Omega 20F tank wristwatch, 1930s

This stylish-looking timepiece from the 1930s is an Omega 20F “tank” gentleman’s wristwatch. The watch features a hand-winding movement, the Omega calibre 20F, which is working well. The movement is signed with the Omega name, and the Omega serial number dates it to the early 1930s. It caught our eye at Set Back in Time….Read more

Marvin wristwatch, 1950s

This is a striking Marvin wristwatch dating from the 1950s. This particular watch has a 17-jewel Swiss hand-winding movement, calibre 320A, which is working well. None of us at Set Back in Time have had much to do with the Marvin brand. We set aside some time to investigate the brand and this particular watch….Read more

Omega De Ville: a history

The Omega De Ville differs from the better-known Speedmaster and Seamaster in both purpose and personality. The Speedmaster and Seamaster, both tool watches, were born from technical ambition and adventure. In contrast, the De Ville was designed for elegance and urban refinement. It was, and still is, a traditional dress watch. In this post, we…Read more

Titus wristwatch, 1950s

This Titus Geneve wristwatch dates from the 1950s and is a recent addition to the Set Back in Time collection. The Titus brand is not a household name, nor is it an investment piece. The ETA movement is good quality, but not a high-end, in-house calibre. So why did one of our group buy this…Read more

The evolution of watch straps and bracelets

At Set Back in Time, the majority of the vintage watches that pass through our collections have leather straps. Naturally, these straps themselves are not vintage. Leather straps simply don’t last. However, recently a few vintage watches have included metal bracelets. This inspired today’s post: the evolution of watch straps and bracelets. Below is what…Read more

Wyler Vetta wristwatch, 1950s

The Wyler Watch Company is an obscure brand that we uncovered when researching shock protection systems. Wyler is perhaps best known for their in-house shock protection system called Incaflex. They advertised this system by dropping two Wyler watches from the top of the Eiffel Tower. Both watches were damaged in the fall, but were confirmed…Read more

Enicar Sherpa watches

This post is about the Swiss brand Enicar. It was a name Set Back in Time was vaguely familiar with, but honestly, we couldn’t recall any specific Enicar models. Recently, we were browsing The Vintage Wrist Watch Company website and came across an Enicar Chronograph that mentioned “Pre Sherpa”. It turns out that the Sherpa…Read more

Doxa wristwatch, 1960s

This watch was introduced to the Set Back in Time group by a regular to our weekly meetings. It’s not a top-of-the-range brand, just a really nice-looking vintage gentleman’s wristwatch. Doxa is a relatively little-known brand that has a long history and a reputation built on modern dive watches. The watch has a signed 17-jewel…Read more

Are vintage watches with radium dials dangerous?

If you’ve been browsing old watches, you’ve probably seen ones with glowing numbers and hands. Many of these used radium paint to make them visible in the dark. The glow was groundbreaking back in the day, but it also came with risks. Knowing what you’re dealing with is essential before you start collecting watches made…Read more