Vintage Mido Multifort Datometer

I have just found a Vintage Mido Multifort Datometer  With bumper automatic movement. It shall require a thorough cleaning and service.

The vintage Mido Multifort Datometer with a pointer date and bumper movement is a rare and elegant timepiece, featuring a unique date display where an additional hand points to the date on an outer ring of the dial. This configuration was produced in limited quantities during the 1930s to 1950s and is especially prized by collectors for its mechanical ingenuity and clean aesthetic.

Notable Details

• The pointer date complication sets these watches apart from standard calendar models, with the date hand typically in red and circling the outer edge of the dial.

• These watches use bumper automatic movements, such as the Caliber 817 or 917, which provide reliable self-winding and are valued for their historical significance.

• Original examples in good condition, especially with non-luminous dials and steel hands/markers, are exceptionally rare and desirable among vintage watch enthusiasts.

Vintage West End Watch

Vintage West End Watch

Vacheron Constantin ref 6563 Hand wind calibers

I have been offered this 35mm Vacheron & Constantin watch in stainless steel watch several months ago but owing to the long price negotiation process, it has taken much time  before I could finally acquired the watch. The watch, in my opinion, is very collectible as its size is 35mm (most are 30, 32mm and 34mm) plus it is in stainless steel.

Stainless steel vintage Vacheron & Constantin watches from the 1930s to 1960s do exist, but they are relatively rare compared to gold models from the same period. Most Vacheron Constantin wristwatches produced during this era were made in precious metals like yellow gold, pink gold, or platinum, especially for their high-end and complicated pieces.

However, there are documented examples of stainless steel cases, particularly for certain references and models. For instance, the reference 4072 chronograph was produced in both steel and bicolored (steel/gold) versions, although steel versions are much less common and their production numbers were limited. Additionally, some sector dial pocket watches and specific wristwatch models from the 1930s and 1940s are known to have been made in steel.

Overall, while stainless steel vintage Vacheron Constantin watches from the 1930s–1960s are not abundant, they do appear in auction records and specialist collections, often commanding high interest from collectors due to their rarity.

However, owing to a small hairline scratch on the dial, I was able to get the watch at a relatively good price.

Vintage Vacheron  & Constantin used a wide range of hand‑wound calibers over the 20th century, and any list will be partial rather than truly complete. The calibers below focus on classic, time‑only, hand‑wind movements collectors most often encounter in vintage dress pieces.

1940s–1960s standard manual

• Cal. 453 (sub‑seconds) – manual, time‑only, based on a Jaeger‑LeCoultre ébauche, widely used from the 1940s into the 1960s.

• Cal. 454 (center seconds) – manual, time‑only, center‑seconds version of the 453 with a thicker mainplate to support the extra gearing.

• Cal. 1007/BS (sub‑seconds) – chronometer‑grade, manual, essentially an uprated 453 for Chronomètre Royal, with hacking (balance stop).

• Cal. 1008/BS (center seconds) – center‑seconds version of the 1007/BS with similar chronometer‑oriented upgrades and hacking.

Thin hand‑wound calibers
• Cal. K1001 – thin, manual, sub‑seconds, produced from the 1950s into the late 1970s, derived from a dedicated Jaeger‑LeCoultre base for Vacheron Constantin.

• Cal. K1002 – thin, manual, center‑seconds variant of the K1001, with an extended gear train for the central second hand.

• Cal. K1014 – later thin, manual sub‑seconds movement (about 1970s onward), simplifying the K1001 bridge layout while retaining a slim profile.

Ultra‑thin hand‑wound

• Cal. 1003 – ultra‑thin, manual two‑hand movement (hours and minutes) originally based on the JLC 839/849 family, around 1.64 mm thick and historically one of the thinnest hand‑wound movements ever made.

Tudor ref 7928 submariner

Tudor Submariner reference 7928 is one of the core vintage Tudor dive references and Tudor’s closest equivalent to the Rolex 5512/5513 era pieces. It is a highly collectible watch with many sub-variants, so details matter a lot when assessing originality and value.

Key specifications

• Introduced around 1959 and produced until roughly the late 1960s.

• 39 mm stainless steel case with crown guards (first Tudor Sub to receive crown guards), 200 m / 660 ft water resistance, acrylic crystal, bidirectional black bezel with aluminum insert

• Automatic Fleurier-based caliber 390, 18,000 bph, with “ROTOR / SELF-WINDING” text on the dial in a characteristic upward curve (“smiley” line).

Dial and hand variations

Over its run the 7928 saw multiple dial executions and lume eras, which is where much of the collector interest lies.

• Early examples: gilt chapter-ring dials with the Tudor rose logo and radium lume, often with “exclamation” or underline marks indicating the radium-to-tritium transition.

