Regular readers will know the 62 series calibres are my favourite vintage Seiko movements, you’ll also know the 62mas is my favourite vintage Seiko divers watch. Another one has been across the bench today so here’s a peek at what I had to contend with. The watch arrived to me after having a relume so the hands are in the little container. As you can see it’s a little scruffy with its scratched crystal but it has the basis of a good honest watch.
Seiko Black Bay mod
Something I’m asked to do occasionally is to modify a watch or “mod” it as this is known. The donor watches are usually Seikos as there is a huge amount of custom parts available for many different models. The watch featured here is a Seiko SXK009 and the parts to be fitted will turn it into a Tudor Black Bay homage. The parts needed to accomplish this are a snowflake handset, a dial, an insert, a polished rehaut or chapter ring and a sapphire crystal was also fitted although not strictly necessary.
Universal Genève Polerouter Sub
Back in the mid fifties Universal Genève provided Scandinavian Airline crews with precision wristwatches incorporating strong antimagnetic capabilities when the airline opened their new European to California routes that cut 1,000 kilometers off the Journey. These routes were the first that actually crossed over the North pole hence the antimagnetic properties of the watches. The first commercial flight was made on 15th November 1954 and this was a huge event for Scandinavia at the time. On board the flight were the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Sweden and Norway as well as a group of prominent journalists, and there were reported crowds of over 10,000 people to witness the planes departure. Universal Genève introduced the Polerouter (or Polarouter as the model was then called) to mark this auspicious occasion. It was actually created and designed by Gerald Genta, and started life with the calibre 138 automatic movment with a centrally pivoted “bumper” rotor assembly. However, this was soon superceded by the calibre 215 automatic with its famous patented “microtor” movement. It was at this time the models name was changed to Polerouter. The example featured is a Polerouter Sub which is powered by the calibre 1-69 movement (with date) and was introduced in 1962, the calibre 69 was identical apart from having no date complication. This particular example was a non runner and the hands were locked in position, turning the crown to try and adjust them had no effect.
1980’s Longines quartz
This Longines dress watch belongs to the father of chap who sent it in. Many years ago it was taken for a new battery to be fitted only to be told the movement was kaput and it needed a new one. It’s quite an attractive little watch with its gold dial, calendar wheel and baton hands.
Corum Bubble Joker
I thought I’d feature this as it’s a watch you don’t see very often, Corums Bubble Joker ref 82.240.20 which was created for their collector series. This particular one is powered by an ETA 2892-2 with a chronograph module on top, I believe some were powered by the Valjoux 7750 movement. Corum produced 777 examples of this particular model. The chronograph hand had become detached on this one and it needed refitting and of course investigating as to why it had actually come off.
Seiko World Time
Seikos reference 6217-7000 World Time was introduced in 1964 to coincide with the Olympic games which were held in Tokyo that year. Seiko were chosen as the official timekeepers for the event, a very prestigious contract to be awarded. The watch was powered by the automatic, 17 jewel, 18,000bph, 6217a calibre which was actually a development of the 603 calibre which first appeared in 1960. The 62xx series of movements powered everything from the World Time to the Grand Seikos of the day. The World Time allows you to determine the time in any one of 24 time zones around the globe with the use of its rotatable inner bezel. Line up a city that’s in your current timezone with the 24 hour hand and you can reference the other timezones using the 24 hour scale. This example came in for a movement service and a bit of work to the bracelet. It’s unusual in a couple of respects, firstly it has the more uncommon brown dial and city ring (these were mostly produced with a sliver dial and city ring), and secondly it’s still on its original bracelet which you very rarely see. It always a pleasure to work on a watch which means a lot to the owner, this was his late fathers watch who bought it brand new back in the sixties.
Another day, another Pogue….
I’ve had a number of these 6139-6002’s in recently, in fact last month I did a little piece on the history of them here. I thought I’d feature the latest one that’s been on the bench to illustrate the transformation a simple thing like a replacement crystal can bring to the watch. It came in for a new crystal and a full movement service. Under that crystal the dial and handset look to be in great shape with little damage and bright white lume, and thankfully no broken crown on this one.
Rolex 1603
This lovely gold dialled Rolex reference 1603 came in with a low power reserve, when I tested it I got 28 hours from a full wind which is about 33% down on what you’d expect from a healthy 1560 calibre. A service and new mainspring should sort this out! The watch dates from 1961 according to the inside of the caseback and is in exactly the condition I love to see vintage watches in that have been used as intended and looked after.
Tag Heuer 1000
This Tag Heuer 1000 diver ref 980.013B came in for a service and a new dial foot recently. Powered by the ETA 955.114 quartz movement it’s a handsome looking watch.
Seiko 6218-8971
At the time of its introduction in 1964 the 6218-8971 Seikomatic Weekdater was the top of the range flagship of the Seiko automatic lineup. The 1964 Weekdater was the immediate, automatic equivalent of the 1964 Grand Seiko hand-wind, before the appearance of the first automatic GS in 1967. The 6218 movement’s an automatic, 35 jewel, 18,000bph, hacking calibre based on the 62xx platform that powered everything from Seikos World Time and their first dive watch, through to the Grand Seikos of the era. Both the 57GS/43999, 6218 and 62GS have 35 or 39 jewel movements and are all examples where jewels were added to stop what has been translated from the Japanese as the ‘shake fall problem’ with the datewheel. The 1965 example featured below came in for a movement service and is in lovely original condition.
The Watch Bloke 