a few old 'uns

[johnbaz]

hi
just thought i'd post a few pics of a few of my favourite vintage watches-

cyma navystar, the movement is marked r458, anyone know who made it??
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/johnbaz/cymanavystar.jpg

old rotary, 15j, from memory i think the movement is AS but can't remember what cal
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/johnbaz/DSCF0081.jpg

seiko cal 6602 manual wind, dates to september '70
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/johnbaz/Seiko6.jpg

smiths astral, date unknown possibly 60's-70's
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/johnbaz/smithsastral1.jpg

helvetia,cal h82c
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/johnbaz/WATCH02HELVETIA.jpg

valex, calfhf70 (15j)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/johnbaz/WATCH08VALEX.jpg

talis, cal AS1691/93 (21j)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/johnbaz/WATCH27TALIS.jpg

croton, cal ST1686 (17j), sunburst dial emanates from 12 o'clock
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/johnbaz/WATCHES34CROTONDECO.jpg

that's all for now, i have loads of vintage watches but find it difficult to take good quality pics:-(

regards, john:-)

[Chascomm]

cyma navystar, the movement is marked r458, anyone know who made it?? Probably in-house. IIRC Cyma/Tavannes used to make their own movements until relatively recently.
smiths astral, date unknown possibly 60's-70'sI'd date this to the 1960s. This is one of Smiths' higher grade watches from their English factory. The movement is an in-house design (influenced by JLC) and was used most famously in the Smiths service-issue watches, as well as dive watches and the watches used in the first successful Mt Everest expedition. At the time your watch was made, Smiths were starting to look at using Seiko movements, but by the mid-1970s they were subcontracting to the Swiss. Their Welsh factory continued producing pin-lever watches until about 1980.

[Ray MacDonald]

Thanks for posting. You have a varied and interesting collection of very nice quality pieces.

[JohnF]

Hi -

That Smiths Astral is fantastic, as are the Helvetica and the Valex. The Cyma has those wonderful mid-1950s fat hour markers, I've got a Technos Lyx in black that has very similiar markings.

Neat collection. :-)

JohnF

[johnbaz]

thanks for the comments lads,

john,i can't remember where or when i got the astral, i've got so many watches that it's just a fuzzy blur when i try to recall a particular one, i've been collecting since i was about sixteen years old (now 48 yrs old) and the last 'guesstimate was approx 2000 watches:-!

ray, i like all sorts of timepieces but my favourite type has to be anything vintage, as long as the movement is nice quality (i dislike pinpallet watches-although i have quiete a few:-S )

chas, thanks for the info, i really ought to start researching the watches in my collection. thanks.

regards, john:-)

[wspohn]

On the Cyma - from Ranfft watches:



Cyma 458

Features
manual wind
sub second

Data
10.5''', Dm= 22.95mm
17 jewels
f = 18000 A/h
power-reserve 48h

Remarks
Cymaflex-II shock protection

Example, year: signature
ca. 1950: 501800, Cyma, Tavannes Switzerland, 17 Jewels

[louis]

that's all for now, i have loads of vintage watches but find it difficult to take good quality pics:-(

regards, john:-)[/QUOTE]

You can make better pics outside the house in the daylight without flash. Good luck
louis