Forums Latest Members

My grandad's watch: an Avia-matic

  1. wilderbeast Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    894
    Likes
    4,296
    Warning: this is a long post! But I promise I’m not going to ask for a valuation and then never be seen again. This is a keeper!

    In July of last year I bid on and won a mid-1960s Avia Chronograph, which was part of an estate clearance sale. At just under £250 plus service costs it was a nice addition to the stable for not much outlay.

    225DE1E3-609D-4A33-8315-4115FDE395F4.jpeg
    I sent my mum a photo of the watch and she said that the Avia brand (which I hadn’t come across before) was the same as the watch my grandfather (her dad) had worn back in the day. I found that interesting and it gave an extra association to the Chronograph I hadn’t factored in and thought no more of it.

    About a month later, my mum messaged again to say that she had found the watch my grandfather wore and, knowing that I have a passion for vintage watches, would I like to have it? I replied yes, of course, and then came the photos:
    3EC51021-9D76-4671-9F45-0AAEBE80EF53.jpeg 55DAE550-E025-4E93-A9F6-1D02528611B6.jpeg 31A2B82E-7F34-462F-B08D-A45580F12D76.jpeg

    It was clearly in need of a clean, the crystal was scratched, the chrome plating had worn off in places and the crown was either a replacement or completely worn down. More worryingly, the top left lug was bent out of place. My grandad wore it up until he passed away in the mid-1990s, and it looks to me like a mid- to late-1960s automatic. I duly sent it off to my watchmaker for a trip to the spa and full service, and then did some more digging on Avia watches.

    It seems that Avia was one of the brands heavily marketed in the UK by the Newmark company of Croydon (well known from the 1950s in its own right as a UK manufacturers of watches, notably one of the “Fab Four” brands of HM Forces VJ7733 chronographs in the 1970s). Avia was a respected brand, often with generic movements (My grandad's Avia-matic uses an ETA 2472). Some British ads from the period bear this out:

    214CA38B-41E2-4ECE-B28B-6265CF6352C7.jpeg 019C56D0-714F-423E-B5C6-AF197CC49E35.jpeg 79B6CD94-C71A-4289-9EC8-27D1DB070CF8.jpeg

    My grandfather, as a working class man supporting three children, would not have been able to afford one of the more “luxe” Swiss watches, but it seems that Avia was one of the lower-end Swiss brands that were marketed at those who wanted a quality watch without the price tag of one of the big names. Note that the adverts above make a big feature of the reliability and build quality, aspects that equate to value for money! Even so, for him this would have been a considered purchase - probably around a week's wages.

    My mum knew that grandad wore the watch a lot, and loved it - but he wouldn’t wear it to work (he had a number of manual jobs, including working as a floor layer, as a mechanic on London buses and as a craftsman for the MoD). It clearly got a lot of wear, though - hence its rather “lived in” look. Despite my watchmaker's suggestion, I declined him trying to bend back the lug or re-plate it, choosing to keep those aspects of the case exactly as they were. They are part of the character of the watch and part of his history, too. I also asked my watchmaker to return the original parts replaced, of course.

    Here's a photo my mum took of my grandparents when she was a teenager, sometime in the late 1960s or very early 1970s. The Avia is probably on grandad's wrist here, but it’s impossible to tell for sure, as it’s just peeking out underneath his left sleeve.

    D9FF2C5D-B2DF-4943-964D-C1C8B6762F9B.jpeg

    So, finally, last week it came back from service. A lot of internal parts were replaced, and a new crystal and crown were fitted, and it now ticks away like a dream and is once again a presentable watch that I can wear in his memory. And my mum is thrilled that it’s been made wearable again.

    Here are some “after” photos. The Avia box was picked up on eBay for a mere £3.99 (I was the sole bidder!):

    972F68FC-8166-47A4-8AC9-53F8181EA8BA.jpeg 34987D77-1EAC-44E6-8DCB-7EACD9D272F9.jpeg 03F2AF9B-1733-4DC9-86F7-DD5563ED3E99.jpeg
    AC66B38E-2E9E-40B1-B796-E2AFDFD4D2FD.jpeg

    I know many of us are lucky to wear high-end and luxury pieces that have been passed down to us and wear them with pride. I am very happy to own and wear a humble Avia watch that my grandad was proud to have on his wrist.
     
    Edited Feb 6, 2022
  2. Danwales Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    630
    Likes
    1,450
    A great story. Loved hearing it.
     
  3. ahsposo Most fun screen name at ΩF Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    3,745
    Likes
    19,992
    Excellent! Good job.
     
    wilderbeast likes this.
  4. Spruce Sunburst dial fan Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    6,640
    Likes
    51,744
    And a nice watch too - you can’t say that about every heirloom
     
    wilderbeast likes this.
  5. wilderbeast Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    894
    Likes
    4,296
    Thank you, all, for the comments, and for reading! I have been inspired by many stories on OF about rescuing vintage pieces and restoring relatives' neglected timepieces, so it was a pleasure to contribute.

    And if @Spruce (who has picked up ‘one or two’ three-hander sunburst-dial watches in his time) gives it the seal of approval, then that’s good enough for me. :thumbsup:
     
    SmithSJ and Spruce like this.
  6. Dan S Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    18,604
    Likes
    42,876
    Great story. I'm always curious how a lug got bent like that. Maybe someone put it in a vise while trying to open the caseback? I know it seems unlikely, but I also don't think a lug could be bent to such an extent just by falling on the floor. ::confused2::
     
    wilderbeast likes this.
  7. BAJJ Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    786
    Likes
    5,974
    Great story and a lovely watch, enjoy.
     
    wilderbeast likes this.
  8. Waltesefalcon Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    3,067
    Likes
    8,278
    Great story, and a fantastic piece of family history. I think it's the stories like this one that most of us here enjoy the most. Wear it in good health and remembrance of your granddad.
     
    wilderbeast likes this.
  9. wilderbeast Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    894
    Likes
    4,296
    It’s a great question, Dan, and one I’ve wondered myself. It’s almost as though he was wearing it and bashed into something hard - but your theory is very plausible. Whatever the reason, it’s part of the character of it now, and a 17mm spring bar seems to just solve the slight issue with strap fitting!
     
    Dan S likes this.
  10. TheGreekPhysique Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    771
    Likes
    3,194
    Really loved reading this story. These kind of threads are my absolute favorite on this forum. Loved that you including the pictures and decided to keep the watch the exact way your Grandfather left it.
     
    wilderbeast likes this.
  11. jaguar11 Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    2,689
    Likes
    16,971
    What a nice read! Luck you to have this watch.
     
    wilderbeast likes this.
  12. Vitezi Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    3,089
    Likes
    13,365
    Heirloom watches are the best ones of all :thumbsup:
     
    Danwales and wilderbeast like this.
  13. Walrus Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    8,916
    Likes
    41,908
    I love those stories they are by far the best watches, heirlooms that is. You can’t pay enough money for anything that will add that much sentimentality to anything.
     
    Danwales and wilderbeast like this.
  14. SmithSJ Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    303
    Likes
    2,197
    Nice story - really like having history behind a piece
     
    wilderbeast likes this.
  15. warrydog Feb 6, 2022

    Posts
    212
    Likes
    388
    Thanks for sharing this great story. Nice job on the restoration too! Worth every penny.
     
    Danwales and wilderbeast like this.