Category: Manual wind

Browse our articles on vintage manual wind watches. Before automatic movements became widespread, manual winding was the standard way to power a mechanical watch.

Should I have my vintage watch serviced?

A vintage watch is more than just a tool to tell the time. It is an extension of your personality and style. That said, it is of utmost importance to ensure that your vintage watch is accurate, otherwise, it is just a piece of jewellery on your wrist. Regular maintenance and servicing can help prevent…Read more

Are vintage watches waterproof?

A question that gets asked a lot in the vintage watch world is, ” Are vintage watches waterproof?” The simple answer is no! Even if it states on the case that the watch is waterproof, it should, as with any vintage watch, be kept away from water and moisture. Water resistance The term “waterproof” is…Read more

Key components of a mechanical watch movement

The movements in vintage watches are typically mechanical, although it is entirely possible for a vintage era watch to include a quartz movement. Most of the vintage watches that will appear on this website will have mechanical movements, hand-winding or automatic. Although, you have probably spent a lot of time admiring that vintage watch on…Read more

Decimal wrist watch from Camerer Cuss, 1970s

I came across this curious vintage timepiece when browsing The Vintage Wrist Watch Company. It is a 1970s metric or decimal wristwatch from the respected retailer Camerer Cuss. It is called decimal or metric because it only has 10-hour markers, which are subdivided into 100 minutes. I am not sure how practical this vintage decimal…Read more

Why wear a vintage watch?

If you are an avid watch fan, you will have noticed in recent years that vintage watches are becoming more common. What is the appeal of these vintage timepieces? Why have they become so popular? Should you consider wearing a vintage watch? In this post, we will attempt to answer the question, Why wear a…Read more

Are vintage watches reliable?

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

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 with a date function. The watch is a reliable and accurate timekeeper. Tissot Tissot…Read more