This 1960 Lord Elgin represents a pinnacle of mid-century American horological engineering. While most automatic movements of this era were imported from Switzerland, the Elgin 760 was designed and manufactured entirely in the USA. It is a sophisticated "technological marvel" that showcased Elgin’s determination to out-engineer the world, featuring a high jewel count and a chronometer-grade layout in an incredibly slim profile.

Case, Dial & Aesthetic

The 33mm gold-plated case features a stainless steel screw-back for durability and a classic mid-century silhouette. The watch wears significantly thinner than its 10mm measurement suggests, as much of that height comes from the elegantly domed crystal; the bezel and back combined are a mere 6mm thick. The dial is a study in refined 1960s dress watch design, providing a clean and balanced backdrop for the sweep second hand.

Movement: Elgin 760 Automatic

The heart of this timepiece is the historic Elgin 760, one of the few self-winding movements entirely produced in the United States. It features Elgin’s innovative "DuraBalance" free-sprung balance system and an impressive 30-jewel count—the highest ever for an Elgin movement. Designed for extreme precision, its integrated automatic layout allowed it to be one of the thinnest full-rotor movements of its time.

• Movement: Elgin 760

• Winding: Automatic

• Jewels: 30

• Origin: USA Made

• Display: Central sweep seconds

Condition & Service

This watch has been fully professionally serviced and regulated to ensure peak performance. The American-made movement is working perfectly, running strongly and accurately. The gold plating remains in excellent condition, and the stainless steel screw-back provides robust protection for the high-grade caliber within. The hands have been freshly lumed.

Specs & Details

• Brand: Elgin

• Year: 1960

• Case: Gold Plated / Stainless Steel Back

• Case size: 33mm

• Lug-to-lug: 39mm

• Thickness: 10mm (6mm bezel to back)

• Lug width: 18mm

• Crystal: Domed Acrylic

Why This Watch Matters

For the collector of American horological, the Lord Elgin 760 is an essential piece. It marks the final, ambitious stand of the Elgin National Watch Company, representing the most advanced automatic movement ever produced on American soil. With its 30 jewels, chronometer-quality engineering, and ultra-thin profile, it is both a wearable piece of history and a testament to American industrial ingenuity.

Watch Band Not Included with Purchase. Please see this page for more info.

This 1960 Omega Seamaster L6288 represents a masterclass in mid-century horological refinement, blending sophisticated early 1960s Swiss watchmaking with a distinctively elegant aesthetic. It serves as a premier example of Omega's ability to combine robust engineering with the grace of a high-end dress watch.

Case, Dial & Aesthetic

The 14K gold-filled case houses a stunning two-tone, dual-texture dial featuring a contrasting outer ring that defines its vintage character. Measuring at a classic 31mm, this timepiece offers a refined presence perfectly suited for a smaller wrist, showcasing the mid-century preference for understated and comfortable proportions without sacrificing visual impact.

Movement: Caliber 570 Automatic

Powering this Seamaster is the venerable Caliber 570 automatic movement, a cornerstone of Omega’s precision engineering during the golden era of mechanical watches. This movement is celebrated for its durability and smooth winding action.

• 17 Jewels copper-colored finish

• 19,800 BPH frequency

• Full rotor bi-directional automatic winding

Condition & Service

This example has undergone a rigorous professional restoration utilizing New Old Stock (NOS) components to ensure peak mechanical integrity. Critical service updates include the installation of a genuine NOS Ratchet Wheel, Barrel Arbor, Winding Stem, and Setting Lever. Furthermore, the watch retains its original signed crystal and signed crown, preserving the authentic factory silhouette and tactile experience for the collector. ‍

Specs & Details

• Reference: L6288

• Year: 1960

• Case Material: 14K Gold-Filled

• Case Diameter: 31mm (Excluding Crown)

• Movement: Caliber 570 Automatic

• Features: Dual-Texture Dial, Original Signed Crystal, Original Signed Crown

Why This Watch Matters

The combination of a rare dual-texture dial layout and a meticulous mechanical restoration using rare NOS parts makes this Seamaster a standout investment piece. It offers the peace of mind that comes with a fully serviced movement alongside the timeless appeal of 1960s Omega design, making it an ideal choice for the discerning enthusiast who appreciates horological history in a more compact, wearable form factor.

Watch band not included with purchase. Please see this page for more information.

Let’s get started by taking a look at the two main plates. The 11AFAC automatic movement is on the left, while the 11AFC manual wind variation is on the right:

These main plates are nearly identical, with one small but important variation: the main plate for the 11AFC has a jeweled center wheel pivot, while the 11AFAC makes due with a simple bushing. This variation has little to do with performance, and much more to do with hitting the right jewel count. Both of these are 17 jewel movements — commonplace in the era due to the fact that the US import duty schedule at the time had a cutoff at 17 jewels, beyond which duties escalated rather dramatically. However, the 11AFAC employs two of its jewels in the automatic winding works, leaving a 15 jewel base movement underneath, while the manual 11AFC gets a full 17 jewel base movement.

With the mainspring barrels and train wheels in place, things still look pretty much identical, and these parts are all fully interchangeable with the exception of the mainspring barrel itself (as the automatic 11AFAC version has a smooth inner wall that lacks the hook for the tongue of the manual mainspring that’s found in the 11AFC):

After installing the train and barrel bridges, we start to see the first major design variations between these movements:

The bridges have the same basic shape, but there are significant differences in how they are finished. The 11AFC has a jeweled upper pivot for the center wheel which, again, is lacking in the 11AFAC. The 11AFAC train wheel bridge has additional threaded mounting points for the automatic winding module as well as a lower pivot bushing for the automatic driving wheel located immediately adjacent to the rachet wheel. The 11AFAC bridges also lack the decorative polished bezel seen on the 11AFC bridges, as the space that would have been taken up by the bevel is needed to create additional clearance for the automatic winding rotor. Finally, the 11AFC bridges are finished with caliber engravings. These are missing on the 11AFAC, since they would be covered up by with automatic mechanism. The 11AFAC puts these caliber markings on the winding rotor instead.

