Tuesday, July 8, 2025

AUTHENTIC VINTAGE LECOULTRE CASUAL DRESS GENTS WRISTWATCH


















BRAND/JENAMA: AUTHENTIC VINTAGE LECOULTRE GENTS CASUAL DRESS WRISTWATCH
MADE IN/BUATAN: SWISS
CIRCA/TAHUN: 1940's
MODEL: CASUAL DRESS
CRYSTAL/CERMIN: ACRYLIC
MOVEMENT/ENJIN: JAEGER-LECOULTRE 17 JEWELS MANUAL WINDING MOVEMENT CAL. 976 S/N380742 
DIAL COLOR: SHINNING SILVER TONE
FUNCTION/FUNGSI: MILITARYHOUR, MINUTE, SUB SECOND AT 6:00
HANDS/JARUM: GOLD TONE DAUPHANE METAL
MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: LUMINOUS RAISED ARROW HEADS MARKERS
CASING : SOLID STAINLESS STEEL/KELULI SEPENUHNYA
LUGS: 16mm
MEASUREMENT/UKURAN: 33mm DIAMETER INCLUDING CROWN and 36mm LUG TO LUG
BEZEL: SOLID STAINLESS STEEL
DITANDA/ENGARVED BACK CASING: S/N 278576
CROWN: ORIGINAL CROWN - UNSIGNED
STRAP/TALI: GENUINE BROWN LEATHER STRAP
SIZE STRAP/SAIZ TALI: 8.5" FULL LENGHT
DISCONTINUED LECOULTRE MODEL... RAREST!
BEAUTIFUL PATINA DIAL, GOOD CONDITION AND KEEPING TIME
PRICE/HARGA: USD1,200 (NEGOTIABLE/BOLEH DIRUNDING)

A BRIEF HISTORY OF LE COULTRE WATCHES
In 1866, when Swiss watchmaking was still structured around small home-run workshops, Antoine LeCoultre and his son Elie decided to bring together under one rood the many skills involved in making watches, and installed a steam-driven machine to operate their new tools. LeCoultre & Cie thus became the first Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux.
It was in 1903 when the Parisian Edmond Jaeger set Swiss watchmakers the challenge of producing ultra-thin calibres. It would lead to the Calibre 145, the world's thinnest mechanical movement, measuring no more than 1.38 mm, and the friendship of Antoine LeCoultre's grandson, Jacques-Devid LeCoultre. These two men would give a rise to a range of horological wonders, and eventually the birth of the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand in 1937.
In the year 1908, the Manufacture created its first rectangular-shaped calibre in response to the challenge created to miniaturize watches to wear on the wrist. By the "Roaring 20s" (1920s), very small ladies' wristwatches were all the rage, but extreme miniaturization always led to a loss of reliability and precision. The Duoplan brilliantly solved this problem by arranging its parts on split levels. It would lead to the world's smallest movement, Calibre 101. Outdoing the Calibre 145, Jaeger-Lecoultre miniaturized the Duoplan caliber to the extreme, weighing in at barely one gram and comprising of 74 parts. Its record is still unmatched to this date.
Since its founding, the Manufacture has created and produced over 1,000 different calibres in many varieties. Over 200 patented inventions have contributed to the progress of Swiss watchmaking in the field of movements, as well as that of cases, bracelets, dials, and watch functions.

Sunday, July 6, 2025

AUTHENTIC VINTAGE ZODIAC MILITARY SUB SECIBD GENTS WRISTWATCH













BRAND/JENAMA:  AUTHENTIC VINTAGE ZODIAC MILITARY STYLE BIG SUB SECOND GENTS WRISTWATCH
MADE IN/BUATAN: SWISS
CIRCA/TAHUN:  1940's
MODEL: ZODIAC
CRYSTAL/CERMIN:  HARDENED ACRYLIC 
MOVEMENT/ENJIN: ZODIAC 15 JEWELS MANUAL WINDING MOVEMENT CAL.12
DIAL COLOR: SILVER COLOR
FUNCTION/FUNGSI:  HOUR, MINUTE AND LARGE SUBSECOND
HANDS/JARUM:  LUMINOUS GOLD TONE JAVELINE HANDS
MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: RBLACK RAISED ARABIC INDEXES 
CASING : ALL STAINLESS STEEL
HIDDEN LUGS: 18mm 
MEASUREMENT/UKURAN: 34mm DIAMETER EXCLUDING CROWN and 42mm LUG TO LUG
DITANDA/ENGARVED BACK CASING: SERIAL NO.218072
CROWN: SS
STRAP/TALI:  GENUINE BLACK LEATHER BAND
SIZE STRAP/SAIZ TALI: 8.5"
EXCELLENT CONDITION, WORKING, KEEPING TIME, DISCONTINUED MODEL & VERY RARE AND VERY HARD TO FIND
PRICE/HARGA : USD180.00 (NEGOTIABLE)

