Oripsa calling for help-Eventually got it

river9 · Mar 1, 2020

Hi all
I have the opprtunity to buy locally this old Oripsa in pretty good shape for a stealth (80us$)😀
Seller claimed the watch came from Neitherland estate sale.
Seems unworn with some sort of hallmark on case bevel.
The rose-gold-ish case is sharp.
Watch head is 32-33mm diameter, 17mm lug.
Could you please identify the real watch provenance (i.e caliber type, market issued...)
Thank you in advance

redpcar · Mar 1, 2020

Move your lens a little more to the upper right on the movement pic. Is there a stamp under the balance close to the spacer ring?

JimInOz · Mar 1, 2020

It's one of literally thousands of watch brands that came and went in the later half of the 20th century.
Nothing special other than that it is extremely rare, but rarity isn't everything.
I find the dial unattractive, the case may be gold, or it may not.
It could be interesting purely for the movement, but for USD$80 you need to be sure of the gold content.

X350 XJR · Mar 1, 2020

My guess is that this "hallmark" means 10 microns gold plate, which is virtually nothing.

river9 · Mar 1, 2020

Edit for update: I eventually purchased that watch but still curious to know history of the brand. Tks

JimInOz
It's one of literally thousands of watch brands... Good to know. Tks
It could be interesting purely for the movement, but for USD$80 you need to be sure of the gold content.

Thank you for your insight. Really loved the dial although the “rose gold ish” tone of case made me amazed. Could that color came from recent chemical surface treatment - I think to the galvanization (on aluminium it is possible to my knowledge)? But on this particular case...

redpcar
Move your lens a little more to the upper right on the movement pic. Is there a stamp under the balance close to the spacer ring?

I will try to take better pics. Tks for quick reply
Cheers

river9 · Mar 2, 2020

redpcar
Move your lens a little more to the upper right on the movement pic. Is there a stamp under the balance close to the spacer ring?

Hi @redpcar
Here is the best I can do with magnifier glass and phone camera.
In my naked eye the stampe under the balance looks like a armory with "h" and "p" sourrounded by emblem/insignia.
The funny thing on this caliber is there is no gasket at all but the caseback does have a notch which fit precisely to the case.
Otherwise this cal is equipped with screw balance. It keeps decent time and performs pretty well on (open source) TG timegrapher: small beat error, position deviations not huge...
Cheers

river9 · Mar 2, 2020

Hi there😀
Eventually found the caliber identity, or what I believe it.
It seems it's a French "Parrenin 90" in Dr Ranfft database.
On the Bay I also found one listing for "PARRENIN c.90" for the pretty same movement.
I would like to hear your comments.
Thank you.

JimInOz · Mar 2, 2020

Well done.
For me the most interesting part is the movement with the unusual bridge design.

Vitezi · Mar 2, 2020

Oriosa has two listings in Microlisk, but I think the relevant one is with Ostersetzer & Cie. of Vienna, Austria, registered 1956 (the other listing is with Frey & Co. (Montres Frey SA) of Biel, Switzerland, registered 1927).

I bet you'll find more information about the Oriosa brand on the German watch forum uhrforum.de than here. 😀

Socks · Mar 2, 2020

The other notable thing is that the dail may not originally have had a date window as you can see the raised outline of a 3.

river9 · Mar 2, 2020

Vitezi
Oriosa has two listings in Microlisk, but I think the relevant one is with Ostersetzer & Cie. of Vienna, Austria, registered 1956 (the other listing is with Frey & Co. (Montres Frey SA) of Biel, Switzerland, registered 1927).

I bet you'll find more information about the Oriosa brand on the German watch forum uhrforum.de than here. 😀

Sorry the brand is ORIPSA not ORIOSA. My initial searches brought me to the second one too. But to me it’s not the same style neither same caliber design.

Socks
The other notable thing is that the dail may not originally have had a date window as you can see the raised outline of a 3.

Well spotted. There is a very fainted shape of raised “3” hour index.
The disk date is bi-color (a red date alternates with a black one)
Definitely I think this is a Perrenin caliber judging from “hp” stamp mentioned above.
The “hp” wordings under movement balance must stand for “Hypolite Perrenin” a French ebauche manufacturer (see first photograph onto it I point out wording locations)
I post some pics below to illistrate what I mean because I am not good English speaker. Sorry for that.
Thank you all

Oripsa calling for help-Eventually got it

river9

redpcar

JimInOz

X350 XJR

river9

river9

river9

JimInOz

Vitezi

Socks

river9

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