ID and crowns function?

[Marijan]

Can you help me with this.

It should be 70-80`s ANKER, by selers statement. He can`t provide me the movement photo.

Any idea what could be inside of this and what would be the crowns function?

Thank you.
Marijan Radaljac

[Marrick]

I think that the 2 extra crowns are used to rotate the 2 inner bezels - one with cities from around the world, the other with an 'elapsed time' function.

Anker - made by Eppler - seems to have used a variety of movements including their own:

http://www.christophlorenz.de/watch/...index.php?l=en

but also by other makers such as Henzi & Pfaff and UMF. It is unlikely to be of high quality.

Others may know more.

[Chascomm]

Can you help me with this.

It should be 70-80`s ANKER, by selers statement. He can`t provide me the movement photo.

Any idea what could be inside of this and what would be the crowns function?

Thank you.
Marijan Radaljac

This is the Hong Kong triple-crown 'jumbo' watch, popular in the 1970s and 80s (last sold in this town around 1985). Often seen with brand names that can be scratched down to read SEIKO e.g. ASEIKON, LESEIKORI, BASEKONE etc. Kronotron was another brand often seen. Movements are various 1-jewel wonders from Switzerland such as the Baumgartner BFG 866 and Ronda RL.

How this one came to be wearing a European brand name is something of a mystery, however it is apparent that Eppler not only built Anker watches, some with in-house movements and some bought-in (e.g. Ruhla), but also ordered complete 'Anker' watches built for them by other companies (e.g. Ruhla again). As Ruhla seem to have been also supplying movements and complete watches to the same Hong Kong firms known to be making the Jumbo watches, it is conceivable that this example is powered by a no-jewel Ruhla calibre 24-33.

One thing to note about these triple-crown watches is that the extra crowns and bezels are poorly engineered and somewhat fragile. They might be jammed or they might free-wheel, or the crown might come off in your hand. It's not a quality watch.

...but it is undeniably cool

Bid low if you still want it, and good luck!

[Marijan]

Great info, thank you guys! As you say, cool in a funny way. If I may say, first asociation was, "Bonnie M" and shiny disco balls from that years.

Not a bider, unfortunatly. Fixed price as high as 70 EUR. Seller will send the movement photo now when I asked, but I`m not shure that I like it that much. Will se.

Thank you again!

Marijan Radaljajc

[Marijan]

This is the Hong Kong triple-crown 'jumbo' watch, popular in the 1970s and 80s (last sold in this town around 1985). Often seen with brand names that can be scratched down to read SEIKO e.g. ASEIKON, LESEIKORI, BASEKONE etc. Kronotron was another brand often seen. Movements are various 1-jewel wonders from Switzerland such as the Baumgartner BFG 866 and Ronda RL.

Just as confirmation,

in all it`s glorry, ".....lmex (or something) LTD Hong kong, 1 jewel.

[Chascomm]

Just as confirmation,

in all it`s glorry, ".....lmex (or something) LTD Hong kong, 1 jewel.

Thanks!

It has a Swiss appearance, but made (or finished) in Hong Kong. I'm sure I've seen this in Lorenz's on-line movement database, but I just can't find it right now. This is exacly the grade of movement I expected, but not the model.

That's the fun of looking at low-grade vintage watches. There is always so much more to discover

[Eeeb]

...
That's the fun of looking at low-grade vintage watches. There is always so much more to discover

Yes... and there were so many more of them made (but the survival percentage is pretty low). Ingersoll made ten times the number of watches as Elgin.

[AbslomRob]

From an engineering perspective, lower grade watches are <much> more interesting, because of the attempt to get more from less. High grade watches get boring after a while. The basic design and layout of a good mechanical movment hasn't change substantially in a hundred years.

[Chascomm]

From an engineering perspective, lower grade watches are <much> more interesting, because of the attempt to get more from less. High grade watches get boring after a while. The basic design and layout of a good mechanical movment hasn't change substantially in a hundred years.

If the movement in this watch is the one I think it is, I vaguely recall somebody on this or another WUS forum posting an example which was partially plastic. That's what I call getting 'more for less'

And just for that, I'll post a few pics of my own plastic fantastic

[AbslomRob]

Now <that> is cool. Wouldn't want to leave it on the dashboard of my car though...