COGU "Jump-Hour" Automatic Watch

Today's watch has one of the most awkward ways of telling time that I've seen in a mechanical watch.

The watch is by the brand COGU, which is a brand I've blogged before, and appears to be a Chinese brand which is said to be an Italian brand founded by Cosimo Gucci. Many things do not make sense with the brand/description so I can't vouch for the accuracy, but they make some interesting watches.

I called this watch a "jump-hour" but it isn't like the more common jump-hour which has a rotating disc. Instead this watch has a normal looking dial, but closer inspection shows the numbers are scattered around the dial. The way the watch works is that at the change of the hour, the hour hand jumps 5 numbers clockwise (5/12 of a rotation) around the dial (instead of the usual 1/12th), but the minute hand rotates as normal. It takes the first few minutes of the new hour for the hour hand to move though. This is all powered by an automatic mechanical movement with a glass window in the back where the weight (and some of the mechanism) can be seen.

Because the hour hand doesn't move during the hour, and the number placement is definitely abnormal, it is a watch that takes some time to get used to telling the time on. But it's definitely a cool idea and fits well into my collection

Metro Starlike

Today is another of the watches from the mysterious Metro brand. I've blogged about this brand before, and what it looks like is that they are a Japanese brand (possibly linked to a furniture store), but with very little firm information around.

This model is called Starlike (deviating from the more common American city naming convention). It is an automatic mechanical watch with a 3 hand mechanism, but only using 2 hands. The seconds hand is replaced by a rotating disc which makes moving patterns with another disc below. There is also a date marker at the 3 o'clock position. 

The strap is a leather strap with a matching geometric pattern, and a Metro branded buckle. 

My best guess is that this is from the late 2000s, and I found an auction article which suggested an original sales price of ¥12600.

Swatch Black Board SAB103

Today's watch is my second Swatch Automatic on this blog (-the first was in April this year).

The Swatch Automatic watches were released in 1991 and continued until 1997 when they were replaced by the Autoquartz technology. They have a mechanical automatic movement, and there is a load of information about that on my earlier post.

This model is one of the later models, having been designed in 1994 and released as part of the 1995 Spring Summer collection. It is called the Black Board and has a model number of SAB103. The watch has a white face with black numbers in all different sizes, and the top of the 2 in 12 is an open crescent moon shape with the movement just visible through. It has a black plastic case with matching black plastic strap, and the back is see through so you can see the rotating weight for the movement.

Technos European Automatic TEGM906

Today's watch is a Swiss mechanical watch, which is a type that I've not featured so much on here so far.

This watch is by the brand Technos, who are a popular mechanical watch manufacturer, with a large presence in Japan. The Technos name first appeared in 1924 after being trademarked by a small Swiss watch manufacturer called Gunzinger Bros. The company built up a large market share until the mid 70s when the Japanese quartz watches began to dominate the market. The company then consolidated operations, joining an ad hoc groups sharing premises (which included Certina). Eventually in the early 80s, the name was sold to Heiwado & Co from Tokyo, who also licenced the name to Brazil allowing the watches to be manufactured there too. The brand is now Brazilian owned using Citizen movements, and has no Swiss manufacturing.

This model is the TEGM906, and is a 3 hand dial watch with an automatic mechanical movement. It has a sweep hand style with a 14,400 bph speed (4 movements per second), and there is also a date window at the 3 o'clock position. The weight is visible through the glass back, and this is engraved with a pattern, the Technos name, and the word Klassisch.

The case is a ribbed design made from stainless steel, and the ribbed design continues along the steel strap with hidden connector. It has a cut glass front, with a flat rectangular central section and angled sides. Overall, the watch feels well built, and has a water resistance of 10 bar.

On the dial there is also the text stating this is a European Automatic, which suggests to me that it is from the period after the company became Japanese, but maybe before it stopped Swiss manufacture (so between 82 and sometime in the 2000s). The use of bar water than atm also suggests that it was destined for a non-European market.

Musk MM-2068 Automatic Watch

The Musk brand that I found recently are a little unusual, as they seem to have become very popular (from nowhere), and they have watches from the cheap to the luxurious feeling. The watches can be spotted by the logo of an intertwined male and female symbol, but with the male symbol arrow pointing straight upwards.

