Two generations of Explorer 2

IWC mark XI

The IWC mark XI 

It can be regarded as one of the most classic military watch, a model with a high-quality professional tool watch. MARK XI production started in 1948  and was in active service till about 1979 and it conformed to the British Ministry of Defence (Ministry of Defence, MoD) models of military regulations . 

The IWC MARK XI have been adopted by the various British Commonwealth Air Force in England and Wales , Australia, New Zealand , South Africa and Canada , as well as Quantas Air 's crew . Each different dials and the back case marking represents different National Air Forces and year of deliveries. As such, there are many variations of IWC Mark XI.

Almost all of the MARK XI are orders from UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) or provincial air defense (AM) and orders were placed to London, Goldsmith & Silversmith Co., Ltd. (which was later renamed G & S to Garrards), which in turn ordered via and IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre ( another watch factory that also produced Mark XI)

Gathering the information from a Taiwanese website on vintage watches, It is said that most early MARK XI had 36mm size , chromed case styles , but most visible, are 35mm in stainless steel case , stop second movements ( the majority ) . Then according to experts say , MARK XI has been tested as per British observatory level, not in Switzerland , but the NPL ( National Physical Laboratory ) in Kew , southwest London.

As such,  those dial with the Encircled T ( T have labeled the circle ) should be from the 1960s. The early 1950s , the British Ministry of Defense realized the radiation harm on the human body, so many of the early watch dials that have military radioactive luminous paint were recalled, some of the dials were destroyed, some fitted with newly re-create dials, while others will redone and painted on non-radioactive materials.

These reproduced by the UK Ministry of Defence or reconditioned dials were called the MoD Dial. Owing to the historical background factors , these dials were still considered " the original dial ." By collectors.

In IWC Mark XI, for example, from 1948 years to the beginning of 1950 those watches that were not recalled for replacement of dials  ( due to the special anti-magnetic soft iron -based material ) there is no King's Arrow and Circled T, and under 6 o'clock shall be marked T SWISS T. As MoD Dial, you generally have King's Arrow and Circled T, but only under the 6 o'clock SWISS. It should be noted , King's Arrow "/ l \" mark on the printed when some Swiss factory- printed , some British defense.

Information for the net by Crusader:

The "Mark XI" was really the "Mark 11". The British armed forces "Mark" numbering system went to Arabic numerals after the end of WWII, and the Mark-system was discontinued after the Mark XI. The Australians stuck with the Roman numerals, though. The Mark XI is also known as the 6B/346.

The "Mark XI" was originally purchased from both IWC and JLC, but the RAF was dissatisfied with the JLC version (no shock protection) and discontinued buying them, leaving IWC as the sole RAF supplier. Ca. 2'000 watches were procured from JLC in 1949, and ca. 7'400 from IWC between 1949 and 1953. All JLCs were decommissioned before 1963, and the IWC watches in 1981. In 1973, the Mark XI was downgraded to "navigator's watch secondary type".

The specification for the Mark XI stipulated chronometer accuracy. The watches were regulated in five positions and at least two temperatures over a two-week period at the Chronometer Workshop of the Royal Greenwich Observatory in Herstmonceux, and kept in sealed storage for 12, later 18 months, and then re-regulated, whether they had been used on the flightline or not. The precision expected of the Mark XI and the care taken in its maintenance make the Mark XI a much closer relative to the German B-Uhren of WWII than the mass-produced American A-11, A-17, DTU 2A/P and GG-W-113 watches of significantly lower accuracy.

Only aircrew navigators were originally issued the Mark XI (another parallel to the German B-Uhren), and if there were enough to go around, first pilots and captains could be issued them as well. Other aircrew, like flight engineers, received the lower-spec'ed Omega 53s and older Omegas.

The Mark XI was specifically designed for astronavigation which had become a feasible option only with the wide-spread introduction of the "bubble sextant" in the early 1940s.

The requirement for anti-magnetic shielding (and anti-magnetic hands, by the way) stemmed from the use of an airborne terrain-mapping radar (H2S) in the final phase of the war. Its huge magnetic field output negatively affected the aviation watches (Mk. VII=6B/159 and Mk. VIII=6B/234) then in use. Likewise the requirement to secure the crystal against the loss of outside pressure came about with the introduction of cabin pressurization towards the end of WWII when older watches "popped" crystals during rapid depressurization (e.g. when the cabin was hit by a shell fragment). Increased altitude, and therefore increasingly cold temperatures, affected the accuracy of the Mk. VII and VIII watches. A steel case was required as the chrome-plated brass or alloy cases then in use did not fare well in use over salt water and in humid climates.

