Hi all -

Does anyone have pictures of a midsize automatic Pre Bond next to a full sized automatic Pre Bond? Is the bracelet the same size (20mm). Curious to see the full size, love my 38mm.

 

Lots of info here

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f45/fa...00-pre-bond-series-316149.html#/topics/316149

My 40mm full size auto

 

Love it and would love to have one myself...

 

Thanks!

 

Is the sweep second hand a lollypop hand?

 

Yes, and the hour hand is a Mercedes hand not a stick.

 

Both the stick/sword and the Mercedes hour hands are correct. Mercedes occurred the earlier version commonly known as Type 1, which is defined loosely by a combination of differences in the hour hand, the crown, the caseback and the integrated bracelet clasp.

Both versions have the lollipop seconds hand though.

Can't help you with a direct comparison: unfortunately I only own the mid size.

 

Thanks!

 

While we're on the subject of pre Bonds, this one has me confused. It's listed as an '85, but the hands caseback and crown say different. http://www.ebay.com/itm/291749020916?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:ITPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network Interesting that there's a serial number on the caseback (haven't seen another with that) which puts it about 1985/6 but the movement serial appears to be 51XXXXXX. Way overpriced if real but there area few red flags. Thoughts?

 

Mine has serial on the case back as well. It matches serial on the movement



Just to add, there is no picture of the movement serial in that eBay listing. On one pic text says "21 jewels" and on the other it is some 4 digit number - 2 (xxxx-2) Mine has it as well, but it is so bloody small i cant read it.

This is where serial is located

 

I really can't tell what the serial number on the movement but I believe it's 21 Jewels upside down Don't the sword hands and the crown and the date window put it later than the serial number on the caseback suggests? This brings up another question: Why is the caseback serial number so low for a later style caseback? I'm thoroughly confused. Is this one of those prototypes?

 

Everything points towards it being a 2nd gen model. Ribbed crown, double fold-over clasp, 1 piece caseback. Both sets of hands (Mercedes and sword) were found on 1st and 2nd get watches, so usually they are not the best way to differentiate between the generations.

These watches were also made from 88-94, so I think seller put wrong year there. His serial# is higher than mine (4953xxx) and mine is 1st gen, so that should be fine. As for the location of serial, I have no idea. My serial is really low on the case back as well, but my caseback is 2 piece and not 1 like his

Edit: looking more into this, I see what you mean in regards to the serial. I found few more pics of same caseback/watch and i see that serial is in 50M range, and it is stamped on the actual case. It is possible that this was one of the 1st gen 2s. Perhaps they changed location of the serial later on? No idea, but interesting none the less.

 

Handsome watch--you kept that bezel insert in surprisingly good shape. But nothing beats the bond-era seamasters in my humble opinion I honestly don't know what it is about them, but they're just so aesthetically pleasing!

 

Thanks for the edit. Does anyone know if there's a list of serial ranges by generation?

 

Regardless, it seems overpriced at $2K with a scratched bezel (am I missing something?).

Does anyone know what the automatic Pre Bonds sold for at retail back in the late '80s/early '90s?

 

You're missing nothing; you may have noticed that I said it was way overpriced. I'm using the Pre Bond thread to ask questions about a pre Bond.

 

You can usually find full size automatic for around $1K with bit of time and effort. I lucked out with mine and pretty much stole it. I didnt even plan on buying any watches, but this was too good of a deal to pass on. $2K is just ridiculous and seller can dream about getting anything close to that (as was mentioned already)

 

I think what happened there is that the mid sized auto moved over to the one piece caseback before the full size. My watch is around the same serial as the eBay middie but has the intermediate 2 part caseback with Seahorse. Mine is circa 1990-91 built so I would expect the eBay one to be likewise if the serials are any guide.

 

Does anyone know if the bracelet on the full-size is the same size as the mid-size (20mm at top)?

 

Just had a look. I think it is 22mm on the full size so they are different sizes.