Buren movement ID please.

[Marrick]

Got this today. The case is stainless steel and very clean, and its running nicely. But the movement has me stumped. The only marks I can see is the '29 UT' one. It isn't a Unitas 29. :think:

http://inlinethumb12.webshots.com/42955/2194137950101294029S425x425Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/42999/2574403910101294029S425x425Q85.jpg

And it doesn't say SWISS on movement, case or dial.

[AbslomRob]

My first thought had been Russian, but I think I found it here:
http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&a&2uswk&UTC_29

I'm not familiar with UTC; hopefully someone else has some background!

[Marrick]

Awesome work - thank you.

So - as Roland says -

UTC or UT (Universal Time Corp) was established by Seiko to sell bare movements
ball-bearing rotor
Kif-Duofix combined settings for escapement wheel

So its a Japanese movement?

[bjohnson]

From the 66 family


http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&a&2uswk&Seiko_66A
http://www.ranfft.de/bidfun/katb/2uswk/Seiko_66B.jpg

[Marrick]

Thank you. I would never have guessed that a Buren would have a Seiko movement (or half Seiko or whatever).:-s

But this is terrible - I don't collect Japanese.:roll::-d:-(:-d

I have just looked inside again. The inside of the case is marked:

"W.M.R. Watch Case Corp
Case Made in Hong Kong"

W.M.R. Watch case Corp seems to be a US importer of watch cases, straps, etc.

I have found a couple of references to their HK made cases housing Swiss Gruen movements. E.g: http://www.watchhunter.ca/Watch-Hunter-For-Sale-Vintage-Gruen-N510R-Manual-Sub-Second-GRUE10.html

[RON in PA]

Buren was bought out by Hamilton in the late 1960s and the Buren factory in Switzerland operated until 1972.

[Marrick]

Yes indeed. From:

http://www.watchesnsuch.net/

Although Hamilton produced Thin-O-Matics wristwatch models with high-grade ETA movements as well, they were so fond of the Buren movement that in 1966 they purchased the company.
Hamilton (which became Hamilton International S.A. in 1968) kept producing fully assembled watches under the Buren name (alongside Huguenin (whom they purchased in 1959) and Vantage (purchased in 1962)). They kept Hans Kocher (Buren's chief designer) on as the president of Buren Watch Company S.A. which they owned and operated until Hamilton was in turn purchased by SIHH (later called SMH, now the Swatch Group) in 1971 (a controlling interest was purchased at that point, all watchmaking assets were then completely turned over in 1974). Buren went into liquidation within months and their impressive and productive 101 year existence came to an end in 1974.

But I can find no reference to Buren branded watches being sold in Hong Kong cases with Japanese movements. My own guess is that this happened as the factory was in the process of running down - perhaps to fulfill orders from loyal retailers in the USA.