I wouldn't call them unmentionable

May 28, 2015,01:53 AM
 

Forgotten by most, but fully worthy of mention. I'm quite fond of this Baylor watch. I have read that Baylor was a house brand for an American jewelry store chain Zales.















  login to reply

Comments: view entire thread

 

UNMENTIONABLE watch brands

 
 By: cazalea : May 20th, 2015-17:01
I know, I know. Perhaps I should be moderator of the OBSCURE Forum. But I was looking around on the Internet today for some reference photos, and came on a site that seemed to be representing, or at least highlighting or celebrating watches I'd never hear...  

Felca and Nivada both...

 
 By: dxboon : May 20th, 2015-19:11
...had some interesting divers during that 60s time period in which we saw the rise of so many classics from other brands such as Longines, JLC, etc. The Felca model I have seen and liked is a compressor cased "Seascoper" I think (I may have the model nam... 

Thanks for the background.

 
 By: cazalea : May 20th, 2015-19:34
And thanks for stopping by! Good to hear you are still "watching" Mike

I'm not always able to post...

 
 By: dxboon : May 20th, 2015-19:49
...but I try to check in regularly. This is my "HoMe" on the interwebs! Saw some of our friends in person last weekend and was wishing you were there too. Cheers, Daos

Candino is part of Festina Group and seen at Baselworld

 
 By: MTF : May 20th, 2015-21:06
Candino, Lotus, Jaguar and Calypso watch brands are populist brands in the Festina Group from the days when car logos were out licenced. Their more famous brand stablemates seen at Baselworld are Leroy and Perrelet. Regards MTF

I own two from that list.

 
 By: mkvc : May 21st, 2015-00:21
Yet another brilliant subject, Mike. I own two Tradition watches. They were made for and sold by Sears (as were another obscure brand, Baylor). They are of quite decent quality, with Schild movements. The diver (of which Art might have a picture) is very ... 

Indeed . . .

 
 By: Dr No : May 21st, 2015-13:04
. . . I do. And now I know where Glashütte Original found inspiration for the hour and minute hands . . . . . . of their recently discontinued Sport Evo line. :-) ...  

Sorry, Art; the hands aren't original.

 
 By: mkvc : May 21st, 2015-23:03
My watchmaker dug them up because of some defect in the originals.

Nivada, Sicura and Telstar are familiar to me.

 
 By: amanico : May 21st, 2015-00:30
You can add Jardur to the list. Known only by aficionados. Best, Nicolas

You can add Grana, Gruen, Aquastar, Eweco, Vetta and ZRC.

 
 By: amanico : May 21st, 2015-00:33
Some totally ( or almost ) unkown treasures, from these brands. Best, Nicolas

Nahhhhhh!!!!...

 
 By: pplater : May 21st, 2015-05:24
Gruen is an 'oldie but goldie' in the vintage crowd - isn't it the Gruen 'Precision' which is a staple in many collections? Cheers, pplater.

You can say the same about Grana, which is the rarest of the " dirty dozen ".

 
 By: amanico : May 21st, 2015-07:11
Yes, there are some true treasures behind these " hidden " names. Best, pplater. Nicolas

It turns out that there's a reason...

 
 By: pplater : May 21st, 2015-05:42
...why the Gruen 'Precision' name was familiar: (Note to self: must check the vintage box more often!) It's a rough old piece, and possibly not completely genuine (from memory it was bought from a dealer in Vietnam), but it's a Gruen. :-) Cheers, pplater...  

Eweco.....

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : May 21st, 2015-13:26
Here in Sweden you see some very local vintage brands like Birka, Örnen, Svalan - all with Swiss movements, branded with Swedish names... One of my "unmentionable": Eweco Best Blomman ...  

Thank you! :) [nt]

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : May 21st, 2015-13:32

It's merely a matter of time...

 
 By: Tony C. : May 21st, 2015-04:54
and, I suppose, keeping an open mind. In other words, if one were to collect vintage watches long enough, and have eclectic taste and/or interests, many of those brands would become familiar. Here are some examples from your list that I have acquired over...  

Very similar to your Bifora:

 
 By: SteveG : May 21st, 2015-07:40
Kind of a complement to your case. A nice design, I think: ...  

Great lineup, Tony!

 
 By: blomman Mr Blue : May 21st, 2015-13:32
I didn't expect anything less from you! ;) The Nivada diver looks fantastic! Best Blomman

Certina: but there's a story...

 
 By: pplater : May 21st, 2015-06:23
...to this one. The gardener who valiantly undertakes the Sisyphean task of taming the wild vegetation chez pplater is an immigrant from Poland. He was an engineer in his own country, but too old and too tired to re-train and qualify as an engineer in hi...  

Another classic PPlater story!

 
 By: dxboon : May 21st, 2015-07:51
You are such a good guy! :-) Daos

A good guy?...

 
 By: pplater : May 21st, 2015-08:52
If you believe that , Daos, you probably still believe in the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy. It is said that some litigators (the older, better ones...) still eat their young... ;-) Cheers, pplater.

