Best Buy for the year 2022

The year 2022 has passed very quickly. For the year 2022, the best buy of the year are the following watches. In addition to Rolex watches, I have expanded to include brands such as Jaeger Lecoultre, Harwood and real antique porcelain dial watch,

Rolex 1803 rose gold as it has taken me months to find two in rose gold case and rose dial plus minus the bracelet in perfect condition from Hong Kong and Singapore. 

Rolex 6309 rose gold Pre-Thunderbird as its super rare to find one in rose gold plus near perfect bezel from Hong Kong

 

This Rolex Prince in stainless steel has taken me decades to find the correct Rolex movement, dials, stem etc for restoration.

Rolex Prince ref 3362 special Asymmetrical shape case doctor watch from 1935 from Hong Kong

This is a special Jaeger Lecoultre E 855 at 37mm memovox with special blue Lapis dial in solid 18k gold from Hong Kong

 

This is a special Jaeger Lecoultre E 855 at 37mm memovox with special blue Lapis dial in stainless steel from Spain

Jaeger Lecoultre  Futurematic reference E 502 cal. 817 watch from 1956 porthole design from Rochester New York

 

Harwood automatic salesman “demonstration watch” with a special see through glass back showcasing the automatic movement from the 1920s.

This is a Quarter repeater trench watch made by J. Ullmann & co. Jacques Ullmann (1850-1909) left Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland for Hong Kong in the year 1871 and established his firm in the British colony Hong Kong the same year. Like Bovet, J. Ullmann & co watches are sold in HK and China.

Watches Traded away 2022:

1. Omega Constellations Daydate
2. Omega watch box
3. Omega Dynamic
4. Rolex 6605 steel white gold - Traded for Explorer 2
5. Rolex Bubbleback 5050 -Traded for Explorer 2
6. Rolex 1601 18k gold - Traded for PP 2525-1
7. Rolex Oysterdate steel 1960s
8. Rolex bubbleback 2940
9. Rolex 6609 - Traded for Rolex Prince ref 3362
10. IWC Yacgt club - Traded for Rolex Prince ref 3362
11. Jaeger Futurematic - Traded for Rolex Prince ref 3362
12. Zenith ladies - Traded for Rolex Prince 3362
13. Octo butterfly
14. Citizen vintage anniversary watch 鉄道100周年記念時計D51 Ref 6700
15. Ogival handwind watch 
16. Cronel steel watch
17. Movado calendomatic 
18. Breitling Premier Chronograph 
19. CWC military 
20. Universal Compax
21. 上海錶
22. Gubelin Moonphase  traded for a Rolex 6694
23. Zodiac Olympio
24. Oyster commander
25. Submariner helmet display 
26. Edox world timer 
27. Gruen Doctor watch 
28. Mickey mouse watch 
29. Rolex ref 6305 
30. Rolex 16570 
31. Glashutte Spezimatic

J Ullmann & Co Quarter repeater watch 烏利文 made for the China market.

During my casual visiting of the vintage watch shop, I came across this watch, a Quarter repeater trench watch made by J. Ullmann & co.

Jacques Ullmann (1850-1909) left Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland for Hong Kong in the year 1871 and established his firm in the British colony Hong Kong the same year. Like Bovet, his watches are sold in HK and China. 

The estimate date of production is between 1910-20 where pocket watches have started to evolve to become wristwatch especially during the WW1 period where hinges were added to the pocket watch for ease of usage. As such, WW1 was the first major historical event where timekeeping migrated from the pocket watch to the wrist. What made this watch special is its repeater function where the repeater isn't like a grandfather clock that chimes at regular intervals. Instead, the wearer pulls back on a slider that tenses up the spring mechanism inside the watch. These powers the two hammers that strike against the gong and varies in sound based on the thickness and shape of the metal. 

The repeater also proved useful, before the age of luminous iPhone screens and electric lights, to those who wanted to check the time after dark. The visually impaired were also grateful for watches that chimed out or vibrated the time. The quarter repeater strikes the number of hours, and then the number of quarter hours since the last hour. The mechanism uses 2 chimes of different tones. The low tone usually signals the hours, and the high tone the quarter hours. Have managed to close the year 2022 with this real antique watch…looking forward to more good years ahead! 

Please read : 

J. Ullmann (烏利文) – Swiss Watchmaker and Jeweler in HK and China
https: //industrialhistoryhk.org/j-ullmann-烏利文-swiss-watchmaker-and-jeweler-in-hk-and-china/

Oct - Dec 2022, Q4 Review

This is the last quarter of the year 2022. As part of my refinement exercise, I have been very careful and only managed to form a small new line of collection focusing on some of the real classic innovative vintage watches from Jaeger Lecoultre Futurematic with Pothole dial design, in particular. At the same time, I have also streamlined and tightened my watch collection and seriously stop the growth in terms of quantities. Watch collecting is interesting as one’s taste will often change with time. 

1960s Jaeger-Lecoultre Memovox E855 Gay Freres bracelet for my Memovox 855 Lapis dail watch from HK. It is extremely hard to find these Gay Freres bracelets for JLC Memovox watch.

Jaeger Lecoultre Futurematic reference E 502 cal. 817 watch from 1956 porthole design from made for the European market 37mm from Rochester New York. This is the rarer 'porthole' design and is much more uncommon than the earlier calibre 497 version which featured regular sub-dials and small hands. This version features small 'portholes' at 3 o'clock with 'up/down' power reserve at 9 o'clock (aka Reserve de Marche) and a second showing seconds at 3 o'clock. In the 1950s Jaeger Lecoultre company lost major amounts of money on every watch they sold as it was massively overcomplex and over engineered. This pothole is the bigger version.

