Vintage Restoration Completed!
- 28800bph
- "Asylum Knight of the Diver"
- Posts: 907
- Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2008 7:48 am
- CW-watches: 1
- Location: USA
Vintage Restoration Completed!
My father-in-law gave me his vintage Zodiac over the holidays. Thanks Dad! It is circa 1971.
At the time he was serving on the USS Constellation:
Constellation underway off Vietnam, 1971–72
He started out by getting a mechanical alarm watch -- he accepted it in lieu of repayment on a debt from another sailor. Then one day he was standing in the chow line when a sailor he didn't know saw it on his wrist and offered to trade his Zodiac. They swapped watches on the spot. It was a daily wear for many years until the chrono pushers fell off and it stopped keeping time.
It looked like a perfect candidate for restoration. I found the movement is a Valjoux 7732 rebadged as a Zodiac Calibre 84. I sent it off to my watchmaker. He took a half day from delivery to provide a quote. Then he shipped it back to me 5 business days later. Fully restored, serviced, and regulated. Nice! I put it on a Horween Shell Cordovan strap (Nick Gabarro). It's a very special watch to me and my family. When my son is old enough, he will get this one.
Here is before and after.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
At the time he was serving on the USS Constellation:
Constellation underway off Vietnam, 1971–72
He started out by getting a mechanical alarm watch -- he accepted it in lieu of repayment on a debt from another sailor. Then one day he was standing in the chow line when a sailor he didn't know saw it on his wrist and offered to trade his Zodiac. They swapped watches on the spot. It was a daily wear for many years until the chrono pushers fell off and it stopped keeping time.
It looked like a perfect candidate for restoration. I found the movement is a Valjoux 7732 rebadged as a Zodiac Calibre 84. I sent it off to my watchmaker. He took a half day from delivery to provide a quote. Then he shipped it back to me 5 business days later. Fully restored, serviced, and regulated. Nice! I put it on a Horween Shell Cordovan strap (Nick Gabarro). It's a very special watch to me and my family. When my son is old enough, he will get this one.
Here is before and after.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
- Amor Vincit Omnia
- Moderator
- Posts: 33792
- Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:34 pm
- CW-watches: 4
- Location: Norfolk, UK
Re: Vintage Restoration Completed!
What a superb looking restoration and a gorgeous watch!
Well done - a treasured family heirloom in the making!
Well done - a treasured family heirloom in the making!
Steve
Linguist; retired teacher; pilgrim; apprentice travel writer
Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. (Max Ehrmann)
Linguist; retired teacher; pilgrim; apprentice travel writer
Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. (Max Ehrmann)
- scooter
- Trusted Seller
- Posts: 15249
- Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 7:14 pm
- CW-watches: 1
- LE-two: yes
- LE-foura: yes
- Location: UK
Re: Vintage Restoration Completed!
Now I do like the look of that.
Congratulations.
scooter
Congratulations.
scooter
#1 scooter blue 2012 FLE (50 made)
- Jape
- Senior Forumgod
- Posts: 1470
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 12:03 pm
- CW-watches: 5
- Location: South-western Finland
Re: Vintage Restoration Completed!
Great restoration! I do like the look of that watch. It looks quite fresh and one can't really believe it's so old. The story behind it is interesting, too.
C7 Rapide C11 Auto C600 Tri-Tech C2 Lido C40 Speedhawk C60 600 Sinn 857 Sinn 103St Sinn U1 Omega Seamaster Pro 300
Wants are many but funds scarce.
Wants are many but funds scarce.
- Dancematt
- Senior Forumgod
- Posts: 7817
- Joined: Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:15 am
- Location: Top secret hollow Volcano. Kent UK
Re: Vintage Restoration Completed!
Great story and beautiful watch. Well worth doing on looks alone. Makes me wonder what people will hand down to their next generation from their current collections.
I miss all the great things that may never be.
-
- Senior Forumgod
- Posts: 1840
- Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2011 1:57 pm
- CW-watches: 3
- Location: London
Re: Vintage Restoration Completed!
