5 days in

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Well, it’s five days now since I picked up the Bundeswehr so I thought an update might be in order (it’s been this and my old Speedy, both of which are giving me a lot of enjoyment at the moment). Anyway, I took the bund pad off the strap a day or so ago, and I think I prefer the look and feel of the watch as it is now (removing the pad makes a remarkable difference, in fact). The Valjoux 230 movement seems to be accurate to within a couple of seconds per day and it really is amazingly smooth to wind, springing into life after a half-turn of the crown. As a tool watch, it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for; in other words, a solid and reliable workhorse of a watch, and one that I don’t instinctively feel needs to be babied when it’s on my wrist. (This has proved harder to achieve than it should have done, actually, but there you go.)

So, all things considered this one’s something of a success 🙂

Bundeswehr 1550SG

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A little while ago, I bought Sinn’s reissue of the classic Heuer Bundeswehr 1550SG military chronograph, the 155. Sinn had produced a run of these watches as a consequence of having some left over cases from their contract with Heuer to refurbish the originals (and, subsequently, to produce their own Sinn-branded version). Now, the Sinn 155 is a great watch in it’s own right, but my brief period of ownership simply fuelled a desire to find the real thing, not for the first time. Having moved it on as a consequence I prepared to play my usual waiting game, but before very long a rather lovely example of the 1550 appeared on TZ-UK. It was in original used condition, and I hummed an hawed for a while as I considered whether or not I really wanted to buy yet another watch. I should have known that snoozing would mean losing, though, and sure enough it was gone before I had a chance to talk myself into it.

I thought that would be it for a while, and actually breathed a metaphorical sigh of relief in some ways. However, what I didn’t expect was that a complete minter would pop up a day later on another forum, and this time I wasn’t prepared to let it slip through my fingers. This morning I popped out for a quick F2F and right now it’s on my wrist.

The Heuer Bundeswehr 1550SG (latterly to become known simply as the Heuer Bund) was a military watch, issued from 1968 until the end of the 70’s; “Bundeswehr” is actually German for Federal Defence, and the watch was issued to those forces. All were built around a Valjoux flyback chronograph movement of one description or another, and I thought it might be useful to explain what that term means first as it’s bandied about quite a lot but I’m sure not everyone understands it. The following quote and image is actually courtesy of Rich Askham:

“In a regular chronograph calibre the chronograph mechanism must be stopped before it can be reset. In a flyback chronograph, the mechanism can be reset while it is still running, making it particularly useful for timing consecutive short interval events. This is achieved by the addition of a additional lever in the chronograph mechanism. When the reset button is pressed the flyback lever lifts the coupling clutch from the chronograph centre wheel allowing the mechanism to reset.”

So, there you go. In fact, the original specification from the Bundeswehr was based upon the Valjoux 230; this movement was not chronometer-rated, but was known for being easily regulated to within +/- 1 second per day. Even without such fine-tuning it was a very accurate calibre, as can be seen by the specification sheet that I unearthed whilst having a mooch around the net for this write-up:

Anyway, back to the watch itself. There were quite a number of variations, even ignoring the Sinn-branded models arising from the contract I mentioned earlier. Because of this one has to be quite careful in order to ensure that all is genuine and above-board (and there are some fakes/frankens about to fool the unwary) but the numerous dial differences are summarised in the lists below – this time, courtesy of Walter Manning and the research he carried out for MWR:

There are 5 configurations of Heuer-branded dials:

· The “classic 3H/T” – a red 3H-symbol appears just below the dial centre, and a tiny “T” appears just above “6”.
· The “3H-only” – a red 3H-symbol appears just below the centre.
· The “T-only” – a tiny “T” appears just above “6”.
· The “clean” – no markings beyond the “Heuer” logo.
· The “sternzeit” – STERNZEIT REGULIERT markings just below the dial centre.

There are 2 configurations of Sinn-branded dials:

· The “3H-only” – a red 3H-symbol appears just below the centre.
· The “clean” dial – no markings beyond the “Heuer” logo.

Then, there are 4 variations of the “3H” symbol:

· The “standard” 3H.
· The “big-letter” 3H – circle is same size as standard, but the letters are larger and fill the circle more completely.
· The “small-letter” 3H – circle is same size as standard, but the letters are smaller and there is a small dot in the centre.
· The “small-circle” 3H – the circle is noticeably smaller.

There are also 3 variations of the manufacturer logo:

· The “standard” Heuer logo – fits inside :58 and :02.
· The “big” Heuer logo – fits even with :58 and :02.
· The Sinn logo.

And (finally!) there are 2 variations of the font used for the hour-markers:

· The “standard” font – most noticeable because none of the numbers are cut-off.
· The “cut-off” font – the 10:00, 8:00, and 2:00 are cut-off by the subdials.