History of Zodiac Wathes
Bowman said that Ariste Calame (1839-1917) first set up a workshop in 1864 in Cret-Vaillant The watch company was founded in 1882 by Ariste Calame. The original name of the company was Ariste Calame. It was a small workshop. A 1990 as said the began to specialize in sports watches. The name "Zodiac" was used early but was not registered until 1908. The founder’s son, Louis Ariste Calame, was sent to watchmaking school and then began to participate in the business in 1895. Under his direction the business Calame, took over the business that year. Members of the family given Bourdin are shown below.
Bowman said that the company gave up being a subcontractor for FAVREPERRET and became an exporter. In 1908-1911 it made its own calibers and employed about 50.
The company was listed in 1920 as Ariste Calame fils (the first Ariste Calame had died in 1917.) See ad below . In 1923 it was listed as Ariste Calame: Montres Zodiac, with wrist watches for men and pocket watches, plus an ad.
ZODIAC was imported in 1924 by the Eisenstadt Mfg. CO., St. Louis, MO.
Rene Calame, grandson of the founder joined the company and made commercial and technical changes. His father, the younger Ariste Calame, became one of the founder Presidents of the Federation Horlogere.
Bowman said the Zodiac-Sport was introduced; it was a 10 ½ ligne hermetic watch, not a table clock, in a leather-covered case, that could be opened and closed with one hand.
The company was listed in 1933-1935 in Le Locle and Geneva. The listings were accompanied by pictures of wrist watches labeled "unbreakable."
The Grace model was listed in 1940 and 1966.
The company exhibited at Basle in 1949 with the Datagraphic, a 12-ligne calendar with the moon phases, and the Autographic self-wind with visible power reserve indicator. A 1949 ad from the Zodiac Watch Agency, New York, for the Autographic called it a "new self-winding watch with a power reserve gauge." Fischer discussed this watch that year and so did SHJ in January, 1950. (See Up Down) The company exhibited again at Basle in 1950. An ad in 1950 was again for the self-winding. Autographic with up-and-down indicator.
During the last year of his life the son, Ariste Calame, organized and set up a new factory building in Le Locle which was opened in 1951.
The company was listed in 1951. Zodiac was listed by Quick Fit in 1952 as an American import using movements by ETA, A. SCHILD, LIENGME, and FONT.
A 1953 ad was for the Autographic, "famous for Reserve Power Gauge, amazing rotor action, automatic."
A 1955 ad from the ZODIAC WATCH AGENCY, New York ( a division of Edward Trauner Inc.) said " The world’s most modern watch," referring to the ZODIAC Autographic, which sold for 71.50 in a stainless case, 89.50 in a gold-filled case. It was a self-wind with a power reserve power gauge, 17 jewels, water and shock resistant, anti-magnetic, unbreakable crystal, radium dial, with a sweep seconds. It was the official watch of the Swiss Federal Railways.
The second Ariste Calame died in 1955, aged 80. He was then president of the Board of Director of the company (JSH). (See A Death in the Family.)
ZODIAC was imported to the UK in 1959 by E.A. Combs, London, and again in 1963 by E.A. Combos Clocks Ltd.
A 1966 ad in the Los Angeles Times was for the Barrister wrist, Cal. 1305, in 14K gold, for $200.
The company was listed in 1966 as ZODIAC SA.
The company exhibited at Basle in 1972 with a wrist watch with a dial of the same gold texture as the bracelet.
There was a two-page ad in Modern Jeweler, October 1972, for ZODIAC, illustrating the SST Astographic which had no hands; instead, two revolving satellites and a red moon indicated the time. SST meant "Split Second Timing. The watch was an automatic and calendar, shock and water-resist. The ad said "Americans best selling underwater watch…..Astographic introduced one year ago….no hands styling….talking display box." This watch was imported to the US in 1972 by Edward Trauner Inc. "largest importer of chronographs."
There was an ad in 1973 for the SST Astographic.
The company was listed in 1973 with a battery-operated watch and Tidy.
In 1974 AH&J illustrated ZODIAC’s new diving watch, the Super Sea Wolf, pressurized to 2500 feet, with a bezel for elapsed time read-outs. In 1974 the company also introduced an LCD and new models, slim wrist watches in yellow gold, the man’s a self wind.
The company was listed in 1975 with Rotomatic and six new calibers.
In 1979 MONTRES ZODIAC SA was listed as part of the GROUPE DIXIMECHANIQUE .
Fried said in 1984 that ZODIAC-CALAME CO. owned the Guardsman label making Time Recorders, and that movements for them were made by the RECTA WATCH CO.
In 1990 the address of the ZODIAC-CALAME COMPANY was care of PAUL BUHRE in Le Locle but the ZODIAC WATCH COMPANY was still in New York. In the 1990’s ZODIAC watches were being produced by ZODIAC SA in Neuchatel.
A watch was placed in the Arthur Collection at the NAWCC Museum marked "Ariste Calame."
Erhardt & Planes showed six Clebar wrist watches, all from ca 1957: five chronographs with radium silvered dials, subsidiary seconds, 17 jewels, in round stainless steel cases, one with 30 minute and 12 hour recorded, two waterproof, two with outer tachometer ring, one a calendar with day and month windows and outer date ring, one a moonphase calendar with day and month windows with outer date ring; and an alarm waterproof with radium silvered dial, alarm hand, center seconds, 17 jewels, in a round case, steel or 10K gold-filled.