Next, we’ll flip these movements over so we can assemble the keyless and motion works:

Once again, the designs here are identical, with fully interchangeable parts.

Flipping both movements back over, we can now complete the primary assembly by installing the escapements as well as the indirect drive center seconds components. After a bit of lubrication both movements run happily:

The 11AFC movement is complete at this point, but we still ahve some work to do on the 11AFAC — namely assembling and installing the automatic winding module. The photos below show the automatic winding components and how they are placed, with the lower plate of the automatic module installed above the train wheel bridge:

The 11AFAC automatic mechanism uses a pair of reversing wheels, although these are relatively primitive compared to the contemporary ETA/Rolex style reversing wheels. They consist of two separate pieces that engage using ratcheting Breguet teeth. They rest on an external brass spring that facilitates the ratcheting action.

The thin, polished upper plate for the 11AFAC automatic module has two jewels, bringing the total movement count to 17:

Finally, with the 11AFAC winding rotor attached, we can see both complete movements side by side:

I hope you found this side-by-side comparison as interesting as I did. These movements ultimately found their homes in a pair of lovely Bulova watches which are listed for sale on my shop:

This is a handsome 1959 Bulova dress watch with a very cool mid-century twist: a slim, white-gold-toned look paired with unusual top-lumed hands, freshly serviced and regulated and running well. With its clean, restrained dial and comfortable 35mm proportions, it wears like a classic everyday vintage piece, but the details give it a bit more personality than the average period Bulova.

Case, Dial & Aesthetic

The case is 10K white gold R.G.P. (rolled gold plate) with a stainless steel snapback, delivering that bright, silvery vintage tone that is less common than yellow-gold plating in this era. The dial is a clean silver/ivory tone with applied Arabic numerals and a tidy minute track, showing light, age-consistent speckling that reads as honest vintage character. A new crystal has been installed for clear viewing and a refreshed presentation. The hands are the standout detail: a less-common top-lume style that gives the watch a distinctive mid-century tool-meets-dress vibe.

Movement: Bulova 11AFC Manual

Inside is Bulova's Caliber 11AFC, a Swiss-made 17-jewel manual-wind movement from the late-1950s/early-1960s period. It is a straightforward, serviceable design with a classic 18,000 bph cadence, and this example presents in excellent condition after service.

• Movement: Bulova 11AFC

• Winding: Manual wind

• Jewels: 17

• Frequency (typical): 18,000 bph

• Year code: L9 (1959)

Condition & Service

This watch has been fully serviced and regulated and is running well. A new crystal was installed during restoration. The hands were re-lumed to improve visibility while keeping the overall look period-correct. The case shows honest wear consistent with age, and the white gold plate finish gives the watch its distinctive bright, vintage character.

Specs & Details

• Brand: Bulova

• Year: 1959 (case date code L9)

• Case: 10K white gold R.G.P. with stainless steel snapback

• Case serial number: D482225

• Case size: 35mm

• Lug-to-lug: 41mm

• Thickness: approx. 8.5mm

• Lug width: 17.6mm (17-18mm band - see note below)

• Crystal: New

Why This Watch Matters

Late-1950s Bulovas are a sweet spot for collectors because they combine clean mid-century design with durable, serviceable Swiss movements. This example stands out for its white-gold-toned finish and the uncommon top-lumed hand set, and with fresh service already completed it is ready to wear immediately without the usual vintage uncertainty.

This is a handsome 1962 Bulova Selfwinding dress watch powered by Bulova's Caliber 11AFAC automatic movement, freshly serviced, regulated and running well. It delivers that clean early-1960s look—warm gold tone, crisp applied numerals, and a balanced, easy-to-read dial—in a very wearable 33mm size.

Case, Dial & Aesthetic

The dial is a classic Bulova layout with applied Arabic numerals and a tidy minute track, giving the watch a refined but approachable mid-century character. The case is 10K gold R.G.P. (rolled gold plate) with a stainless steel screwback, combining warm gold presence with the practicality of a steel back. A new crystal has been installed for clear viewing and a fresh presentation. The hands have been re-lumed as part of the restoration, keeping legibility strong while preserving the overall period-correct look.

Movement: Bulova 11AFAC Automatic

Inside is Bulova's Caliber 11AFAC, a Swiss-made 17-jewel automatic used across Bulova's early-1960s selfwinding lineup. It is a durable, serviceable design that delivers the easy daily-wear experience Bulova was known for, and this example is in excellent condition.

• Movement: Bulova 11AFAC

• Winding: Automatic (selfwinding)

• Jewels: 17

• Origin: Swiss made

• Display: Central sweep seconds

Condition & Service

This watch has been fully serviced and regulated and is running well. A new crystal was installed during restoration, and the hands were re-lumed to improve visibility. Overall presentation is strong, with honest, age-consistent wear that suits a daily-wear vintage Bulova.

Specs & Details

• Brand: Bulova

• Line/Dial: Selfwinding

• Year: 1962 (case date code M2)

• Case: 10K gold R.G.P. with stainless steel screwback

• Reference: 2451 (stamped inside caseback)

• Case serial number: G29447

• Case size: 33mm

• Lug-to-lug: 38mm

• Thickness: approx. 11mm

• Lug width: approx. 17.0mm (17mm strap)

• Crystal: New

Why This Watch Matters

Bulova's early-1960s automatics hit a great balance of style and practicality, offering reliable Swiss movements in clean, timeless cases made for everyday wear. With fresh service already completed and a very wearable 33mm profile, this is an easy vintage piece to enjoy immediately—classic mid-century design without the usual mechanical guesswork.