Confused? You should be. But to the watch in hand (or on wrist), then, which from the serial number seems to date back to 1977 or thereabouts, and which houses the classic manual wind Valjoux 230 flyback movement. The case (as I believe with all the variants) measures 43mm x 50mm, and has a height of 12mm including the very slightly domed plexi.

Now, whilst the provenance of this particular watch can be traced back to the original (military) owner in Germany, the case back doesn’t indicate that it was issued. It may have been, and the back subsequently replaced by Sinn at service. Alternatively, and by all accounts not unusually, the back may have been deliberately replaced in an attempt to avoid handing it back to the BW on leaving the service. In any event, this is a truly outstanding and original example of the classic 3H/T dial, with an absolutely gorgeous and matching patina to both the dial and the hands; and a condition all round that can accurately be described as close to mint.

You could look for a very, very long time to find an example like this, which is why I didn’t hang around when I spotted it. It’s destined to be with me for the long term, I think, so here are a few photos to demonstrate why I’m so pleased with it.

Custom strap for the Silverstone

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I’m really delighted to have receive a custom strap today, made by a lovely guy called Giuliano over in Italy (anyone who frequents the Chronocentric Heuer forums will probably be familiar with the name, and that’s where he can be found). I had the strap made in a slightly darker shade of brown than Giuliano normally uses, and also opted for grey contrasting stitching as i thought this would blend in the dial very well. That aside, it’s a Corfam-style made with a similar simulated leather to the originals.

I think it looks great!

The “I” in WIS

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“Idiot”, for sure; but “indecisive” too, it seems…

In the space of about a month, I’ve bought a “new” Monster; decided I wanted a Tuna instead; sold the Monster and bought a Tuna; thought I may have made a mistake again; sold the Tuna and bought another Monster; realised I wanted the Tuna all along; and sold the Monster to fund another Tuna.

Anyway, aside from throwing away some hard-earned spondoolies I’m now delighted because this latest (and last, I hope) Tuna is on the very, very good quality OE bracelet. It makes the watch, in fact, although it’s a tasty bit of kit whatever strap it’s on.

Vintage 1171

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I loved this 1971 Speedmaster long before a rather lovely vintage 1171 arrived for it in the post today; I now love it even more. Could anything be more beautiful?

Do you know what happens…

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When your significant other decides that she likes a watch that’s just arrived as the intended latest incoming? Well, it ends up on a pink strap, and you never see it again. Aside from when you’re asked to “put it on your blog”, that is.

Before…

After…

It hit me even harder when the FedEx bill for import charges arrived in the post!

What makes a dress watch?

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I’ve seen (and even contributed to) quite a few discussions about this over the last few months. The die-hards will say that it has to be no more than two – or, at most, three – hands, and that a simple date complication is a complication too much. Some will contend that it has to have sub-seconds or no seconds at all, and that even a third central hand precludes a watch from the definition of “dress”. I’ve even heard the argument that the case must be of a special metal, and of course most will say that any dress watch must be on a leather strap.

Probably, at some point in time, all of these arguments would have held merit. To my mind, though, the informality of life these days makes a bit of a nonsense of the traditional view. When black tie events see a plethora of Disney waistcoats, bow ties and jacket linings, and when the majority of people will wear pretty much what they like without reference to the old definitions, the dress watch today can be almost anything you want it to be. It’s not as if anyone will take you to task on it, and I shouldn’t imagine many people care, anyway.

For me, “dressy” is more important than “dress”. Something that can also be worn casually means that they don’t just come out for special occasions, and that makes a lot more sense considering how much money we have tied up in these silly things. With all of this in mind, I reckon these two fit the bill quite nicely.

I have no idea…

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What a Bowie knife has to do with a Flieger, nor why I even own one (so don’t ask).

A long chase

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Well, the second of this weeks incomings is something of a triumph. I’ve been on the hunt for the right IWC Mark XII for about a year now; I’ve nearly settled for the newer Mark XV and/or Mark XVI once or twice, but resisted the temptation in the hope that I’d find what I was looking for. That persistence paid off a week or so ago and today the watch arrived in the post. It was one of those occasions when the reality lived up to expectations, fortunately.

The history of IWC’s “Mark” series of pilot watches is an interesting one. The earlier models were made to MOD specifications, and included the relatively rare Mark IX from the 1930’s and it’s successor (the Mark X) a decade later. However, after WWII had ended IWC made the first military watch for which it was to receive real acclaim, in the form of the Mark XI. This watch was designed to meet more stringent military specifications; powered by IWC’s now famous Calibre 89 manual-wind movement and with antimagnetic shielding, the watch was durable, accurate and legible. Despite its utilitarian attributes, its beautiful style – specifically a perfectly designed and executed dial and case – made the watch a design triumph. Produced initially for Royal Air Force use, the Mark XI evolved into a legend.

