I’d stick to CWC (20 years production) or Precista (2 years).
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Anyone know much about these?
All I can find is a post elsewhere that NSN 6645-99-737-3314 is for a Cyma Diver (Quartz). It looks similar to my old CWC G10 which I bought from Anchor Supplies aeons ago for about £60, but which seem to cost rather more now!
TT
Last edited by Tokyo Tokei; 2nd August 2021 at 14:37.
I’d stick to CWC (20 years production) or Precista (2 years).
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Last edited by BillyCasper; 27th July 2021 at 07:56.
I am aware of these, but no one seems to know much about them. A guy who calls himself military watch trader on Instagram has one, but even the guy who runs CWC Addict has never heard of the Cyma version.
https://www.instagram.com/militarywatchtrader/
The 5317 ending NSN is the same as the CWC G10. Cool thing, if it’s for sale I would buy it. Since hearing about it I have been keeping an eye on e-bay but haven’t seen one listed for sale yet.
Any more info on the one pictured here?
CYMA made one of the dirty dozen watches of course.
There’s a good thread running on MWR that lists G10 production years, makers, service, quantities and serial numbers. Only CWC and Precista feature. CYMA doesn’t.
Here’s another resource: https://cwcaddict.com/f/the-g10-full-set
https://cwcaddict.com/general-service-quartz
I have some recollection of another thread on MWR about fake CYMA British military watches, but I think it related to the earlier tonneau pattern.
As Ken mentions CYMA did supply an even earlier WWW to the British army and it is one of the better ones. I had one a number of years ago. One of the larger WWW and one of the most attractive. Regret selling it (and a beautiful Longines WWW).
Cyma also supplied an ATP.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Last edited by BillyCasper; 27th July 2021 at 08:42.
The post I found with the NSN for CYMA quartz is here https://www.thedivewatchconnection.c...=16770#p293390
(I don't want to buy a fake, but I see very few of these for sale at all, so not sure where the fakes are hiding!)
I've owned the CWC version (and the CWC RN Divers) and I'd put those pieces entirely on the same level as CYMA for general build and quality, but of course one is much better known.
I don’t believe the watch pictured is a fake. Looking at the case back I would suggest that the watch was made around 1996. The discussion behind the picture on Instagram that I linked earlier suggests it could be a prototype of some sort that was never taken up. At some point back then Pulsar got in on the act, so maybe CYMA tendered for a MoD contract and lost out.
Dare we ask how much it is.
I would say that if you choose not to buy it, I would be interested
I think there may have been a small number of ‘prototypes’ made in the late 80s early 90s for both G10 and diver watches
There is a Cyma dialled diver on scubawatch.org although this does not conform with defstan requirements.
These were definitely not issued though.
It arrived, seems in good condition. Fixed bars, 19mm. Squeezed a ratty 20mm on it for now.
Any recommended straps for these?
TT
Tried a blue one (again 20mm). Put the sand NATO back on the watch in the background, another old CYMA
Very light and comfortable this type of watch, I had forgotten.
TT
Another great purchase buddy! I love this one, saw a post of one over on MWR and it caught my eye straight away. Really cool little watch, congratulations!
Great watch and a rare beast indeed. That’s two that I am aware of now. I still think prototype is the most likely and looking at the package around 1996.
Thanks all for the advice, info and kind words.
I decided to stop punishing my collection of tatty 20mm straps, and popped out to get this new one.
18mm, it seems just about perfect:
Front-on, the seconds hand hits all the markers with almost absurd precision. A small bundle of excellence these things.
TT
^that is one cool watch, looks perfect with the new strap.
What’s the back story here. Where did the watch appear for sale and how did the seller describe it. Looks NOS condition.
It was for sale at a well known used-goods national chain store in Nagoya, Japan. Description was along the lines of "working, with small scratches" - which is accurate! It's not NOS, there are small scratches on the crystal for example.
