So I just won another all stainless diver for lunch money - a Kaltron Automatic:



$26 shipped. I'll post some more when it arrives.

 

Very nice price

 

Nice for $26, I think the second hand dresses to the right.

 

No doubt there are some issues, and it is described as "stopping and starting". But for the price, as you say, I don't think you can go too wrong these days. It was described as "gold tone" in the listing, but I think that someone mixed up the descriptions.

 

The “dressing to the right” is a tailoring reference- and meant to be cheeky.
No, this was a screaming deal. Dial looks great and the pips are nice and bright lemon, a sympathetic hand relume to match the pips will make it pop, and the case has its brushing. I say with a simple service and clean-up (and straitening out that second hand should be simple as it doesn’t appear kinked) it will be a stellar watch I would be happy to wear.

 

Trying to find a replacement movement for this Clinton. If any one know which one works, please let me know.

 

So, this is brings up another question: once identified, what does one do to find the movement sought? Do you simply scour ebay for a cheapo junker with a working replacement, or is there some site out there for old vintage movements that I just haven't yet found via google? (Assuming one doesn't have a bucket of spare movements under a bench somewhere - and I don't.).

 

Hi, Once you identify the correct movement replacement, you could go to any watch supplier and they will have the movements. Typically you need the maker and the movement number. They are usually marked. I usually go to Startime for my movements. This one above has Clinton markings but not your typical eta, miyota ect. So my only other option is to take precise measurements of the diameter and thickness and find a matching configuration hands, date position and dial feet position. Sorry for the thread drift

 

I have a Clinton and it took a FHF if I recall. But there were several. The thing that’s gonna be an issue here is the lack of movement ring- even if you find the correct movement, without the specific ring for this case, it will wiggle around. You can fashion one which I have had done before- but the watchmaker needs to be crafty.

 

Dorset with a Montgomery Ward 25j Movt , a few are for show only, I would bet.

still, a handsome wannabe diver at a low price point then and now.

just don’t get it close to water, please.

 

Dorset was the store-brand watch line for Montgomery Ward department stores.

The inside of my automatic one:





I’m beginning to look into the movement, best I can find is that the “UT 38” is a Unitime Seiko clone from back in the day.

 

interesting...I recently got a Belforte (Benrus sub-brand) that has a Qualco movement- a Japanese company little is known about, except some web chatter and a trademark application from the early 60’s. The speculation suggests possibly a Citizen or Seiko owned company to make movements for inexpensive US market watches. Wonder if Unitime was part of that name-game of Japanese for US market companies.
Would make an interesting article about the early days of Japanese movements in the US watch market.

 

Yes, that is on my mov't and Waltham inside and outside my case back. Looking for a price point, probably.

Waltham by this time was just "in name only".

 

Oh for sure. By the look of it, I'd say yours is earlier, perhaps latter half of the 60s while mine is I think early 70s. Waltham and others made tons of budget white-label watches back then. These were disposable from the start, the type one might buy on vacation and then toss in a drawer afterwards

 

So as a follow up the watch arrived a few days ago, and it runs without much issue - the hour hand is a bit off from where it should be, but it does keep time without gaining or losing much. Obviously still needs a service, to clean the particles of tritium off the dial, straighten the seconds hand, and stabilize or replace the lume. Not sure how much I can afford to put into it for now - it may just be worn occasionally as is.

One thing though, is that it is huge for a vintage - exactly 39mm across, not including the crown. I didn't measure the lug to lug on it, but as you can see on my almost 7 inch wrist it is NOT small. The bezel seems like it was glued on, and at first I wasn't able to move it at all, but eventually I was able to work my finger nail around the outside, and then rotate it so that it had the pip and the numbers in the right place. Rotating it rotates the whole crystal as well. I lost that fingernail unfortunately, but a small price to pay to have it look right. The dial is a deep super glossy black, the case has obviously never seen a polishing cloth, and the sunburst is fantastic. Overall this is definitely one of the best bargains I've managed to pick up.

 

This Cronel I own is apparently just over 40mm. They do feel modern at that size.