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Thread: Other 'Achievement' or 'famous' watches?

  1. #1
    Master
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    Other 'Achievement' or 'famous' watches?

    After reading the Smiths / Rolex Everest thread with great interest I got to pondering other watches that have been attached to human achievement.
    The most personal to me would be Thor Heyerdahl's Eterna or maybe Rolex or possibly Longines as my grandfather was an avid sailor, building 9 boats throughout his life.
    However, there are plenty of others that could be considered just as important or fascinating as Hillary's or Heyerdahl, even the story of Newman's Daytona is enthralling.
    So which watches connected to human achievement (or fame) tickle your fancy? Is there a mystery attached to their provenance or location?

    For me as stated before it's Heyerdahl's Eterna. Heyerdahl posited that there was a lot of commonality between Polynesian and South American culture and that Polynesians were of 'Incan' descent, to prove this he built a 14 foot boat out of balsa wood and made the 4,300 mile journey himself. The story goes that one of the few concessions to modernity was that he contacted Eterna and commissioned a timepiece specifically for the voyage, however in the Kontiki museum the timepiece displayed is a Longines and an Eterna identified as Heyerdahl's had never shown up.

  2. #2
    Grand Master Sinnlover's Avatar
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    Other 'Achievement' or 'famous' watches?

    I think a watch went to the moon. Finding out which one would be cool...
    :-)
    The glycine Airman (also went in to space) is a watch and story I like
    Designed by the owner of Glycine after a chat with a Thai Airways crew on the flight deck.



    I also think his watch would have a few stores to tell if it could. Pretty sure he would have been wearing an A11 when he first broke the sound barrier though.
    Last edited by Sinnlover; 13th March 2019 at 11:52.

  3. #3
    Craftsman
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    I think the Omega speedmaster would have to be up there for most.

    Edit: Sinnlover beat me to it

  4. #4
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sinnlover View Post
    I think a watch went to the moon. Finding out which one would be cool...
    :-)
    The glycine Airman (also went in to space) is a watch and story I like
    Designed by the owner of Glycine after a chat with a Thai Airways crew on the flight deck.



    I also think his watch would have a few stores to tell if it could. Pretty sure he would have been wearing an A11 when he first broke the sound barrier though.
    Chuck Yeager did ads for Rolex later on.

  5. #5
    Master bobbee's Avatar
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    Bulova have a few.
    The Lone Eagle model of Lindbergh's 1927 Atlantic flight fame.
    The 'Round The World' model worn by Post and Gatty on their famous 1931 circumnavigation flight.
    The 1925 watch presented to Baseball Hero Bucky Harris by President Coolidge, leading to the long-lived 'President' line of models.
    The Accutron Astronaut models used by flyers, astronauts and also various Accutron satellite and space vehicle clocks and recording instruments.
    The famous 'Moon' watch.

  6. #6
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Cartier Santos
    Longines Weem
    Universal Polerouter
    Rolex Deep Sea

  7. #7
    Grand Master Chinnock's Avatar
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    Sinn 140 first automatic chronograph in space.

  8. #8
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    The Harwood on the first round the world airship journey (this is my favourite).

    http://www.harwood-watches.com/en/history/index.html

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4jq7oRxw-g
    Last edited by abraxas; 13th March 2019 at 12:53.

  9. #9
    Master animalone's Avatar
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    Although it isn't connected to any landmark achievements in exploration.
    One watch that has fascinated me for a while now is the Brook & Son Submarine.
    Although I'm still surprised at how little know it is, considering how advanced it was for its age.
    Here we have a watch that was not only "Waterproof" a decade before the Oyster case but also antimagnetic 20 years before the Tissot claim.

    (not my watches sadly, sill on the hunt for one of my own)

    David Boettcher has done some wonderful research on it and his blog is well worth a read.
    http://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/blogsubmarine.php

  10. #10
    Grand Master Der Amf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by animalone View Post
    Truly

  11. #11
    Master
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    The Ed White Speedmaster

  12. #12
    Master
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    Rolex 18ct Day-Date = given to every POTUS
    Rolex Sea Dweller = attached to the Treiste
    Rolex Deep Sea = Deep Sea Challenger

    Steve McQueen's Submariner
    Paul Newman's Daytona
    Red Adair's Day-Date
    The Expendables, many a Panerai

  13. #13
    Grand Master
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    Amelia Earharts Reverso, Cousteaus sub.

