Vintage Driva Quarter Repeater

There are many collectors who are speculating and buying various sports models, where the quantities are actually quite huge. Under the radar is a very rare Driva Swiss Quarter Repeater watch. Made in the 1930s. Gold filled and Stainless Steel "Staybrite" gentleman's wristwatch. 15 jewels. Straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensa-tionbalance, blued steel flat balance-spring, repeating on gong by activating slide on the band. Full size of ~23mm wide by 48mm in height.

Truly once-in-a-lifetime chance to find a repeater with in-house movement. There were only 1500 examples made in the 1930s before production stopped. What made this quarter repeater unique is that its movement is a square movement versus a standard round shape movement.

http://www.watchnet.co.jp/p-eyes/products/detail.php?product_id=3569&PHPSESSID=4485831a899c08e8ad7c8480f7cc962a

Past auctions:

1930-40年代製造 DRIVA レクタンギュラー 大変希少なクォーターリピーター モデルです。右サイドのレバーをスライドさせる事により鐘で時を告げる、この時代の腕時計としては大変希少な品で、厚みのあるステイブライトケースや、ブルースチール針を備えるブレゲナンバーのホワイトダイヤルなど、腕時計としてのサイズ感やデザイン性にも優れた逸品です。

Helvetia pilot watch

1930s pre-WWII to early WWII era German Luftwaffe pattern Fliegeruhr or pilot's watch. This is the large 41mm case (excluding the crown) with the double clamshell back and 15 jewel signed Helvetia movement.

Information from the internet

When Louis Brandt and his brother founded Louis Brandt and Fils in 1880, their firm would go on to produce watches under, among other names, "Omega" and "Helvetia." They founded a second watch firm, "La Generale" in Bienne and in 1895 transferred quite a few of their "Brandt & Fils" marks to the new company - Helvetia being chief among them. As late as 1900, Omega advertisements also heralded the quality of their "Helvetia" watches.

"La Generale" - or "General Watch Company," produced timepieces for more recognizable brand names than any other major watch firm. Makers for such names as Eterna, Mido, Longines, Oris and Helvetia, they became known for their attention to detail and ability to manufacture good timepieces in reliable quantities - just the qualities needed by a burgeoning military. It was because of this standard that the German military approached General Watch Company to make wrist and pocket watches for the "Deutsches Heer" - the German Army.

During the mid to late '30s, Helvetia produced aviator's wristwatches that were retailed in Germany, featuring high-grade 15 jewel "shock protected" mechanisms. Such models were designed to be worn over the sleeve of a flying suit and were fitted with a thick leather strap. These timepieces also were used by administration because, like the Army, the Luftwaffe had timepieces that were distributed to ground based personnel.

Apparently, examples of this model were used in 1937 in the Reich Luftwaffe's flying school in Oldenburg, similar to the Zeniths used in the flight school in Brandenburg-Briest during the same period. Today, such models are quite sought after by both horological collectors and military historians.

Read more: http://wristwatchforums.proboards.com/thread/12068/helvetia-wwii-pilot-watch-functional#ixzz4upRX3eKS

中秋节快乐

Vintage Droz Super compressor 36mm

I love diver watches and I have been looking for a Droz Super compressor for a while. A super compressor is a design that was patented by case manufacturer Ervin Piquerez S.A. (EPSA). The name refers to this case’s feature where, because of the spring-loaded caseback, the case actually becomes sealed tighter as water pressure increases. According to the information from the net, since EPSA only made the cases, there were many different manufacturers that used these cases for their dive watches and the most notable brands that used the dual crown design include: Jaeger-LeCoultre, Longines, IWC, Droz, Girard-Perregaux, Hamilton, Bulova, Enicar, Universal Geneve, Wittnauer, Benrus, Hamilton, Lip, Blancpain, Bucherer, Tissot and Benrus etc.  I am not an expert in super compressor but has decided to keep one for a start.

Just found one in Hong Kong at a good price. This is a classic 36mm case with dual crowns and a unique internal rotating dive bezel. The purpose behind this internal bezel was to avoid accidental rotation, a problem that divers had occasionally with the external rotating bezel.