The history behind the watch is fantastic and the watch and superb restoration adds up to make a great and very personal family heirloom. I know you'll treasure it. The watchmaker/restorer deserves a pat on the back too. Fabulous job
Re: Vintage Restoration Completed!
Very beautiful watch and great job by the watchmaker. Cool story as well.
How big is the case diameter, if you don't mind me asking?
How big is the case diameter, if you don't mind me asking?
C5As~FLE12R~W61~C60GMT~FLE15~SC
Orion33/Tetra2~BallEH~Montblanc~Tudor BB36~Archimede36~Damasko~Revue T~BremontSolo37~MJW
Vintage~Bulova23~Polerouter~Wittnauer~Longines~Omega~Soumar~Eterna~Gruen
Quartz~Matisse~FLE17~Ebel~Citizen
Orion33/Tetra2~BallEH~Montblanc~Tudor BB36~Archimede36~Damasko~Revue T~BremontSolo37~MJW
Vintage~Bulova23~Polerouter~Wittnauer~Longines~Omega~Soumar~Eterna~Gruen
Quartz~Matisse~FLE17~Ebel~Citizen
Re: Vintage Restoration Completed!
nice watch and nice restoration
Halios Tropik SS, C60 GMT SKKO, Magrette Regattare 2011 sold, Casio Edifice, Seiko x2
Incoming: fle'13?
Incoming: fle'13?
- xtriple
- Forum gobshite
- Posts: 1705
- Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 11:52 am
- CW-watches: 3
- Location: Brixham, Devon.
Re: Vintage Restoration Completed!
That's lovely. I bet you are proud to have it back in working order and will wear it with honour and love. Nice to have a "family heirloom" on your wrist.
CW C3 CWS, C13 GWT, 2012 FLE. Tag Heuer. Citizen. Tissot Tudor. Breitling Colt + SuperOcean. Orient SK. Deep Blue. Seiko X2. Steinhart Ocean 1. Timex X3. MuDu. Longines. Yema. Omega Speedmaster +Seamaster SMP. Roamer. Sully. Bulova. Ingersol.
- Kip
- The Administrator
- Posts: 35171
- Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:45 pm
- CW-watches: 150
- LE-one: yes
- LE-two: yes
- LE-three: yes
- LE-foura: yes
- LE-fourb: yes
- LE-five: yes
- LE-six: yes
- LESeven: yes
- Location: New Hampshire, USA
Re: Vintage Restoration Completed!
Well done Sir.
Nothing like a family watch with provenance to share. History has been restored to full glory.
Be proud!
Nothing like a family watch with provenance to share. History has been restored to full glory.
Be proud!
Kip
"Asylum Administrator"
Visit the CWArchives for everything CW. Historical, specs, manuals and resale. It is all there.
"Asylum Administrator"
Visit the CWArchives for everything CW. Historical, specs, manuals and resale. It is all there.
- alphajet
- Senior Forumgod
- Posts: 3005
- Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 6:08 pm
- CW-watches: 15
- LE-two: yes
- LE-three: yes
- LE-foura: yes
- Location: Plymouth, Devon, UK
Re: Vintage Restoration Completed!
Congratulations a lovely looking watch and a great family heirloom.
No more Quartz (except when I cannot resist).
- footycrazy
- Trusted Seller
- Posts: 7149
- Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 8:30 pm
- CW-watches: 1
- Location: Essex coast.
- 28800bph
- "Asylum Knight of the Diver"
- Posts: 907
- Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2008 7:48 am
- CW-watches: 1
- Location: USA
Re: Vintage Restoration Completed!
Thanks for the nice comments!
It is 36mm without crown. My wife said she wants to wear it.asqwerth wrote:How big is the case diameter, if you don't mind me asking?
Re: Vintage Restoration Completed!
It is a lovely watch. I cannot believe what these restoration guys can achieve!
Richard
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
- 0 Replies
- 167 Views
-
Last post by Tonywalker
-
- 1 Replies
- 126 Views
-
Last post by jkbarnes
-
- 7 Replies
- 227 Views
-
Last post by jkbarnes
-
- 12 Replies
- 855 Views
-
Last post by ajax87
-
- 11 Replies
- 678 Views
-
Last post by .pablo.