As we say in the Antipodes, Nico...

 
 By: pplater : May 21st, 2015-09:42
..."same dog: different leg action". :-) Cheers, pplater.

Good one! [nt]

 
 By: amanico : May 21st, 2015-09:44

I did get a good haul of candy...

 
 By: dxboon : May 21st, 2015-14:12
...in my Easter basket this year! :-) You can't fool me, PPlater! Besides, aren't you retired now? Even sharks stop swimming sometimes! :-) Daos

Retired!? pplater!!??

 
 By: Ares501 - Mr Green : May 22nd, 2015-08:11
He is in his prime now ;) He found job just a month ago :)

Lol! I thought his job...

 
 By: dxboon : May 22nd, 2015-08:34
....was to do whatever Mrs. PPlater says! :-) Hehehe! *evil grin* Daos

Some are very good at their job...

 
 By: pplater : May 22nd, 2015-20:40
...others are very bad! :-) Cheers, pplater.

Now officially un-retired...

 
 By: pplater : May 22nd, 2015-20:38
Marriage and retirement are not compatible. Marriage won (this time...). ;-) Cheers, pplater.

Lol! [nt]

 
 By: dxboon : May 22nd, 2015-21:18

To this pplaterish story I will not say....

 
 By: Ares501 - Mr Green : May 22nd, 2015-08:02
I knew it I'll say I know it ;) Yours D

This story is a forum highlight ...

 
 By: Marcus Hanke : May 24th, 2015-09:21
..., especially the wonderful style of how it is told. Thank you kindly for the joy I had while reading it!! Marcus

A superb story

 
 By: ztirual : May 28th, 2015-03:58
wonderfully told. Personally I think you should keep the watch and offer another, new watch. In your living I think it is too obliging a gesture. But, yes, ultimately it would be wonderful if Stanley #1`s daughter got her father`s watch. On an aside note,... 

Here are some more

 
 By: cazalea : May 21st, 2015-16:50
Isn't there a French brand Yema? and then there's JAPY. and Roamer YES, Sjoo Sandstrom Xemex and Laurier (or is this a redial with a customer's name?) ...  

Roamer!

 
 By: jml_watches : May 22nd, 2015-11:22
Hi That Roamer really stands out - the clear plastic case really appeals - is it original? It looks fab. Its almost like a swatch precursor Cheers JML

I believe its original

 
 By: cazalea : May 25th, 2015-08:55
I just wound it up and it still runs. Case/crystal (?) has a crack in it at 6 but otherwise is nice Cazalea ...  

Thanks

 
 By: jml_watches : May 25th, 2015-09:45
Hi Thanks for the additional photos - looks great. Really nice and very different. Makes one think about the crystal Moser posted elsewhere - for me yours has more appeal. Cheers JML

You added brands, so let me add what I know about some.

 
 By: mkvc : May 21st, 2015-23:10
Baylor: also a Sears brand. Bifora: everyone's favorite watch advertisement is one for Bifora, with a 1970s guy in poofy hair, showing a lot of bare chest under his shirt, and holding an owl. The real reason we all own watches is the hope of being that co... 

My unmentionables

 
 By: MervC : May 27th, 2015-07:47
Here're the unmentionables in my collection.. All except "Enicar" are obscure brands with very little information of their history online. -- Enicar (Still running perfectly) Orator (Love the orange second hand) "GISA" "Record Super" "OCIO" another "ORATO...  

Merv, thank you for this great assortment!

 
 By: cazalea : May 27th, 2015-08:11
Until your post, these were mostly names to me - seeing the real watches is like spotting an extinct animal. The bracelets on most of them are very similar - or are they identical? Do you wear them? Thanks, Mike

hi

 
 By: MervC : May 27th, 2015-08:27
The bracelets are generic. These watches are just random, spur of the moment buys from flea markets. They come in 33mm size, so i hardly wear them. Most of them still run perfectly, with zero servicing over (i'd imagine) 60 over years. So it calls into qu... 

I wouldn't call them unmentionable

 
 By: rovermark : May 28th, 2015-01:53
Forgotten by most, but fully worthy of mention. I'm quite fond of this Baylor watch. I have read that Baylor was a house brand for an American jewelry store chain Zales. ...  

Thanks for the Baylor

 
 By: cazalea : May 28th, 2015-15:30
Hi Mark, You\'ve added a new twist. Now we have to research and find out if it\'s Sears or Zales behind that brand. Mike

Do let us know if you find out

 
 By: rovermark : May 29th, 2015-01:58
Either way it was a store that could be found in malls all over America.

BAYLOR WATCHES - Sears or Zales???

 
 By: cazalea : May 29th, 2015-18:10
Hi Mark, There are a few people on the web sharing their opinion of the Baylor Watch Company 's history, including a few here on PuristS. Was it a Zales or Sears brand? I will present some evidence that I have found in researching the question: ZALES Bayl...  

Thanks for the information

 
 By: rovermark : June 2nd, 2015-16:35
It confirms what I had read earlier.