Reply With Quotethose are distinctive and lovely
Literally just got this yesterday, vintage Ultronic with the beautiful blue dial.
Pictured here with my Certina DS that has had the case refinishing that the Ultronic is destined to enjoy as well.
This wath has so much charisma. And at 41mm across it is unlikely to be ignored.
huuuummmmmmmmmmmmm
Dave
Last edited by sweets; 2nd November 2016 at 11:25.
those are distinctive and lovely
I wear this G-Shock whenever I am going somewhere that my better watches may suffer. Solar powered and so far unbreakable.
Not Quartz though!Originally Posted by sweets
Literally just got this yesterday, vintage Ultronic with the beautiful blue dial.
This wath has so much charisma. And at 41mm across it is unlikely to be ignored.
huuuummmmmmmmmmmmm
Dave
M
The Ultronic?? I guess so, but I always think of hummers being quartz, they have a battery.....Not Quartz though!
M
Last edited by sweets; 2nd November 2016 at 13:04. Reason: correction
Just seeing this thread for the first time ... what an excellent post OP, a great read ....and it raised a smile here! good stuff!
Time to bump this awesome thread.
I picked up this Scubapro 200 just before christmas,
Powered by a swiss made ESA Y2 900 231 which, in addition to the analogue hands, can display the following on the digital display:
1. Chronograph
2. Running seconds & date
3. A second timezone
This is the only one of its kind that I've ever seen.
I believe it is from the late 70's or early 80's. Pretty sure it shares the somewhat special 40mm case and general design with the Chronosport UDT (plus a Heuer reference I cannot remember at the moment).
It's in fantastic shape and must have been in storage most of its lifetime.
Very happy to have stumbled across this one and add to my small gang of Scubapro labeled watches.
Superb Stefan, Ive not seen one before either....
I should send you my set for a group photoshoot.
Genuinely pleased to have one back. Same age as me too.
Pah!Superb Stefan, Ive not seen one before either....
I should send you my set for a group photoshoot.
Stefan, Here is an old catalogue of your Scubapro - $340 was a lot back then.
There you go Stefan, even show you the Isofrane it came on.
Yes Jase, you should send those to me.
I'm not picky about why but let's call it a photoshoot. Just send them.
Very cool, thanks for that!
Yes, that was great to know but of course I don't have one of those.There you go Stefan, even show you the Isofrane it came on.
Similar but not the same and certainly none with the SP markings/logo.
So another hunt begins...
( I think I have one that came on the 500 shrouded, doesn't have the SP branding though )
The resolution in that scan isn't great, but it must be one of these surely?
Think you are on the money there Jase, good to know they are unbranded! The ones for the 6306 SP450 came with a SP logo on the tang end. I'm a little surprised by the skinny pin on the one you posted, quite a difference from the earlier designs of the pins for the more common Isofranes.
Its a ref 52013 for your search.
How did that work out. Any write up on that one? Looks an interesting one. Where didi you get it?
Martyn.
Popping back in to update this thread (and fix some images where time and photobucket took their toll) with this one...
An Omega Megaquartz 2.4Mhz from around 1973. It is perhaps "interesting" initially because of the exterior design. The chunky case, bracelet and that one of a kind dial:
But what makes it an interesting quartz, of course, is the Omega Calibre 1510 inside:
Like other early quartz movements, it combines the gear train from a mechanical watch with a battery-powered stepper motor controlled by the IC and timed via a quartz crystal.
Unlike all the others though, and all since, this quartz vibrates 2,356,296 times a second. Compared to 32,768 times a second for "standard" quartz today. This accounts for its incredible accuracy of 1 second a month. Something that Omega advertised (and, if you check the manual, also guaranteed for the owner).
A startlingly ambitious design. The version in gold was reportedly over £3000 in 1973, more than half the average home price. The steel was still an huge £600. You could get three or four Rolex sports models for that.
Such was the technology and the excitement in the, well, times. Omega were confident, and optimistic, I like to think. In a seventies "we can go to the moon! our clothes are synthetic! our watches are space age!" kind of way. Commercially this optimism wasn't well rewarded, but it has left us with some very interesting timepieces from that era.