• Later pieces: matte open-minute-track dials with silver or white printing, tritium lume (“T SWISS T”), sometimes with lollipop seconds hands and still retaining the rose logo and four-line “Oyster-Prince / Submariner / Rotor / Self-Winding” layout.

Case and crown guards

The 7928 is also known for a progression of crown-guard shapes which significantly affect rarity and pricing.

• Very early: square crown guards (extremely scarce, likely low hundreds made), followed by sharper “eagle beak” guards.

• Later: pointed crown guards, then more common rounded crown guards for the bulk of production

Rolex Big Bubbleback ref 6075 (1951-3)

The Rolex 6075 Big Bubbleback is a vintage Oyster Perpetual Date model, notable for its distinctive “bubbleback” case design and classic mid-century Rolex styling. 

The Rolex Big bubbleback series leading to the Datejust consists of the following 

Rolex ref 4467 (solid Gold from year 1945-1949)  

Rolex ref 5030 (Solid gold) , Bi colour steel and gold 5031, 5075, 6031 (from year 1949 - 1950)，

Rolex ref 6075, 6074 (Bi colour from year 1950 - 1953)

Rolex 6104, 6105 (Bi colour modified A296，from year 1951 - 1953) 

Rolex 6304 , 6305, 6309 (Pre ThunderBird) (A296，from year 1953 - 1956)

Rolex Datejust 6604, 6605, 6609 (Thunderbird), 1600, 1601,1603, 1607, 1625 (Thunderbird) (from 1959 - 1977 onwards using Butterfly movement calibre generation features cal. 1065 and later cal. 1565 and 1575.)

Over the years, I have managed to find the ref 6647, 5031,5075, 6031,6104, 6105, 6305, 6309, 6609, 1600, 1601,1603,1607 and 1625. After several years of waiting, I have finally able to add the ref 6075. The Ref 6075 looks similar to the ref 4467 with its coin edege bezel. The movement is similar with the full closure automatic bubbleback movement.

This reference is often found in 18k yellow gold or two-tone (gold and steel) variants, with a 36mm case. The later versions has a signature red “Datejust” text on the dial,

It is very common for Rolex to use whatever case back they have during production by simply re-engraving the new serial nos. For those who don’t know will think it’s fake 

Key Features: 

• Produced in the 1950s–1960s, the ref 6075 features an automatic movement and a date window, with some examples having a small Rolex crown on the dial and an all-red calendar. This one is with the super Oyster direct pulling crown.

• The “bubbleback” case refers to the rounded, domed back typical of early Oyster Perpetual models, giving the watch a unique profile.

• Most 6075s are made in 18k yellow gold or two-tone, with a fluted bezel and a variety of dial colors including white, champagne, and black.

Market Value and Rarity

• The Rolex 6075 Big Bubbleback is considered a rare and collectible vintage model, with prices ranging from HK$20,000–148,000 depending on condition, provenance, and materials.

Rolex GMT Master ref 1675 gilt dial

The Rolex 1675 with a gilt dial is one of the most collectible vintage GMT-Master references, produced from 1959 until the mid-1960s. Early examples feature a glossy black dial with gold-toned text (gilt), pointed crown guards, and the “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” inscription, making them highly desirable among collectors.

Key Features

• The gilt dial is characterized by a shiny black surface with gold-colored text and markers, distinguishing it from later matte dials.

• These watches were powered by the Caliber 1565 (and later 1575) automatic movement, offering chronometer-level accuracy and reliability.

• Early 1675s often have pointed crown guards and may feature rare dial variants like the “Double Swiss” or “Underline” dials, which add to their value.

Collector’s Appeal

• Gilt dial 1675s are prized for their classic, elegant appearance and historical significance as the first GMT-Master with crown guards.

• The transition from gilt to matte dials around 1966–1967 makes gilt examples rarer and more sought-after.

• Authentic examples in good condition command high prices, especially those with original parts and rare dial variants

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Tudor ref 94010 submariner

The Tudor 94010 is a nearly new vintage Submariner watch, produced in 1981. It's renowned for its robust craftsmanship and close ties to military use, particularly by the French Navy (Marine Nationale) between 1975 and 1983. This no-date model features a 39-40mm stainless steel case and is powered by the ETA 2776 automatic movement with a stop-seconds function for precise time adjustment. I was fortunate enough to acquire this watch in 1988 for a mere S$500. At that time, sports watches weren't popular, and it had to be sold as part of a set with the then-popular Rolex Bubbleback. It's quite a miracle that a watch that wasn't fashionable back then could become so popular. 

#tudor94010 #tudorwatch #tudorwatches