This Longines because it does exactly what I want an early 20th century pocket watch to do: it feels elegant without trying too hard. The dial and case are wonderfully clean and restrained, with those flowing Arabic numerals and lovely blued steel hands that give the whole watch just enough personality. Even with the small dial flaws, it still has that calm, refined look that made me want to save it.

One of my favorite details is the case construction. This is a solid back swing-ring case, where the movement is mounted to a hinged carrier that pivots upward instead of simply dropping out from a conventional removable back. It is a neat, slightly unusual bit of engineering, and it makes the case feel more interesting than a standard open-face design. 

The Longines 18.89 movement comes from the period when Longines was already deep into its stride as a serious Swiss manufacturer, turning out beautifully made pocket-watch calibers with clean architecture and excellent finishing. This is a particularly early example of the 18.89, manufactured in late 1913 in the run up to the official release of the movement. While the escapement in this example was damaged when I received it (specifically, it had a cracked upper pallet fork pivot jewel, and one of the pallet jewels was also damaged), it now runs strongly and accurately following parts replacement/repair and a service.

Movement: Longines 18.89 (15 Jewels)
Movement Type: Manual
Complications: None
Case Type: Nickel Silver Open Face Swing Ring Pocket Watch
Case Size: 46mm

This is a handsome 1959 Bulova dress watch with a very cool mid-century twist: a slim, white-gold-toned look paired with unusual top-lumed hands, freshly serviced and regulated and running well. With its clean, restrained dial and comfortable 35mm proportions, it wears like a classic everyday vintage piece, but the details give it a bit more personality than the average period Bulova.

Case, Dial & Aesthetic

The case is 10K white gold R.G.P. (rolled gold plate) with a stainless steel snapback, delivering that bright, silvery vintage tone that is less common than yellow-gold plating in this era. The dial is a clean silver/ivory tone with applied Arabic numerals and a tidy minute track, showing light, age-consistent speckling that reads as honest vintage character. A new crystal has been installed for clear viewing and a refreshed presentation. The hands are the standout detail: a less-common top-lume style that gives the watch a distinctive mid-century tool-meets-dress vibe.

Movement: Bulova 11AFC Manual

Inside is Bulova's Caliber 11AFC, a Swiss-made 17-jewel manual-wind movement from the late-1950s/early-1960s period. It is a straightforward, serviceable design with a classic 18,000 bph cadence, and this example presents in excellent condition after service.

• Movement: Bulova 11AFC

• Winding: Manual wind

• Jewels: 17

• Frequency (typical): 18,000 bph

• Year code: L9 (1959)

Condition & Service

This watch has been fully serviced and regulated and is running well. A new crystal was installed during restoration. The hands were re-lumed to improve visibility while keeping the overall look period-correct. The case shows honest wear consistent with age, and the white gold plate finish gives the watch its distinctive bright, vintage character.

Specs & Details

• Brand: Bulova

• Year: 1959 (case date code L9)

• Case: 10K white gold R.G.P. with stainless steel snapback

• Case serial number: D482225

• Case size: 35mm

• Lug-to-lug: 41mm

• Thickness: approx. 8.5mm

• Lug width: 17.6mm (17-18mm band - see note below)

• Crystal: New

Why This Watch Matters

Late-1950s Bulovas are a sweet spot for collectors because they combine clean mid-century design with durable, serviceable Swiss movements. This example stands out for its white-gold-toned finish and the uncommon top-lumed hand set, and with fresh service already completed it is ready to wear immediately without the usual vintage uncertainty.

This is a handsome 1962 Bulova Selfwinding dress watch powered by Bulova's Caliber 11AFAC automatic movement, freshly serviced, regulated and running well. It delivers that clean early-1960s look—warm gold tone, crisp applied numerals, and a balanced, easy-to-read dial—in a very wearable 33mm size.

Case, Dial & Aesthetic

The dial is a classic Bulova layout with applied Arabic numerals and a tidy minute track, giving the watch a refined but approachable mid-century character. The case is 10K gold R.G.P. (rolled gold plate) with a stainless steel screwback, combining warm gold presence with the practicality of a steel back. A new crystal has been installed for clear viewing and a fresh presentation. The hands have been re-lumed as part of the restoration, keeping legibility strong while preserving the overall period-correct look.

Movement: Bulova 11AFAC Automatic

Inside is Bulova's Caliber 11AFAC, a Swiss-made 17-jewel automatic used across Bulova's early-1960s selfwinding lineup. It is a durable, serviceable design that delivers the easy daily-wear experience Bulova was known for, and this example is in excellent condition.

• Movement: Bulova 11AFAC

• Winding: Automatic (selfwinding)

• Jewels: 17

• Origin: Swiss made

• Display: Central sweep seconds

Condition & Service

This watch has been fully serviced and regulated and is running well. A new crystal was installed during restoration, and the hands were re-lumed to improve visibility. Overall presentation is strong, with honest, age-consistent wear that suits a daily-wear vintage Bulova.

Specs & Details

• Brand: Bulova

• Line/Dial: Selfwinding

• Year: 1962 (case date code M2)

• Case: 10K gold R.G.P. with stainless steel screwback

• Reference: 2451 (stamped inside caseback)

• Case serial number: G29447

• Case size: 33mm

• Lug-to-lug: 38mm

• Thickness: approx. 11mm

• Lug width: approx. 17.0mm (17mm strap)

• Crystal: New

Why This Watch Matters

Bulova's early-1960s automatics hit a great balance of style and practicality, offering reliable Swiss movements in clean, timeless cases made for everyday wear. With fresh service already completed and a very wearable 33mm profile, this is an easy vintage piece to enjoy immediately—classic mid-century design without the usual mechanical guesswork.

