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Unicorns a.k.a watches we most likely will never see.

  1. ZIELSZIEK Apr 7, 2020

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    Hello people of Omega Forums. I hope you are all well.
    Being bored out of my mind and with nothing better to do today I decided towards doing some brainstorming, watch related, of course.
    By unicorns I mean pieces rare to the degree of information available being scarce and very low production numbers. I'll start with two of my picks:

    The Omega Synchrobeat. This one reminds me of the Tucker 48, probably because none of them saw production due to technical difficulties. I cannot comment on the practicality of the ideea but I can declare myself being intrigued by the concept of it. With an estimate of 17 pieces being left in existence I guess it's safe to say not many people will get to see one. When googling about it, one that was sold at an auction comes up. I drooled over the pictures.

    The other one would be the original Seiko Astron. I have not been able to find an exact production number or the number of pieces still out there. Pictures on Google are all the same, the only information I have seen that was more of an "up close" look at this watch was this article on the watch bloke:
    https://thewatchbloke.co.uk/2017/06/08/seiko-astron-35-9000/
    This brochure also piqued my interest. Electronics is one of my long time hobbies and this kind of stuff is pure candy for me:
    https://web.archive.org/web/2010033...om/newsroom/epson_story/pdf/EpsonStory02E.pdf

    What are some of your favorite Unicorns?
     
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  2. Pvt-Public Apr 7, 2020

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    Sorry but you had to know this was going to appear.
    unicorn.jpg
     
  3. MTROIS Apr 7, 2020

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    I am sure this “Hand Made” one qualifies for the “unicorn” description .... especially on the wrist of the man himself, Stephen Forsey!!!

    D73E55A2-CC8E-49C9-84EB-BC434C2BFEA6.jpeg
     
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  4. NickC Apr 7, 2020

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    A Patek 3670a. Only 16 ever made and all of them are probably tucked up in steel bunkers.
     
  5. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Apr 7, 2020

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  6. rcs914 Apr 7, 2020

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  7. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Apr 7, 2020

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    Yup, easy to spot as it has no date window.
     
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  8. rcs914 Apr 7, 2020

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  9. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Apr 7, 2020

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    They have one in stock, well o guess that one lol. Rumor is less then 50 where made. I’ve only ever heard of one actually on a wrist and he no longer comes around here.

    the other thing is more rare. I think there is only 10 of those. That’s the mission watch box set.
     
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  10. valkyrie_rider Apr 7, 2020

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    The Patek Supercomplication comes to my mind (there is a book about it):
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patek_Philippe_Henry_Graves_Supercomplication
    https://www.celebremagazine.world/watches-co/patek-philippe-henry-graves-supercomplication/

    Quote: "The timepiece contains 920 individual parts, with 430 screws, 110 wheels, 120 removable parts, and 70 jewels, all of them handcrafted on a tiny scale. The timepiece is a gold, double dialled and double openfaced, minute repeating clock watch with Westminster chimes, grande and petite sonnerie, split seconds chronograph, registers for 60-minutes and 12-hours, perpetual calendar accurate to the year 2100, moon-phases, equation of time, dual power reserve for striking and going trains, mean and sidereal time, central alarm, indications for times of sunrise/sunset and a celestial chart for the night time sky of New York City at 40 degrees 41.0 minutes North latitude. Its diameter is 74mm thickness of case with glass 36mm; and weight of case 536g.".
    super_complication.jpg
    super_complication02.png
     
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  11. valkyrie_rider Apr 7, 2020

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    Here is a diagram explaining its functions:
    super_complication03.jpg
     
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  12. queriver Apr 7, 2020

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    Here are my 3. Last has highest "unicornity" status:
    - Sinn EZM1 ZUZ issued version
    - Sinn EZM1 ZTZ left side crown
    - Sinn EZM 1 ZTZ right side crown

    Sinn's EZM1 mission timers were developed in 1997 for Germany's Zentrale Unterstützungseinheit Zoll (ZUZ logo on dial). 22 pieces were originally issued.

    There was an even rarer Zentrale Technikgruppe Zoll (ZTZ logo) version. "Sinn made a total of ten ZTZ dialed EZM-1s. Of these, three were of a rare, right-sided crown arrangement. One ZTZ watch was reported lost during use. There are now known to be just nine ZTZ variants in existence."

    Some non-issued ZUZs were subsequently released in Japan.

    ZUZ left, ZTZ right:
    [​IMG]

    Sources:
    http://www.broadarrow.net/ezm1.htm
    https://www.sinn.de/en/SINN_mission_timers.htm
    http://sinnezm1.blogspot.com/2010/01/pictures.html
     
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  13. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Apr 7, 2020

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    This one might be the unicorn of unicorns:

    upload_2020-4-7_21-32-3.jpeg
    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bl...-unveils-the-most-complicated-watch-ever-made

    I think it’s the only watch ever made with a perpetual Jewish calendar. You would need to send it back to the factory every 19 years to replace the dial and some other parts which maintain the accuracy of the calendar.

    If you are the one person on earth who owns this watch, you can probably afford it.

    Enjoy,
    gatorcpa
     
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  14. 0uss Apr 7, 2020

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    The rolex Zerographe ref. 3346 featuring a lacquered California dial, rotating bezel and an in-house flyback monopusher chronograph. Only four are sold publicly.

    Photo not mine of course :p

    Rolex-Zerographe-3346-01.jpg
     
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  15. calalum Apr 7, 2020

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    White Rolex 6542.
     
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  16. Mad Dog rockpaperscissorschampion Apr 7, 2020

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    4F1BE2AA-B5A8-472A-BE1A-D6BC9B7C1C22.jpeg

    606CDD03-D56D-4B09-983A-B142CBD82FCC.jpeg

    F8E279AE-C299-402F-A357-F0ABE9A68FB7.jpeg

    What has been seen cannot be unseen. :D

    The “unicorn” Speedy Gonzales Moonwatch belt buckle and belt...it holds your pants up and does other stuff too. :thumbsup:
     
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  17. rcs914 Apr 8, 2020

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    Was that SuperDoc? I want to say that was his screen name but I'm not 100% certain and the "@" user search doesn't find anyone with that name. I remember there was a guy in New York that went to all of the Omega invitation only events and had a stunning collection of their modern pieces.
     
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  18. Foo2rama Keeps his worms in a ball instead of a can. Apr 8, 2020

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    Yup
     
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  19. rcs914 Apr 8, 2020

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    Would we include as unicorns here any watches that are of relatively low value, but are rather rare none the less? If that is the case I have a couple examples. What about rare due to condition? I just want to determine scope before posting a few pictures.
     
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  20. gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member Apr 8, 2020

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    I would.
    gatorcpa
     
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