Hey all, I've been a member here for a bit over a year now and I've enjoyed poking around and learning from you all. I have reached a dead-end though in my research of a recent acquisition, this Cyma Tavannes Watersport I recently picked up. I think it was manufactured around 1950 but have yet to find a matching watch anywhere on the internet. The closest I've found are other Watersports with similar dial layouts but their arabics don't match and the Cyma logos are never the same. I'll include pictures of my watch as well as those of the closest image I found online. I wanted to see if you guys have any extra knowledge you could share with me about the movement, date of manufacture, or anything else you might know about this watch. It's a darling piece and I enjoy it very much - it just pains me to not know very much about it. Thank you VERY much! The case back reads: Cyma watches Swiss made Stainless Steel 2124.6 575 Close match, kind of.
I just came across a new point of information. I found a Cyma Triplex which has almost identical indices to my watch but different dial text, case, and hands. I'm wondering if the one I found was a mismatch of indices during a redial somehow. The patina suggests it was done long ago if it's been redialed. The plot thickens.
One final find for the night. Same numerals and arrowhead indices but: 10k gold coated with applied CYMA instead of printed, "Automatic" in the same font as mine but "Watersport" in a different one. It is also one of the few Watersports I have found with matching hands to mine. I'm almost more confused now than before. The ebay listing is poor image quality but it'll have to do.
Nice watch! I like this Cyma 420 movement a lot. Very nice, although it takes time to service as it is rather complicated for a bumper! One original feature: the oscillating mass does not “bump” on usual springs, but like on yours, on some sort of “spring screws”. I do not have any watch like yours, but here are my Cyma bumpers:
And Cyma made nice watches. They haven’t yet become as collectible as some other brands, but I’m hoping they will. There’s a nice one for sale in the Private Watch Sales. This is my one.
That one you have on the blue strap, François, is lovely! Looks like it might be the same case as mine but that dial and hand combination is stellar. Cyma is a brand I hadn't heard much about since I'm a young enthusiast but they're definitely on my radar now. I'm a fan of vintage Omega obviously but Cyma has a charm all its own. I see lots of pie pans and clean Seamasters but very few Cymas. I put mine on a stretchy mesh and it's amazing!