Which is the rarest watch you’ve ever owned?

Wryfox · Dec 19, 2018

My pre-moon isn't what's rare, its that it partied with Ed Mitchell's moon watch.....

BTW, If you look real close, you'll see the incredible technical instructions for the EVA checklist...."Kick boulders into Crater" and "Crew walk around and pose". Must be nice to be on the moon.😎

Screwbacks · Dec 19, 2018

CVivash
I really like these early jump hours. Here is a Helvetia with a standard case but a jump dial from 1933. Do you know what movement is in yours?

I dont have much source or reference on this movement. but i hope this will help.

Patent FF
No. 2925

Helvetia History · Dec 19, 2018

Screwbacks
I dont have much source or reference on this movement. but i hope this will help.

Patent FF
No. 2925

View attachment 675949

Logo looks like FHF (Fabrique d'horlogerie Fontainemelon). Movement looks similar to FHF 29 perhaps 2925 is the movement number.

Screwbacks · Dec 19, 2018

cool. quite fascinating movement still running almost a 100years. thanks.

Helvetia History · Dec 19, 2018

Here is a link to a patent for Jumping Hours FHF took out in 1929. Probably for your watch.

https://depatisnet.dpma.de/DepatisNet/depatisnet?action=bibdat&docid=CH000000136966A

If you click on 'PDF Display' at the bottom you can see the actual document and a drawing.

Screwbacks · Dec 19, 2018

CVivash
Here is a link to a patent for Jumping Hours FHF took out in 1929. Probably for your watch.

https://depatisnet.dpma.de/DepatisNet/depatisnet?action=bibdat&docid=CH000000136966A

If you click on 'PDF Display' at the bottom you can see the actual document and a drawing.

yeah, i guess you are right. the no. 29 as the reference year for first swiss patent of this particular design. i never paid attention to this watch after several years i bought it, except it's a jum hour. all i knew is that branded jumphours that might have used the patent then are very expensive nowadays.

Canuck · Dec 19, 2018

I don’t know exactly how rare the Rolex Prince dObservatory duo-dial “doctor’s” watch is. I have seen them in 15-jewel and 17- jewel models, but this one (about 90 years old) is the only one I have ever seen that is chronometer rated, to six positions, and with 18 jewels. Gruen used this movement as well. Built (I’ve been told) by Aegler. This Canadian cased one is (sadly) only gold filled. My late father bought this one circa 1930, and it was his chronometer that he used at the watch repair bench for about 20 years. I’ve owned it for 40 years.

DManzaluni · Dec 19, 2018

My rarest was an amazingly beautiful rectangular 1936 Breguet steel and gold driver's watch originally sold to the scion of one of the Parisian fashion families

DManzaluni · Dec 19, 2018

jimmyd13
Remember when @JimInOz found that Harwood? Omega Forums remembers.

(There was a similarly beautiful Harwood in original box in 18ct floating around last week)

Jones in LA · Dec 19, 2018

Always a bit of an odd bird... not very many made and not many left in circulation.

jimmyd13 · Dec 19, 2018

DManzaluni
(There was a similarly beautiful Harwood in original box in 18ct floating around last week)

On here or in the real world?

Vagante · Dec 19, 2018

I've owned this since the early 1970s. 18K and I love wearing it. I don't think I've ever seen another one like it. I did see a stainless model or 2 but never the 18K. I would love to pick up a stainless model in good shape

dantheman3u4i · Dec 19, 2018

Not sure how rare it is...

Taddyangle · Dec 20, 2018

There is something about a gold Speedmaster. I get it is not for everyone, and I thought the same until I tried one on. Wow. I purchased this one in Feb 2018. It is a Limited Edition and they made 50 watches. The production year was 1992. It has a caliper 867 movement and it was skeletonized by Armin Strom. It came to me on a leather strap, but a fellow OF member was kind enough to let me wear it on his gold bracelet for a couple of weeks (I also lent him the watch for a couple of weeks as well, Win, Win, Win). Currently is being serviced by Omega SA and I hope to get it back in Jan 2019. I am also looking to purchase a gold bracelet, just not sure when I will make the move as I have yet to see a pre-owned bracelet come on the market and Omega wants a hefty sum for a new one.

I hope you all have a great holiday season and I wish you all the best in the New Year!

BenBagbag · Dec 20, 2018

Taddyangle
There is something about a gold Speedmaster. I get it is not for everyone, and I thought the same until I tried one on. Wow. I purchased this one in Feb 2018. It is a Limited Edition and they made 50 watches. The production year was 1992. It has a caliper 867 movement and it was skeletonized by Armin Strom. It came to me on a leather strap, but a fellow OF member was kind enough to let me wear it on his gold bracelet for a couple of weeks (I also lent him the watch for a couple of weeks as well, Win, Win, Win). Currently is being serviced by Omega SA and I hope to get it back in Jan 2019. I am also looking to purchase a gold bracelet, just not sure when I will make the move as I have yet to see a pre-owned bracelet come on the market and Omega wants a hefty sum for a new one.

I hope you all have a great holiday season and I wish you all the best in the New Year!

Beautiful watch. And I agree that the bracelet should definitely be on your list.

Is the new OEM watch bracelet that Omega offers identical to the original? If so, are you nervous that they'd discontinue it at any point? How much above scrap do these run for?

chronoboy64 · Dec 20, 2018

I bought a very huge 46mm Minerva Chronograph a few years ago from an old man connected to the original owner, a pilot before and during WW2. The movement is a 19-9 CH.

It looks like this watch is a very rare timepiece and the earliest of these from ca. 1937/38. There were two sold by Chisties in 2009 and 2012 and one recently by Phillips at the GWA8. And there is one shown in the new Fero150 book by Pucci.

JLCman · Dec 21, 2018

My IWC Ingenieur 500.000 A/m Mixte version, just 200something built...

w154 · Dec 21, 2018

JLCman
My IWC Ingenieur 500.000 A/m Mixte version...

I’d imagine that this has been discussed endlessly on IWC forums, but it’s a bit of a surprise to see a dot used as a separator on the dial. Here in Germany they use that as a separator and a comma to indicate the decimal point, but in a lot of countries it’s the other way around. So you might imagine they’d have gone with either 500000 A/m or 500 kA/m. Or was it released only to limited markets when it was new ?

Cool watch anyway 👍

ValueYourWatch · Dec 21, 2018

I had Omega Spectre but some how this MK 40 seems more rare than the Spectre. The function of this watch is amazing. The complication and the design is superb

adam78 · Dec 21, 2018

Probably these Omega. The rose gold 3944 (next to an also rare steel 2950) is my last acquisition of the year (well, maybe not quite...).

I notice that @MikeMan2727 used the Gameo white gold Connie as well (and I got it from him, 'natch).

The Longines 5412 is not rare, per se, but probably is with this configuration in this condition.