Traded a Rolex 5050 and Rolex 6605 plus cash for this Rolex 16570 Explorer 2 first series from HK

Classic Patek Philippe with a rare large 36mm size ref 2525-1 from 1955. Traded with Rolex 1601 gold

Rolex Prince with special Asymmetrical shape ref 3662. Traded a Rolex 6609 + IWC Yacht Club + Jaeger Futurematic + Zenith ladies gold for this 

This is a Quarter repeater trench watch made by J. Ullmann & co. Jacques Ullmann (1850-1909) left Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland for Hong Kong in the year 1871 and established his firm in the British colony Hong Kong the same year. Like Bovet, J. Ullmann & co watches are sold in HK and China.

Wish lists for 2023

1. Jaeger Lecoultre Futurematic Pothole in 18k solid gold 37mm
2. Jaeger Lecoultre Memovox 37mm Special Brown scale dial
3. Rolex 5030 18k gold
4. IWC Yacht club in special marble dial

Traded away 2022

1. Omega Constellations Daydate
2. Omega watch box
3. Omega Dynamic
4. Rolex 6605 steel white gold - Traded for Explorer 2
5. Rolex Bubbleback 5050 -Traded for Explorer 2
6. Rolex 1601 18k gold - Traded for PP 2525-1
7. Rolex Oysterdate steel 1960s
8. Rolex bubbleback 2940
9. Rolex 6609 - Traded for Rolex Prince ref 3362
10. IWC Yacgt club - Traded for Rolex Prince ref 3362
11. Jaeger Futurematic - Traded for Rolex Prince ref 3362
12. Zenith ladies - Traded for Rolex Prince 3362
13. Octo butterfly
14. Citizen vintage anniversary watch 鉄道100周年記念時計D51 Ref 6700
15. Ogival handwind watch 
16. Cronel steel watch
17. Movado calendomatic 
18. Breitling Premier Chronograph 
19. CWC military 
20. Universal Compax
21. 上海錶
22. Gubelin Moonphase  traded for a Rolex 6694
23. Zodiac Olympos 
24. Felix the cat watch 
25. Tudor watch ref 7934 
26. Rolex 6206 bracelets 
27. Omega Constellation date 168.027 white gold bezel 
28. Omega 3944/2473 
29. Vintage Silver watch 
30. Lip thermometer watch 
31. Rolex 6604

New crocodile strap for Rolex Prince ref 3362

I am supposed to meet a seller for a crocodile watch strap this afternoon 230pm at 荃灣西站 but the seller last minute cancelled the deal as he said the strap has been sold. I have decided to pack my small cabinet of straps to see if I can find something suitable for my Prince watch and I am happy that I did. I have a spare strap all along ..😊

Recently I am in love with crocodile’s leather strap for vintage watches as it can bring out the elegant of the watch.

Putting it side by side with a yellow gold watch can highlight the pink 

Zodiac Olympos Mystery Dial watch

This is a 1960s Zodiac Olympus mystery dial watch. Originally created in 1961, the Zodiac Olympos is a line of highly creative watches featuring a signature “manta ray” case. Unique to Zodiac, this case design is asymmetrical across the horizontal axis of the watch, which creates the illusion of different length lugs above and below, and moves the crown off-center to two o’clock. The swooping lines of the case are at once elegant and energetic, giving the Olympos a distinct and exciting personality. The case has a space age design and some collector often called it the Batman logo shape cased. The special case has a practical use too. The flared upper half protects the 2 o'clock crown. 

https://thedailywant.com/zodiac-olympos-automatic-watch/

Rolex “Prince Chronometer” 14k Pink Gold Asymmetric Rectangular Curved Ref. 3362 from 1934

I have a soft spot for Rolex Prince Doctor watch as it has one of the highest chronometer grading plus these watches are made for gentlemen. Originally, I was aiming for a 14k yellow gold Eaton Quarter century club Rolex ref 3937. Then I saw another thinner rose gold Prince next to it. 

I am not familiar with this model but I was attracted by its rose gold, irregular sharp case and the pink dial. As the size looks slimmer than the usual Rolex Prince, I thought it has a different Rolex movement initially and was skeptical about it. After I took out the movement, I then realized that it has a similar Rolex caliber 300 movement plus with an additional timed at 7 positions instead of 6 positions. The extra positions is due to the asymmetrical case design. 

Without much hesitation, I used several of my other vintage watches to trade for this beauty. This beauty is a Rolex “Prince Chronometer” 14k Pink Gold Asymmetric Rectangular Watch, Ref. 3362, from 1934. Case Size:  19×45.5mm. It has an unusual Shape Resembling of a Driver’s Watch. Rolex Prince watches during the 1980-90s was the top of the range watch among the watch connoisseurs.

A similar watch is published in is published in "Collecting Rolex Wristwatches", by Osvaldo Patrizzi, Guido Mondani Editore, Genova 2001, p. 92.

Most Rolex’s Prince movement are timed in 6 positions. For this model, it is timed in 7 positions, one extra to cater for the asymmetrical case shape.

Past Auction results: 

This Prince model was not very popular during that era perhaps owing to the weird shape design that was too avant-grade for most people. I could only find 5 Photos from internet of the Rolex 3362