For a superb reference on all things Megaquartz, look no further than this forum thread.
A unique design, more than interesting in many ways, and one I think Omega might be wise to consider reviving.
It's a smart-watch shape and full of technology but so much, well, dare I suggest... classier?
Last edited by Tokyo Tokei; 17th October 2020 at 07:40. Reason: fix missing images
That’s lovley... I’d give my left nut for one of those! One day!
I recall that someone sold one of the gold variants on SC within the last couple of years... such a delicious modernist design
I’ll make do with my lovley Mariner 1 in the meantime...
Quality post; thanks for that.
Yes, that watch was built right, and will retain its appeal and functionality long after today’s latest touch-screen gadget is forgotten.
Groovy dial, by the way. :)
Here's a scan from the Christmas gift guide of a November 1972 edition of Playboy, the price is showing as $1850 - that would have been around £760, unless the rate of the yen to the dollar vs the pound meant watches were sold much cheaper in the UK. So was the Marine Chronometer even more expensive than the Constellation?
Nice pic! Yes, the MC cost more (it was a certified chronometer... even if the movement was all but identical, having it certified allowed Omega to up the price). I don't have accurate info to be honest but somewhere I read £604 was the list price for the stardust blue dial in steel at the time.
A cheeky bump for the many interesting quartz in this thread that are worth a second look. But I do need an excuse, so a small contribution to the pile:
It's the typically-Seiko memorably-named 7T62-0BZ0. A 200m water resistant titanium chronograph with an alarm or dual time indicator (you choose one or the other). 20mm lugs enable any strap you like, if you don't get on with the titanium band.
The movement is the 7T62, a distant descendant of the Seiko 7A28 which was the world's first analogue quartz chronograph. Not a "mecaquartz", note. The hands are powered by their own stepper motors, not a mechanical chronograph module atop a quartz. This was a very big deal in 1980, when the 7A28 was announced, as all other quartz chronographs had LCD displays until that point.
The 7T62 is about 20 years newer than the 7A28, or to put it another way, now about 20 years old. This particular example came to me with the full titanium bracelet and in seemingly good condition, but sold untested as "junk goods":
It just needed a good clean, new battery and caseback gasket. Once completed, it all worked perfectly. These were decent movements, made to be serviceable, as a look inside the 27-page service manual shows:
The chronograph runs the central seconds at 1/5s intervals, and both split and accumulated timing is provided. When reset, the second hand returns home forwards.
The alarm is a one-time 12-hour offering. Not too useful in my opinion, but leaving it off allows the 6 o'clock subdial to be set to display any other timezone, in units of one minute. The dial is easy to read, with an applied Seiko logo and crisp lettering. The lume glows strongly.
It's not traditional haute horlogerie but a peek at that service manual gives some indication of the engineering and technology packed inside.
After seeing it come back to life 20 years after manufacture, I still find such things inspire a sense of admiration and wonder.
Great write up and a cracking looking and highly functional watch! That olive green Zulu is a fantastic match too.A cheeky bump for the many interesting quartz in this thread that are worth a second look. But I do need an excuse, so a small contribution to the pile:
It's the typically-Seiko memorably-named 7T62-0BZ0. A 200m water resistant titanium chronograph with an alarm or dual time indicator (you choose one or the other). 20mm lugs enable any strap you like, if you don't get on with the titanium band.
The movement is the 7T62, a distant descendant of the Seiko 7A28 which was the world's first analogue quartz chronograph. Not a "mecaquartz", note. The hands are powered by their own stepper motors, not a mechanical chronograph module atop a quartz. This was a very big deal in 1980, when the 7A28 was announced, as all other quartz chronographs had LCD displays until that point.