The bonklip bracelet (6B/2763) was originally standard issue on the Mark XI. It was discontinued in favor of the standard nylon NATO strap (6B/2617) in 1954, but re-introduced in 1956 as an alternative to the NATO. There are reports on Mark XI on long leather straps, but they are uncorroborated. Either way, the standard NATO strap (I don't know which color, though) is quite a correct period strap for the Mark XI.

Seiko 7622-9000

The Spaceman watch

In the late sixties Claude Lebet, owner of the Bulle based watch brand Catena asked Le Marquand to create a timepiece inspired by man’s conquest of the moon and the astronauts who made it there. Mr. Le Marquand provided him with his first wristwatch design called the "Spaceman".

The Spaceman was unlike anything seen before and Catena introduced the fleet at the Basel Fair of 1972. The large oval case appeared to be docked on your wrist held by a triple-forked Corfam strap by DuPont. The case also had a coned dome crystal half concealed by a coloured metal visor that allowed viewing of the dial to only the wearer. All hands and markers were perfectly seventies orange with models in a variety of colours only possible during that special decade.

The watches were powered by automatic and manual winding mechanical ETA movements and were distributed by a variety brands, among them Jules Jurgensen, Fortis, Tressa and Zeno, Omax

Automatic Spaceman

The success led to the development of new Spaceman a few years later, an audacious design by Le Marquand and appropriately named, the "Audacieuse".

Seiko 6602-9981

SEIKO WRIST WATCH 36mm VINTAGE 1965, MODEL SPORTSMAN DIASHOCK 17 JEWELS WATER 30 PROOF, DATE 6602-9981 Cal. 66 JAPAN s Made 17 Jewels f = 18000 A/h Reserve 45H Size 10,5"

This is a special watch found at Mae Sotnfrom a collector who has collected it many years ago from Myanmar. The overall condition is fantastic and it's a nice size to wear at 36mm.

Vinatge Omega for the Middles East

Doctor watches

During the CNY, I have the opportunity to look and wind up my watches. It was great fun...

新年快樂

Gub cal 28.1

For an untrained eyes, this is a piece of junk. I have been looking for the Lange GUB watch with caliber 28.1 for a while and this is a watch for ture watch connoisseurs as its small in size, not sport watch and with an aged dial. 

As seen from the previous post, it was one the in house movement of Lange before the division of Germany into East and West Germany. Even though the watch is found in used condition, I like it very much as it as the vintage all original look. In addition, the dial has stated "Germany" instead of West Germany or East Germany, meaning that the watch was produced between the division of Germany. Moreover, the movement nos is very early making this an early example of the watch manufactured using the cal 28.1.

There are many reconditioned dial for this model and for me, originality is key...lucky, I have sold off one simple diver watch earlier in order to fulfill my one out and one in policy...😊

The "Q1" marking, which you'll see on both Lange VEB and GUB watches with the Cal 28.1inside translates to "A1", meaning they contain movements of the highest standards.

Omega Chronograph ref 2451

OMEGA VINTAGE CHRONOGRAPH REF 2451 CAL. 321 STAINLESS STEEL 1950's
This is a really nice vintage Omega chronograph in 100% original untouched condition with original finish and even the original grains of rice steel bracelet.

Original stainless steel case is decidedly massive and sporty for the 1950s. Dimensions are 35mm diameter by 13.8mm thick. Massive screw back. Highly domed acrylic crystal. Round pump-style chronograph pushers and large winding crown. Case appears to be never polished and to have its original sharp edges, corners and bevels.

Original untouched dial started out as silver but has developed a champagne patina to very nice effect. Applied '12', Omega logo and hour markers. Sunken subdials with concentric guilloche. Tachymetre scale at the dial's periphery. Original hands.