  14. #14
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    Cousteau also had spirotechnique, doxa... and the ploprof of course
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  15. #15
    Grand Master Mr Curta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ViperStripes View Post
    The Ed White Speedmaster
    Leonov's 3017


  16. #16
    Master Lampoc's Avatar
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    I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Gagarin's Sturmanskie yet.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Curta View Post
    Leonov's 3017
    Although it's basically the same watch, surely Leonov had a Strela, not a Poljot.
    Last edited by Lampoc; 13th March 2019 at 17:45.

  17. #17
    Grand Master Mr Curta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lampoc View Post
    Although it's basically the same watch, surely Leonov had a Strela, not a Poljot.
    Almost certainly badged as a Strela but I ain’t got one of those.
    Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH

  18. #18
    Journeyman
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    Probably this particular Panerai 3646....

    The story is available on Wikipedia

  19. #19
    Master Lampoc's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Curta View Post
    Almost certainly badged as a Strela but I ain’t got one of those.
    Did you have to agree so quickly? I was hoping for a 7 page Poljot vs Strela fanboy argument.

  20. #20
    Grand Master
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    World's first mass market quartz watch:


  21. #21
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lampoc View Post
    Did you have to agree so quickly? I was hoping for a 7 page Poljot vs Strela fanboy argument.
    Pah! It’s all conjecture anyway, and I think you both only see what you want to see.
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  22. #22
    Grand Master
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    Wittnauer Allproof:



    As worn by Jimmy Mattern and, of course Neil Armstrong during his Gemini flight:


  23. #23
    Grand Master jwg663's Avatar
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    Baumgartner's Zenith El Primero Flyback Striking 10th?


    https://www.zenith-watches.com/en_en...ix-baumgartner
    ______

    ​Jim.

  24. #24
    Master animalone's Avatar
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    Al Capone's Rolex prince
    Jim Clark's Enicar chrono
    Mallory's Borgel
    George Daniel's Co axial Patek nautilus

  25. #25
    Excellent thread! Was going to suggest Polerouter but it's been done. Smiths Antarctic?

  26. #26
    Grand Master Mr Curta's Avatar
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    Bin Laden's F-91W

  27. #27
    Master ed335d's Avatar
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    William Pogue's 'Pogue'

    https://www.dreamchrono.com/2013/11/seiko-6139-pogue/

    Mick Jagger and the 6309 and Heuer Carrera

  28. #28
    Grand Master Chris_in_the_UK's Avatar
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    Mike Horn - Panerai.
    When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........

  29. #29
    Grand Master SimonK's Avatar
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    Tudor Oyster Prince - British North Greenland Expedition (1952-54).

  30. #30
    Master bedlam's Avatar
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    Dave Scott - his Speedmaster was the first watch to fail on a moon walk (popped the crystal) and was replaced with a Bulova

  31. #31
    Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by bedlam View Post
    Dave Scott - his Speedmaster was the first watch to fail on a moon walk (popped the crystal) and was replaced with a Bulova
    I’ve always been a bit suspicious of this. He’s the only one who took a reserve watch and the only one to have a watch fail. I remember doing a research methods course that included a bit on the statistics of combinng the likelihood of events and the likelihood drops remarkably rapidly...

  32. #32
    Grand Master Mr Curta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by M4tt View Post
    I’ve always been a bit suspicious of this. He’s the only one who took a reserve watch and the only one to have a watch fail. I remember doing a research methods course that included a bit on the statistics of combinng the likelihood of events and the likelihood drops remarkably rapidly...
    I'd quite like the source for that. I don't have time to search at the moment but I seem to recall an image of Ed Mitchell wearing a 1675 in the Lunar Module.

    I also find it odd that Scott initially recalled his watch being a Waltham before later rediscovering that it was actually the Bulova badged Universal Genčve.

  33. #33
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Curta View Post
    ....
    I also find it odd that Scott initially recalled his watch being a Waltham before later rediscovering that it was actually the Bulova badged Universal Genčve.
    Universal never sold such a model. So it was not a re-badge. The model was specifically made by Universal for Bulova. One piece was found amongst a bunch of Universals but it did not have the Universal branding. It was the first watch specifically designed for space work.

  34. #34
    Grand Master Mr Curta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas View Post
    Universal never sold such a model. So it was not a re-badge. The model was specifically made by Universal for Bulova. One piece was found amongst a bunch of Universals but it did not have the Universal branding. It was the first watch specifically designed for space work.
    Indeed. That’s why I said badged rather than re-badged.
    Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH

  35. #35
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lampoc View Post
    I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Gagarin's Sturmanskie yet.

    Although it's basically the same watch, surely Leonov had a Strela, not a Poljot.
    Great story about Leonov here:

    http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-5-mo...done-in-space/

    The strela should be more iconic being the first chronograph in space
    Last edited by Grandsire; 14th March 2019 at 09:41.