This US-market Longines sits right on an interesting fault line in automatic watch movement history. On the wrist it reads like a classic early-1950s dress watch—gold-fill, sharp lugs, and an interesting 2-tone dial with roman numeral indices. However, the real reason I’m attached to it is the movement. The Longines 19AS is one of those interesting, transitional full-rotor automatics that still feels distinctly like it was “engineered,” with a unique winding system that doesn’t simply follow the later, cookie-cutter ETA-style playbook. It’s from a period when Longines was at the top of its engineering game and actively iterating on how best to translate rotor motion into consistent winding—right as the industry was leaving bumpers behind and converging on modern layouts. The resulting design, while not as efficient as later systems, was clearly built to be a lifelong companion, not a disposable fashion piece.

I have published a detailed breakdown of the really interesting automatic design in this watch in my blog.

Reference: 8030
Movement: Longines 19AS (17 Jewels)
Movement Type: Automatic
Complications: Sweep Second
Case Type: 10K Gold Fill Screwback
Case Size: 33mm

We’ll start our journey with the base movement already assembled, running, and lubricated:

The base movement design is a fairly typical 15 jewel layout with a center second pinion that is indirectly driven by an elevated 3rd wheel. There are a few interesting design features to note here:

• The distribution of jewels in the train of wheels is somewhat unusual. The 3rd wheel uses a steel bushing on the dial side, which allows both the 3rd wheel and the center wheel to ride on jeweled bearings while the watch is in the common dial-up position, while maintaining a 17-jewel count for the full movement (with two jewels assigned to the automatic mechanism). This was an important consideration for US import watches, as anything over 17 jewels at the time would get hit with a substantially higher import tariff.

• The barrel bridge is particularly tall and beefy, and the crown & ratches wheels, as well as the click, are deeply recessed in the bridge. This provides a solid structural base for the automatic mechanism, as we shall see.

• The movement itself is actually rather compact, nestled into the middle of a wide base plate (dressed up with lovely perlage). This is needed to provide clearance for a fairly massive oscillating weight, which in turn is needed to provide sufficient torque to drive the automatic mechanism.

• Note the jeweled pivot just to the right of the ratchet wheel, which will accept the pinion that transfers torque from the automatic mechanism. This is the 16th jewel in the movement.

• Finally, note one more unusual feature, the tall post extending from the center of the crown wheel cover plate.

The pivot adjacent to the ratchet wheel accepts a driving wheel for the automatic mechanism, which you can see in the photo above. The design of this wheel, with its fine teeth, bears more than a passing resemblence to the driving wheels in typical bumper automatic movements, and this is no coincidence.

The upper pivot of the driving wheel is retained by a subtantial automatic bridge which screws onto the barrel bridge. At first, it might seem odd that the lower pivot of this wheel is jeweled, while the upper pivot sits in a simple bushing, but the lower pivot is subject to a substaintially higher torque load, so it actually makes a lot of sense. Notice that the pivot post attached to the crown wheel cover plate is tall enough to project up through this bridge.

The crown wheel post supports a brass rocker plate that fits neatly into the gap in the automatic bridge. I have to admit I’m not at all clear why Longines attached this post to the crown wheel cover plate instead of attaching it directly to or machining it into the automatic bridge, as this design makes it essentially impossible to remove the automatic works as a single unit. If you have a theory as to why it was done this way, leave a comment!

The rocker arm is engaged by a small tension spring, and then the entire arrangement is held in place by an L-shaped cover plate.

Winding is accomplished with the help of two pawls that engage the small teeth on the automatic driving wheel, as shown above. One of the pawls (toward the lower left) is fixed to the automatic bridge. It acts as a secondary click, allowing the only counter-clockwise motion of the driving wheel. The other pawl (toward the upper right) is attached to the rocker arm. When the rocker arm is rotated against its tension spring, this pawl pushes against the driving wheel, causing it to rotate and wind the watch. This process is illustrated in the video below:

Again, the mechanics at play here very much resemble the racheting mechanisms of contemporary bumper automatics, so the design lineage is clear. One interesting detail is that the tension springs for the pawls are mounted on press fit collets, similar to a hairspring collet. The nice thing about this is that the springs can be rotated out of the way while the pawls are bing installed, but unfortunately they can also get loose: I had to tighten the collet for the secondary click spring.

So, now the basics of the automatic drive are in place, but obviously the rocker arm ultimately needs to be driven by the oscillating weight, not my plastic pointer, so let’s see how that works…

In this case, the “secret” is a small, heart shaped cam which fits around the pivot of the oscillating weight. This cam is ultimately what pushes on the rocker arm when the oscillating weight spins. By the way, check out how beefy this weight is - this winding mechanism is functional, but it requires a considerable amount of torque to work reliably. Hence the comparatively massive weight.

To minimize friction, the cam transfers torque to the rocker arm via a roller which screws to the arm. The center of the roller is jeweled to further minimize friction and wear - this is the 17th jewel of the movement. If you’re a car person, you’ll notice the similarity between this design and roller-rocker automotive cams.

All that remains is to install the oscillating weight on its post! Per my usual practice, I don’t install the weight until after the movement is cased up, as it tends to get in the way if installed beforehand:

And there you have it. It’s certainly not as efficient as later full-rotor automatic movements, but the 19AS is nonetheless a robust and clever attempt that marries design features of bumper automatics with a full 360 degree oscillating weight.

I’ll mention that this movement is housed in a beautiful 1952 Longines that is now part of my private collection:

This is a beautifully restored vintage Zodiac Rotographic automatic, freshly serviced and regulated and running well, with a warm gold presence and classic mid-century proportions. The Rotographic line captures Zodiac at its most elegant: slim, clean, and intentionally understated, with just enough dial detail to feel special without tipping into busy. With the heavy lifting already done mechanically, this is the kind of vintage automatic you can actually wear and enjoy.

Case, Dial & Aesthetic

The 34mm case is 10K gold filled with a stainless steel screwback, and it has been overplated in 18K gold as part of the restoration to revive that rich, period-correct tone. The dial is a restrained cream/silver tone with applied markers and the Rotographic signature, showing light age freckles that read as honest vintage character rather than damage. A new crystal brings the dial back into sharp focus, and the hands have been restored, replated, and re-lumed for a cohesive, correct look.

