Watchismo's Top Ten Vintage Plastic Watches
Published: December 04,
2009 | 08:32
Typically, when you think of plastic watches, you think of Swatch. But back in the sixties and seventies, plastic was still a very cool new medium for products. All of the watches featured here are vintage mechanical timepieces, a few with movements by Jaeger and others with automatic winding mechanisms. But overwhelmingly, they are all interesting designs and truly obscure models that you are likely to never find in a lifetime of collecting.
Above, a simple watch with oversized arrows for hands. The case is a somewhat oblong triangle.
This is by a brand called appropriately "Handcuff", this thing is as large as they come and I first read about it in Pieter Doensen's fantastic (out of print) book "Watch - History of the Modern Wrist Watch". I was lucky enough to meet with Pieter back in 2001 and purchased the exact model used for publication. Thanks again Pieter, it's in a safe place!
Ah, again discovered in the Doensen book, this Record Automatic (by Longines) was an amazing find on Ebay about 8 years ago...brand new in box, unfortunately too small for my wrist, made for women. Probably for the best as I would likely have the balls to wear this in public.
The Helmet Jump Hour, not much to say here other than "look at that friggin movement!". Insane. I featured this a while back-->link
Part of watchmaking history, the Tissot Astrolon Idea 2001, the worlds first all plastic watch, including the movement. For more info, go here-->link
And some of my absolute favorite watches to collect but hardly ever wear, the Pierre Cardin 1971 collection (shown above and below). Produced for just for one year, these fantastic watches had manual winding Jaeger movements and designs (both platic and steel) like no other! For more, go here-->link
The beautiful disc/hand dials of the vintage Mondia Moonstone
The only plastic watch shown here made for kids, featuring gadgets for spying (expandable eyesights, etc) and a manual winding movement with an ingenious display for showing the hour through a rotating hole, for more go here-->link
These plastic watches by Nivada are deceiving, the photos do not express their monster size, they measure approximately 70mm wide! The straps would usually match the dial, for more go here-->link
And for related plastic wristwatch posts...
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BLASTS FROM THE PAST - Strolling Down The Memory Lanes of the Watchismo Vintage Museum Pages
Published: November 13,
2009 | 14:16
Ok, I once used these pages to catalog and drool over time slipped through my fingertips these past 12 years online. Nearly all the watches from my now ancient Museum Pages are long gone - sold or in my carefully guarded personal collection, but the pages are worth revisiting for inspiration of all sorts. Hell, some of them are just downright ugly and worth a laugh. Enjoy!
LINK --> The Old Watchismo Museum Page 1
The Old Watchismo Museum Page 2
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Vintage LIP Watches - Rare Private Collection Available After Decades in Storage!
Published: October 09,
2009 | 06:51
A very rare private collection of vintage LIP watches are now available. Ranging from gunmetal and sterling silver pocket watches of the early 1900s to the iconic French designer series of the early seventies. Original Mach 2000 chronographs from Roger Tallon, very rare Prince Francois de Baschmakoff Jump Hours and some nearly singular examples from a rich history in time!
Above, a Sixties sterling silver LIP wristwatch with actual wood inlaid bracelet and wood dial. Never seen another like it, ever!
1970's "Les Candides" by Michel Boyer
(beat Swatch by 10 years!)
Related Posts at The Watchismo Times;
All Vintage Watch Stories
All LIP Watch Stories
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VINTAGE WATCHING - An Unusual Vintage Planetary Display Watch by Juvenia
Published: August 24,
2009 | 05:55
Vintage Watching - Gettin To The Hajj On Time - 1970s Vintage Muslim Mecca Compass Watches
Published: March 18,
2009 | 14:59
Even though the Islamic pilgrims are walking counterclockwise around the Hajj in Mecca, they can be on time with these very rare vintage Muslim World Time watches of the early seventies. Built with a compass and pointer for Mecca just above the dial and below the crystal, they are powered by Swiss mechanical automatic movements.
See the uncovered stash of this obscure watch collection here-->Muslim Mecca Watches
Brushed Steel Case
Black Steel Mecca Watch
Product Pages-->LINK| Watchismo Blog | Watchismo Shop | Contact Us | Subscribe |
Oddities of the Day - Vintage Certina Biostar Biorhythm Watch
Published: September 17,
2008 | 00:36
Maybe the first and hopefully the last Biorhythm watch in history. For those of you lucky enough to not know what Biorhythms are, Wikipedia describes it; "The theory of biorhythms claims that one's life is affected by rhythmic biological cycles, and seeks to make predictions regarding these cycles and the personal ease of carrying out tasks related to the cycles."
Certina made a few varieties of this pseudo-scientific electronic watch all featuring a rainbow of three rings marked with random numbers for love, health and some other nonsense. Oh those silly dirty hippies...
1970s Certina Biostar Varieties
Biostar Caseback
Below is a cheapo vintage watch by Continental from the late sixties/early seventies. A fellow collector Ruud has pointed out an oddity that we can not figure out. Perhaps you might have a guess? The watch has three seconds hands. Two in the center that appear forked and then the sub-seconds at six. This is not a chronograph, there is no stopwatch function, just the time and three indications for seconds...
Update:
Here is one opinion...from Fook in Singapore;
"Is the white hand luminous? Maybe its for the use when its dark. Looking at it now, when surrounding is bright, the red hand is very prominent whereas the white one is less so."