The 7T62 is about 20 years newer than the 7A28, or to put it another way, now about 20 years old. This particular example came to me with the full titanium bracelet and in seemingly good condition, but sold untested as "junk goods":
It just needed a good clean, new battery and caseback gasket. Once completed, it all worked perfectly. These were decent movements, made to be serviceable, as a look inside the 27-page service manual shows:
The chronograph runs the central seconds at 1/5s intervals, and both split and accumulated timing is provided. When reset, the second hand returns home forwards.
The alarm is a one-time 12-hour offering. Not too useful in my opinion, but leaving it off allows the 6 o'clock subdial to be set to display any other timezone, in units of one minute. The dial is easy to read, with an applied Seiko logo and crisp lettering. The lume glows strongly.
It's not traditional haute horlogerie but a peek at that service manual gives some indication of the engineering and technology packed inside.
After seeing it come back to life 20 years after manufacture, I still find such things inspire a sense of admiration and wonder.
I don't think I mentioned this before :
The Pulsar NX14 - The £25 X-33 alternative
The two movements are independent, with their own batteries!
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
A cheeky bump for the many interesting quartz in this thread that are worth a second look. But I do need an excuse, so a small contribution to the pile:
It's the typically-Seiko memorably-named 7T62-0BZ0. A 200m water resistant titanium chronograph with an alarm or dual time indicator (you choose one or the other). 20mm lugs enable any strap you like, if you don't get on with the titanium band.
The movement is the 7T62, a distant descendant of the Seiko 7A28 which was the world's first analogue quartz chronograph. Not a "mecaquartz", note. The hands are powered by their own stepper motors, not a mechanical chronograph module atop a quartz. This was a very big deal in 1980, when the 7A28 was announced, as all other quartz chronographs had LCD displays until that point.
The 7T62 is about 20 years newer than the 7A28, or to put it another way, now about 20 years old. This particular example came to me with the full titanium bracelet and in seemingly good condition, but sold untested as "junk goods":
It just needed a good clean, new battery and caseback gasket. Once completed, it all worked perfectly. These were decent movements, made to be serviceable, as a look inside the 27-page service manual shows:
The chronograph runs the central seconds at 1/5s intervals, and both split and accumulated timing is provided. When reset, the second hand returns home forwards.
The alarm is a one-time 12-hour offering. Not too useful in my opinion, but leaving it off allows the 6 o'clock subdial to be set to display any other timezone, in units of one minute. The dial is easy to read, with an applied Seiko logo and crisp lettering. The lume glows strongly.
It's not traditional haute horlogerie but a peek at that service manual gives some indication of the engineering and technology packed inside.
After seeing it come back to life 20 years after manufacture, I still find such things inspire a sense of admiration and wonder.
That is a great looking watch. I’m now officially on the “look out” for one. Is the lume tritium?
It glows like a very glowy thing, so I think it is some type of Seiko's Lumi Brite (invented in 1995, so it is possible)
Thanks for that!! Glow like a glowy things sounds like LumiBrite to me! I’ll report back to this thread if I’m successful in my hunt :-).
Just read this for the first time, excellent thread. It annoys me when the pictures expire on these old threads though, especially in this day and age!
Oooooohhhhhhhhhh!I don't think I mentioned this before :
The Pulsar NX14 - The £25 X-33 alternative
The two movements are independent, with their own batteries!
M
Now where did I put my Christmas list?
Here is a rare one.
A Citizen LED 'Snoopy' watch, where the crystal engraving continues onto the case.
Mitch
Smiths PRS-37
I'll add our host's Smiths Seafirebecause of its sweeping seconds hand. It's not 100% smooth like a Bulova Precisionist (mesmerising), but the Seafire's moves in a uniquely distinct way. Like an automatic, but a little different.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mSNkncaNA4
That snoopy citizen is something else!! Only the Japanese could make something like that!!!
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
That snoopy citizen is something else!! Only the Japanese could make something like that!!!
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
I think this Grand Seiko deserves a mention here. I bought this one largely because I found it interesting for several reasons:
• 60th anniversary limited edition
• 9F movement
• ceramic bezel
• 200m water resistant
A worthy addition.
