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Croton Chronomaster

VetPsychWars
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This watch has captured my attention. My parents, in 1960, bough themselves/each other Croton wristwatches as wedding presents. I have my dad's, my sister has my mom's.

The Croton Chronomaster with the "broad arrow" hands seems like a neat watch and I would like to have one. Have any info to share? Which movement does it have? Looks like I might have to spend $1500 to get a good one? What strap or bracelet?

Hate stick hands, so it's broad arrow hands or nothing. 馃榿

Tom
 
zoohannover
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A couple for a couple:
Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Reference 85001 / 3011 and Croton Nivada Grenchen Aquamatic

IMG_0942.JPG


The book is great for homework. There are plenty of versions out there.
Chronomaster Only: The Super-Chronograph by Nivada & Croton
 
Larry S
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VetPsychWars VetPsychWars
This watch has captured my attention. My parents, in 1960, bough themselves/each other Croton wristwatches as wedding presents. I have my dad's, my sister has my mom's.

The Croton Chronomaster with the "broad arrow" hands seems like a neat watch and I would like to have one. Have any info to share? Which movement does it have? Looks like I might have to spend $1500 to get a good one? What strap or bracelet?

Hate stick hands, so it's broad arrow hands or nothing. 馃榿

Tom
You are not going to pick up what you want for $1500. These have warmed up in the past few years.
 
harrymai86
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Larry S Larry S
You are not going to pick up what you want for $1500. These have warmed up in the past few years.
I also think it should be around ~2k mark 馃榿馃榿
 
sonicosa
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I saw a couple of these at Grand Central Watch when I was getting my Baltic serviced (twice sigh), and they immediately caught my eye more than anything else in their showcase. Really great looking watches in person.
 
A
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Hi can anyone tell me about my version? This is the stick version with a landeron movement. But I鈥檓 not sure if it鈥檚 from 60s or 70s or much more about it. Thanks.
 
CCE5B2D3-AF7C-4C7A-99D9-EC3852866D30.jpeg 5EA7CF16-6A30-4DD6-8BF4-48C9E3F10943.jpeg
zoohannover
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Nice watch!

According to the great reference book Chronomaster Only it dates from 1966/67 until end of 60ties.

IMG_0077.JPG IMG_0076.JPG IMG_0078.JPG IMG_0079.JPG
Edited:
 
A
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zoohannover zoohannover
Nice watch!

According to the great reference book Chronomaster Only it dates from 1966/67 until end of 60ties.

View attachment 924155 View attachment 924159
zoohannover zoohannover
Nice watch!

According to the great reference book Chronomaster Only it dates from 1966/67 until end of 60ties.

View attachment 924155 View attachment 924159
very cool! Thanks. I don鈥檛 know where else
I could have gotten that Info. The only difference about mine that I can tell is it appears to be a reference 106/903006. At least that鈥檚 what it says on the caseback. Is there any mention of that reference in the book? Other than that it鈥檚 exactly like the one above.
 
zoohannover
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Here some info regarding reference 106/903006 (here with white dial)
Edit: There is a typo error in the book. The table says 105/9030006, but the caseback photo 106.
IMG_0084.jpg IMG_0083.JPG
Edited:
 
Lurk41
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If you understand french (or use a translator) here a good serie of articles about the CASD

Overview
Gen. 1: Venus 210
Gen. 2: Valjoux 92
Gen. 3: Valjoux 23/234
Gen. 4: Landeron 248
Gen. 5: Valjoux 77xx and 72
As you can see, they were written before the Chronomaster Only book exists and they were updated to recommend it.

Very quickly:
- Not counting specific versions, the Venus 210 is the most sought-after CASD, then the broad-arrow R23
- Gen. 1, Gen 2 and early Gen. 3 have a broad arrow (and Venus ones are broader)
- First panda came at the end of R92
- The R23 introduced stepped subcounters (afaik, from the start), then lollipop chrono hand, then baton hands
- L248 was only used by Croton

As usual with old watches and especially early tritium, a lot of dial varition exists and some are way more harder to find than others
 
zoohannover
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Here is my Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Reference 85001 / 3011 with a "vintage" leather racing strap, newly acquired from Heuertime.

IMG_0085.jpg
 
A
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zoohannover zoohannover
Here is my Nivada Grenchen Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Reference 85001 / 3011 with a "vintage" leather racing strap, newly acquired from Heuertime.

IMG_0085.jpg
wow, that is an amazing version of the casd
 
B
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Hi all,

Wondering if anyone here can help. My Dad recently showed me a watch he owns that I really liked the look of, and I've spent ages trying to find out more about it. After serveral weeks of searching and even purchasing Chronomaster Only, I know it's the first variant of the Chronomaster but it needs some TLC. I'm wondering if it's worth investing in getting it serviced (also needs a repair).

Any advice is appreciated.
 
20190925_160758.jpg
Lurk41
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1st Gen indeed, and for sure it worth service/repair it!

Now, be careful because I think the Chronograph Sea Diver used radium, not tritium.. A Geiger counter should go crazy next to this one, confirming radium presence. If it would be for my own usage, I will contact a skilled person and ask to relume the hands as they are flaking, making the watch especially dangerous if opened...

The hand relume would be the only cosmetic work I would do. You can eventually replace the chrono (central) hand as it seems bent a bit but good luck finding an original one I guess. Mine (Gen2) also had a slightly bent chrono hand, and I did not even bother to search for one
 
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