Movement: Zodiac-branded AS 1624 Automatic

Inside is a Zodiac-signed version of the AS 1624, a robust Swiss automatic movement family produced by A. Schild and used broadly across quality mid-century automatics. In 17-jewel form it is a straightforward, serviceable design that rewards proper maintenance, and this example is notably clean.

• Movement: Zodiac-branded AS 1624

• Winding: Automatic

• Jewels: 17

• Display: Central sweep seconds

Condition & Service

This watch has been fully serviced and regulated and is running well. Restoration work includes a new mainspring, new stem, and new crystal, plus a replacement vintage signed Zodiac crown. The hands were restored, replated, and re-lumed, giving the watch a cohesive presentation while keeping the overall character properly vintage.

Specs & Details

• Brand: Zodiac

• Model/Dial: Rotographic

• Year (Estimated): circa 1956–1961

• Case: 10K gold filled, overplated in 18K gold

• Caseback: Stainless steel screwback

• Case size: 34mm

• Lug-to-lug: 41mm

• Thickness: approx. 10mm

• Lug width: 17.5mm (17mm strap)

• Crystal: New

• Stem: New

• Crown: Replacement vintage signed Zodiac

Why This Watch Matters

Zodiac is best known for sport models like the Sea Wolf, but the brand's mid-century dress watches have a quiet charm that is easy to overlook until you see one this well sorted. The Rotographic name, the warm gold tone, and the clean dial furniture deliver classic 1950s/60s style, while the fresh service a means you can wear it without the usual vintage caveats. It is a great example of a practical, collector-friendly automatic that still feels special on the wrist.

I added this Universal Genève to my collection because it checks the boxes I’m always hunting for: a great looking vintage watch that’s genuinely elegant and mechanically significant. The dial is what hooks me—clean, balanced, and just a little sharper than the average 1950s dress watch thanks to those applied arrowhead markers with integrated lume, as opposed to the more typical “lume dots as an afterthought” setup.

The movement is the real reason it stays in my collection. Universal’s cal. 138SS is one of the brand’s important early automatics—a classic bumper design introduced around 1948, right at the moment when automatic winding was still evolving fast. This is a watch from the “in-between” years—when automatics still had personality you can feel every time the bumper twitches on the wrist.

I also love the U.S.-market detail: gold-filled, screwback examples like this were often cased for American distribution (you’ll see Star Watch Case Company come up a lot in this context). In the 1950s, Universal Genève was often sold as a "sister" brand alongside Patek Philippe in the U.S. and was priced competitively with the Rolex Explorer. That makes this piece feel like neat a little slice of mid-century transatlantic watch culture.

Movement: Universal 138SS (17 Jewels)
Movement Type: Automatic
Complications: Sweep Second
Case Type: 10K Gold Fill Screwback
Case Size: 34mm

I had been looking to add a Constellation to my collection for some time before I finally scored this example in an auction. The pie pan dial is gorgeous, and the proportions are exactly what I love in a mid-century Omega: a clean 34mm case that wears bigger thanks to those crisp, faceted “dog-leg” lugs, and a dial that’s quietly dramatic once you notice what you’re looking at. The pie-pan facets catch the light in a way photos never fully capture, and the little applied star above six feels like Omega couldn’t resist a victory lap. 

A bit of history; the Constellation line was Omega’s statement piece in the “technical dress watch” category—born out of the brand’s obsession with chronometry and intended to bring that observatory-grade mindset into an everyday wristwatch. This one backs it up with a chronometer-certified caliber 551 movement. The medallion on the caseback depicts the cupola of an astronomical observatory—historically identified as the Geneva Observatory. During the mid-20th century, these observatories held "chronometer trials," which were essentially the "Academy Awards" of the watchmaking world. The eight stars floating above the cupola represent Omega’s greatest chronometric achievements at these trials between 1933 and 1952:

• Two World Records: Set at the Kew-Teddington Observatory in 1933 and 1936. In 1936, an Omega movement scored 97.8 out of 100, a record for precision that has never been beaten.

• Six First-Place Awards: Earned at the Geneva Observatory trials between 1945 and 1952.

Omega launched the Constellation line in 1952 specifically to celebrate these victories. It was the first time any watch brand created an entire family of watches where every single piece was a certified chronometer.

The funny part is that the first time I opened the case, the movement didn’t impress me at all. It was very dirty and gummed up; I suspect due largely to the fact that the original gasket had decayed so badly that bits of it migrated where they absolutely didn’t belong. But then I got that rare “barn find” jolt: as I looked closer, it became obvious this watch hadn’t been messed with. No scratched screw heads, no pry marks on bridges—nothing. It just looked neglected, not abused. It took more effort than usual to get everything truly clean, but the payoff was enormous. Once the grime was gone, the movement revealed itself as a spectacular mint example.

Even the 1968 caseback engraving adds to the charm for me—it pins the watch to a real moment in time, like a tiny receipt from somebody’s life. It serves to give the watch a sense of history, since it lacks the usual vintage battle scars.

Reference: 167.005
Movement: Omega 551 (24 Jewels)
Movement Type: Automatic
Complications: Sweep Second
Case Type: Full Stainless Steel Screwback with Gold Caps on Bezel and Lugs
Case Size: 34mm

I had been looking for the right vintage Cortébert to add to my collection for a while, and I was thrilled to find this early bumper automatic example. The black and charcoal dial with, crisp minute track, and restored stainless steel hands give it real presence, and the whole thing pops even more against the bright, polished stainless case. It’s one of those watches that looks like it was built to be read instantly, in bad light, in the real world—not just to be admired in a box.

Beyond the look, and the Cortébert name, I was also excited about the movement. The A. Schild 1173 bumper automatic represents a genuinely interesting early chapter in the story of self-winding watches—partway between the earliest “swinging weight” ideas and the later full-rotor automatics that became the default.  This one is in great condition and runs accurately and consistently, with great amplitude, following a thorough service.