This model is one of the more luxurious feeling ones, with a good quality construction. The watch is the MM-2068 and it is a mechanical model with an automatic movement. The movement has 21 jewels and is a high beat design, with 4 beats per second (14,400 bph). There is a small window in the dial (at the 7 o'clock position) where one of the jewels can be seen as well as a glimpse of the balance wheel. As with many automatics, the back of the watch is clear and the weight can be seen. The weight in this model is gold coloured, and heavily engraved with the Musk name, many versions of the logo, and a geometric pattern. The watch is lightweight, with an aluminium shell, and is 10 bar water resistant (with a screw down crown to help with the watertight seal).

The watch is a 3 hand dial design with a date window at the 3 o'clock position. The face has white markings on a black background, with numbers only at the 12 and 6. There is also a black bezel with the Musk name and logo pressed into it. The watch should have a urethane strap with a screw connection to the case, but my one has my universal strap as the original is missing.

I do not know the original price for this model, but the Amazon Japan site showed this was first listed there in 2010.

COGU Classic Automatic Skeleton Watch

Just over 3 years ago I posted a watch by a brand called COGU, and today I'm blogging my second from this brand.

The COGU watch brand is a difficult one to research a definite story around. The brand is reportedly an Italian brand, but there is no Italian website that I've found, with the main online presence being on the watch sales sites Bodying and Rakuten. When I blogged the previous model, I also found a Japanese website where it appeared they had checked and the import office had no record of the company. The brand name is a shortened version of the founder's name Cosimo Gucci, who is a 4th generation Gucci (son of Roberto and born in Florence in 1956). According to a YouTube interview, the brand was started in 2004 to allow Cosimo to explore his unique take in design, and the company is French owned. The trademark however is owned by a Chinese name/company, Sun Xianbo of Hong Kong. Last time I posted the about the brand, I was sceptical about its Italian origin, and I still haven't found anything to reduce that scepticism.

The watch itself is another mechanical watch with an automatic movement. It is also a skeleton design with the mechanical movement being visible through the face and the back of the watch. Unusually, the movement is offset from the centre of the watch with the dial closer to the bottom of the case. Above the dial is the COGU name and logo, and the text 'Classic Automatic'. This model comes with a Chestnut coloured leather strap which is imprinted with the COGU name and logo on the back.

There is no model number to this watch, so I can't confirm the release date, but this model doesn't seem to be on the sales sites anymore.

Michel Jurdain EG-5312 Sun & Moon Automatic

Today's watch is another mechanical watch (continuing my current batteryless watch phase) by a manufacturer with an inconsistent history.

The watch is by a brand called Michel Jurdain (which is often accompanied by alternate versions of the name like Michael /Michelle Jordan /Giordan). The capitalisation is a little unusual for the name, as on the watch it is actually written as 'michel Jurdain' . Some of the sites which refer to the brand note it as being a French company based in Paris, started in 1982, and specialising in menswear. This would be ok, except that the only other sites which reference the brand are in Japanese. The 'official' Michel Jurdain webshop is also in Japanese, and the 'about' section says it is a domestic brand...

The watch itself is a model which seems to be called Sun & Moon and has a model number of EG-5312. It has an automatic mechanical movement with the balance wheel visible through a window at the 6 o'clock position. There is no seconds hand, but from the ticking of balance wheel it appears to have a high frequency tick. On the dial there are also two smaller dials at the 9:30 and 2:30 positions. The top left dial is a 24 hr hour hand, while the top right dial also rotates over 24 hrs and has pictures of the sun and moon to mark day or night (and is where the name comes from).

The watch case is in the tonneau style in steel, and there is a window in the back so you can see the weight for the automatic winding. The back plate of the watch only says 'automatic' and 'water resistant', but the weight has the brand name and logo and the model number printed on it. The design is completed by a thick padded leather strap with the Michel Jurdain name printed know the back.

The Michel Jurdain watches are for sale now, and I've seen this model still being sold new, so I guess it isn't old, but it isn't in the official webshop anymore. The watches are expensive with the webshop showing the brand selling models veteran ¥60,000 and ¥140,000. There does seem to be many sites which always seem to be selling the models on sale, and this model is being sold for ¥15,000 after a 79% discount (suggesting an rrp around ¥70,000).

Swatch Automatic - Red Ahead

There's been quite a few Swatch watches on this blog, but this model is a different type that I'd been after for a while.

All of the Swatch watches I had to begin with had been the usual quartz movement design, but early on I discovered that they had also made a range of automatic mechanical watches.

