Buying a Rolex or Chronosport

[eagle]

Well, I've been wearing my Chronosport pretty much exclusively for the last several weeks. Today I'm wearing it with a short-sleeve polo shirt (it is unseasonably warm here, around 70ºF). I gotta say, this is an excellent watch, especially on the Tropic strap. Thanks for encouraging me to get this strap!

[To The Regiment]

Well, I've been wearing my Chronosport pretty much exclusively for the last several weeks. Today I'm wearing it with a short-sleeve polo shirt (it is unseasonably warm here, around 70ºF). I gotta say, this is an excellent watch, especially on the Tropic strap. Thanks for encouraging me to get this strap!

That's great to hear. Looking forward to seeing more pics!

Cheers!
To The Regiment

[To The Regiment]

Two Chronosport Sea Quartz ladies models on eBay. Bidding on the first one is only at $39 right now:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224785616028?h ... Sw8Bph3ciy

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144358725259?h ... Swc7Nh1fQp

Cheers!
To The Regiment

[eagle]

I should have thought of this before I bidded on and won that Chronosport eBay auction, but I only just now thought of it:

[To The Regiment]

I should have thought of this before I bidded on and won that Chronosport eBay auction, but I only just now thought of it:

Ha! I know exactly what you mean!

To The Regiment

[To The Regiment]

A great watch story on Hodinkee:

A Former CIA Case Officer Reveals The Surprising Connection Between Watches and Espionage https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/a-for ... -espionage

It features the Rolex GMT and Submariner throughout. A great read all around.

Cheers!
To The Regiment

[eagle]

There appears to be a new listing on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/294630272349

It's an interesting example, but I still like mine better.

[Styles Bitchley]

There appears to be a new listing on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/294630272349

It's an interesting example, but I still like mine better.

That one has been relisted a few times. Price is too high for what it is. Not even presented well.

[To The Regiment]

The silence on this watch thread is deafening. No new horological news?

Cheers!
To The Regiment

[eagle]

Around 1990, I thought the Seiko "dancing hands" watches were cool, and I found a Seiko 6M25-6039 on eBay for a reasonable price. It came without a working piezo buzzer, so I tried fixing that but so far no joy. I know the buzzer works, though, because I connected wires to the leads in the watch and taped the wires to the buzzer and the caseback, and it beeps. So there's that. But when I screw the caseback onto the case, I get nothing. Clearly I'm doing something wrong here, since I know the buzzer works.

Anyway, we'll just add that to my long list of projects.

And, speaking of projects, my other hobby is collecting antique phones. I have long liked the Ericofon that was in Higgins's office, and I have decided to start looking for phones that were used in the show. Fortunately there's another forum user who did a lot of research into phones, which gives me a shopping list. I have Magnum's two watches (or close facsimiles of them), so now maybe I start buying phones that were used on the show.

And, I have a lot of WE 500 sets, which are pretty similar to the AE80, so maybe I just buy a red Ericofon and call it good.

[Mr. Keoki]

Figured I'd work to bump this thread back up.

Since about a year ago when rolex offered the GMT Pepsi with the oyster bracelet I've been on a couple wait lists at ADs.

I did/do not like the jubilee band. For starters it's not the look for me, but it also rips out my arm hairs.

I also will not pay gray market prices for the luxury of instant gratification. I also don't want to participate in that nonsense.

It seems like the COVID supply disruptions are easing slightly at Rolex (and other swiss watch manufactures). So we'll see how it goes.

[eagle]

I share your dislike of the jubilee bracelet. I have always liked the Oyster, and I am not even really a fan of the bracelet on my Maen Hudson. For my Mathey-Tissot Batman GMT I replaced the Jubilee with a black NATO strap.

[Styles Bitchley]

I used to not like jubilee bracelets, as they seemed more delicate or fancy than a sturdy-looking oyster. Maybe because they were standard issue on the Datejust-style watches boring old guys wore when I was a kid? As you all probably know, the 1675 and 16750 GMT Masters came with either. I actually do now seem to like the jubilee a lot more than I used to, but only on certain models. Something seems to click when a Pepsi bezel in involved. Even the Seiko Pepsi models of the '70s and '80s look great on a jubilee. Magnum had an oyster, of course, so maybe there's some bias on this forum.

You may also know that a premium version of the Chronosport Sea Quartz 30 could be purchased with a jubilee bracelet (rather than a rubber Tropic strap), as you can see in this magazine ad from 1979:



What isn't widely known, however, is that the Chronosport jubilee was made by bracelet manufacturer JB Champion. That name may be familiar to some, as they are well known for producing the Omega Speedmaster aftermarket mesh bracelet preferred by the Gemini and Apollo astronauts. These are often called "Forstner" bracelets, which was the name of the company making them first (before JB Champion bought the rights). Here's Dick Gordon wearing one with his Speedmaster:



The Chronosport jubilee had folded links, so was a lot less robust than solid link jubilees that Rolex and others started using in the mid- to late-1970s. As a result, as lot of them stretched and broke at some point and there aren't many left. A lot of guys probably opted to save $25 when purchasing and went with the Tropic (which has a great sporty look). After all, they were targeting the diving community with these watches -- advertising in dive magazines and selling in dive shops -- and the jubilee didn't have a wetsuit extension.



Here are some close up details of my Chronosport jubilee clasp.

Embossed Chronosport logo:



JB Champion engraved hallmark:



JB Champion used a date code on the Chronosport jubilees, which helps to give a decent estimate of when they watch was assembled. As you can see below, mine says October 1981 (a later Sea Quartz 30 model).

[eagle]

That's really cool - I didn't know the Chronosport was offered on Jubilee bracelet. IMHO there is only one correct way to wear a Chronosport -- on the Tropic strap!

[Pahonu]

I used to not like jubilee bracelets, as they seemed more delicate or fancy than a sturdy-looking oyster. Maybe because they were standard issue on the Datejust-style watches boring old guys wore when I was a kid? As you all probably know, the 1675 and 16750 GMT Masters came with either. I actually do now seem to like the jubilee a lot more than I used to, but only on certain models. Something seems to click when a Pepsi bezel in involved. Even the Seiko Pepsi models of the '70s and '80s look great on a jubilee. Magnum had an oyster, of course, so maybe there's some bias on this forum.

You may also know that a premium version of the Chronosport Sea Quartz 30 could be purchased with a jubilee bracelet (rather than a rubber Tropic strap), as you can see in this magazine ad from 1979:



What isn't widely known, however, is that the Chronosport jubilee was made by bracelet manufacturer JB Champion. That name may be familiar to some, as they are well known for producing the Omega Speedmaster aftermarket mesh bracelet preferred by the Gemini and Apollo astronauts. These are often called "Forstner" bracelets, which was the name of the company making them first (before JB Champion bought the rights). Here's Dick Gordon wearing one with his Speedmaster:



The Chronosport jubilee had folded links, so was a lot less robust than solid link jubilees that Rolex and others started using in the mid- to late-1970s. As a result, as lot of them stretched and broke at some point and there aren't many left. A lot of guys probably opted to save $25 when purchasing and went with the Tropic (which has a great sporty look). After all, they were targeting the diving community with these watches -- advertising in dive magazines and selling in dive shops -- and the jubilee didn't have a wetsuit extension.



Here are some close up details of my Chronosport jubilee clasp.

Embossed Chronosport logo:



JB Champion engraved hallmark:



JB Champion used a date code on the Chronosport jubilees, which helps to give a decent estimate of when they watch was assembled. As you can see below, mine says October 1981 (a later Sea Quartz 30 model).

Great to hear from you Styles! It’s been a while it seems, and great information as always.