Vintage Wyler Incassable/Crichettino automatic watch

This is a 1930s Wyler Incassable/ Cricchettino/ wig weg rectangular shaped dress watch and it is the earliest automatic movement patented by Wyler. From the horology point of view, this is a one of the first few attempt of watch manufcaturer at making automatic watch. Other examples include Harwood watch. The winding mechanism is activated by a "gear" system that utilizes wrist pressure on the caseback. The case is divided into three parts, secured by a hinge at 12 o'clock. A small button inserted through a hole, pressed by wrist movement, winds the spring via a lever and gear system. in short, what is unique is in its double case back where it has a two-part case back. The outer part of the case back is hinged and slightly larger than the piece that covers the movement. When the watch lies face down, the outer “flying” case back falls down on it like a blanket over a bed. The trick is that there is a tiny pin sticking out of the watch. Each time the outer case back “closes” down, it winds the movement a bit.  

The watch has the world’s probably flattest and more fragile crown, with a small pin sticking out from the actual case back. When goggle on the net, there are less then 10 of such watch.

The Italian nickname, Wyler Cricchetto or Cricchettino (Wyler Ratchet), is quite significant. The term was used not only at the forum but also officially in press materials released in 2004 by the National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, which collaborated with Wyler Vetta to completely reorganize its watch department. This is one of only a few such watches left in the world (circa 1930s).Wyler filed patent CH156804 for a new self-winding watch on June 9th, 1931. The Crichettino was designed as a watch with “automatic winding by means of a mass moving inside the case under the influence of the movements of the wearer,” according to the translated patent documentation. The patent was granted a year later on August 31st, 1932.

Not very often one comes across such watch plus with its Original dial which states Wyler automatic INCASSABLE . The case measures 23mm. x 38mm (lug to lug). When Bihn first message me the watch, I didnt take a good look until he eminded me that its an usual watch. Upon looking, I then realised that its the unique early automatic watch. I remembered the golden rules of vintage watch collecting : Never underestimates any watch!!

https://www.fratellowatches.com/automatic-wyler-crichettino/#gref

https://www.fratellowatches.com/tbt-wyler-crichettino-with-a-stunning-dial/#gref

The watch was sold at ebay Euro 1450 in 2022

When buying the Wyler vintage watch, one needs to pay attention to its movement as the normal watch is way cheaper. (Photos from the internet)

https://e-v-w.com/collections/wyler?srsltid=AfmBOooaLfdTAtZ1CeDRR0J1veLq0SqgWKa5XtaUtugIKS7ee_EBmPnn

For those who are keen can purchase this watch

The rise of Rolex GMT Master ref 16753

The Rolex GMT-Master ref. 16753 (the two-tone "Root Beer" with a glossy lacquer dial) saw a significant rise in popularity and value, but its journey has been a story of going from overlooked to highly sought-after. 

The Reference 16753, released in the late 1970s till 1988 provided a fresh new look to the GMT line. The combination of steel and gold perfectly encapsulated the preppy stye that prevailed in that period. Moreover, this shifted Rolex into the luxury sphere, which established an upward sales trend that infused much needed cash flow into the manufacture.

Visually and technically, the 16753 stands out from other iterations of the GMT-Master. The glossy dial and colorful bezel give the watch a sleek appearance that’s magnified by the gold detailing on the crown, bezel, bracelet and handset.

When did the Rolex 16753 get popular among collectors?

The 16753's popularity is a relatively recent phenomenon, primarily taking off in the early to mid-2010s. Before that, only the stainless steel sports models were in demand.

For context:

· Production Era (1980-1988): When it was new, the two-tone "Root Beer" was often seen as a flashy, less "serious" alternative to the all-stainless steel professional models like the 16750. It was popular with a certain affluent, aspirational clientele but not with purist tool-watch collectors.

· The 1990s and 2000s: Vintage collecting was dominated by military-issued watches, "Paul Newman" Daytonas, and stainless steel sports models. Two-tone watches were deeply out of fashion and could often be found for a fraction of the price of their steel counterparts.

