|
Post by nikeajax on Sept 15, 2022 8:06:51 GMT -8
Don't know anything about the brand Kingston, but it's from the 1960's: I does have a Swiss movement. Because it doesn't have a locking crown, it can't be made diveable JB
|
|
|
Post by Aquala1 on Sept 15, 2022 9:07:41 GMT -8
Don't know anything about the brand Kingston, but it's from the 1960's: I does have a Swiss movement. Because it doesn't have a locking crown, it can't be made diveable JB Cool piece, JB. A quick Google search shows that brand to be West German. Before the quartz crisis in the late ‘70s and 1980s, there were hundreds of watch brands. Only the biggest survived, and even some of the ones that are big today were resurrected decades later. It’s tricky getting true vintage pieces back into dive service. The smaller brands that have gone away, you can’t get the necessary seals and gaskets to make them waterproof. The larger brands, like IWC and Rolex who might still provide parts, are so valuable you wouldn’t want to take a chance diving them. That’s what’s great about the retro and re-issue pieces. Dive the heck out of them and you don’t have to worry about destroying a rare collectible.
|
|
|
Post by nikeajax on Sept 15, 2022 11:15:25 GMT -8
As an aside: let's hear what our friend from Ukraine has to say about luminous watches:
Now our friend in Philadelphia:
Just sayin', please be aware that there is a potential hazard. I know some of those neat old depth gauges have radioactive dials.
I'm not near as serious a collector as Ty, but I do collect them, and the Franlab video greatly influenced my buying an old "dollar watch" (cheap pocket watches), so I got a Westclox Scotty from 1948. I was looking at old compasses too, there are some really nifty looking ones made by Taylor from the 1920-30's that glow, but...
Jaybird
|
|
|
Post by Aquala1 on Sept 16, 2022 5:06:32 GMT -8
Interesting vids, JB. I guess when it comes to vintage dive watches, since most are late ‘50s and newer, we’re outside of the widespread use of radium. It still would be fun to check them with a Geiger counter though.
|
|
|
Post by Aquala1 on Sept 16, 2022 18:31:03 GMT -8
Ok, here are the other two vintage watches in the collection. The first one on the left is an Aquadive Model 50 with an integrated depth gauge. This one works, including the depth gauge, and has been fully serviced and is dive capable. The other one is near mint and is on a vintage, aftermarket bracelet.
|
|
|
Post by Tusker on Sept 17, 2022 2:15:56 GMT -8
That depth gauge Aquadive is really cool, Aquala! How many of your vintage watches are in dive condition?
|
|
|
Post by antique diver on Sept 17, 2022 7:08:48 GMT -8
Ok, here are the other two vintage watches in the collection. The first one on the left is an Aquadive Model 50 with an integrated depth gauge. This one works, including the depth gauge, and has been fully serviced and is dive capable. The other one is near mint and is on a vintage, aftermarket bracelet. Wow... great to see some old Aquadives have survived! I think we sold their watches in the 70's, and I do remember seeing that depth gauge model in their catalog or at a trade show but never had one. Love it!
|
|
|
Post by Aquala1 on Sept 17, 2022 17:27:44 GMT -8
That depth gauge Aquadive is really cool, Aquala! How many of your vintage watches are in dive condition? Just this one. A few of the others possibly could, except for the DOXA Subs, but I haven’t bothered trying. I figure they’ve served their time and it’s best to let them enjoy retirement lounging around topside.😀
|
|
|
Post by Aquala1 on Sept 19, 2022 20:04:35 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by Tusker on Sept 20, 2022 1:30:07 GMT -8
Aquala, I saw an ad for that Aquadive depth gauge on eBay the other day: Those Nivada Chronomasters are some seriously cool watches. Here's a few more ads:
|
|
|
Post by antique diver on Oct 7, 2022 13:11:23 GMT -8
My vintage Sea Wolf was acquired in 1968, and gave many good years of diving service. The Professional was from 1991, and was professionally restored to its original accuracy and beauty about 3 years ago. Both were gifts from my Mermaid, and I love all three!
|
|
|
Post by nikeajax on Oct 7, 2022 14:27:07 GMT -8
Bill, I really like the one on the left: the gray and the triangle-digits make it look very elegant.
JB
|
|
|
Post by antique diver on Oct 7, 2022 15:22:23 GMT -8
Bill, I really like the one on the left: the gray and the triangle-digits make it look very elegant. JB Thanks JB. I like it too - it's pretty special, and I wish it wasn't so costly to do a full restoration. Maybe one of these days when I sell a couple of nice regulators. I would probably use the watch a lot more than I will so many regs.
|
|
|
Post by Aquala1 on Oct 7, 2022 19:14:15 GMT -8
Bill, I really like the one on the left: the gray and the triangle-digits make it look very elegant. JB Thanks JB. I like it too - it's pretty special, and I wish it wasn't so costly to do a full restoration. Maybe one of these days when I sell a couple of nice regulators. I would probably use the watch a lot more than I will so many regs. That’s why I have such an affinity for my dive watches. It’s a piece of my diving gear that I get to use and enjoy everyday.
|
|
|
Post by Aquala1 on Oct 8, 2022 5:28:15 GMT -8
Bill, I really like the one on the left: the gray and the triangle-digits make it look very elegant. JB Thanks JB. I like it too - it's pretty special, and I wish it wasn't so costly to do a full restoration. Maybe one of these days when I sell a couple of nice regulators. I would probably use the watch a lot more than I will so many regs. Bill, it doesn’t look like your ‘68 Seawolf needs that much. If it were mine, I’d have the movement serviced so it runs accurately and reliably. I’d then have all of the scratches polished out of the crystal, and I’d be done with it. I know you’ll likely never sell it so you’re probably not too concerned with value, but polishing and refinishing a bracelet and case can hurt the value more than it helps. The Bakelite bezel is in excellent condition and that’s a huge bonus.
|
|