Last edited by Tokyo Tokei; 31st July 2021 at 12:44. Reason: way too much flannel
An excellent find, well done.
Thanks, I don't see these often if at all, so just luck.
If anyone is looking and wants their search to pickup Japanese sellers, try some of these keywords:
ミリタリー (Military]
腕時計 (wristwatch) or just 時計 (watch, but can also mean clock)
クォーツ (Quartz)
手巻き (Hand wind)
自動巻 (Automatic wind)
ロイヤル ネイビー ダイバーズ (Royal Navy Divers)
カボットウォッチカンパニー (Cabot Watch Company)
シーマ (CYMA)
スミス (Smiths)
ブロードアロー (Broad Arrow)
Yahoo Auctions (and to some extent, Rakuten) is the major online aggregator. Lots of physical shops sell via Yahoo Auctions / Rakuten as well as in-store, although many more remain in-person sales only. PayPal and eBay are not common, but I think there are forwarding companies that can help with overseas orders from the online sellers, including Yahoo Auctions. (No experience of these, sorry).
Hope this is helpful,
TT
I’ve bought a couple of auction items using the From Japan proxy and forwarding service, pretty smooth. A hard to find Seiko crystal and a Swiss Army Knife.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I bought a few Seiko Alpinist’s from buyee.jp a few years back. A fairly easy site to use. The seller sent the goods to a central point then buyee shipped it internationally.
Congratulations. An interesting watch that. I wonder what movement it has in it.
Buyee is a very dangerous place. Well, for my bank balance at least.
I wonder too re the movement. It operates identically to my old CWC quartz G10. I have two other CYMA quartz watches of around the same vintage. They have the ETA 955 7 jewel variant, one is signed CYMA and one isn't. I am too wary to take the back off the G10 to find out (I assume it has a snap back?) in case I mangle it.
I’m guessing also that it would have the same movement as a CWC of a similar age, can’t recall the number right now. You are right not to take the back off, they are fairly easy to remove, but can be hell to put back on unless you the right tools, a watch case back press etc.
Like this one?
(no connection to seller, not a recommendation - I know nothing about these)
Yep that’s a Cyma WWW
One of the larger versions of the WWW and a very good quality watch.
Prices (like all military watches) are rising.
I like the hand set on the Cyma it’s a bit more modern in form.
Cyma certainly had their time...
I'm not sure who owns the brand now nor if they have done much with it recently. But with their history and the growing interest in military timepieces, it is surely ripe for a revival. (Eddie...?)
TT
One appeared on e-bay from a Spanish seller this week:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cyma-w10-...rdt=true&rt=nc
This appeared to be a full set with boxes and a CYMA embossed strap. Interestingly the case back is different to the one posted by the OP. Here are some photos for reference in the future:
I suspect the guarantee dated 2012 is from a secondhand jewellers or market stall offering a 3 or 6 month warranty. It doesn’t look like a CYMA issued guarantee. Looking at the watch and the case back I am still inclined to think it’s from around 1996. I also think like modern day CWCs this was just sold as a civilian watch to Joe public and is not a military issued watch. A homage to CWC G10s perhaps.
I was the only bidder and was successful, paid in full at the end of the auction only for the seller to cancel the sale and refund my money on the grounds that the watch is damaged. Looking at the photos I can only take it that must be Spanish for I didn’t get the price I was expecting. Bloody foreigners
Shame about the seller. (I also wonder how they got the strap on the fixed bars?)
They clip over, I have a few of those, Rios 1931 is a good make.
There is an article on them here:
https://www.watchobsession.co.uk/blo...os1931-arizona
Last edited by Wallasey Runner; 22nd August 2021 at 13:24.
Ah I see! The ends looked to be stitched, hence I was wondering if the "damage" was perhaps the fixed bars had been replaced with spring bars.