· The Shift (Early 2010s): Several factors converged to spark interest in the 16753 and other "neo-vintage" references:

  1. Rarity of Steel Models: As prices for vintage steel GMTs (like 1675s and 16750s) skyrocketed, collectors began looking for the "next big thing" that was still relatively affordable.

  2. The "John Player Special" (JPS) Nickname: The brown and gold color scheme earned it the nickname "John Player Special" after the famous F1 racing livery. This created a cool, motorsport-connected story that resonated with collectors.

  3. 80s Nostalgia: The watch is a perfect artifact of 1980s design—bold, luxurious, and confident. As 80s aesthetics came back into style, so did this watch.

  4. Unique Aesthetic: Collectors began to appreciate its distinctiveness. It doesn't look like any other GMT. The chocolate brown bezel and warm tones are incredibly versatile and unique.

  5. Matte vs. Glossy Dial Transition: The 16753 represents the very end of the matte dial era (early examples) and the transition to glossy lacquer dials (later examples). This nuance became interesting to collectors who enjoy tracking these evolutions.

When was the peak in prices?

The absolute peak for the ref. 16753, and for the entire vintage watch market, was 2021 through early 2022.

This period was characterized by:

· COVID-19 Market Frenzy: A perfect storm of low interest rates, government stimulus, a hot stock market, and people being stuck at home with money to spend and a desire to treat themselves. This led to an unprecedented boom in luxury goods, especially watches.

· Explosion of Social Media: Platforms like Instagram and YouTube created massive hype around specific models. The "Root Beer" was a photogenic star.

· Broadening of Tastes: The collecting community fully embraced two-tone and gold watches, shedding the old stigma. The 16753 was a prime beneficiary.

During this peak, prices for clean, complete examples of the ref. 16753 with box and papers easily reached $18,000 - $24,000+ USD, with exceptional examples breaking even higher. This was a massive appreciation from just a few years prior.

Current Market Status (2024-25)

The market has corrected significantly since the peak of 2022. While still far more valuable than it was a decade ago, prices have settled into a more rational range.

· Current Value: As of 2024/5, a good to very good example of a ref. 16753 typically trades in the $12,000 - $17,000 USD (HK$93,650 - $132,670) range, heavily dependent on condition, dial type (matte vs. glossy), and service history.

· It's a "Neo-Vintage" Star: The 16753 is now firmly established as a cornerstone of the highly desirable "neo-vintage" category (roughly 1980s-1990s watches). It's no longer a sleeper but a recognized and respected model with a dedicated following.

In summary: The Rolex 16753 got popular in the early 2010s as collectors sought affordable alternatives to vintage steel models and embraced its unique look. It reached its absolute price peak during the 2021-2022 market frenzy and has since settled into a strong, but more reasonable, price point as a modern classic. 

I have been lucky to be able to source for an ugly Rolex GMT ref 16753 at a relatively good price and after restoration and changing of parts, my total costs is around  HK$73,800 (US$9460).

Rolex 16758 vs 16753

Rolex 1675 vs 16758 vs 16753

Rolex LV116010LN vs 16758 vs 1675 cs 16753

Restoration of an old Rolex GMT Master Ref 16753 from 1984

In the past, I was not really attracted to the Rolex GMT root beer brown dial until I saw the gold ref 16758. Following my acquisition of the Rolex GMT Root beer ref 16758 in 18k gold, I have decided to form a small collection of the Rolex GMT Root beer series limiting to the early nipple dial. This is the half gold (Gold & Steel) version with the early brown nipple dial. While most GMT-Master watches feature bezels in black, blue, and red tones, ref. 16753 opts for shades of brown and cream. 

The Rolex GMT-Master 16753 is a special two-toned variant of the Rolex GMT-Master 16750. Ref 16753 offers a mix of stainless steel and yellow gold. However, the watch’s brown sunburst lacquered dial and two tone bezel are what really draw the eye.

