mkvc
1382
You added brands, so let me add what I know about some.
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 cool.
I think Jardur made some very iconic military watches.
My obscure brands:
Fleuron (some nice gold chronographs and Felsa-based automatics, some much lower-end stuff);
Esiba (a Felsa-based automatic diver, sample size of one even though I search for more regularly);
Roberge (affiliated with a high-end Geneva jeweler, so made plenty of quartz watches with diamonds, but very fine watchmaking when they put their minds to it; complications up to perpetual calendar).
UNMENTIONABLE watch brands
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...
...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.
And thanks for stopping by! Good to hear you are still "watching" Mike
I'm not always able to post...
...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
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
There is one I cannot mention, because I cannot pronounce nor spell it...
Dorn...something. ;) Best, Nicolas
I own two from that list.
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 . . .
. . . 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.
My watchmaker dug them up because of some defect in the originals.
Nivada, Sicura and Telstar are familiar to me.
You can add Jardur to the list. Known only by aficionados. Best, Nicolas
You can add Grana, Gruen, Aquastar, Eweco, Vetta and ZRC.
Some totally ( or almost ) unkown treasures, from these brands. Best, Nicolas
Nahhhhhh!!!!...
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 ".
Yes, there are some true treasures behind these " hidden " names. Best, pplater. Nicolas
It turns out that there's a reason...
...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.....
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 ...
It's merely a matter of time...
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:
Kind of a complement to your case. A nice design, I think: ...
Great lineup, Tony!
I didn't expect anything less from you! ;) The Nivada diver looks fantastic! Best Blomman
Certina: but there's a story...
...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...
A good guy?...
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...
..."same dog: different leg action". :-) Cheers, pplater.
I did get a good haul of candy...
...in my Easter basket this year! :-) You can't fool me, PPlater! Besides, aren't you retired now? Even sharks stop swimming sometimes! :-) Daos
Lol! I thought his job...
....was to do whatever Mrs. PPlater says! :-) Hehehe! *evil grin* Daos
Now officially un-retired...
Marriage and retirement are not compatible. Marriage won (this time...). ;-) Cheers, pplater.
This story is a forum highlight ...
..., especially the wonderful style of how it is told. Thank you kindly for the joy I had while reading it!! Marcus
A superb story
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
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!
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
I just wound it up and it still runs. Case/crystal (?) has a crack in it at 6 but otherwise is nice Cazalea ...
Thanks
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.
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
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!
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
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
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
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
Either way it was a store that could be found in malls all over America.
BAYLOR WATCHES - Sears or Zales???
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...
