watchopenia

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

My love for Avantgarde Seiko

To compete with the european mainly swiss at the luxurious watch market, Japanese biggest watch maker Seiko comes up with Grand Seikos, King Seikos and Credors. Lexus in the watch industry.... it is on the same path with Mercedes Benz (Rolex), BMW (Omega, Breitling)... but still a distance to go if really want to challenge the crème de la crème The Rolls-Royce (Patek Phillipe), Bentley (Vacheron Constantin, Audersmars Piguet, Girard Perregaux, IWC)...

Personally I think the Top grade seikos is superb in quality and value for money. But in recent years the price has soared because of high demands as more and more people gets to know about it.

I first came to know about Grand Seiko and Credor from watch magazine during the late 1990's when Seiko decided to revitalised Grand Seiko that has ceased production in late 1960's. I read more about GS, KS from two guys... one is a bug guy from Malaysia.... the famous Roachman Dr. Wayne Lee and his Japanese friend Mr. Seiya Kobayashi.

GS, KS give me the impression of simple, uncomplicated, distinctive.... Only true watch lovers will notice your wristwatch... Beauty is in the eyes of expert....

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Watchopenia, my chronograph 7733

These are my collection of vintage chronograph using valjoux 7733 movement. Valjoux 7733 is a manual winding 17 jewels movement. Most are swiss made, some from Russia too. The movement has a frequency of 18000 A/h and a power reserve of approximately 45 hours if fully wound. The Valjoux 7733 is a movement circa in the 60s. Production ceased in the 70s. A lot of chronograph movements found today are based on the Valjoux 7733.

YEMA YACHTINGRAF REGATTA HERREN CHRONOGRAPH, 1967

Montres Yema is a watch manufacturer founded in 1948 in Besancon, France. They claim that their watches "stand out from the rest by virtue of their specific design and technological characteristics".Yema distinguished itself in the very beginning by creating the first automatic chronometers manufactured entirely in France, and became famous for the technical qualities and sports characteristics of its watches.

Tissot Seastar Chronograph 7733

Stainless steel Tissot watch produced in 1970's.

Watchopenia, the word

"Watchopenia"... Sorry no such word in any dictionary or any language.... I am fully responsible for making up that word. It is a combination of 2 English words: watch and schizophrenia. It means a severe form of mental disorder towards watch.

In medical terms, Penia also means lacking of or deficiency of.... so in this case is a severe deficiency of watches!

Symptoms

Whoever diagnosed with this condition will experience alienation or complete social withdrawal when watch is involved. The patient will hallucinate and have delusions on different watches....

Prognosis

With each watch acquired the prognosis will be getting worse.....

Treatment

Temporary syptomatic relief with purchase of new watch... Dosage of watch depends on the complication of watch, the beauty of the movement, casing, dial and etc....

Summary

Basically watchopenia is a disease for those who is "coo-coo" with watches.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Wanted Titoni!!!

Dead or Alive....

I am looking for these Titoni watches.... Anyone can help locate them? If the price is reasonable, I will be more than gladful.

Titoni Ringstar

Manual winding alarm watch. Produced during the 1950's or 1960's.

Titoni Race King

Manual winding chronograph. Got a few variations... some using valjoux 7733, 7734 others maybe valjoux 72 or landeron movement??? I am also not too sure, so don't quote me on this...... They look pretty sporty and tough. For a vintage watch the design is still very relevant for today standard.

(I have managed to hunt down a Titoni Race King with Valjoux 7733 and another one with Valjoux 72..... Nov 2013)

Titoni Seascoper

From the titoni's official history, this model was produced in the late 1970's. Seascoper is a robust, watertight diver watch. It is a distinctive watch that embodies mechanical sophistication and a spirit for adventure. Don't you agree with me that titoni does produce great diver watches? What more it does not come with the hefty price tag of a Rolex, Panerai, and Omega.

(Manage to grab one Seascoper like the one shown in the photo below.... however need a replacement bezel insert... would post that watch in the near future. Nov 2013)

Titoni Cosmo King (President)

Ok... I admit this is a poor man's substitue for a Rolex President or in Asia we called it Rolex King. Hhhmmmm a symbol of distinctive, success in life and prestige.... well do you really think so??? I personally think it is a must for conmen to make a daily living. A symbol of notorious capitalists...... Why then is on my wanted list? To tell you the truth, I am also in searching for that answer..... maybe just to complete my collection of titoni cosmo king....maybe deep inside me.......

Let's talk about the watch... It is the same in term of casing and the movement with all cosmo kings. The mechanism is either AS or ETA...standard 25 jewels automatic movements. The last batch is equipped with ETA 2834-2. The only different is the dial which is particularly rare.... what I called full diamonds dial. Nope, I guarantee you is not genuine diamond. But it is still eyescatching as it is shinning and sparkling.

(Got one used Titoni Super King from Indonesia.... would quest for more)

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Titoni Cosmo King Collection

My first encounter with Cosmo King was one on my dad's wrist during the early 1980's. It was a stainless steel day-date cosmo king with 25 jewels and a black dial. It was quite heavy and well constructed. Seeing the sweep smooth second hand passing by and by and hearing the tic-tac sound of the movement made my heart pounding with joy. I remembered my old man told me Titoni watch is of high quality and will last for ages. One of my regret in life is I never know what happened to that particular titoni. My dad bought a Rolex Oyster 1601 in 1986 with the sum of RM2,000.00. That Rolex was passed on to me on 2003.

My Collection of Titoni Cosmo King

In this blog I will share with you my private collection of Titoni watches. It takes great amount of time, fund, and effort to restore these wathes. Therefore, all watches are not for sale. I am sorry if my watches seduce you in anyway.

My oldest Cosmo King

I suspect this is one of the oldest Titoni Cosmo King around. I guess it was produced during the 1950's or 1960's. This is a genuine piece that I bought from Singapore.... Everything is functioning well and the watch is keeping good time. The dial showed sign of aging and may need refurbish.... the difficult part is the disc for the day and date... some numbers and words are worn off... still trying to look for spare....

Rarest Cosmo King?

A friend of mine bought this from an antique shop in Hong Kong. When I first saw it, I am relatively doubtful. I never saw a Titoni Cosmo King with this kind of casing. The movement, the dial, the back case, the crown all very minty and original.... I will try to find out whether the stainless steel case is truly titoni cosmo king......

My ordinary Titoni

Nothing special but yet every single one is special and of sentimental values........

Titoni that need a replacement rim

The transitional period Cosmo King

737-360 Silver Textile dial

Jewels dial

The wonderful trio

Full diamond dial Cosmo King (Super President)

Junkyard Cosmo King

Cosmo King Date 707-360

The last monarch

Gold Titoni Cosmo King 747

Another gold 747

Titoni Cosmo King Date Blue Dial

The Spirit of Rocky Balboa

TO BE CONTINUED.....

Cosmo King 14K RIM

This batch of cosmo king came with 14K gold or white gold rim. They are particularly rare. To find one in extremely good conditions is a challenge that I enjoyed. Even in pretty broken conditions, I love the task of resurcitating them. The original spares are running out with time... I would suggest established watch company to continue produce spare for at least 50 years after the production of a certain model ceased. Although the cost will be tremendous but the intimate relationship between the watch maker and the customers will be priceless...