GUB

Article from. Net: http://hodinkee.squarespace.com/blog/2011/6/13/a-lange-sohnes-caliber-28-the-only-lange-wristwatch-caliber.html

A. Lange & Sohne makes some unquestionably beautiful movements, and the Glashutte-bred brand is considered one of the world's finest.  But, as we've mentioned to you before, Lange went through a forty year period of dormancy after the brand's property was expropriated to the pro-Stalin government of East Germany, along with several of the other Glashutte watch manufacturers.  But, for the first few years of the GUB (Glashütter Uhrenbetrieb), the Government-run conglomerate of Glashutte watch makers known for some pretty unexceptional pieces (Eastern block Germany was vehemently opposed to all things luxury), they used a pretty exceptional caliber.  Caliber 28 and 28.1 as they are known, was so exceptional because it was, in fact, a movement designed and built by A. Lange & Sohne themselves - the first and only wristwatch caliber from Lange not only built before the division of Germany, but before the rebirth of the brand and subsequent introduction of the Lange 1 in 1994.  Here is the rest of the story.

A. Lange & Sohne produced some spectacular pocketwatches throughout its history.  Those of the highest caliber, denoted with "1A" on the movement, are still highly sought after by collectors today.  In the 1930s, Lange began to recognize the future wristwatches may hold to the industry.  But, they simply did not have a movement of their own that would work in a wristwatch.  So, they partnered with Swiss company Altus to create some early Lange wristwatches.  The movement in these were an Altus caliber, but finely finished by A. Lange & Sohne.  Lange did use some other Swiss movements in their watches throughout the 1930s and early 40s as well, but remember, these were not in-house Lange calibers.

An Early Lange Wristwatch - Though The Movement Is Swiss Made

The Lange caliber 48, the large and reliable movement the brand had developed as a pocketwatch movement for its pilot watches, seemed like the perfect base for what would be the German mark's first wristwatch caliber - and it was.  The creation of Caliber 28 took place in the mid to late 1940s and the result would be the first truly in-house Lange wristwatch movement.  But, the Lange brand was handed over to the DDR in 1948, along with all of its machines, employees and factories.  The Caliber 28 was, however, put into production as the GUB recognized the quality of the movement and they used it for years to come.  You will find early Lange Caliber 28's inside watches signed "Lange VEB" on the dial.

A Lange VEB wristwatch with Caliber 28 (it should be noted this dial has been refinished)From 1948-1951, Lange VEB produced only 5,067 watches with with the caliber 28 movement inside.  The 28 features a subsidiary seconds register.  Original Lange VEB watches with Lange signed movements are increasingly difficult to find, especially outside of Germany.

A Very Clean Original Lange 28 Movement - Notice the "Q1" denotation

After 1951, the Lange VEB company was enveloped by the GUB.  Still, the quality of the caliber 28 was recognized and the use of caliber 28.1 (the same caliber with central sweep seconds) was put into use in the GUB's higher-end watches.  While both the dial and movements of these watches were signed "GUB," the caliber was marked as "28 Q1", and these were produced by the former employees of Lange & Sohne.  The "Q1" marking, which you'll see on both Lange VEB and GUB watches with the Cal 28 inside translates to "A1", meaning they contain movements of the highest standards, just like you'd see on older Lange pocket watches.  (Does anyone else see the irony in communist Germany purposefully labeling some of their products as of greater quality than the rest?)

A GUB Made Wristwatch With Caliber 28.1

GUB continued the production of watches with the Cal 28.1 through 1957 and produced 16,396 units.  These too are extremely difficult to locate (your best bet would be taking a trip to Dresden).  After Caliber 28.1 was retired, the GUB went on to create many of their own calibers that simply pailed in comparison to the Lange 28.  Also, you may see GUB watches for sale but the odds that they contain a Caliber 28 is unlikely.  While there was a total of only ~21,000 Cal 28 and 28.1s, the later GUB calibers had the following production numbers:

GUB Cal. 60 (1952-58): 280,410 pcs.
GUB cal. 62 (1951-58): ca. 191,900 pcs.
GUB cal. 63 (1953-59): ca. 361,149 pcs.
GUB cal. 67.1 (1960-67): 190,360 pcs.
GUB cal. 69.1 (1960-71): 411,750 pcs.
GUB cal. 70.1 (1960-71): 388,820 pcs
GUB cal. 74 "Spezimatik" (1964-80) 1.857,966 pcs.
GUB cal. 75 (1964-80): 1.858,466 pcs.
GUB cal. 77 (1959-70): ca. 181,101 pcs.
GUB cal. 11-26 "Spezichron" (1978-85): ca. 290,880 pcs.