表成为时人身份的象征，就连《红楼梦》里的贾府也有一台挂墙吊钟，让刘姥姥看得傻了眼。大八件怀表是十九世纪时为中国市场专有的产品，虽然由欧洲出品， 但糅合了我国的民俗特色，当中包含的除了是艺术上的审美意趣外，也关乎十九世纪的世界钟表史研究.

自明朝末年起，钟表就成为了富贾官宦以至皇室的共同时尚，特别在乾隆年间，国富民强，钟表的精巧设计、 先进报时功能、华丽名贵的装饰吸引了大众，钟表业在中国的市场越来越大，西方商人见猎心喜，于是积极研发生产符合中国人口味的钟表，渐渐这类作品成为销往 中国钟表的主流，也导致十九世纪‘中国市场表’的出现。

古董懷錶---大八件

袋錶俗稱[中國袋錶],又叫[大八件],但並非中國製造的產品,而是瑞士錶商為左輸入中國市場, 響十八世紀前後開發製造而成.它的直徑為56mm,與當時歐洲流行的袋錶相比,厚度方面大為減薄,玻璃面凸出也比較少,整體黎講比人有種扁平的感覺.其外 觀方面,錶盤為白色瓷面,配襯極瘦長的羅馬數字,採用三枝細長藍鋼中三針方式.而這隻袋錶的精采之處在於機芯,打開底蓋,內藏被稱為[old style]的雕刻著籐蔓花樣和採用鎏金處理,更有中文字[有 o威]的簽名.實在係中國鐘錶所特有的優秀時計.

以中国市场为主

‘中国市场表’以中国人的审美意趣为依归，一般成双成对，装饰极尽华丽之能事，表壳多以金、银、铜镀金等名贵材料。表壳上的图案皆具中国特色，如人物、花 卉、鸟兽等珐琅画，再配以珍珠、钻石等。此外，表面除了一贯的圆形外，也有扇形、锁形、果实及昆虫等造形，难怪当时中国社会的上流人士，都对之趋之若鹜。 大八件怀表为‘中国市场表’其中一个最广为流行的种类，所谓的‘大八件’，意指这类表都装有专为中国市场而设的特别机芯，而这种机芯都以八大部分组成，因 而得名。在国际上，大八件怀表的机芯亦索性称为‘Chinese Caliber’，即中国式机芯。其实中国式机芯是欧洲传统机芯的简化版，予人的感觉较简洁明快，与中国独特的生活品味及审美观倒有异曲同工之妙。

款式五花八门

据历来研究所得，大八件怀表在十八世纪初期已具雏型，于十九世纪初基本定型。当时有整整一百年的时间，中国钟表市场大部分都被大八件怀表占据了。能够在中 国被吹捧了百年之久，皆因大八件怀表拥有十分完备的产品序列，其产品由名贵的珠宝、珐琅到平价的银壳素面表也一一俱全，可满足不同阶层人士的需要。另外， 虽然大八件怀表机芯简单，但各个厂家仍不断对局部机件进行富创意的改良，使每款大八件怀表的内部结构都变化多端。钟表大师矫大羽就有此认为︰‘‥‥‥其质 量之精、造型之美、变化之奇、数量之多、覆盖面之广，是整个钟表发展史中唯一出现的记录和奇迹。’大八件怀表确是钟表业上的异数，这亦证明了当时中国市场 之庞大，以致欧洲厂商不得不各出奇谋，方可在此分一杯羹，可见十九世纪时的中西方钟表贸易交流极之频繁，中国市场对世界钟表业的影响亦不无深远。

Vintage Patek Philippe meets "new" Patek

Old Patek meets "new" Patek!

This is a rare 1930s vintage Patek Philippe using the L9-90 movement which I ahve found in Taipei Mr Wang Jun Long's shop during my posting t Taiwan in 2002. Most Patek Philippe watches are in round shape which made this a rare find. In addition to being made with a solid gold case, the watch dial has 11 diamonds markers.

According to Patek Philippe, a lot of 100 NOS caliber 9-90 tonneau movements were found during the workshop departement move to Plan Les Ouates in 1996. With these NOS movements, gave birth to one of two new anniversary watches to celebrate the new Patek Philippe salon. Ref. 5105, a rectangular platinum watch.. old wine in new bottle!

Collection

Vintage watch collection