Cortébert itself is a fun watch rabbit hole: a historically significant Swiss maker with deep roots and a strong presence in timing/railway history, even if the name isn’t as widely recognized today.    This watch feels like a great example of that era—practical “waterproof” engineering, bold legibility, and a movement design that still tells a story when you open the back.

I’ve also written up a detailed technical examination of the AS 1173 movement for my blog.

Reference: 8500
Movement: AS 1173 (17 Jewels)
Movement Type: Automatic
Complications: Sweep Second
Case Type: Full Stainless Steel Screwback
Case Size: 32mm

The base movement, has a pretty standard 15-jewel layout, with an extended 3rd wheel pivot to mount the intermediate wheel for the indirect center second hand drive. However, careful observers will note that there’s something interesting going on with the winding mechanism. First, the crown and ratchet wheels are deeply recessed into a particularly thick barrel bridge. You can also see spring mechanism mounted around an unjeweled pivot nestled between the two wheels (more on that in a moment), and another pivot point underneath a small hole in the crown wheel cover. Most oddly, however, there’s no click! You’re not imagining it: unlike pretty much every other automatic movement I have worked on, the AS 1173 eschews a conventional click mechanism that operates independently from the automatic works.

Unfortunately, this means there’s also no way to power & test the watch without installing more of the automatic parts. First things first, however - let’s install the indirect center second drive & pinion:

Nothing fancy here. The intermediate wheel is press fit onto the extended 3rd wheel pivot, and the center seconds pinion is held down with a simple spring, which serves to both hold the pinion in place and to induce a tiny amount of drag to prevent gear lash a keep the second hand from stuttering.

Now, let’s turn our attention to the automatic mechanism…

The two open pivot points called out above support a pair of intermediate driving wheels for the automatic mechanism. This stack of wheels is quite tall - which explains the height of the barrel bridge. Later automatic movements started to prioritize thinness, but it clearly wasn’t a big concern in this early design. The wheel with the three holes includes a Breguet-style ratcheting mechanism, which utilizes the spring which was visible in the previous photos. Here’s are a few closeup photos of the underside of this mechanism. The first shows the separate ratcheting components. The second shows the lower ratchet piece installed, with the pinion teeth that engage with the ratchet wheel:

This ratchet mechanism serves to decouple the automatic mechanism for manual winding. It’s pretty effective in this respect - the manual winding feel of this movement is pretty much indistinguishable from a conventional manual wind watch, which was a priority for designers in this era. That said, there’s still no click, but we’re finally getting to that:

Finally, the mystery of the missing click is solved. It actually engages with the upper intermediate wheel of the automatic mechanism. Note the loooong integrated click spring which crosses entirely over the lower intermediate wheel and engages with a post in the top of the barrel bridge. Many automatic movements have some sort of secondary click mechanism integrated into the automatic works to capture small inputs from the oscillating weight, but this is the only automatic I have worked on where this works as the primary click mechanism for the movement.

The upper pivots on these intermediate wheels, as well as the click, are located in a thin plate that screws onto the top of the barrel bridge. The upper pivots for the intermediate wheels are both jeweled, which, not coincidentally, brings the jewel count for the movement up to a highly-marketable 17. There’s a small hole in the plate that provides access to the click so that the power can be let down. By the way, if you’re thinking that getting all of these really tall, top heavy components to seat in these pivots was probably a very fiddly operation, you absolutely correct. This is particuarly true becasue the lower intermediate wheel doesn’t want to sit upright due to the ratchet/spring mechanism underneath. If you ever work on one of these yourself I recommend snagging the top pivot of the lower intermediate wheel in its pivot before moving the plate laterally into position.

At this point, the watch will finally take a wind, so it’s time to install the keyless works and the rest of the escapement and make sure everything is running correctly

Flipping things over, the dial side of the movement, and the keyless and motion works are all convention Swiss design, so not much to say here…

All lubricated, regulated and running like a champ!

Now it’s time to finish off the automatic mechanism. As you’ll see, it still has a few surprises in store!

The oscillating weight is sandwiched betwen two plates, which attach to the top of the train wheel bridge with a pair of screws. A wheel surrounds the oscillating weight pivot, and engages with the upper intermediate wheel that we installed previously. This wheel is free-spinning however, so there’s one more piece to add before the weight can actually wind the watch…

… and it’s another click-type mechanism, which sits on a post that is actually on the oscillating weight itself. It has an integrated spring that engages with a second post. With this click mechanism in place, the, central rotor can only rotate freely in one direction, so it will wind the watch when the rotor turns counter-clockwise. This secondary click is retained by a simple screw-down top plate.

As an aside, the pins that support this click mechanism are not machined into the oscillating weight - they are separate steel pins that are press fit into holes in the plate. The bad news about this is that they can fall out, which had actually happended to this movement. The good news is that they can be replaced, and I was able to source another pin from a partial donor movement. It’s easy remove and install these pins with a basic staking set.

And voila, the fully assembled winding mechanism in action! Definitely not the most efficient design, especially compared to later evolutions of the automatic watch, but it’s still pretty clever.

If you’re wondering about this particular movement’s ultimate home, it resides in a lovely early 1940s Cortébert that now resides in my private collection:

I originally planned to list this Wittnauer for sale, but it completely won me over once I had it in hand, so I’m keeping it (sorry, everyone). It’s the kind of watch that looks almost too simple—until you realize how hard it is to get “simple” this right. The big, clean dial and thin bezel give it a surprisingly modern presence for a vintage dress watch, and the applied markers add just enough texture to keep the whole thing from feeling sterile.

Wittnauer is one of those names that flies under the radar today, which is a shame—because in the mid-century era they were absolutely a “serious” player in the U.S. market, with deep roots as a Swiss-watch importer and a long-running relationship with Longines through the Longines-Wittnauer. 