Happy Mid Autumn mooncake festival!

When I was in Thailand, I was looking at an ebay auction selling the Droz  in December 2016 but I have missed the auction. Someone must have won it and decided to let it out in the HKG market and some how it landed in my hands! Great joy!

For details on Super compressor watches, please see

http://www.woundforlife.com/2015/12/30/face-off-vintage-super-compressors/

Rolex 1016 Dial

For those looking for Tropical dial, there is one on ebay now (not mine) ...

Rolex Bubbleback Pink dial

Despite the trend for big sports watches, I have always love the Rolex bubbleback Recently, I have been in luck for Pink as following the Datejust pink gold bezel watch with Pink Buckley dial, I have just found one Rolex Bubbleback with the pink dial and mercedes hands from Texas.

Vintage Omega constellation

Just traded a Rado day date plus a diver watch for this lovely Vintage Omega Constellation in nice condition

Fidel Castro Rolex 6542

Castro`s favourite watch. Rolex 6542 

NOS Bezel for ZRC

I have traded my rare ZRC hands for a NOS ZRC bezel in preparation for the coming ZRC Spartiale diver watch. Finding spare parts is always a challenge.

Rolex Datejust Pink Gold bezel Buckley Dial 1601

I was originally planning of getting a LE from a friend but he has changed his mind on selling. As such, my focus went back to vintage Rolex. With my current focus on building a collection of early Rolex Datejust, I have traded my Rolex early silver porcelain dial trench watch for a Rolex pink gold bezel Datejust with a pinkish Buckley dial.

From the VRF, A true "buckley dial" MUST be:

painted black, champagne or white roman markers on white, champagne, black, blue or the very rare grey background. These dials were available on non quickset models from the mid 1970's and continued on to the early quickset models of the 1980's. These were the very first "exotic" datejust dials and laid the groundwork for the later applied small roman dial, applied big roman dial, pyramid big roman dial. Mine is a pinkish dial with pink gold bezel! Rolex seemed to have a huge variations for Datejust which make it an interesting series to collect. I am now looking for a 1603 with Bamboo bezel design. Cheers

Rolex 1600 smooth steel bezel with a Rolex 1601 pink gold bezel.I have put a metal bracelet for the steel Rolex 1600 which made the watch looks more modern and zen.

https://moonphase.fr/last-night-a-datejust-saved-my-life-les-modeles-rares-dune-montre-aux-1000-visages/

Vintage ZRC

This is an interesting ZRC with provenance paper for the Marine National.

Rolex 5513 & 1600

Rolex 5513 Meter first (production from 1960s-70) together with Rolex 1600. The determination of the dates of transition were done by collectors. However, we have to bear in mind that during the early period, Rolex watches were not as high positioning as now and very often, even Rolex center will  fit in different period items during servicing , especially the case back.

September 2017 Q3 review

In my efforts to limit the number of watches, I have traded my Angelus Dato for the Rolex Oman black dial and I have traded my vintage Seiko for a Rolex 1600, etc. 
To keep a tight collection, I am focusing on :

1. Vintage Rolex, 
2. Vintage rado with rare mineral dials, 
3. Divers and military watches and some 
4. Vintage Omegas.

1. Rolex Oman ref 1603 (From Japan)
Traded Angelus Dato

2. ZRC Series 3 from France

3. Rolex Big Bubbleback ref 6105 Watch from Texas

4. Rado Blue Lapis (Watch from US)

5. Rolex 1600 (Watch from Hong Kong)

Traded with Seiko Bullhead.

6. Rolex 5513 Meter First (Watch from Hong Kong watch fair)

7. Rolex 1601 Buckley dial with pink gold bezel (Watch from Hong Kong)
Traded with Rolex silver trench watch

8. Rolex Bubbleback from Texas

9. Omega Constellations (watches from Hong Kong)
Traded Rado Daydate, Diver watches.

As a rule, to tighten my watch collection, I have traded off the following watches: