This particular vintage Tudor cushion cased watch is of great interest to me as it belonged to my great-grandfather, and it dates from the 1930s. The watch was passed to me by an uncle last Christmas, it was in a sorry state. It has since undergone restoration at J.J. Browne & Son, Caterham, Surrey, UK….Read more
Category: Vintage watch
Vintage watch condition ratings
If you are starting to visit the multitude of online shops that specialise in vintage watches, you are going to come across the term “condition”. This is where the retailers describe the overall condition of a vintage watch and this does influence the price. There is no standard listing and many retailers provide their own…Read more
Art Deco Omega T17 Tank, 1939
Recently, I have found the appeal of vintage Art Deco style watches to be distracting, to the point where owning one has become the focus of my watch collecting hobby. Art Deco emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, reflecting the cultural and social outlook of the era. Art Deco design is characterised by its elegant…Read more
The history of watch luminescence
One of the limitations of early watches was that it was impossible to read the time without a reliable light source. In darkness, you would need to strike a match or light a candle to check the time. There were solutions, such as the braille watch or “montre a tact” developed by Abraham-Louis Breguet around…Read more
Omega Seamaster Reference 165-009, 1962
I have been searching for a vintage Omega Seamaster for a number of months. In my opinion, the Omega Seamaster is a must-have for any serious watch collector. I am looking for a vintage Seamaster, dating from the early 1960s. It should be in very good condition and a reliable timekeeper. I don’t expect the…Read more
Vintage Art Deco watches
In the modern world, there seems to be an abundance of devices that can tell the time, from smartphones and tablets to microwaves and even my washing machine. There seems to be no need today to bother wearing a watch, unless of course, it is a statement of personal style. However, it wasn’t that long ago,…Read more
Omega T17 Tank watch, 1935
Recently, I have been interested in vintage watches that have a distinct Art Deco style. The design is known for its use of geometric forms, vibrant colours and strong contrasts. Bold hues such as gold, silver, black, and red are typical and are often used to create striking visual effects. Overall, Art Deco watches have…Read more
What determines the “condition” of a vintage watch?
When buying a vintage watch, you are also buying a piece of history. Your new timepiece may have had a sheltered life, sitting in a box at the back of a drawer for fifty years, and it will be in pristine condition. Alternatively, your latest acquisition may have been the daily wearer for its previous…Read more
Longines wristwatch for J W Benson, 1933
In my recent searches for a nice Art Deco style wristwatch, I came across the following offering from The Vintage Wrist Watch Company, a Longines cushion-cased wristwatch for J W Benson dating from 1933. Although not the typical rectangular-curvex Art Deco design I was looking for, the battered dial has appeal, much like a well-loved…Read more
Wyler Watch Company
This is another obscure company, the Wyler Watch Company, that I came across whilst researching a post on vintage watch shock protection systems. The company was real, there are plenty of Wyler vintage watches available on the market, but there is no official history of their time from inception in the 1920s to their ultimate…Read more