What really sealed it for me is the movement: this A. Schild 1706 is in truly superb condition—honestly the kind of “factory-fresh” look you almost never see once a watch has been in and out of cases for decades - one reason I actually appreciate “thru the crystal” monoblock cases like this. The other twist I love is the layout: an automatic with small seconds just feels a bit more old-school and intentional than the usual center-seconds three-hander, like Wittnauer was aiming for traditional dress-watch manners while still giving you the convenience of an auto.

I’ve had previously written up a detailed technical deep-dive on the AS 1706 / Wittnauer 11A0 , and I encourage anyone who wants to nerd out on the mechanics to check it out. It may look straightforward but it’s actually a very interesting automatic winding architecture that goes to considerable lengths to preserve good hand-winding feel.

Reference: 2555-2-11A0
Movement: Wittnauer 11A0 (A. Schild 1706) (17 Jewels)
Movement Type: Automatic
Complications: None
Case Type: 10K R.G.P. Monoblock (Thru-crystal, Split stem)
Case Size: 35mm

I added this Zodiac to my collection because this simple, sub-second dress model is a great example of what Zodiac used to be before it was consumed by sport and dive watches in the 1960s. I also love the contrast between the gold hands and markers and the bright silver (rhodium) case - a combination that goes particularly well with the navy blue strap.

The modified FHF movement in this piece was also incredibly stubborn. I’m very picky about performance when I restore a watch movement, and at first the amplitude simply wasn’t where I wanted it—worse, I couldn’t figure out why. After chasing my tail repeatedly, I finally threw my hands up and set this watch aside in a project drawer for nearly a year. Eventually I came back with fresh eyes and improved skills, and made the only decision that ever really works when a watch turns stubborn: I completely started over. Full re-clean, re-service, and a reset of assumptions. I still can’t tell you what the original gremlin was—but the second time through, the movement came alive. Now it runs with reasonable, if not stellar, amplitude and keeps good time. Now, every time I wind this watch it reminds me of the value of persistence.

Reference: 916
Movement: Zodiac 12 (FHF 26) (17 Jewels)
Movement Type: Manual
Complications: None
Case Type: Rhodium Plated (replated from Chrome) with Stainless Steel Snap Back
Case Size: 32mm

This is a remarkably preserved vintage Longines dress watch powered by the Longines Caliber 370, freshly serviced and regulated and running beautifully. The overall impression is “near mint” in the best way: crisp dial furniture, clean case lines, and a movement that looks almost showroom-fresh for its age. If you like your vintage pieces to feel original rather than over-restored, this one lands right in the sweet spot.

Case, Dial & Aesthetic

The silver dial is wonderfully clean and understated, with sharp applied markers that catch the light and give the watch a quietly upscale mid-century look. The warm gold hands and indices play perfectly against the cool dial tone, and the small seconds at 6 keeps the layout elegant and balanced. The 10K gold-filled monobloc case has excellent presence on the wrist, paired with a stainless steel back for practicality. Importantly, the watch retains its original crystal (polished, not replaced), which helps preserve the authentic profile and period feel.

Movement: Longines 370

Inside is Longines' Caliber 370, a well-regarded manual-wind movement from the brand's strong post-war era, known for its robust, serviceable construction and excellent timekeeping when properly maintained. This watch uses a front-opening monobloc architecture with a split stem / thru-crystal style case design—a very “Swiss” solution that is both clever and period-correct.

• Movement: Longines 370

• Winding: Manual wind

• Jewels: 17

• Display: Small seconds

Condition & Service

This watch has been fully serviced and regulated and is running well. Condition is outstanding inside and out, with a notably clean movement and a very strong original presentation. The crystal is original (polished), and the watch retains the kind of honest, high-grade originality that collectors chase.

Specs & Details

• Brand: Longines

• Reference: 2926

• Year (Estimated): early 1970s (circa 1972)

• Case: 10K gold-filled monobloc with stainless steel back (thru-crystal / split-stem design)

• Case size: 32mm

• Lug-to-lug: 35mm

• Thickness: approx. 9mm

• Lug width: 17.4mm (17mm strap)

• Crystal: Original (polished, not replaced)

Why This Watch Matters

So many vintage dress watches have either been polished into softness or pieced together over decades of repairs. This Longines is the opposite: sharp, original, and mechanically strong after service. It is the kind of super-clean survivor that makes you understand why Longines earned its reputation—quietly luxurious, beautifully made, and built to last.

This is a wonderfully honest mid-1950s Longines dress watch powered by the legendary Longines Caliber 23Z, freshly serviced and regulated and running with excellent performance. It is a watch for the true patina lover: the dial has aged into a heavy, mottled vintage texture that reads like parchment, giving the piece a one-of-one character that you simply cannot replicate.

Case, Dial & Aesthetic

The 34mm 10K gold-filled case has been intentionally kept in its original, unpolished condition to match the dial's aged aesthetic, preserving the watch's authentic mid-century presence. The dial shows significant patina and spotting across the surface, while the applied gold markers and hands still provide strong visual contrast and legibility. A new crystal has been installed to improve clarity while maintaining the correct vintage profile. As part of the restoration, the crown has been replaced with a new item matching the original style to ensure secure winding and setting, while the rest of the case has been left honest and original to keep the overall look cohesive.

Movement: Longines 23Z

Inside is the Longines 23Z, a classic mid-century manual-wind caliber known for its straightforward, high-quality construction and excellent long-term serviceability. Despite the watch's deliberately aged exterior, the movement has been fully serviced and regulated and is performing strongly, which makes this a great option for someone who wants real vintage character without the usual mechanical uncertainty.