The Swatch Automatic watches were only released for a short period of time, from 1991 to 1997, before they were replaced by the Autoquartz technology. Over that time, it appears that they released 78 different models. The Swatch Automatic seems to have originally been released for around $85 which was extremely low for a mechanical watch, and one article I've read suggested the manufacturing cost was only $22. The automatic uses an ETA Eterna 2842 caliber with 23 jewels. According to an article which reviewed the module (link), it has a reasonable accuracy at 19 seconds per day, but due to the manufacturing process it is not the most smooth running watch. The movement is also a hi-beat sweep hand design with a 21,600 bph frequency.

This design is called the Red Ahead and has a model number of SAK101. It was designed in 1991, and released as part of the 1992 Fall Winter collection. It has an open face design where you can see the movement, but not a skeleton as there has been no cutting away of the movements case to allow you to see the insides. The case design is typical Swatch and looks like the Swatch Originals models. It has a blue, silver and gold design in a clear plastic case (which has discoloured to yellow, but matches well), and comes with a red leather strap.

Biaoka S017 Automatic Skeleton watch

Today I'm wearing a fancy looking watch from a brand I've not come across before.

The watch is by a brand called Biaoka. From what I've found online, the brand is Chinese and seems to specialise in mechanical watches. I've not found a website for the brand themselves, but the watches are sold at many different sales sites across the Far East. It doesn't look like the brand has spread much beyond the Far East though, as there is limited information on English language sites. The watches they produce seem to be in the low/reasonable price range, with many for sale in the $20-$50 range, but I've seen some models being sold for up to $360.

This model is the S017 and is a mechanical analogue watch with an automatic movement. The movement is a sweep hand design with a beat frequency greater than 14,400 beats per hr (-it looks to be around 17,000 bph from my crude counting). It has a 3 hand dial design with a small extra dial at the 6 o'clock position. The unusual thing is that the small dial covers seconds along with the seconds hand on the main dial, so there are two seconds hands running in sync.

The watch has a skeleton design with the gold and silver movement showing through the holes on the black face. Where the face isn't cut away, it is engraved with a fine pattern giving a high-cost feel. The brand name and small dial are in a pink colour, and there are also jewels/crystals at the hour markers. The back of the watch is also clear so you can see the spinning weight, and there is the text 'Biaoka' and 'Time Concepts' printed on the glass. The strap is metal, but very light, so I think it is a mix of stainless steel and base metal.

I don't think the brand is that old, so I'd guess that the watch is from this decade. I found one for sale on a Malaysian website for around $35, so I don't think it is a high cost model, although everything apart from the strap seems well made and high quality.

Citizen Automatic 6501 movement

I was at a climate festival today so chose a watch which didn't need a battery.

The watch I chose is a Citizen Automatic from the 70s, with a familiar movement. I blogged a Citizen 6501 movement in September 2014 and said that Citizen didn't use the movement for long as they focused on other lines, but this is the second I've got!

The 6501 movement come out in 1971 and is a hi-beat sweep hand movement. It runs at 21,600 beats per hour and is a 21 Jewel automatic movement. There is both a day and date marker at the 3 o'clock position with this movement (with the 6000 module which came out at the same time having only a date). These models were one of the most expensive Citizen mechanical watches of the time, with the 65xx movements costing from ¥14,500 through to ¥38,000.

This particular version has a number of 4-651570 and was made in 1973. As with a lot of the older Citizens, there is also a model number on the face of 6501-654100. It has a rounded square stainless steel case with a round green (multi-tone) face. The face has just hour markers and is marked Citizen Automatic and 21 jewels. This model also has a cut glass with a square centre and tapered sides.

Spaceman watch by André Le Marquand

I mention in some earlier posts that the Spaceman watch came in many variations, and today is another of those.

The Spaceman watch was designed to commemorate the 1969 moon landing, and was released at the Basel fair in 1972. The designer was André Le Marquand who was commissioned by the owner and director of Catena Bulle Switzerland to come up with the design. Many were sold through different companies and in different configurations with around 150,000 being sold.

This model is one under the Spaceman brand rather than one of the other producers. It has an automatic manual movement, and this time it is without the date marker. The dial shows the Spaceman logo and has small text saying Swiss Made T<25. The back has the moulded picture of a Spaceman and explains it is a fibreglass construction. The strap has an unusual shape and has the Spaceman name on the leather at the back.

Citizen 6501 movement

Today's watch is one of my older watches, being older than me!

This is a Citizen automatic watch from the 1970s, and one of the more expensive watches from the era (behind the HiSonic).

