Fao Stuey

[FrogNog]

I'm off to bed in a minute but I know this is your time of night, so please could you help me?
I have a gorgeous watch but know very little about it.
I know it's from the 70s and is made by Vulcain.
I'm hoping you can help me further with date, value and rarity (I think it's quite rare).
Here are some pics.:

http://tinypic.com/r/xcvjex/8

http://tinypic.com/r/amebrk/8

Thanks for any help, from anyone.

[stuey]

FrogNog, I'll see what I can find out tomorrow, as I'm just about to get supper ready. I will let you know.

[FrogNog]

Thank you Stuey :)

[stuey]

FrogNog, that's quite a nice looking woman's wrist watch made by a reputable company. The pictures are not that clear, so I can’t make out much detail. It is a Swiss made skeleton type watch (you can look into it and see its “anatomy”). It has 9 jewels, that I can make out anyway. I can’t see a sweep second hand and am assuming that at the instant the photo was taken it was “hiding” on top of the minute hand. To get more definitive information you need the model name, number of jewels, serial number, and whether the watch is “adjusted” or not. You should really take it to a watch-maker (NOT a jeweler!) in order to get your answers. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.

[stuey]

I forgot to add that the serial number etc is usually stamped on the back plate of the movement.

[FrogNog]

Hi Stuey,
Thank you for your help.
It's 17 jewels I think and has loads of stuff stamped on it.
I'll do what you say. I think it might be worth paying to find out.
Thanks again.

[stuey]

If you post on here everything that you see marked anywhere on the watch (words, numbers), I'll see if I can go any further with it.

[FrogNog]

Okay thank you.
It says Jewels 17 and then seventeen stamped as a word.
It has a symbol that looks like an oval on top of a tripod with a vertical line through the centre of the oval.
It has the letters MSR and K1S underneath that.
It's stamped Swiss and stamped unadjusted.
That's all I can see on the back.
It doesn't have a second hand. The front crystal is plastic and says Vulcain in black lettering.
The rubies are a particularly lovely colour.
Thanks again.

[stuey]

FrogNog, I've copied all that down. Now if you could post two CLEAR pictures of the front and back, including all those markings, I could post it onto specialized clock and watch site. If you have a digital camera, use a tripod and the macro setting to take them. If you're using a cell-phone camera, use something to steady it when you take the pictures; take a few and post the clearest on here.

[stuey]

By the way, don't use the flash.

[FrogNog]

Thanks again Stuey. I'll try this evening

[FrogNog]

Well photography is not my strong point and I'm jiggered if I could work out how to turn off the flash, but here's my meagre offering.

http://tinypic.com/r/2n861cx/8

http://tinypic.com/r/20rldt1/8

http://tinypic.com/r/nwh55h/8

http://tinypic.com/r/24x41lj/8

http://tinypic.com/r/66kxeu/8

I hope that's enough.

[stuey]

OK, FrogNog, I'll see what I can do. The last is the clearest. The mark you described is two capital Rs abutting: one facing right and one facing left. It is a mark of a subsidiary of Vulcain. Quite often, the structure of watch companies is as complicated as the movements they make:)

[FrogNog]

Thanks Stuey. I really appreciate your help.

[stuey]

The website that I use is having some "picture posting" problems, so it might take a day or two to get information.

[FrogNog]

That's fine Stuey. I'm just grateful for the help.

[stuey]

The site is still having uploading problems. "They" say it should be up and running on Monday.

[stuey]

FrogNog, the mark you described is 2 capital Rs joined together, one facing right and one left: it is the mark of Revue Thommen the Swiss manufacturer of the movement. The MSR stands for Manufactures Suisse Reunies, an association of Swiss watch makers. I’m assuming that the K1S is the caliber, or type, of movement. I think you’re correct about it being from the ‘70s, or even mid to late ‘60s. One interesting fact about Vulcain watches is that Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Nixon, and Johnson all wore one. As far as quality or prestige goes, Vulcain/Revue watches are about mid-way between, let’s say, Timex and Patek Phillipe . As for its “value”, I wouldn’t want to hazard a guess: there are so many variable to consider. The number of jewels in it and the fact that it’s a “skeleton” model are both good points. You MIGHT get more details from [email protected] Grovana owns Vulcain/Revue. If I get anything else, I’ll post it.

[FrogNog]

Stuey that's awesome. Thank you so much.
I've a feeling it's rare, but I don't know how rare so thank you again. x

[stuey]

Here, contact them through this: http://www.grovana.ch/?page_id=34 Supply as many details regarding your watch as you can, and add the pictures.

[stuey]

FrogNog, you obviously got me hooked on this watch:) Anyway, I just sent off an email to Grovana with the details of it. So now we'll wait and see if there is a response.