The Mark XI continued in production for some three decades, but ultimately (in 1994) IWC launched its successor in the form of the Mark XII. This time, the watch was given an automatic movement (more on that below) and a date function. The dial remained clear and functional and whilst once again the watch was given anti-magnetic properties, this time it was more water-resistant too. The real change was inside the case, though, and it’s for this reason that I set my sights on the Mark XII. In fact, it’s the reason that – for many people – the Mark XII is the last of the series worthy of seeking out from a collection point of view.

The watch contains IWC’s Calibre 884/2 movement, which is essentially Jaeger LeCoultre’s Calibre 889/2 with some modifications. I’m not an expert when it comes to watch mechanics but Walt Odets certainly is, and his findings can be read here. It certainly makes for interesting reading, and whilst some have criticised the JLC movement for being less robust than it’s ETA-based successor for me that really isn’t an issue. It’s what makes this watch so much more desirable than others that can be more easily obtained, and it made the hunt worthwhile. In fact, I could have found one more quickly/easily had I been less fussy, but I specifically wanted the original tritium dial and hands (many have been changed at service), I wanted a really good matching patina on both (this one has that, as can be seen below) and I really wanted a relatively recent service. Anyway, all good things come to those who wait.

Filling the El Primero void

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I’ve had two or three El Primero-driven watches in the past, and the last one I sold rather reluctantly was the De Luca. Zenith are a bit of a mixed bag, really, with some absolutely stunning models and others that are quite… well, not as stunning. One that seems to fly under the WIS radar, however, is the Chronomaster and I have to say that I don’t know why. It’s a genuinely beautiful watch, and is a great mix of sporty and dressy. With a case size a tad under 39mm it’s also very, very wearable unless you have particularly large wrists. Inside is an El Primero calibre 400 movement, dictating the consequent subdails at 3 (chronograph minutes), 6 (chronograph hours) and 9 (running seconds). Unlike, say, the Daytona the Chronomaster also has a date window between 4 and 5.

This particular watch is actually quite unusual in that it has a deep blue dial. Most that you see have a silver/white textured dial and whilst they’re lovely it’s always nice to find something less common than the norm. The indices are applied (I have no idea if they’re steel or white gold, and can’t find the info anywhere on the net) and the subdials have an outer ring in whatever material it is. With the deep blue of the dial the effect is absolutely lovely, and very striking.

This watch is in great condition (having just been serviced by Zenith) and came on a brand new Zenith alligator strap with Zenith’s single-fold deployant clasp. Its as comfortable as any watch I’ve ever worn bar the Aerospace, and I’m sure I’m going to enjoy wearing it a lot, either dressed up with a suit or dressed down with jeans, etc. I think it’s an amazing watch.

I get it now!

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I’ve had three of four Speedy’s in the past – all very modern, or relatively modern, variants. I think the oldest was from 1991 and whilst it was my favourite of the bunch (it really did have a lovely patina to the dial) it wasn’t enough to make me miss it that much when it went. In fact, every time I’ve discussed the Speedy with anyone I’ve always heard the same thing; something along the lines of “it’s got to be a stepped dial”. I’d seen them in photos and they looked pretty good, but when a friend on TZ-UK listed his – an ST145.022 from 1971 – it made an immediate impression because it also had the most lovely faded insert (actually, it didn’t hurt that it was fresh from a service, either). It really did seem like too good an opportunity to miss, so I pounced and was lucky enough to be the first in line.

Now, I’m not an expert when it comes to the Speedmaster but I think I’m right in saying that this reference followed the transitional model (the 145.021?) which featured an applied logo and a slightly different chrono hand (the bottom wasn’t flat like this one). Aside from that, I believe that both had the calibre 861 movement and in all other respects were pretty much the same. Well, obviously the pre-moon had a different caseback…

Anyway, I’m really blown away by this watch, and think I understand what everyone’s been telling me now. There are Speedy’s, and then there are Speedy’s.

One of my favourites

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I’m not sure what it is about Sea Dwellers, but I find them almost irresistible for some reason. This one, clearly, is a little bit different, which just adds to it’s appeal; in fact, I was almost tempted to pop the original bezel and insert on it this morning but in the end I decided to leave it as is.

It’s hard to articulate just how much I love this watch, but if things should ever go pear-shaped this is the one I would never sell. In fact, as an only watch you could do a lot worse.