And just in from inventor Greg Blonder with what I believe to be the correct answer;
I'm pretty sure the two hands are used to start a race. As they get close to "12" you say "on your mark". When the first hand hits 12 you say "set", and when the second hand, three seconds later hits 12, say "go". A cheap version of a sailing or track and field watch.
See Also;
All Offbeat Watch Posts-->LINK
All Vintage Watch Posts-->LINK
| Watchismo Blog | Watchismo Shop | Contact Us | Subscribe |TIME IS RELATIVELY FOR SALE - ALBERT EINSTEIN'S WATCH UP FOR AUCTION!
Published: September 11,
2008 | 19:43
Probably one of the more interesting objects you could own from Albert Einstein. Einstein once said, "the separation between past, present, and future is only an illusion, although a convincing one." Too bad we can't ask him what a real timepiece should look like...
And if you'd like to own his personal Longines wristwatch from 1930, here is your chance. Antiquorum is auctioning it off October 16th in New York City.
Valued between $25,000 and $35,000, I imagine it will go much higher. They will provide photos showing Einstein wearing the watch. Auction press release-->Link
SEE ALSO;
All Watchismo Times Antique Timepiece Posts
All Vintage Watch Posts| Watchismo Blog | Watchismo Shop | Contact Us | Subscribe |Vintage Watching - Two Very Rare 1970 Helmet Jump Hour Watches
Published: May 15,
2008 | 23:10
Holy crap, I've seen one of these before but fellow eccentric vintage jump hour collector Ruud has found two of them at once! You'll hear more and more about his amazing collection of vintage digital jump hours in time to come... Now if I could only convince him to share the wealth, hell, I'm probably the only other person in the world who would actually want this ridiculous rarity.
A vertical drum display not unlike the 1974 Jaz Derby Swissonic (featured-->here) Or my favorite of all time, the 1950s Patek Philippe Cobra (featured-->here)
Related Stories;
Patek Philippe Cobra Sideview Prototype of 1958
1974 Jaz Derby Swissonic Cylindrical Jump Hour
All Jump Hour Posts
All Sideview Display Posts
Alternative Displays
Jean Dunand Shabaka
Jacob & Co. Quenttin
The Cabestan
| Watchismo Blog | Watchismo Shop | Contact Us | Subscribe |Vintage Watching - A Bumper Crop of New Old Watches
Published: March 20,
2008 | 15:31
Just compiled a collection of oddities and obscurities from the forties through the seventies! So fresh to the site that not all the descriptions have even been written!
Visit the new collection here-->LINK
Some highlights; 1960s
Omega Dynamic, 1950s White Gold
LeCoultre, 1970s
Wittnauer Futurama Retrograde.
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Rare Recovered Retrograde Wristwatches - Two 1972 Wittnauer Sector Futurama 1000
Published: March 06,
2008 | 18:41
There were very few double-retrograde watches made in the early seventies but here are two of the very best. The vintage automatic winding "Futurama 1000" by Wittnauer featured only two styles, silver dial and black dial with hours and minutes displayed in an arc (hours on left, minutes on right). As each hand travels to the bottom, they fly-back to the top rather than circularly rotate. These two are particularly fine examples each with their original bracelets. Deep-set magnified portholes for date display.
Black dial (shown above displaying 11:10)-->Link
Silver dial (shown below displaying 11:12)-->Link
Related Posts;
1900 Steampunk Retrograde Pocket Watch
Retired Retrogradation
Raunchy Retrograde
Hautlence
Urwerk
All Retrograde Watch Stories
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Typically, when you think of plastic watches, you think of Swatch. But back in the sixties and seventies, plastic was still a very cool new medium for products. All of the watches featured here are vintage mechanical timepieces, a few with movements by Jaeger and others with automatic winding mechanisms. But overwhelmingly, they are all interesting designs and truly obscure models that you are likely to never find in a lifetime of collecting.
This is by a brand called appropriately "Handcuff", this thing is as large as they come and I first read about it in Pieter Doensen's fantastic (out of print) book "Watch - History of the Modern Wrist Watch". I was lucky enough to meet with Pieter back in 2001 and purchased the exact model used for publication. Thanks again Pieter, it's in a safe place!
Ah, again discovered in the Doensen book, this Record Automatic (by Longines) was an amazing find on Ebay about 8 years ago...brand new in box, unfortunately too small for my wrist, made for women. Probably for the best as I would likely have the balls to wear this in public.
The Helmet Jump Hour, not much to say here other than "look at that friggin movement!". Insane. I featured this a while back-->link
Part of watchmaking history, the Tissot Astrolon Idea 2001, the worlds first all plastic watch, including the movement. For more info, go here-->link
And some of my absolute favorite watches to collect but hardly ever wear, the Pierre Cardin 1971 collection (shown above and below). Produced for just for one year, these fantastic watches had manual winding Jaeger movements and designs (both platic and steel) like no other! For more, go here-->link
The beautiful disc/hand dials of the vintage Mondia Moonstone
The only plastic watch shown here made for kids, featuring gadgets for spying (expandable eyesights, etc) and a manual winding movement with an ingenious display for showing the hour through a rotating hole, for more go here-->link
These plastic watches by Nivada are deceiving, the photos do not express their monster size, they measure approximately 70mm wide! The straps would usually match the dial, for more go here-->link
