Let's See Your Watches! The Vintage Watch Thread.

how do you guys rate non-gruen "curvex" watches? I'm probably winning a bid on a curvex-style watch from a company I've never heard of before, called "Norman". anybody ever heard of it? any good?

 

never mind. I was beat by 50 CENTS literally three seconds before the bid ended.

 

I've heard of "Normandie" (some models whereof being collector-worthy) but not "Norman".
The winning bidder may have done you a favor.
Incidentally what did it go for?

 

Twelve dollars and eighty-four cents.

 

Mid-fifties Longines.

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Late 1950's Omega Seamaster adjusted to two postions.

 

Hi, my 60's military style timex. I bought it pretty cheap on ebay, just added a nylon OD wristband.

 

1929 Illinois Jolly Roger

 

1935 Illinois Rockcliffe

 

1919 Illinois Telephone

 

Great looking dial, the watch seems to be in mint condition. Do you happen to know whether the dial was made using the melted glass enamel method?

Likewise your 1935 Illinois Rockcliffe posted immediately above, looks minty. I'm guessing that the dial was painted but even if so, it looks terrific after >80 years.

 

The Telephone is Enamel/Porcelain like your avitar and all original. The others are metal and original as well. Thanks for the nice words.

 

1929 Illinois Piccadilly

 

Lovely antique watch, wouldn't mind snagging one like this at some point. It doesn't look that archaic either, and that's what I love about these watches, they're timeless.

 

This is the only picture I have of my last vintage watch. I am now on the hunt for a different variant of this watch (the 256 DatoLuxe), but 34mm is hard for me to wear with over 7 inch wrists. I generally wear 39mm or bigger watches. Most commonly on my wrist right now is a mark 40 Speedmaster.

 

I've always liked that type of watch. It's nice to be able to tell the day & date at a glance. The moonphase is probably my favorite complication, it has a "neato" factor for me.

By the way, what brand was that watch? I couldn't make it out even when I magnified the image.

 

It's an Angelus. Unfortunately I didn't keep any better pictures of it. Live the watch though. Look up the Angelus Datoluxe. Outside Patek I think it is the best vintage moonphase layout.

 

The "Price Guide" depicts such an Angelus in stainless steel with a slightly different dial namely with Arabics all the way around rather than alternating with batons. It's said to be 17j & produced circa 1949, prices starting at $600 USD being the dealer buying price for a specimen that's complete & running; going as high as $1,100 USD being the dealer selling price for a mint all-original specimen. There's obviously some interest in these, I see why you regret having sold yours.

 

Could you link me to the "Price Guide"? I searched the forum for it but couldn't find it. 17j should be referring to the jewels in the movement instead of the actual name of the watch or name of the movement.

If it has full Arabic numbering all around, a double date aperture and a moonphase that is the cal 256, also called the "dato-Luxe". If it has the same dial layout except for the numbering it is another variant of the 253, which is the watch I had.

 

The 2017 "Price Guide" for whatever reason doesn't show the "dato-Luxe" so I can't shed any further light on it.

And yes my reference to 17j is the jewel count of the Angelus depicted in the guide. The guide doesn't include any model name, caliber or reference number, just a photo of a specimen with a dial layout same as yours except for the full Arabics.

The "Price Guide" to use its abbreviated name as is the norm, is published commercially on an annual basis, the 2018 edition should be out around March. It's also available as an eBook. I buy the annual volume from my usual bookstore, here's a link to the guide's publisher's page for your information:

http://www.tinderboxpress.com/book.html

Even if you only buy it once, you'll find the guide to be full of useful information on watches generally, in addition to being a great reference source for identifying & valuing particular specimens.