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Bought A Zenith Crown Today

  1. styggpyggeno1

    styggpyggeno1 ΩF Enforcer ....and thread killer Feb 9, 2013

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    My Zenith Captain de Luxe got a new "modern" (seventies) logo crown at service. The original one was really bad so I had no choice. I have looked for an older logo replacement since then. Today I found one and bought it. It was at a local watch swap meet. Attached to the crown was a Zenith Respirator sans the "Respirator". The crown is in really good shape. ;)

    The rest - which I got with it is OK also. I am not that keen on plated watches but since I got the crown I wanted I really do not mind. The dial does have some damage - a chip that can be seen at 9 and in a certain light and angle a corresponding dent at the same place, but nothing too bad. The case and crystal is very, very nice, the date wheel seems to be out if line and I have no idea about the movement and lastly - the strap is a joke.

    Dial colour on this model is fantastic! It is a rich, dark and transparent cherry/mahogany candy over a gold base. This dial - undamaged in an 18k case would be a hit. Something to covet. This one - even if the dial is not totally OK and in a plated case is still a nice find - considering that I bought it just over what I would have been prepared to pay for the crown.

    Regards
    JE

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    LouS: s catalog pic.

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    danomar likes this.
  2. MMMD

    MMMD unaffiliated curmudgeonly absurdist & polyologist Feb 9, 2013

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    Nice watch - no Captain de Luxe, but sort of a shame to de-crown it, and I wouldn't be surprised if the original Captain crown was shaped a bit differently. Maybe you'll come across another of those crowns one day.

    BTW, I've got a gold-plated diver similar to that P 3632 - currently in the shop - that needs one of those NSA brick-road bracelets.
     
  3. LouS Ω 2

    LouS Mrs Nataf's Other Son Staff Member Feb 9, 2013

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    A small but substantial part of my collection consists of parts that I've bought which had watches attached. :rolleyes:

    There are some attractive respirators designs, but it's pretty rare to find one without seal damage on the dial, or dial bent down over the corners where it had no support, the movement being round.
     
  4. styggpyggeno1

    styggpyggeno1 ΩF Enforcer ....and thread killer Feb 9, 2013

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    This one has no seal damage but suffers from the other problem that you mention - it has been bent a little between 8 and 9, which has made the enamel/paint flake a little.
     
  5. styggpyggeno1

    styggpyggeno1 ΩF Enforcer ....and thread killer Feb 9, 2013

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    Maybe - but it is the exact twin to the one that were mounted earlier - except for the condition. But I can not swear that it was the original crown. It could have been - though. I might just swap them - as the one I got at service is a Zenith also I do not feel that bad for this "Respirator" - getting that one instead.
    Regards
    JE
     
  6. MMMD

    MMMD unaffiliated curmudgeonly absurdist & polyologist Feb 9, 2013

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    Full disclosure: I was recently planning to do the same thing to a rare and pristine Movado. Ultimately I didn't have the heart (or the budget).
     
  7. ulackfocus

    ulackfocus Feb 9, 2013

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    :p Got a box of stuff that way myself.