Grail Watch

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Hebdomas: The True Story of the 8-Day Pocket Watch

November 29, 2020 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Spend some time looking at old watches and you’re bound to stumble across an unusual watch with an off-center dial, fancy exposed balance, and 8-day power reserve. The dial will likely say “Hebdomas” and “8 Jours” and not much more. Is this some exotic high-end watch or a mass-market pretender? That’s the story I’m telling today!

Filed Under: Commentary, Grails Tagged With: 8-day, Aerowatch, Arthur Graizely, Baladin, Bienne, Hebdomas, Kolber, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Otto Schild, Schild & Co, Vincent Calabrese, Xantia

What Was the World’s First Quartz Watch?

August 2, 2020 By Stephen Leave a Comment

On Christmas Day, 1969, the Seiko Astron was launched; this was world’s first quartz wristwatch. Or at least that’s how the story goes. But the truth is much, much more complicated, as I have been researching and writing about for months. Only a few examples of that Cal. 35 SQ Astron were produced, and it was so expensive that not many were ever actually sold. And a raft of other watches (the CEH Beta 1, Longines Ultra-Quartz, various Beta 21 models, and even the Bulova Accuquartz) could make a credible claim. So what was the first?

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: Armin Frei, Beta 1, Beta 21, Bulova, Bulova Accuquartz, CEH, Longines, Longines Ultra-Quartz, Rolex, Seiko, Seiko Astron

Two Movements, One Case: Ardath Long Distance

April 23, 2020 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Yesterday I talked about the Nappey Jumelles Times, the first dual timezone watch to use two separate movements in a single case. Although that model was quite obscure, today’s watch is much more famous. Ardath took Nappey’s formula and made it famous, producing a line of Long Distance watches that lasted a decade, including special models for Muslims and homemakers, and a cool sports model that reappeared in the 1990s!

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: Ardath, Ardath Hostess Long Distance, Ardath Long Distance, Ardath Super Long Distance, Ardath Wisdom, dual timezone, ETA 2551, ETA 2651, FEF 430, Islam, Nappey Jumelles Times, Royce Twin

Two Movements, One Case: Nappey Jumelles Times

April 17, 2020 By Stephen 2 Comments

You’ve probably never heard of Nappey or the Jumelles Times (“Twin Time”) watch, and for good reason: It was an obscure model in the 1960s that went nowhere. But the idea of a watch with multiple dials showing different timezones has become a common complication today. And it all came from this watch!

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: Ardath Long Distance, Besançon, GMT, Heuroplan, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Duoface, LIP, Maurice Lacroix Grand Guichet GMT, Nappey, Nappey Jumelles Times, Nomos Tangomat GMT, Rolex GMT-Master, Royce Twin, Salon de Besançon, Tour de France

The Original James Bond Watch Was Not What You Think!

April 17, 2020 By Stephen Leave a Comment

James Bond, Agent 007, has been linked with gadgets for decades. From the Aston Martin to the Rolex to that mini jet, the Bond movies have cemented these images in our minds. But the very first official James Bond watch didn’t come from Rolex, Omega, or even Seiko: It came from an obscure company called Moeris, which has a surprising connection to those companies!

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: Blancpain, James Bond, Licensing, Moeris, Moeris James Bond 007, Omega, Rayville, Rolex Submariner, SSIH, Tissot

The Current IWC Ingenieur Lineup is a Travesty

December 5, 2018 By Stephen 4 Comments

My enthusiasm for various watch models tends to wax and wane as I see something interesting, and lately my attention has turned to the IWC Ingenieur range. From the original Milgauss competitor to Gerald Genta’s remarkable Ingenieur SL to the chunky Mercedes-AMG racing models, the Ingenieur lineup has always been worth a look. Yet today’s lineup is beyond bland and not deserving of the name. Good thing, too, since IWC seems to be eliminating that, too!

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: Albert Pellaton, Chronograph, Flyback, Gerald Genta, Ingenieur, Ingenieur SL, IWC, IWC Ingenieur, perpetual calendar

Nivada Antarctic Chronometer: Forgotten Importance

April 26, 2018 By Stephen 2 Comments

Today I’m returning to one of my favorite watches for “Watch A Day”. This Nivada Antarctic was created to commemorate the company’s accomplishments in exploration, part of the International Geophysical Year, 1957. It’s tiny by modern standards but has a wonderful look to it.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: chronometer, ETA, ETA 2472, International Geophysical Year, Nivada, Nivada Antarctic, Nivada Grenchen

Roamer Rotopower 44: Elegance with Balls

April 14, 2018 By Stephen 2 Comments

After yesterday’s epic 1500 word “Watch A Day” post, I decided to go for something simpler. Today I’m wearing a classic dress watch from a little-remembered brand. This Roamer Rotopower features a 44-jewel (!) movement, 14 karat gold case, and classic dress watch styling.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: MST 370, Roamer, Rotopower

Enicar Sherpa Super Divette: Super Compressor!

April 9, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Today’s “Watch A Day” is one that surprised me. I bought this Enicar Sherpa Super Divette on a whim, not realizing the beautiful shape and historical importance of the watch. Now it’s one of my favorites, a vintage diver with a stylish Tropic strap!

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: AR 1140, AR 1145, Compressor, Enicar, Enicar Sherpa, EPSA, Super compressor, Tropic

Certina DS-2 Dive Watch

January 7, 2016 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Dive watches have been in vogue for quite a while, and off-brand vintage divers are really getting hot right now. My Enicar super-compressor has gotten more notice than almost anything else I own, and the segment just keeps getting more interest. This Certina DS-2 is a steal, with bidding starting at just €200, since it’s a nice retro diver with real history and a wearable 37mm case.

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: 25-661, Certina, Certina DS-2, Enicar Sherpa, Super compressor

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Latest Posts

Inventing the Solar-Powered Watch: Patek Philippe, Synchronar, and Uranus

Hebdomas: The True Story of the 8-Day Pocket Watch

How I Find Great Deals in Watch Auction Catalogs

How My Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 Went Bad, and What It Took To Get It Back

Why Have No Smartwatches Won at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève?

My Take on the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2020 Headlines

Two Movements, One Case: Alexander Shorokhoff Levels and Los Craneos

What Was the World’s First Quartz Watch?

CEH and the Beta 21: The History of the First Swiss Quartz Watch

The History of the IWC Da Vinci via Europa Star

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