Watches From The Year : 1973

We all have some sort of interest and/or personal link to a specific year. Might be your birth year, the year you got engaged/married, got a child, or the year where happened an event that is somehow special to you.

Besides your special event, there is no doubt that lots of different watches were produced that year.

I often see people asking for help to :

- find a specific watch model from a specific year
- assess the variety of watches produced on a specific year

The purpose of this thread is to log photographs and details of different watches from the year 1973 owned by members of the OF Community.

Rules for posting

- watches from all brands are allowed, as long as they are from the year 1973
- if you don't have any evidence to claim the year (extract from archives or sales papers), please do mention #estimated
- if you own evidences to claim the year, please do mention #confirmed and please elaborate on evidences available (extract from archives or sales papers) posting evidences is not mandatory
- it is obvious that a watch can be produced on a specific date confirmed by an extract from archives, or sold on a specific date confirmed by sales papers. To simplify, both are admitted here, please do elaborate on your references
- commenting is obviously allowed and encouraged, OF etiquette highly recommended

Let's make of this thread an EPIC collection of watches produced or sold in 1973 !

Let me start with this Breitling Top Time 815 'Long Playing'



#confirmed from 1973 by the extract from Breitling Archives

hmt. Estimated: from 1973

Seiko Panda serial number confirmed 12/73
Rolex Explorer 2 serial number confirmed 73

Estimated 1973, bought from a family run shop in Los Angeles. The owner said he found a load of old omega watches at the back of a safe. Forgotten stock. It was the first vintage watch I bought and I still have it and wear it.( It was left in the Uk for a service last time I was home, so I haven’t actually worn it for 17 months, but next time I go home it will be back on my wrist) Apologies for the poor quality photos.

Grand Seiko 6186-8000 VFA #confirmed July ‘73 thanks to Seiko’s case back serial numbering. Boy did I buy this at the right time!


Edit: To add my 6138 JDM Kakume, also #confirmed ‘73

Bought watch in 1986 from second hand dealer, serial number reflects manufactured in 1973 as well as receipt. Now, where did I put the receipt?

Hamilton Royal Navy Fleet, #confirmed 1973 as per date stamped on caseback

#confirmed from the Omega extract 145022-71 from 1973, my beloved speedy

That's the best year in my collection!