As much as I gripe about modern makers flogging supposed military connections of their watches that frequently have little if any basis in fact, it’s easy to forget that the phenomenon is not exclusive to the modern era.
Heck, for that matter the entire evolution from pocket to wrist watches was borne out of soldiers’ preference for the convenience of watches worn on the wrist during WWI, so it only makes sense I guess.
The Cincinati, Ohio-based Gruen Watch Company was an importer of partially finished Swiss-made movements that became especially famous for its “Veri-Thin” and “Curvex” models. And although Gruen never made any official issue watches over the course of its lifetime of which I’m aware, they sure weren’t afraid to let that stand in the way of using military themes in their war-era marketing.
Gruen ad from the 1940s recommending selections for members of the various military services
A new variant of the well-regarded Marathon SAR (Search and Rescue) series of watches has reached the collector market, available exclusively through retailer CountyComm.
Though a Canadian company, Marathon also produces watches for the US and Canadian militaries as well as NASA divers at the National Buoyancy Lab, where astronauts train underwater for low-gravity environments.
Although the watch has arrived in time for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games currently being held in Vancouver, this particular Canadian Maple Leaf badged watch is actually not an Olympic commemorative watch. It was actually a special run commissioned by a special branch of the Canadian military. According to CountyComm, only 500 were produced and it’s not expected that any more will be made.
Omega Ad featuring the Vancouver Olympics Special Edition Seamaster with red bezel
As the 2010 Winter Olympic Games get ready to start this morning in Vancouver, I thought I’d point out that Omega now has some pretty cool high-resolution wallpaper images available for download on the Omega website. The images celebrate the spirit of the games as long as Omega’s longstanding service as the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games.
The wallpaper images are available in customized national colors for many countries, though I have to say I like the “official” generic version (at the bottom of the page) as it’s the most colorful.
Omega Seamaster Professional 18th Maccabiah Games Limited Edition with custom caseback. eBay seller's photo.
This is one you certainly don’t see every day. In fact, I had never seen it before at all. A special Limited Edition Seamaster series of 118 made for last year’s 18th Maccabiah Games in Israel.
Much like previous limited edition Speedmasters and the custom military Seamasters made by Omega in recent years, these feature a custom caseback design acieved by priting the custom design on the inside of the sapphire caseback.
It also comes to mind that Omega is perhaps lacking in restraint with the special and limited editions, churning out another one of these custom sapphire caseback designs at the slightest provocation and creating and environment where the limited and special editions are effectively becoming much less special. At this point a collector would be challenged to even collect all of the special editions.
“A strange feeling of certainty seems to come over Accutron owners…”
It’s easy to take for granted now but the Bulova Accutron technology with its humming tuning fork once represented the state of the art in watch technology for a short while before the era of widespread inexpensive quartz watches. Continued…
It was a different sort of time, when airships and dirigibles represented the state of the art in air travel. Longines later became famous for its aviation, pilot’s and navigation watches like the Weems and the Hour Angle designed in consultation with Charles Lindbergh.
In that sense it comes as no surprise that Longines (imported and distributed in the US by Wittnauer at the time) was one of many sponsors of the zeppelin project to feature the Graf Zeppelin (LZ 127) of Germany in its advertising during the interwar years.
Vintages Longines Ad from the 1920s featuring the famous Graf Zeppelin of Germany
This was one of a series of specially-made Rattrapante (“split seconds”) timers Omega made especially for use at the Olympics, beginning with the Summer Games in Mexico City in 1966. The red outer case is designed simply to protect the watch and features a push-through pusher that allows for operation even when the watch is inside the case.
Customers of Duncan “Outstretchedhands” McMorrin Haven’t Received Anything Since Sept. 2009
About a year ago there was a minor fracas on the net surrounding the claims and activities of Duncan McMorrin, owner of Divestraps.com who also traded and posted under the name “Outstretchedhands” in collector communities. The allegations were almost too bizarre to be believed and included everything from attacks on McMorrin’s claims about the supposed Kevlar® content of his straps to admissions that at least some of the custom colors offered had been achieved by using felt pens to color white stitching.
Allegations surfaced about a spurious charitable website McMorrin formerly ran at Aviationmission.org and previous shady dealings in the Minox camera collecting community dating back as early as 2002. All the while McMorrin cited his supposed piety and “charitable” work and continued.
For reasons that perplex me, Duncan McMorrin and Divestraps continued successfully selling straps through his website even after the problems were exposed. Some seemed content to buy into the “premium” (overpriced) marketing but the problem not longer merely a question of cost comparison. The most recent and pertinent development seems to indicate that recent customers paid the exaggerated price but received nothing at all. A quick survey of some internet forums shows posters who paid in September of 2009 but still have yet to receive anything.
Why would I want to read a blog about watches? I already have a watch!
We had finally outgrown our old home and it was time to move. We hope you enjoy our new site here at iAlreadyHaveaWatch.com.
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As much as I gripe about modern makers flogging supposed military connections of their watches that frequently have little if any basis in fact, it’s easy to forget that the phenomenon is not exclusive to the modern era.
About a year ago there was a minor fracas on the net surrounding the claims and activities of Duncan McMorrin, owner of Divestraps.com who also traded and posted under the name “Outstretchedhands” in collector communities. The allegations were almost too bizarre to be believed and included everything from attacks on McMorrin’s claims about the supposed Kevlar® content of his straps to admissions that at least some of the custom colors offered had been achieved by using felt pens to color white stitching.
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