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Thread: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

  1. #1
    Master
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    The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Hi all

    Sometime back I can across an image of an Audemars that took my fancy, now these watches are really not my thing but this one was potentially something special, not because of how it looked but for what was at it's heart!

    My main collection is based around vintage Omegas, the most treasured of which are my Megaquartz F2.4 Mhz's, one stardust and one Marine Chronometer. For those of you that don't know much about them, they are singularly the most accurate watches Omega have ever made and are still to this day 40 years on one of the most accurate production watches in the world with a time keep variance of around 1 second per month!

    The movement's where really something special, a quartz circuit which resonated at 2400000 times per second (compared to most of the best modern and vintage Quartz's which resonate at 32000 times per second), a real mechanical quartz hybrid of the early days of the development of Quartz technology, when the sky was the limit and the money invested in R&D and production was unrivalled! In their day the Marine Chronometers and Stardusts cost the equivalent of a good family car of the time!

    Omega states where ever it can that they are the only manufacturer to have used and developed this movement and that they and they alone hold this technology, well today I found out different! I have been searching for the below beast for some years now and finally I have unearthed one, nothing special to behold you might think but I think you will be hard pushed to find a rare Audemar Piguet or one with such unbeatable accuracy, enjoy:













    The movement is a rebranded and nickle plated version of the 1510/1511, made by Omega in only 1000 units of each, the 1510 being the famous 'Stardust' (although there are a few other variants) and the 1511 being the Marine Chronometer. The movement is clearly not Audemars own but more a rebranded Omega version, however, the fact that Omega released the movement to other manufacturers is amazing, I dread to think what it was new but I know the cost now was enough to make a certain orifice pucker

    Perhaps not for everyone but in quartz watch collecting terms this is like unearthing real buried treasure

    Here are my Omega versions:




  2. #2
    Master
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Very nice 8)

    Do you know anything about the calibre they put in the early Royal Oak quartzes? May Dad has one from the early 70s, received as a gift and probably never worn... Some info might help him get some pleasure out of it, maybe even get it on his wrist.

  3. #3
    Grand Master boddah's Avatar
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Very nice looking watch considering the decade that spawned it :wink:
    "I looked with pity not untinged with scorn upon these trivial-minded passers-by"

  4. #4

    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    A lovely looking watch. Can you please share any more info on it - model number etc as I'd like to read up about it. Thanks

  5. #5
    Master
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Thanks for that, really interesting post.
    I'm not a Quartz hater, but also haven't paid much attention.

    All 3 look very nice considering their age.
    :)

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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    That's a very interesting piece of history I didn't know of!

    Thanks for posting,

    Daddel.
    Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!

  7. #7
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by Azuk
    A lovely looking watch. Can you please share any more info on it - model number etc as I'd like to read up about it. Thanks
    That is really all I know about it, Apparently it is mentioned in Doensen's book and I also understand that it may have been available in 18K white gold with a Diamond dial! The movement is most definitely a rebranded Omega cal 1510/1511 and according to a reliable source it is identical components wise

    Cheers Tom

  8. #8
    Master bokbok's Avatar
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    very nice and some thing different to stand out :wink:

  9. #9
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by Daddelvirks
    That's a very interesting piece of history I didn't know of!

    Thanks for posting,

    Daddel.
    +1

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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by dickstar1977
    Apparently it is mentioned in Doensen's book
    Yes and Mr.P. Doensen still has some copies left for 60 Euros incl. postage: doensen@REMOVExs4all.nl

    Congratulations with the watch.

  11. #11

    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Thanks for the additional info. Any thoughts on what the value is of one of these?

  12. #12
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by Azuk
    Thanks for the additional info. Any thoughts on what the value is of one of these?
    Value is a hard thing to place, as a hornological rareity it is right up there, as a technological advancement, again right up there and it is an audemars, BUT it is also a quartz and one that is barely know of, so I guess value is measured by demand and rarity

    The one above is for sale and the asking price is euro 4000, I would say that a Marine Chronometer has a current value of Ł2000 - Ł3500 so perhaps it is not out of whack, but then again my gut tell me euro 4000 is too much, even for an Audemars branded Megaquartz F2.4Mhz

  13. #13

    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Nice to see quality quartz, I have a Rolex oysterquartz daydate and love it.

  14. #14

    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Fascinating! Thanks for posting.

    David

  15. #15
    Master
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by SAW4H
    Nice to see quality quartz, I have a Rolex oysterquartz daydate and love it.
    Got to love the Oysterquartz's, here's my 1977 watch (now with correct replacement non Chronometer dial)


  16. #16
    Grand Master
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    I really want an oysterquartz, don't know why, but it's something i've always liked, plus a 1977 would be good for me as well :D

  17. #17
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Look, can you all stop it, please? I've just shelled out for this one:



    And now you're tempting me with Marine Chronometers, Oysterquartzes and that Piguet.

    Droooooool.
    :D

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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by MMC
    Look, can you all stop it, please? I've just shelled out for this one:
    and spending (a lot) more money will not buy you a bétter one :wink:

    There is an almost pristine 3823 v.f.a. for sale for peanuts;



    Only a japanse quartz though :wink:


  19. #19

    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    The Audemars is really lovely, with a rather aspirational price tag! For that money I would rather have the real thing, aMarine Chronometer or a Stardust. I can dream!

    Huerteclilla, How old is the 3823 in the photo? what does VFA stand for? Are these commony available?

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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by MR T
    Huerteclilla, How old is the 3823 in the photo? what does VFA stand for? Are these commony available?
    1972,
    Very Fine Adjusted (it is thermo compensated as well),
    not that common no (but since they were prohibitively expensive and very well made, quite a few have survived so they do pop up).