Clients

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The largest project I’m working on at present is also for one of my favourite-ever clients, because the project team is such a pleasure to work with and the culture is generally one in which I feel very comfortable. (As a consultant, trust me when I tell you that this isn’t always the case, so it’s something of a bonus.) Anyway, a while back I was in a meeting one of the senior managers there (who I happen to particularly like), and mid-conversation he noticed the Cartier Basculante poking out from under my shirt and said “That’s a very classy watch – is it reversible”? Now, I was dumbfounded as this is a pretty rare occurrence, but since then my watch rotation has become a bit of a talking point before meetings. In fact, the Silverstone I was wearing on one occasion last week was particularly appreciated.

With this in mind, you’ll probably understand that – as I was choosing what to wear for a couple of meetings there tomorrow – I felt obliged to pick out something that hadn’t been seen (or at least noticed) before. The GO PanomaticVenue seemed appropriate, and as I already know that I’ll be wearing a black suit I also had to take off the brown alligator strap and replace it with the original black alligator and rather nice GO deployant clasp.

Well, you have to make an effort, right?

Strap musings

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I popped on my 1969 Seamster 60 this morning, and almost immediately one of the (original, 40+ year-old) spring bars broke. It had been on a tropic rubber strap, but because I was less than ecstatic with that combination and I want to keep the (again original) bracelet in unworn condition I had to find another 19mm strap in my box of bits. Luckily I had a Camille Fournet black alligator that will do for now, but in an attempt to bring out the deep blue of both the dial and the Bakelite bezel I’ve also ordered a navy sharkskin from the Di Modell range.

I’m not 100% sure that I’ve cracked it yet, to be honest, and – whilst this isn’t really a blog that attracts a multitude of comments – should you stop by and have any ideas for an alternative please leave a comment and let me know.

This is the cultprit…

Hmmm… Heuer

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Well, having been enjoying the GMT and Montreal for a while now, the final piece of my Heuer jigsaw fell into place when a package arrived all the way from Belgium, courtesy of the one and only Abel Court. (Actually, what I said isn’t strictly true because there are one or two other models that have been tickling my fancy for a while, and anything’s possible. If I were to act like a normal person, though, this would definitely be it.)

Anyway, the Silverstone first appeared in a Heuer catalogue on 1974, was named after the famous racetrack and was effectively the successor to the Monaco. Coming with three dial variants – fume/smoke (a brown starburst finish), red and blue – all housed the same calibre 12 movement, although there was a Lemania 5100 version that was released about ten years after the original. Also common to every variant was the case – a classic 70’s style TV shape and mineral crystal, although the good news is that sapphire replacement crystals are now available if you know where to look. Here’s a catalogue shot, showing it adjacent to the 18kt Carrera that was available at the same time…

This one – a Fume, reference 110.313F – has had a full movement service from Abel and is in pretty much mint condition. It’s on a Corfam-style strap and although I know I’m going to be told to put it on a bracelet I actually have a replica Corfam in light brown being made for me right now. It really does look fantastic and I’m itching to get my hands on the bloody thing, which won’t now be with me for the best part of two weeks.

The other thing worth mentioning is the dial of the Fume, which has a really noticeable starburst pattern but which also reacts to light on a variety of ways. It can look dark brown, light brown and even a greyish shade at any given time, and to me that just adds to an already very beautiful watch. I have to say that I’m really pleased with this one.

Bundalike

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I’ve been mulling over a tough, every-day watch for a while now and have been drawn to both Damasko and Sinn for all the obvious reasons. Damasko prices are a little toppy in my opinion, but I was recently tempted by a Sinn 155 that was listed on TZ-UK’s Sales Corner. I missed it first time around, but it’s now found its way to me as is so often the case in this incestuous world of buying and selling which we inhabit.

The 155 is a modern hommage to the Heuer Bundeswehr Chronograph. Manufactured in the 1960s and 1970s, the Bundeswehr was designed and built to German military specifications with a focus on durability. It had a manual flyback movement in a 43mm case and was intended to be particularly readable in a variety of adverse conditions. Sinn had a contract to refurbish these Heuers, and from what I can gather the release of the hommages was the consequence of having some 300 cases left over from that contract. This is where I’m a bit confused (or it’s a bit confusing) as from what I can tell there were two variants; the first housed a Valjoux 7760 handwound movement with no date but registers at 3 and 9 (much like the original Heuer) and these were produced specifically for the Japanese domestic market. The second appears to be a 7750-based three register version with day/date, and these were seemingly sold through Manufactum in Germany. I may even be wrong in thinking that both of these variants were from the same batch of 300 cases, and I have no idea what the connection is with the earlier Sinn 156, if any.

Frankly, I’m not going to worry about it unduly but if anyone can add some clarity to the above it would be appreciated. In the meantime, here’s a couple of shots showing the watch paired with a custom Camille Fournet sharkskin strap that I had in my strap box. Well, it may not be showing that very well because my photos tend to be a bit moody but it really is a very good match.

The last of…

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The Ribbon Series 🙂

Well, it looks Christmasy!