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Blancpain Bathyscaphe MC4 by Waltham - New Arrival!

U
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For what it's worth, there have ALWAYS been knock-off / imitation watches. Hell, you might even call the Speedmaster a knock-off of this early 50's Geometer from Rodania:

Rodania-2.jpg



Without knowing about the partnership between the brands, it would be safe to assume the Waltham was just another copy of a more famous watch.
 
MikeMan2727
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Regarding pricing of these watches:

Blancpain MC4 retailed for 137 DM when it was released in 1959. Accounting for the average yearly conversion rate of 4.18DM for every USD in 1959, the BP would have cost 33 USD.

Advertisements from Waltham show a retail price of $75, which would make it the more expensive watch. 馃榿
 
w154
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U ulackfocus
Without knowing about the partnership between the brands, it would be safe to assume the Waltham was just another copy of a more famous watch.

Much like advice for a noob... Google is your friend 馃槤
 
keepschanging
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MikeMan2727 MikeMan2727
Fast forward 50 years with the vintage boom and the re-founding of Blancpain as an expensive company you get the current discrepancy in pricing with the Blanpain version costing several thousand more than the Waltham.

Not sure I agree that Blancpain's modern brand status accounts for difference in value - for me, and I did spend the extra time and money on finding a Blancpain rather than Waltham, the value is in the historical significance in the dive watch context, and that history and originality belongs to Blancpain, at least more than Waltham.

The Blancpains also appear to be rarer or at least offered for sale less often - as the OP says, they are very difficult to come by.
Edited:
 
GuiltyBoomerang
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There is this (later red logo) one currently up on the bay with a few days left: https://www.ebay.com/itm/183179439481?rmvSB=true

s-l1600.jpg
 
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w154
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It seems like it鈥檚 got a reasonably nice case (unusually for these), and the bezel is great, but everything else seems pretty much as you鈥檇 expect. So I鈥檓 a bit surprised by the price... I don鈥檛 remember ever seeing a plated one pass 2k euro on eBay.
 
MikeMan2727
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Yeah, I was looking at that one as well. The prices have really been trending up so I wouldn't be surprised to see this one go for around $4k.
 
keepschanging
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w154 w154
It seems like it鈥檚 got a reasonably nice case (unusually for these), and the bezel is great, but everything else seems pretty much as you鈥檇 expect. So I鈥檓 a bit surprised by the price... I don鈥檛 remember ever seeing a plated one pass 2k euro on eBay.

Other issues I often see with these:
- hands replaced - even if correct, they look younger and ruin the look of the watch to me. Here the hands are original.
- dial damaged or patinated: im assuming the marks we see are on the crystal. If that is right, the dial looks great.

That leaves the only thing NOT perfect about this watch the aged lume markers on the dial, which have some patina, but this looks even and actually is common in these models and to me desirable, adding to the vintage tool watch look.

Now the pictures aren't great and we can't see the movement, which adds some risk. But from what we can see, I would describe this as a good or very good condition example.
Edited:
 
w154
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keepschanging keepschanging
Yeah, the ones pictured in this thread are about 36mm
I don鈥檛 think any of the watches shown in this thread are the 36mm size, they鈥檙e all the 34mm versions. I鈥檝e never seen a Waltham in the middle size, but there are big case versions around.

B9BEDA63-64F1-429D-9403-C947A8E68CB3.jpeg


Photo credit: Matthew Bain
 
keepschanging
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w154 w154
I don鈥檛 think any of the watches shown in this thread are the 36mm size, they鈥檙e all the 34mm versions. I鈥檝e never seen a Waltham in the middle size, but there are big case versions around.

B9BEDA63-64F1-429D-9403-C947A8E68CB3.jpeg


Photo credit: Matthew Bain

Sorry, that must be right.

Always amazes me how well a 34mm watch suits my wrist!
 
MikeMan2727
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Just a quick update: the watch came back from service looking great. It almost looks like a completely different watch. A lot of the grime (see original post) cleaned up nicely and the dial has a great tropical patina. Sorry @w154 I asked the watchmaker to take a photo of the bezel assembly but he forgot :-(

After service:
20180512_164918.jpg


Before service, so you don't have to go back to the first page:
1.jpg
 
w154
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Looks great !

And no worries about the bezel pictures, thanks for trying anyway 馃憤
 
MikeMan2727
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keepschanging keepschanging
wow the dial looks awesome!

could do with a bezel upgrade dont u think?

I don't disagree haha. Just not sure where/how easy it would be to find one.
 
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