Hollywood’s icon Clint Eastwood was known to wear the Root Beer Rolex GMT-Master ref. 16753 both on and off the big screen, also earning it the nickname “Clint Eastwood Rolex.”

His two-tone GMT-Master appeared on Eastwood’s wrist in 1982’s Firefox, 1984’s Tightrope, and 1993’s In The Line Of Fire. While Clint Eastwood has been in roughly 60 films, his Rolex is almost as famous as him in many watch-collecting circles, making the watch even more collectible. The Rolex GMT-Master 16753 was produced from 1979 to 1988. It is generally considered a desirable and collectible model, especially with the "Root Beer" color scheme and the early nipple dial.

The Rolex GMT-Master 16753 "Root Beer" started with the brown dial featuring “nipple hour markers” in the early 1980s. Around the mid to late 1980s, Rolex shifted the dial style to the non-nipple (flat luminous markers) design before discontinuing the 16753 in the late 1980s to make way for the 16713.  So, the nipple dial changed to the non-nipple dial roughly between 1985 and 1987.  

Below are some phots found fro the net

From the techinical point of view, the 16753, 5-digit series was the first generation of Rolex GMT watches to use a 3000 series movement – the caliber 3075. It replaced the caliber 1575 used in the 4-digit series featuring a higher frequency of 28,800 bph, up from 19,800 bph and it also includes a Quickset date, which allows the wearer to set the calendar complication while the crown is in the second position instead of winding the crown a full 24 hours plus a sapphire crystal. 

The Rolex 16753 is available with either a black dial or brown dial, the watch could be chosen with either a Jubilee or Oyster bracelet. Today, it’s the brown dial model that holds our interest. The dial contains a printed crown logo versus the earlier version’s applied logo. and the brown dial is metallic and it tended to change colours. Many early Root Beers bezel were all brown, but the Rolex 16753 has a nice contrasting tan and brown bezel that’s bisected.

I have been collecting vintage watches for several decades and given my need to reduce the total quantities of watches in my collections, I have decided to trade some of my other non core or spare watches plus cash top up for this watch. 

In addition, I love the journey of restoring watches and therefore is able to get very good deal in watches. After acquring the watch, I have decided to restore the watch to its glory by doing a complete servicing the watch plus replacing the dial with an original spare dial and get a new old stock bezel as well.

Found the watch on 14th August 2025

The dial will need to be changed & movement to have a complete service plus a thorough cleaning of case and bracelet

Luckily, I was able to find a nice original dial for replacement  

Received the dial on 15 August

Total dismantling and servicing of the watch movement and replacement of the dial. Luckily the watch movement is fine with no corrosions.

After a complete service and change of dial. Next is to hunt for a new bezel insert. 

Received the new old stock bezel on 20 August

This is an new old stock bezel wrapped in its vaccum package

Finally

Before & After restoration

After getting the Bezel, the watch is good to got for another 50 years and beyond! It has been an exciting journey from hunting the watch, finding the new old stocks spareparts and getting it restored.

Vintage Titus Calypsomatic restoration

The Titus Calypsomatic is a hidden gem for divers watch and their prices has been escalating years after years. One of the key reason is due to its large 38mm size plus the black gilt  dial and the huge winding crown. It has the look and feel of the Rolex 5508 and has the big screw down crown as added features. 

For those who don’t want to pay high prices for a Rolex 5508 can get this as a good alternative.It has a pair of interesting hands plus a lollipop second hands too. It is a used TOOL watch. This is a Vintage Titus Calypsomatic Diver watch with the BIG winding crown that needs restoration. The crystal and hands shall need to be replaced too.

  

Before & After

The dial condition is fine

The movement is intact 

After servicing the watch and Installed a used Crystal while waiting for the new one to arrive.

It has an alternate Blue and Red dates

Waiting to replace the hands

This is my fifth Titus Calysomatic watch and I love restoring vintage itus diver watches so that it can continue to function for another 50 years or more.