  21. #21
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by Huertecilla

    ...and spending (a lot) more money will not buy you a bétter one :wink:

    There is an almost pristine 3823 v.f.a. for sale for peanuts;



    Only a japanse quartz though :wink:
    I think you're right - that second hand on mine hasn't moved a fraction of a millimetre away from "absolutely spot on".

    And that's a fine 3823 - where's it on sale??

    [thumps himself in the nose - I do NOT need another watch - I need to sort out my house!]

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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by MMC
    I think you're right - that second hand on mine hasn't moved a fraction of a millimetre away from "absolutely spot on".
    Nor will it. It´s all connected :wink: :idea:

    And that's a fine 3823 - where's it on sale??
    http://www.jauce.com/view2.php?seturl=h ... b116348810

  23. #23
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by Huertecilla
    http://www.jauce.com/view2.php?seturl=http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b116348810
    Wish you'd not posted that! The watch piggybank is rattling with about 2p in it at the moment.

  24. #24

    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    First post so just taking this opportunity to say hello.

    I bought this Oysterquartz new in 1982 and as you can see it has a few battle scars. Still keeps good time though and you don't seem to see that many about these days.


  25. #25
    Master
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Welcome to the forum Lowndes, the OQ's are superb watches, I am wearing mine today, just love it, IMHO teh best case design Rolex have ever used, wish they had made a Sub version of the OQ, that would have been amazing

    Cheers Tom

  26. #26
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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Nice one Lowndes - that's a gorgeous watch. Would love one of those - ideally in that sort of condition. :)

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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by dickstar1977
    Welcome to the forum Lowndes, the OQ's are superb watches, I am wearing mine today, just love it, IMHO teh best case design Rolex have ever used, wish they had made a Sub version of the OQ, that would have been amazing
    I know of a 5055 for sale, so you could make your own with a modded DeepSea case.

  28. #28

    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by Huertecilla
    Quote Originally Posted by MR T
    Huerteclilla, How old is the 3823 in the photo? what does VFA stand for? Are these commony available?
    1972,
    Very Fine Adjusted (it is thermo compensated as well),
    not that common no (but since they were prohibitively expensive and very well made, quite a few have survived so they do pop up).
    Interesting watch, more about it here http://www.crazywatches.pl/seiko-superi ... uartz-1971 - "adjusted to tempearture" apparently but not in the same accuracy league at 5spm as the Twin Quartz (10/20spy) or the 1510 (10spy) used in the Audemars ;-)

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    Re: The rarest Audemars money can buy? Quartz haters look away

    Quote Originally Posted by webvan
    Interesting watch, more about it here http://www.crazywatches.pl/seiko-superi ... uartz-1971 - "adjusted to tempearture" apparently but not in the same accuracy league at 5spm as the Twin Quartz (10/20spy) or the 1510 (10spy) used in the Audemars ;-)
    What do you expect from 1971 :!: :?:
    To put it in perspective; the typical accuracy for the Oysterquartz that was introduced in 1977 is about plus minus 2 to 5 seconds per month. That is on par with the 3828 :shock: :shock:

    If anything it is :shock: how líttle advancement have been made since these first tc quartzes.
    Present day quartz has a chronometer threshold which is about the COSC for quartz; +/- 25 sec./year :?
    That is not much of a difference is it. From the 60 sec./year of the 1971 3823 to 25 sec./year current Chronometer standard 40 years later.

    The state of the contemporary horologic art are the Seiko 9Fxx 10 secs. untweaked and the Citizen A660 5secs. Even thát is because the Citizen Crystron Mega was already +/- 3!!! per year in 1975 :roll:

    Same thing as with mechanicals the 1970 GS Special and V.F.A. were resp. +/- 3 and +/- 2 secs. per day. Only this year the former has been reproduced by the Anniversary GS 9S85 Special.

    The seventies were very much the golden age of horology.
    The solid state quartzes of the era have not been surpassed either. These went el cheapo mass production to the extreme even. This, the plastic Swatch and good enough COSC have brought things to a performance standstill.

    RC and mobile electronics have killed off all hope for any future advancement in stand alone performance.
    The jewels of the seventies are going to remain firmly mounted in the crown.

    And THANKS :bounce: for the link.

  30. #30
    Based on a mystery watch shown here : http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...onic-gathering (top right), it looks like AP had a second case design for their 2.4Mhz "clone" ;-)

  31. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by dickstar1977 View Post
    Got to love the Oysterquartz's, here's my 1977 watch (now with correct replacement non Chronometer dial)

    Oysterquartz??? You learn something new everyday. Nice watch.

  32. #32
    And it looks like the Audemars Piguet 1510 "clone" was also made in solid gold :





    Amazing if a tad "gaudy"? ;-) All yours for €12.5k on chrono24!

  33. #33
    Master S.L's Avatar
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    Wow that gold one above is...well...different.

    Stumbled across this quartz AP recently,


  34. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by webvan View Post
    And it looks like the Audemars Piguet 1510 "clone" was also made in solid gold :
    Taste apart that is a joy to behold!
    An extremely rare survivor from the smelting pot. Especially because it even has the original bracelet.
    Quite a chunk of gold too.

    Also a true piece of luxury jewelry with a befitting tóp notch time measuring instrument inside.
    Thanks for the thumbs up.

  35. #35
    Very interesting

  36. #36
    Journeyman Declan's Avatar
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    That marine chronometer looks the dogs bollocks (y)

  37. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by Declan View Post
    That marine chronometer looks the dogs bollocks (y)
    It was and still is.

  38. #38
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    Thanks for sharing!

  39. #39
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    Difficult to find a quartz AP in their collection (apart from the women collection... but priced as "automatic"). Who talked about men/women inequality?

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