Thank you for the link <disappears down rabbit hole of clip-on straps>
Looks like our Spanish friend has relisted the Cyma.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274917106...MAAOSwYTZhHM26
What a sh*t, If the only bid was from me, why does he think adding another 100€ will attract more bidders. I might place a bid, but I certainly won’t pay if I win until I hear from the guy.
Gives me 7 days to make a decision as I’m waiting for a guy in Australia to give me a price on a 1981 Navigator and if I buy that then the watch fund will be well and truly gone.
Is there anyway to raise this with eBay?
Surely they would (ok we know they won’t) take action
I checked before if you can cover that by reporting an item, but it only gives you specific headings, no box for a message as such. The only other way would be to try and contact them, but as you say John I don’t think that would achieve anything.
Anyway, it’s currently priced around the same as a new CWC G10 so not over priced at present. Problem is £30 odd quid for postage and then 20% VAT on top - making it a less attractive proposition. I think I’ve just talked myself out of bothering with it
A bid, a retraction and then withdrawn by the seller.
That went well
This one watch is a show in its own right, it’s back again.
This time it’s a buy it now at 400€
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274920637...MAAOSwYTZhHM26
On a more serious note, what do we think it is actually worth. I have only seen two before, including TTs on here, so there aren’t many around. I’m guessing with postage, exchange rates and VAT etc when it hits the UK this little bundle of joy could end up costing someone very close to £500.00.
It’s not issued, it doesn’t rank the same as some of the individually rare G10s. £500 would get you a 1984 Precista. Is this in the same league, I suspect not…
I would not pay more than £100 for it
There is no interest other than it looks like a G10 and has some numbers on the back
As a research project I might be a bit of fun but that where the value is to me.
There may be a bit of paper somewhere confirming that they are a ‘rare prototype’ at which point the price will go stratospheric but I doubt it
My guess is there is a connection between Cyma and one of the makers of the G10s or Cyma bought some spare cases and stuck their logo on in an effort to stave off their inevitable collapse.
What a peculiar drama. The seller's listing states postage to the EU only, so I think that's that as far as UK interest goes.
As for value, there don't seem to be a lot of these around and hence there won't ever be a reference price derived from multiple sales and exhaustive tables of serials and years from collectors. So despite most likely never having taken a round trip to an army stores cupboard, they will fetch whatever someone is willing to pay.
Our Spanish friend clearly feels that might be "quite a lot". We shall see.
The value of yours is going up by the second
Whatever the history these are a very cool and rare piece, in better times I would have found £300 BIN difficult to resist(whilst still in the EU so no additional fees looming), at that price though it would be a pass for me even if I had the funds(I sold a near perfect issued '82 CWC fatboy for £300 about a year ago).
It is a beauty though, not only rare buy very pleasing tritium ageing.
Yey, I'm rich!
CYMA itself appears to be still going, owned by a conglomerate that includes Universal Genève, Catena (?) and the sole distribution rights to Seiko in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.
With CYMA's long and interesting history, military and horological provenance, I am surprised they are not doing much with the brand at present. Maybe making too much money selling Seikos in Asia.
Still keeping an eye on it. It’s an interesting piece and if anyone currently owns a CWC and a Precista it would be cool to own a third brand, but not at silly money. I don’t see it selling at that price.
It sold for 325€
I received a message from e-bay, but no e-mail and therefore completely missed it. The guy had made an offer to those who had viewed it to buy it now at 325€
I can’t really see the point of sending something to your message box without sending an e-mail as well. I only went in to see if there was a weekend offer on the go. All very strange.
Anyway, it’s gone - anyone on here?
I got the email but didn't buy it, that's weird you didn't receive the email also.
Just read through this thread and reminded me of a Roamer G10 i came across on eBay last year.
I thought it'd be a good idea to discuss in a separate thread so i created it here:
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...01#post5851801
It doesn't have the T symbol on the dial that you would expect for an issued watch of this time, nor an issued date on the back.