If you are new to the world of vintage watch collection, you may well have asked yourself the following questions. Are vintage watches reliable? How accurate can a vintage watch be? Do I need to leave them safely boxed at home, or can I wear them out every day? Do they have shock resistance and…Read more
Gentlemen’s Longines vintage wristwatch, 1969.
This is a beautiful-looking gentleman’s vintage wristwatch from Longines, dating to 1969. I was drawn by the clean design and the originality of the watch, based on visual appeal alone, it would look great on my wrist. However, I am looking for classic vintage watches to add to my collection which have a depth to…Read more
Vintage watches, automatic vs hand wound movements
Vintage automatic and mechanical watches are both traditional mechanical watches that rely on mechanical parts to measure time. This is in contrast to modern quartz watches which use electronic components. Both mechanical and automatic watches use a complex series of gears, springs, and other mechanisms to maintain time. Strictly speaking, both movements are ‘mechanical’, the…Read more
9ct gold Eterna-matic Centenaire automatic wrist watch.
What an absolutely stunning vintage watch is this 9ct gold Eterna-Matic Centenaire automatic! The black dial, which is in amazing condition for a timepiece dating to 1954, is perfectly paired with the rich, warm shade of tan brown of the leather watch strap. Unfortunately, it had sold before I discovered it, but this is the…Read more
Tissot Visodate Seastar Seven, 1960s.
This is a recent addition to the Set Back in Time collection, a Tissot Visodate Seastar Seven wristwatch dating from the 1960s. The watch has a hand-winding movement, which is working well. It is a Tissot calibre 782-1 with 17 jewels and a date function. The watch is a reliable and accurate timekeeper. Tissot Tissot…Read more
The importance of originality in the vintage watch market
The dream of every vintage watch collector is to come across a watch in pristine condition, as if it has never been worn or left its box. It is possible with New Old Stock (NOS), which refers to a vintage watch that was never sold to a customer and is still in its original packaging….Read more
1960s Avia-matic automatic wristwatch
This vintage watch is an Avia-matic automatic watch dating from the 1960s. The watch has a Swiss 17-jewel ETA 2472 automatic movement, with Incabloc shock protection. The watch is working well and keeping good time. Avia is a watchmaking company that has a long history and was very prominent in the 1950s and 60s. The…Read more
Eterna-Matic automatic wrist watch, 1968
The latest addition to the Set Back in Time collection is this Eterna-matic 2000 Centenaire automatic wrist watch, dating from 1968. Eterna introduced the Centenaire range in 1956 to celebrate the centenary of the company. This is a classic dress watch, a little small by today’s standards, but certainly acceptable as a vintage timepiece. The…Read more
The Dirty Dozen watches
The story of the Dirty Dozen watches began in 1943 when the British War Department realised the necessity of having a general service wristwatch built to high standards. They commissioned a watch for its forces. The aim was to find a replacement for the old A.T.P. (Army Trade Pattern) watches that had been in service…Read more
1950s Cyma bumper automatic wristwatch
This vintage Cyma bumper automatic wristwatch exudes character. The Cyma brand is well-respected amongst vintage watch collectors. The watch, which dates from the 1950s, has aged well, and it keeps good time. The dial is branded Cymaflex, which was a proprietary shock protection system developed by Cyma in the late 1930s. Cyma Joseph and Theodore…Read more