Market Watch(ing): Christmas Chronograph Edition

We’re going really heavy on the chronographs this week, even more than usual. It must be the upcoming Speedy auction that has us crazy for them. Anyway, despite the emphasis on chronographs, we’re still bringing a great variety. What’s more, Christmas is coming up and you all deserve to treat yourselves to a nice new watch from Santa. So, sit back and get your Christmas list out, because Market Watch(ing) is live!

Neil’s Picks

Lemania Tg 195 Monopusher – Swedish Military

Lemania has a fairly storied history when it comes to vintage military watches. They produced some great looking, tough, and high quality pieces, but unfortunately their relatively low numbers makes it difficult to find quality examples. One of the unique references they made is this Tg 195 Monopusher. Produced in the ’50s, it is said that this reference was issued the the Swedish Army’s explosive demolition units. It is well used but the condition is not too bad. The tropic dial is a big selling point for me though. The seller says it is Swedish military issue, and based on the three crowns engraved on the caseback, it was probably legitimately issued and used as the crowns are indicative of a Swedish military issued timepiece. I would also request pictures of the Cal 2225 movement. As always, ask questions, do your homework, and “buy the seller.” This is a great vintage military piece however and would be a quality and unique addition to any collection.

3000 Euros (chronocentric.com ad)

$3,735 (chrono24.com ad)

Chronographe Suisse Antimagnetique Chronograph

It’s not often you find a solid gold Swiss made chronograph for under $2,000, or even in that ballpark, but here’s your chance to have one. Although the company has changed, Chronographe Suisse has been around for many years. They often made manual winding watches like this one for other Swiss retailers. It’s hard not to stare at this chronograph. The combination of the thin batons hands, black dial with contoured subdials, and dark painted numerals and markers is a winner. Encase all that in a solid rose gold case and it makes for a watch that’s hard to pass up. Chronographe Suisse is a Swiss manufacture that may not have that status of the big boys but that doesn’t make this watch any less beautiful. The boys at Analog/Shift sure know how to pick ’em.

$1,700

Isaac’s Picks

Omega Speedmaster reference 2915-3

At the moment, the market for clean examples of desirable vintage Speedmasters couldn’t be hotter. As Shane mentioned in his last article, Christie’s upcoming Speedmaster sale has created a lot of hype, and many esteemed dealers and collectors are already predicting a significant market adjustment following the sale. In my personal opinion, the Speedmasters have been somewhat undervalued in comparison to similar chronographs for some time now, so it’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out. With all of this in mind, many individuals are choosing to pick up a nice Speedmaster before the sale, and in all honesty, your options are quite limited, since many are choosing to hold onto their best pieces for the time being. Luckily, Kirill of Lunar Oyster just listed a few great look examples on his site, earlier this week, and they do not disappoint by any means.

The Speedmaster’s lineage begins with the Ref. 2915, which came in a number of different variants, that were referenced and cataloged accordingly. What we have here is a 2915-3, and you could say that it’s a transitional reference that introduced us to some of the modern Speedy characteristics that we know and love today. This example features a dial that has aged to a beautiful, even, chocolatey-tropical tone, which is paired with consistently colored lume. Although the bezel may be a bit weathered, it’s worth noting that it is the correct “Base 1000” in black, which is nice to see. My advice would be to pick up a great example like this while you can, because in just a matter of weeks, I can assure you that you’ll be happy you did.

Inquire for Price

Wakmann V.72 Pilot Chronograph

eBay is an interesting place to hunt down vintage watches, in that some pieces are great and others are just plain old garbage, but if you know what you’re looking for, it can be an absolute gold mine. Just be sure to do your homework, and be willing to take a chance from time to time. During my weekly round up on Monday, I came across an interesting Wakmann that checks all the boxes for me, and is probably one of the most captivating vintage chronographs I’ve seen in a while.

Despite the fact that this piece’s bezel, case, and movement are nothing to scoff at, the main attraction here is the dial. It features three scales, two of which are executed in gilt (along with the subdials and inner 24-hour track), and one in a striking shade of red. To be perfectly honest, I had no idea what exactly this scale displaying markings up to 180 was used for, and neither did a host of other people. One opinion that I received is that it could have been used for military artillery calibration, but I can’t say that for sure. If you have any insight on this topic, let me know in the comments. I’d love to find out the story behind this one!

Bid Now

Omega Speedmaster ref 145.022-69 Tropical Dial

Another group of watches within the Speedmaster market that I’m going to paying close attention to over the next few months are 145.022-69’s with tropical dials. Though many will say that the truly desirable Speedmasters are those which make use of the Cal. 321 movement, I think this reference, in with this dial combination is an exception, and a piece to watch (get it?). Through discussing this piece and similar examples with like-minded collectors, it’s become apparent that several pieces within this reference and year of production (1969) made use of “flawed” dial paint, that went on to turn a warm tone of brown. Usually I’m not a fan of manufacturing flaws, but in this case, I couldn’t be happier.

This original owner 145.022-69 in question is coming from Sotheby’s upcoming Important Watches auction in New York, and yes, it does have a tropical dial, along with the correct “Dot Over 90” bezel that Speedmaster collectors will look for. Furthermore, this piece comes with a presentation box, international guarantee, instruction booklet, and a bracelet, so there’s a lot to like in this one. The way I look at it, this reference is one of the last genuinely interesting early Speedmaster references, as after this point in time, the Speedmaster would then become the “Moon Watch”, and the model itself wouldn’t see many significant changes, or unique variants for a long period of time. I’ll be watching this one closely.

Lot 79

Dean’s Picks

Omega Speedmaster ref 2998-4

Vintage Omega is hot right now; people are speculating in the Speedmaster market as if watches were investments (which we all know they are NOT). The movement to go after in vintage Omega chronographs is obviously the cal 321 and good Speedies powered by this legend are getting snapped up. It’s rare to even see 2998s offered for sale. The guys over at Bachmann and Scher in Munich have a nice looking 2998-4, with the alpha hands on the subdials. It’s listed for 25,000 EUR, which may or may not be a good deal depending on the results of the big Speedy auction coming up in a couple weeks here in NYC.

25,000 EUR

Omega Pre-Seamaster Chronograph cal 321

$3,499

Girard-Perregaux Compax with UG Movement

$1,999

Shane’s Picks

Wittnauer Military Dial Bumper Automatic

Everyone knows I love military watches, so it’s no surprise I’m going with one here. Now, this isn’t an issued watch, but it’s got what is called a military-style dial, and that is to say it has 24-hr markings and a highly legible layout. What we’re looking at is a Wittnauer bumper automatic from the 1950s that’s in fantastic shape. If you can work with a 33mm watch, this is a great option. I love the patina on the dial where the hands were likely sitting for many years — it adds nice character and tells me the dial hasn’t been touched maybe ever. Bidding for this cool piece is well below $100, and I’m keeping an eye on it.

Bid Now

Junghans J88 Flieger Chronograph

Another military watch?! Say it ain’t so! Well, it’s so, and this time it’s actually an issued watch. Here we have one of my favorite under-the-radar military chronographs, the Junghans J88 Flieger Chronograph. I love the look of these chronos, as they remind me of less chunky Heuer Bund Flybacks and Zenith A. Cairellis. The problem is that they’re often not in great shape. That’s not the case here, though. This one is primo. It was recently serviced, and it has all the things to look for: perfect patina, nice bezel, thick case, and crisp military markings. I typically see J88s in the low $2K range, but in this condition, the price doesn’t seem far off.

$2,750 OBO

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