Yesterday I missed out on a really cool lot in a US auction. My biggest problem was that I had to factor in shipping and import duties into Europe, otherwise I might have managed to pick it up as my all-in max was higher than the eventual winner. Anyway, amongst the lot was an interesting looking chrono with (I assume) running seconds plus a separate chrono seconds hand. I was mainly after the Waltham, but there were lots of other interesting and easily identifiable watches, plus the chrono which I just couldn’t figure out. So can I ask here if anyone knows what it is ? Or is it just an alarm ? But it looks like a pusher at 2 rather than a crown... Only around 1/3 of the lot ! Waltham in fantastic looking condition Unidentified Chrono:
Look like an alarm watch to me .... cricket movement I’ll say... definitely not a chronograph The Waltham is very nice indeed ... and both A-11 and A-17 hidden below
Croton alarm watch : http://secondtimeticking.com/?produ...rer-mechanical-wrist-alarm-by-vulcain-cricket
Great spot. Croton was my first thought but I was fixated on the idea it was a chrono as it looked so much like a pusher. I can’t imagine it’s worth anything like the dealer pricing though, is it ? Here are the other lots, with plenty of US military ones as you mention plus other neat stuff. I really liked the look of the Waltham and was willing to go to around 2800USD, but that put me at around 1800 on the hammer. Sold for 1900 plus fees which i reckon is a great deal for a US buyer.
Whoa! I can't believe that no one has commented on what is clearly the crown jewel of this entire collection! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oddly it looks as if poor Spiro's arms have been removed and replaced with standard stick hands. How odd. Seriously though there looks to be some very interesting pieces there overall.
Interestingly enough, this one looks nearly identical. https://www.ebay.com/itm/ESTATE-RAR...422557?hash=item442048de5d:g:C0gAAOSwLM5bHbf-Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network My guess is that these predate the "wanderer" model from both Croton and Nivada Grenchen, which can fetch decent money since they don't come up too often.
It is the same. Look at the sellers other listings... and completed ones to see my Waltham. I suppose I’ll now have to line @michael e’s pocket if I want to buy it ? What’s the finders fee going to be ?
I came across it this morning because I have been keeping my eyes out for a Nivada "RA Swiss Made RA" wanderer for some time now. This one seemed off to me without any swiss on the dial and the dial printing seems so small. It could just be an early version? *edit - These are the dial configurations typically seen, and this website has some good info on them: http://www.nathanbress.com/nivada.php
I saw that Croton before finding this thread as well, since it looks quite clean. I smell a bidding war about to brew... Congrats on picking it up at that price by the way!
I wish... I saw the seller listing other items from the same lot and was waiting on eBay pretty much all day for the Waltham. It finally appeared in the early hours of Tuesday morning but a dealer/reseller just beat me to it I spotted it as a 99p auction and wrote to the seller with an opening offer that was more than the selling price, but whilst writing the email it turned into the 750USD BIN and sold I’ll have to see how much the dealer wants now... So I’ll call dibs @michael e
Does anyone know if this is an early "pre-wanderer" dial or a redial? The printing not filling in the dial, and the alarm hand perhaps even extending beyond the outer track, while still retaining the same case and bezel of the marked Wanderer reference, make me think this is not original?