• Movement: Longines 23Z

• Winding: Manual wind

• Jewels: 17

• Display: Small seconds at 6 o'clock

Condition & Service

This watch has been fully serviced and regulated and is running well. Restoration work includes a new crystal and new setting parts (stem, crown, setting lever, and setting lever screw) to ensure smooth, reliable winding and time-setting. Dial patina is heavy and intentional in the presentation; if you love clean dials, this is not that watch, but if you love true vintage texture, it is fantastic.

Specs & Details

• Brand: Longines

• Reference: 2041

• Year (Estimated): circa 1956–1957

• Case: 10K gold filled with gold-filled screwback

• Case size: 34mm

• Lug-to-lug: 36mm

• Thickness: approx. 9mm

• Lug width: 17.6mm (17mm strap)

• Crystal: New

• Crown/stem/setting lever & screw: New

Why This Watch Matters

Collectors often talk about patina as a story, and this Longines wears its history openly. What makes it especially compelling is the contrast: a dial that has aged dramatically, paired with a freshly serviced Longines movement that performs with the confidence you would expect from the brand. If you want a high-quality vintage Longines that leans hard into character and authenticity, this is a very satisfying piece.

This is a beautifully preserved 1961 Bulova Selfwinding dress watch powered by Bulova's Caliber 11AFAC automatic movement, freshly serviced and regulated for reliable everyday wear. The star of the show is the dial: a clean silver sunburst finish in excellent condition that catches the light beautifully, paired with warm gilt markers and classic mid-century typography. At 31mm, this is a particularly good fit for smaller wrists or anyone who prefers a more traditional vintage profile.

Case, Dial & Aesthetic

The case is a 10K R.G.P. (rolled gold plate) bezel construction with a stainless steel ring back, combining warm gold tone on the wrist with the practicality of a steel back. The dial is a crisp, even silver sunburst with applied Arabic numerals at 12, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 and faceted gilt markers between, giving the watch a lively, dimensional look without feeling busy. A new crystal has been installed to restore clarity. The original signed Bulova crown is present, an excellent detail that helps keep the watch true to its period character.

Movement: Bulova 11AFAC Automatic

Inside is Bulova's Caliber 11AFAC, a Swiss-made 17-jewel automatic used in the early 1960s, representing the peak of Bulova’s technical prowess. It is a practical, durable selfwinding design that delivers the easy daily-wear experience Bulova was known for in this era, and this example is notably clean.

• Movement: Bulova 11AFAC

• Winding: Automatic (selfwinding)

• Jewels: 17

• Origin: Swiss made

• Display: Central sweep seconds

Condition & Service

This watch has been fully serviced and regulated and is running well. A new crystal was installed during restoration. The movement is very clean and in excellent condition, and the dial presents exceptionally well for a watch of this age.

Specs & Details

• Brand: Bulova

• Line/Dial marking: Selfwinding

• Year: 1961 (case date code M1)

• Case: 10K R.G.P. with stainless steel ring back

• Case size: 31mm

• Lug-to-lug: 38mm

• Thickness: approx. 10mm

• Lug width: 16.1mm (16mm strap)

• Crown: Original signed Bulova

• Crystal: New

Why This Watch Matters

Bulova's early-1960s selfwinding watches capture a sweet spot where mid-century design met real everyday practicality. This example stands out for its excellent sunburst dial and honest, wearable proportions, and with fresh service already completed it is ready to enjoy immediately. If you have been looking for a vintage automatic that wears comfortably on a smaller wrist without sacrificing character, this is a fantastic choice.

This is a striking 1960s-era Waltham dress watch with a genuinely rare feature for the period: a deep blue dial that has survived in excellent condition. Blue dials were far less common than silver or champagne in mid-century everyday watches, and this one delivers a rich, even tone with a subtle sunburst effect that makes the applied baguette-style markers and small-seconds register pop. The watch has been fully serviced and regulated and is running well, making it a very wearable vintage piece despite honest case wear.

Case, Dial & Aesthetic

The dial is the star here: a saturated blue field with bright applied crystalline baton markers and a crisp small-seconds subdial at 6 o'clock. In the 1960s, colored dials were often more prone to fading, spotting, or uneven discoloration, so finding one this clean is quite unusual. The case is chrome-plated base metal with a stainless steel screwback. There is significant chrome wear and brassing, most noticeably on the back side and edges; the good news is that the heaviest wear is largely out of sight when the watch is on the wrist. A new crystal has been installed, restoring clarity and giving the dial the presentation it deserves.

Movement: Lorsa 238 (17 Jewel, France)

Inside is the Lorsa 238 in 17-jewel specification, a French-made manual-wind movement family commonly seen in 1960s Waltham-branded watches. It is a straightforward, serviceable design with a classic small-seconds layout and a traditional mid-century cadence.

• Movement: Lorsa 238

• Winding: Manual wind

• Jewels: 17

• Origin: Made in France

• Display: Small seconds at 6 o'clock

Condition & Service

This watch has been fully serviced and regulated and is running well. A new crystal has been installed, and a new crown and stem were fitted to ensure secure winding and setting. Case wear and brassing are present and reflected in the pricing, but the watch presents beautifully from the front, where it counts most.

Specs & Details

• Brand: Waltham

• Year (Estimated): circa 1965–1968

• Case: Chrome-plated base metal with stainless steel screwback

• Case size: 35mm

• Lug-to-lug: 43mm

• Thickness: approx. 10mm

• Lug width: 17.1mm (17mm strap)

• Crystal: New

• Crown/stem: New

Why This Watch Matters

Mid-century blue dials are one of those details collectors chase because they instantly change the character of a simple dress watch, and they are often the first thing to deteriorate with time. Finding a Waltham "Made in France" is also a treat for collectors, as it marks a specific, short-lived chapter of the company’s history before it moved entirely to Swiss and eventually Japanese production. This example stands out because the dial has held its color and texture so well, pairing rare aesthetics with a freshly serviced, ready-to-wear mechanical movement. If you like honest vintage watches with a standout dial and no mechanical drama, this one checks a lot of boxes.