Rolex vintage oyster diving helmet display

This is a vintage Rolex Oyster helmet display for point of sales for Submariner series. It can also be used as a pill container.

Vintage Omega watch made for North Korea Kim II Sung 金日成 Part 3

During the 1970-80s, Omega has made commemorative watches for North Korea. We need to remember that during the 1970-80s, Swiss watches were not in good shape as a result of the onslaught from the Japanese quartz watches. As such, export sales may be one of the options to keep the company afloat.

This is a 1980s Omega watch made for North Korean leader 金日成 Kim II Sung from 1982 and it was commissioned in celebration of his 70th birthday. There are two key characteristics. Firstly, there is a signature of Kim II Sung in red on the dial. Secondly, the week calendar disc is in Korean language as below. 

There are other Korean commemorative watch dials with the red 1972.4.15 and 1982.4.15 in red on dial plus the Korean week discs. It comes with a variety of Omega namely Constellation, Seamaster round or rectangular. There are also without the Day calendar and only have the date. 

As a history & Political Science student, I have always love watch dial with some history. Recently, I have found another made for North Korea Omega Seamaster Automatic in 38mm size as below and at a very good price too.

My first North Korean watch was in the year 2016 ( Vintage watch experience 古董手錶: Vintage Omega watch made for North Korea Kim II Sung (newvintage-watch.blogspot.com) )

My second was found in 2021 : Vintage watch experience 古董手錶: Vintage Omega watch made for North Korean Kim II Sung (newvintage-watch.blogspot.com)

Another interesting North Koran Moranbong watch Vintage watch experience 古董手錶: North Korean Moranbong vintage watch 1970-80s (newvintage-watch.blogspot.com)

Remembering that there are collectors who hated the North Korean leaders and therefore despise these watches, I just wanted to point out that collecting these commemorative watches does not equal to endorsing the regime. It's about appreciating the vintage watches that were produced during that era and under the circumstances and its historic values. 

The calendar disc is in Korean language.

A similar watch was sold by Antiquorum in 2017. Please visit OMEGA SEA MASTER KIM IL-SUNG STEEL A fine and very rare self-winding stainless steel wristwatch with day & date. | Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces. | Hong Kong, October 8th, 2017 (antiquorum.swiss)

Comparison between watch from Antiquorum

Small collection of Vintage Omega watches with special dials

(3) [OMEGA] North Korean Constellation, presented by Kim Il-sung on his 60th : Watches (reddit.com)

https://www.watchesofespionage.com/blogs/woe-dispatch/demystifying-a-north-korean-state-sponsored-luxury-wristwatch-awarded-to-high-ranking-officials

Rolex Turn O Graph (Thunderbird) families

My old post's photos seemed to be missing as a result of using Photobucket. Have updated the post with new photos.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Rolex Turn-O-Graph (Thunderbird)

The Rolex Turn-O-graph was introduced in the 1950s with the introduction of the outer bezel in its bubbleback movement watch. The first model numbered as 6202 featured an A.296 movement. Since it was marketed as an adventure watch, it was equipped with a rotating bezel and is produced in stainless steel.

The Turn-o-graph was a forerunner of the Submariner which debuted in 1953, followed by the GMT Master in 1954. In 1956 the Day-Date (or President) model was released, which indicates the day of the month and the day of the week (spelled out in letters)

Being the lover of the Rolex bubbleback I will naturally keep the Ref 6202 Tun-O-Graph as an extension of my bubbleback collections. To some extend, the 6202 also complement my submariner collections of the James Bond sub 5508 as well as the 5513 and 1680 red submariner.

The 6202 model was later replaced by the ref 6309, 6099 and the 1625, 16250. The nomenclature of this watch is derived from the rotating bezel on these particular models, which differs from the stationary bezel of most Datejust Rolexes. I was lucky to be able to find the Rolex 6202 Tun-o-Graph in guilt dial.

Rolex 6202

Rolex 6309

Rolex 6609

The U.S. Air Force was born in 1947, just after World War II. Six short years later, on May 25, 1953, the U.S Air Force developed its official air demonstration team know as the Thunderbirds. The demonstration team was activated at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, with the designation of the 3600th Air Demonstration Unit.

Since Luke Air Force base was located in Arizona, the team adopted the name "Thunderbirds" based upon the American Indian culture and folklore of the American South West. The American Indian legend said there was a great Thunderbird that was an eagle or hawk, and that when this great bird took to the sky, the earth would tremble from the thunderous power of its wings.

