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minutenrohr
·Hi,
Once a year I buy a wristwatch without considering any reasonable arguments. No matter whether the brand promises gigantic profits or is particularly cool, no matter whether round or square. The main thing is, that the dial is unrestored, the case is not or not very polished, the movement clean and without damage; preferably with screw balance. And somehow different from my other watches.
This year, a "Valmon"* 1195 diver's watch (never heard of it before) in a screw-down 36mm steel case, with black radium gloss dial and red date display. Inside works a Felsa 692 Bidynator, which still shows a bit that it´s a 40s construction. And it runs really fine.
The dial reminds of early KonTiki´s or Certinas with baroque radium decor, the red numerals on the date disc adding some visual excitement. Funnily enough, they didn't just omit the "3" in favor of the date window, but cut it. The glass with the date magnifier inside is probably still the first one. At least quite old, because of the stress cracks.
There are a few versions of the 1195, mine is perhaps the earliest and could still be from the 1950s. All the others I looked at on the internet had straight lugs (viewed from the side), not rounded down like mine. Also, Eta movements, FHF (manual winding) or later Felsa, more modern hand design or a sheet metal bezel.
* "Valmon (Genève)" sounds very charming to German ears. Maybe not like "Vacheron", but better than "Precimax" or "Stowa".
Rgds - HU
Once a year I buy a wristwatch without considering any reasonable arguments. No matter whether the brand promises gigantic profits or is particularly cool, no matter whether round or square. The main thing is, that the dial is unrestored, the case is not or not very polished, the movement clean and without damage; preferably with screw balance. And somehow different from my other watches.
This year, a "Valmon"* 1195 diver's watch (never heard of it before) in a screw-down 36mm steel case, with black radium gloss dial and red date display. Inside works a Felsa 692 Bidynator, which still shows a bit that it´s a 40s construction. And it runs really fine.
The dial reminds of early KonTiki´s or Certinas with baroque radium decor, the red numerals on the date disc adding some visual excitement. Funnily enough, they didn't just omit the "3" in favor of the date window, but cut it. The glass with the date magnifier inside is probably still the first one. At least quite old, because of the stress cracks.
There are a few versions of the 1195, mine is perhaps the earliest and could still be from the 1950s. All the others I looked at on the internet had straight lugs (viewed from the side), not rounded down like mine. Also, Eta movements, FHF (manual winding) or later Felsa, more modern hand design or a sheet metal bezel.
* "Valmon (Genève)" sounds very charming to German ears. Maybe not like "Vacheron", but better than "Precimax" or "Stowa".
Rgds - HU