I wonder, with the market generally valuing mechanical watches at the high end and electronic ones at the low end, if the 9F series may be the last traditionally engineered high quality quartz movement we ever see.
I'll add this one:
My Credor GCLH999 with 7R88A Spring Drive movement, in this case, hand wound.
No electrical stepper motors nor batteries here, all just an interesting way to regulate the unwinding of a spring. Operating range is stated at -10 ~ +60 degrees Celsius with a power reserve of 48 hours, and a monthly error rate of just +-15 seconds.
I'm sure it’s more commercially sensible to make a new bezel colour or sponsor some sports or celebrities, but I really appreciate these efforts to research ways to measure time autonomously in interesting ways. It took Seiko 20 years to develop this into a viable product.
TT
A spring drive is on my dream list. Do the Credor spring drives differ from the GS ones?
That does look superb, what does it look like on the less interesting side?
Appreciate the reply… this thread attracts fewer responses in ~6 years than the daily price rise threads obtain in 6 days
(And yet people say there isn’t enough about watches any more, while almost any “interesting” quartz can be had for so much less than the cost of a common sports automatic, and may represent so much human ingenuity and horological engineering. Appreciating quartz need not diminish the joy of automatics, but the converse seems prevalent)
Anyhoo… I shall wear the Credor today in honour, and take a picture a little later. Dawn is just breaking here, and there is nothing like finally seeing the light
I do read every update, and should comment more as I really appreciate them.
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
Great topic, some fabulous watches. Failure to appreciate quartz is really just snobbery or ignorance.
I'm getting one next. Want a second hand seafire but never see one so might have to just buy a new one
Sent from my M2101K7BNY using Tapatalk
I like that Constellation with the perpetual calendar! Is it a HAQ movement too?
I can now answer one of those questions...
As for the other, I am not sure. Credor leans towards modern dressy in the same way GS leans towards modern sporty, so the watches tend to be slimmer. Hence the hand wind movement I suspect. I know there are hand wind full mechanical GS but I am not sure this particular Spring Drive calibre ever featured in a GS.
The more recent 9R Spring Drive movements feature at least two hand winders, and one is fitted to the GS SBGZ005 for example:
Not many of those about. But definitely an interesting quartz
Thought I'd include this 9f85 as it has now added the independent setting of the hour hand
Bought this over the Christmas period as I was looking for a not too expensive but quality sports style daily wear watch
I became intrigued with the story and level of effort that goes into GS Quartz watches. When it arrived I was really impressed with the quality and level of fit and finsish of the watch, plus the dial is beautiful under differing lighting.
Accuracy is off the charts, spot on after 6 weeks
A hell of a lot of watch for £2k
Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk
Last edited by jimmer42; 4th February 2022 at 12:43.
I, like you, became engrossed in the GS quartz story after having decided initially to get either a Spring Drive or an Auto and ended up with a new SBGP001 with the 9F85 last April. Since then (nearly ten months), it has lost 3 seconds in total.Thought I'd include this 9f85 as it has now added the independent setting of the hour hand
Bought this over the Christmas period as I was looking for a not too expensive but quality sports style daily wear watch
I became intrigued with the story and level of effort that goes into GS Quartz watches. When it arrived I was really impressed with the quality and level of fit and finsish of the watch, plus the dial is beautiful under differing lighting.
Accuracy is off the charts, spot on after 6 weeks
A hell of a lot of watch for £2k
Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk
I guess this qualifies as an interesting quartz
with it's many faces, and features you just can't find on a 'clockwork' watch
Best Regards - Peter
I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.
Glad they brought that back to GS Quartz. It was on the old 8J GS quartz (examples earlier in this thread) which are excellent, but the 9F is current king of classic quartz movements in my view. The Citizen high-end equivalent has a perpetual calendar, and on paper, slightly better accuracy. But the Seiko calibre “feels” less like a computer to me. Though I'd be happy with either.
Yep! I barely ever see these for sale any more. A great watch.
Citizen is Solar Powered as well so in theory you'd never need to take it off. The new Citizen movement accurate to 1 second a year looks pretty compelling also
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