In 1959 Rolex developed a special Rolex Datejust for and worn by the U.S. Air Force

20+ yeas ago, when i first started to collect vintage watches in 1988, i have came across the Rolex Thunderbird. I was not attracted to it as it was considered a big watch when the mid size or boy size was popular during that time. Moreover, the watch was less then 30 years of age making it not "vintage" enough in the 1980s.

As such, I have never the intention to extend the Turn-O-Graph collection (often also known as the RolexThunderbird) until I came cross this nice 36mm vintage 1966 Steel with white gold bezel Rolex ref 1625 with jubilee bracelet from the in Zurich this evening.

The fantastic condition of this 46 years old aatch really caught my attention. Times flies! I was torn between the 1625 and another vintage 1979 grey dial 16250 Turn-O-Graph with the quick date adjustment movement. In the end, I have chosen the 1966 model owing to its vintage look. The bicolor yellow gold and steel models are slightly cheaper then the white gold and steel model but I preferred the white gold and steel model as it is more subtle and less flashy. The bicolor models were popular in the 1980s-1990s but looks a little dated now..

The watch looks like the 1601 except that it has a more sporty maker bezel like that of the submariner. However, it has a more elegant look as the bezel is in solid white gold (there are also models with yellow gold bezel or whole solid yellow gold).

The 1625 IMHO has a potential of forward investment as many of the prices for the sports series (Submariner, GMT, Explorer, Daytona) have already increased many folds. The Thunderbird 1625 ,on the other hand, is like a forgotten uncut diamonds waiting to be exploited. Of course, if one wants to continue with the sports trend, one must only go for the white gold 1625 and not the yellow gold ( as the yellow gold) will make the watch a little less sporty.

Left Rolex 6609, Right Rolex 1625

Rolex 6309 vs Rolex 1625

Rolex 1625 Turn O Graph

The Rolex Turn O Graph is a good mixture of a dress watch and sports watch. The original Turn-o-Graph was introduced in 1953 and the 6202 that appeared looked. The Rolex 6202 Turn O graph uses the Rolex semi bubbleback movement and it looks like a mini-Submariner that was still to come. It featured a black inlay rotating bezel and was offered with either a black or white honeycomb dial. 

With its introduction, it was actually the brand’s first production model with a rotating bezel. These models are scarce as they were only made for roughly a year until being replaced by the 6309 references.  

By the time of Ref 6309, it was commonly called Thunderbird as during the 6309’s production, the watch became the official watch of the US Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team and took with it the “Thunderbird” nickname that was often used in American Rolex advertising.  Later it evolved to ref 6609 and to ref 1625. It looks like a Datejust but with an additional rotating bezel. Now, this model is known as the Turn O Graph. In roughly 1959, though, the Rolex 1625 Turn-o-Graph was introduced, and it was produced until 1977. There are three versions of the 1625 namely in solid gold, in yellow gold & Steel and in White gold and steel version.

For a Quick reference

Rolex 1600 is with a smooth bezel.

Rolex 1601 is with the fluted bezel.

Rolex 1603 is with the Engine turned bezel.

Rolex 1607 is with the tree buck bezel.

Rolex 1625 is with this 60-minute markers bezel.

Rolex ref 18038 Day date

The Rolex ref 18038 with fluted bezel was produced from 1977 - 1988. It introduced an all-new movement calibre 3055, one that came with a higher frequency, adding to the timekeeping accuracy and overall resilience plus the inclusion of a single Quickset feature made operating the brand’s flagship that bit easier and more convenient. It also introduced the sapphire crystal.

Besides the Rolex 18038, there were other types released at or around the same time; the ref. 18028 had a smooth surround, while the ref. 18048 was hand set with 44 round brilliant cut diamonds. And the ref. 18078 was given an unusual tree-bark finish, 

Later it was replaced by Rolex 18238 calibre 3155 with double quick set from 1989 onwards.

The Rolex Day Date over the years has had some very interesting dials. The Swiss only dial  was made from 1977 till 1997 and it was replaced by Swiss Made dial from 1998.

Below is one with inner Diamonds and 10 ruby markers dial. It is interesting to note that the dial itself is made of 18k solid gold too.

Dial with 18k 750 Markings

Below is another with Jubilee dial in blue with golden applied Arabic numerals. Jubilee dial means that the word ROLEX is engraved into the dial in a repeating pattern. It gives the dial a lot more texture than a normal painted dial

Left a Rose gold 1803 

Rolex 1803 in Rose, White and Yellow Gold