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
Category: Collecting
Explore our articles on vintage watch collecting. This covers everything from identifying and researching watches to understanding movements, restoration, and building a meaningful collection.
ClassBento Watchmaking Taster Day Workshop
At Set Back in Time, we are all capable of changing a buckle or a strap on one of our vintage watches. However, none of us has actually dismantled and rebuilt a watch from our collection. That said, none of us has any doubt that we could pull one of our watches apart. However, putting…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
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
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
Omega Seamaster automatic wristwatch, 1964
During the 1960s, Omega Seamasters featured classic round cases and minimalist dials. The emphasis was on elegance in preference to complexity. While stainless steel dominated the era, Omega offered silver or black dials featuring applied markers and sharp dauphine hands. This understated, gentlemanly design established the Seamaster as an all-occasion timepiece, complementing both formal suits…Read more
How magnetism can affect a vintage watch
At Set Back in Time, we are very familiar with the effects of magnetism. Vintage watches and electronic devices simply don’t mix very well. A vintage watch is a finely tuned machine, largely made of metal and built for precision. However, if the delicate components are exposed to magnetism, accuracy will suffer. This is something…Read more