 

Saturday, July 5, 2025

AUTHENTIC VINTAGE BENRUS GENTS WRISTWATCH















BRAND/JENAMA:  AUTHENTIC VINTAGE BENRUS LARGE DRESS GENTS WRISTWATCH

MADE IN/BUATAN: GERMANY

CIRCA/TAHUN:  1970's

MODEL: CASUAL

CRYSTAL/CERMIN:  ACRYLIC 

MOVEMENT/ENJIN: BENRUS 17 JEWELS MANUAL WINDING MOVEMENT FE CAL.140

DIAL COLOR: SHINNING GOLD TONE

FUNCTION/FUNGSI: HOUR, MINUTE, SWIPE CENTER SECOND

HANDS/JARUM: GOLD TONE SWORD HANDS

MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: SILVERRAISED GOLD TONE ARABIC MARKER

BEZEL: NONE

CASING : GOLD PLATED TOP AND STAINLESS STEEL BACK

LUGS: 18mm 

MEASUREMENT/UKURAN: 35mm DIAMETER EXCLUDING CROWN and 40mm LUG TO LUG

DITANDA/ENGARVED BACK CASING: BENRUS ~STAINLESS STEEL BACK~BASE METAL BEZEL

CROWN: BENRUS GP CROWN

STRAP/TALI: NEW BLACK LEATHER BAND

SIZE STRAP/SAIZ TALI: 8.5"

WORKING CONDITION, KEEPING TIME, DISCONTINUED MODEL & HARD TO FIND.

NOTICE: VINTAGE WATCHES AGED 30YRS IS NO LONGER GUANRANTEED IT'S WATERPROOF AND WATER RESISTANT SO AVOID FROM DIRECT CONTACT WITH WATER

PRICE: USD150.00 (NEGOTIABLE)


BRIEF HISTORY OF BENRUS, SOVEREIGN AND BELFORTE WATCHES

Although the company went out of business in 1977, large numbers of their well made and dependable fine Benrus watches are available as vintage collectors’ items.

Way back in 1921 three brothers called Oscar, Ralph and Benjamin Lazrus founded the Benrus Watch Company. History doesn’t tell us why Benjamin was the brothers’ name that was chosen but the company name, Benrus, is a combination of the first syllable of his name and the second syllable of their family name. Benrus watches is sometimes mistaken for a Swiss watch making company because early in its history the American owned and operated company leased one floor of factory space from a Swiss owned watch making company that was located in La Chaux de Fonds in Switzerland. Their reason for doing this was to help to circumvent the draconian regulations against the use of Swiss watch movements in foreign time pieces. The earliest models of Benrus watches featured precision movements made by the Schild Company, a well known and established Swiss watch maker. The first watch casings from the Benrus Watch Company are not marked with their brand name due to the Swiss regulations discussed previously.


Friday, July 4, 2025

AUTHENTIC VINTAGE LECOULTRE TANK GENTS WRISTWATCH

















BRAND/JENAMA: AUTHENTIC VINTAGE SOLID 10K YELLOW GOLD FILLED LECOULTRE TANK GENTS WRISTWATCH

MADE IN/BUATAN: SWISS

CIRCA/TAHUN: 1950's

MODEL: TANK

CRYSTAL/CERMIN: ACRYLIC 

MOVEMENT/ENJIN: JAEGER LECOULTRE 17 JEWELS MANUAL WINDING MOVEMENT BY LECOULTRE/VACHERON CONSTATIN VXN CAL.11 LO

DIAL COLOR: TWO TONE SUB-SECOND AT 6:00

FUNCTION/FUNGSI: HOUR, MINUTE, SECOND

HANDS/JARUM: GOLD TONE METAL HANDS 

MARKERS/TANDA WAKTU: RAISED GOLD TONE ARABIC MARKERS 

CASING : 10K GOLDFILLED SOLID GOLD

LUGS: 16mm 

MEASUREMENT/UKURAN: 26mm DIAMETER INCLUDING CROWN and 34mm LUG TO LUG

BEZEL: -

DITANDA/ENGARVED BACK CASING: -

CROWN: UNSIGNED ORIGINAL CROWN

STRAP/TALI: GREY LEATHER BAND

SIZE STRAP/SAIZ TALI: 8.5" FULL LENGHT BLACK LEATHER BAND

DISCONTINUED LECOULTRE MODEL... RAREST!

EXCELLENT CONDITION, KEEPING GOODTIME AND RECENTLY SERVICED

PRICE/HARGA: USD1200 (NEGOTIABLE)

It was in 1903 when the Parisian Edmond Jaeger set Swiss watchmakers the challenge of producing ultra-thin calibres. It would lead to the Calibre 145, the world's thinnest mechanical movement, measuring no more than 1.38 mm, and the friendship of Antoine LeCoultre's grandson, Jacques-Devid LeCoultre. These two men would give a rise to a range of horological wonders, and eventually the birth of the Jaeger-LeCoultre brand in