Watchlords

I'm no wristwatch historian, just an admirer of cool timepieces and appreciate mid century design. Company and model backgrounds are from what I have read and learned through the years, mostly from the internet and fellow collectors. If anyone has corrections or additions, please post! All watch photos are from my personal collection.

Right-Click photos for an expando-view.
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Oddball Bulovas
This session presents five examples from my oddball Bulova collection. They originate from between the late 1950s and 1963, offer medium to high-grade mechanical movements and have cases that are either rolled gold or gold filled. The only exception is the criss-cross lug model (far left model) which is solid 14K. The most collectible of the four is probably the triangular case model (second position), but I have a personal soft spot for the basket weave case top and atomic spoke dial model (third from left).

Looking back, it would seem there was a competition between Hamilton, Bulova and Elgin as to who could pen the funkiest case design.




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Above is one of my all-time favorites. Below is a photo of the movement from the same model, courtesy of the web.

very nice. vintage watches are cool.

Thank you for posting this.

Love vintage watches. At one time I had a small but interesting collection of Hamilton electrics-these pictures and posts may just push me over that edge to buy some again. I have one vintage gold filled square face Hamilton manual with a great inscription on the back which has the name of the gentleman who was given the watch by UPS for "5 years of careful driving without an accident"-Is that cool or what???

As always Matt good stuff and thanks.

simply stunning, love the vintage stuff.

Matt's the man; every post is so informative. Thanks.

When I first started collecting watches, I avoided case back dedications. I felt it smudged the purity of a factory original watch. As my collection matured, so did my mindset. I now enjoy finding dedications that give a date and/or a message that hallmarks the window of time from which the watch was made and worn and tells a "mini story". You presented is great example of this.

metsdiva wrote:Love vintage watches. At one time I had a small but interesting collection of Hamilton electrics-these pictures and posts may just push me over that edge to buy some again. I have one vintage gold filled square face Hamilton manual with a great inscription on the back which has the name of the gentleman who was given the watch by UPS for "5 years of careful driving without an accident"-Is that cool or what???

Good stuff Matt........

Half of my collection is made up of vintage Hamilton, Lord Elgin, Waltham and others. They took more chances back then. Today, over half of all watches being produced are like most of the cars being made today...interchangeable and boring. Kinda sad.

I agree, Ed. Take a look at my other Vintage posts in this forum. I think you will be pleased.

Ed Barclay wrote:Half of my collection is made up of vintage Hamilton, Lord Elgin, Waltham and others. They took more chances back then. Today, over half of all watches being produced are like most of the cars being made today...interchangeable and boring. Kinda sad.

Ed Barclay wrote:Half of my collection is made up of vintage Hamilton, Lord Elgin, Waltham and others. They took more chances back then. Today, over half of all watches being produced are like most of the cars being made today...interchangeable and boring. Kinda sad.

too many followers and not enough trendsetters, the bean counters run the show nowadays.

TickTocker wrote:

Ed Barclay wrote:Half of my collection is made up of vintage Hamilton, Lord Elgin, Waltham and others. They took more chances back then. Today, over half of all watches being produced are like most of the cars being made today...interchangeable and boring. Kinda sad.

too many followers and not enough trendsetters, the bean counters run the show nowadays.

I think maybe that is why I have gone back to collecting and wearing older watches. Just seems and feels fun wearing something that tells time from a past time. I am looking right now for just the right Hamiton from the 1940s. One will pob up and I will know it's the right one

When I started my own watch design company, one of my goals was to design timepieces "...like no other." Our first watch, "The MASONIC" was inspired by the famous 1920's Dudley Masonic pocket watch. Almost every Masonic watch made since the 1970's has been basically done by replacing the hour markers with Masonic symbols. BORING! I'm constantly studying the older watches from the 40's - 60's for styling ideas for future pieces. Love us or hate us, BARCLAY Watch Co. will never be boring!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8T-jLR5X4U&feature=email

TickTocker wrote:

Ed Barclay wrote:Half of my collection is made up of vintage Hamilton, Lord Elgin, Waltham and others. They took more chances back then. Today, over half of all watches being produced are like most of the cars being made today...interchangeable and boring. Kinda sad.

too many followers and not enough trendsetters, the bean counters run the show nowadays.

Unfortunately, that is true. The pioneers of most industries would never have existed in today's market because the corporate bean counters would have been afraid to take the chance and fail. But the truth is that almost every successful pioneer failed at least once, some many times. It's just part of the process.

Just look at the two 1957 Hamilton Electric debut models that have been written about in this forum. They were the Ventura and Van Horn, both offering solid 14K gold cases and housing the same movement -- but with two very different case designs. If history were repeated today, which do you think would be released and which one shelved?

Ed Barclay wrote:Unfortunately, that is true. The pioneers of most industries would never have existed in today's market because the corporate bean counters would have been afraid to take the chance and fail. But the truth is that almost every successful pioneer failed at least once, some many times. It's just part of the process.

[quote="ChronoMATT"]Just look at the two 1957 Hamilton Electric debut models that have been written about in this forum. They were the Ventura and Van Horn, both offering solid 14K gold cases and housing the same movement -- but with two very different case designs. If history were repeated today, which do you think would be released and which one shelved?







well considering some of the designs out there today, good chance both would be produced

That Van Horn is stunning..........

I would like to think so, Koi. Maybe from someone with design balls like Corum, but under the same circumstances from a "watch company for the average guy" like Hammie that was looking to a solid gold vessel to introduce new and unproven movement technology? I would suggest a traditional round case would get the nod. But, that's just cynical me.

koimaster wrote:well considering some of the designs out there today, good chance both would be produced

I love that era of watches. Thanks for posting.

ttt