  36. #36
    Master bedlam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by M4tt View Post
    I’ve always been a bit suspicious of this. He’s the only one who took a reserve watch and the only one to have a watch fail. I remember doing a research methods course that included a bit on the statistics of combinng the likelihood of events and the likelihood drops remarkably rapidly...
    Because nobody ever takes redundant gear to perform important functions in contexts where you are required to be highly self-sufficient.

    Yup, that's totally 'suspicious'.


  37. #37
    Master bobbee's Avatar
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    Made by Nivada in 1950's for Admiral Byrd and USN during 'Operation Deep Freeze', the Antarctic series.




  38. #38
    Craftsman thefatboy's Avatar
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    How about the Monaco? It's been dining out on a bit-part in a 70's movie for nearly fifty years!

    Oh, and a cameo in a highly acclaimed TV series too I suppose.

  39. #39
    Grand Master
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    Does the Lancet watch from pulp fiction count?

  40. #40
    Grand Master SimonK's Avatar
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  41. #41
    Lithgow / Benson / Smiths?

    "25 September 1953 New world speed record is set up by Lieutenant Commander Michael J. Lithgow, flying a Vickers Supermarine Swift and averaging 737mph in four runs over a 3 kilometre course in Tripoli.

    Lieut. Commander Lithgow broke the World Air Speed Record over Tripoli flying the Supermarine Swift F.4 prototype WK198 whilst wearing a Dennison Aquatite cased J.W.Benson Tropical [with a 16 jewel Smiths movement]."

  42. #42
    Master JackW's Avatar
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    This thread would be incomplete without a mention of comedy's greatest watch: the Basil Fawlty Seamaster:


  43. #43
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rev-O View Post
    Lithgow / Benson / Smiths?

    "25 September 1953 New world speed record is set up by Lieutenant Commander Michael J. Lithgow, flying a Vickers Supermarine Swift and averaging 737mph in four runs over a 3 kilometre course in Tripoli.

    Lieut. Commander Lithgow broke the World Air Speed Record over Tripoli flying the Supermarine Swift F.4 prototype WK198 whilst wearing a Dennison Aquatite cased J.W.Benson Tropical [with a 16 jewel Smiths movement]."
    Like this one? One of my favourites, didn't know it had aeronautical history associations.

  44. #44
    Craftsman Frakius's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SimonK View Post

    "If any difficulty in obtaining, write to the ROLEX WATCH CO.LTD. (H. Wilsdorf, Managing Director)

    I see there is an address to write to for anyone who can't obtain a Rolex sports watch, how nice of them!

  45. #45
    Roger Smith’s Rolex Explorer.

  46. #46
    Master sweets's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chinnock View Post
    Sinn 140 first automatic chronograph in space.
    Claimed but disproved, Seiko got there first.
    Dave

  47. #47
    Quote Originally Posted by size11s View Post
    Like this one? One of my favourites, didn't know it had aeronautical history associations.
    Yes -- but different dial. His (or the one in the ad!) had Roman numerals.

    Annoyingly I can't find the pic now . . .

    Smiths are basically the winners of everything. They made the first Speedmaster you know -- see http://smithspassionreport.com

    Edit: Sorry they made the first speedometer. So close! (That is actually true about the speedometer.)

  48. #48
    Master
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    A couple of watches spring to mind;
    I remember a little while ago a watch came up for auction which was once owned by an escapee of Stalag Luft III. I remember thinking at the time, that would be a lovely thing to own. The other is of T. E. Lawrence’s Omega which I think now resides in the Omega museum.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  49. #49
    Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by bedlam View Post
    Because nobody ever takes redundant gear to perform important functions in contexts where you are required to be highly self-sufficient.

    Yup, that's totally 'suspicious'.

    Of course they do. However, it's less often that they are persuaded to do so by a major American corporation that was supplying NASA but lost the contract and was desperate, in several ways, to get it back and really want to prove it in action. That that happened and then the only Speedmaster failure just happened to happen that one time...

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by bedlam View Post
    Because nobody ever takes redundant gear to perform important functions in contexts where you are required to be highly self-sufficient.

    Yup, that's totally 'suspicious'.

    Of course they do. However, it's less often that they are persuaded to do so by a major American corporation that was supplying NASA but lost the contract and was desperate, in several ways, to get it back and really want to prove it in action. That that happened and then the only Speedmaster failure just happened to happen that one time...

  50. #50
    Master sweets's Avatar
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    Scott was Armstrong's co-crew on Gemini 8 when Armstrong wore Jimmy Mattern's Wittnauer (see above) on the other wrist from his Speedmaster, so was completely familiar with the idea of carrying another timepiece.
    Dave

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