It is a 3 hand dial design with a day and date at the 3 o'clock position. The glass is cut in a way to give a flat square in the middle and a cross shape across the face. The case is heavy stainless steel design with a matching steel strap.

The movement is a 6501 which is a 21 jewel automatic movement which Citizen released in 1971. The 6501 movement is one of the Citizen sweep hand designs and runs at 21,600 beats per hour. Online discussions suggest that the 6xxx movements were among the last of the Citizen pre-quartz automatic movements, but the 6501 wasn't produced for very long as Citizen focused on other movements. 

This particular model has a number on the back of 4-651979 and on the face is the number 655505. I'm not sure why the numbers differ between the face and back, but many of the models I've seen are that way, and so I don't know which is actually the model number. The 65xx models had a sale price between ¥14,500 and ¥38,000, but I don't know which end of the scale this is from.

Seiko LM - Lord Matic 5606-8060

Today's watch is a vintage dial watch with a high quality finish.

The watch is by Seiko and is part of a range called Lord Matic (or Lordmatic), which is designated by the LM symbol on the face. The Lord Matic watches were a high quality watch aimed at competing against the middle class of Swiss watches, and was made during the late 60s and 70s. They were made with a high level of finish which was close to the Grand Seiko and King Seiko.

Inside this model is a Japanese made automatic 5606 movement driving a 3 hand dial with day (dual language) and date window at the 3 o'clock position. The Lord Matics used the 56 calibre movements, with the 23 jewel 5606 having the most features. This movement is a high beat with a sweep seconds hand and a 21600 bph frequency, making it very smooth. The 5606 movement had a C grade accuracy and contained many novel design elements to keep the thickness low (at 4.3mm).

This particular model is the 5606-8060, and was one of possibly hundreds of different variants produced. It features a blue and grey dial with silver hour markers. The glass is pretty thick with a thicker central flat section and sides which drop away. The face is round in an elongated case. The strap is stainless steel with a part number of XBA 020 and an LM branded clasp. From the serial number, this watch is made in 1974.

Gallucci Tonneau Skeleton

Today is my third watch by the manufacturer Gallucci.

As with the other Gallucci watches, this one is a mechanical automatic watch. The Gallucci brand is from Hong Kong and was started in 2002. It is owned by the Hong Kong based watch manufacturer R and S International Limited and they chose the name after the celestial atlas by Giovanni Paulo Gallucci.

This model is a Tonneau shaped watch in the skeleton style with a Gallucci mechanical automatic movement. The movement can be seen through a round window in the centre of the dial and a large round window in the back. It has a 3 hand display and there are two other small dials (which is the same as the other Gallucci watches I've posted). At the 6 o'clock position is the 24hr dial and at the 3 o'clock position is the date. Time is set by the crown, but there is a push button for setting the date. Above the date window there is a raised section of glass which magnifies the view.

Citizen Dandy Seven Custom

A little while back I posted a Citizen watch from the Crystal Seven range. Today's watch is part of that series, but with a different name an look.

This watch is a model called the Dandy Seven Custom. It is part of the Crystal Seven range of watches, which was the overall name for a range of automatic mechanical watches with the 52xx movement. Not much is known about the Dandy Seven models, but as they are normally marked by unusual case designs, and were often more colourful than the normal Crystal Seven watches, the speculation is that they were aimed at the younger market. According to sweep-hand.org, the Dandy Seven watches were first released in 1968, and are marked with a crossed sword and shield logo on the face. It looks like they weren't made in large numbers, and are very rare outside of Japan.

This model has a 27 jewel automatic mechanical movement (with a frequency of around 18,000 bph), and the movement number of 5200. It is ha 3 hand design with a date window at the 3 o'clock position, and a day window at the 9 o'clock position. It has a round face in a rectangular stainless steel case with curved sides.

The model number is 4-520041 and it looks like it was made in 1969.

Gruen Precision Autowind

Today's watch is my second by Gruen, but the first mechanical watch I've blogged by them.

This model is an automatic mechanical watch in a rounded rectangular case. Inside is a 25 jewel movement, but there is no model number anywhere on the watch, and it is a reasonably smooth movement with a 14,400 bph frequency.

The watch has a 3 hand dial, with a date window at the 3 o'clock position. The face has hour numbers, but starting at 13 rather than 1.

The Gruen company was founded in 1894, but ceased to be a family business in 1953. After this date, the manufacture was done in Switzerland, with a head office in New York, until it closed down in 1977. The Gruen name was then sold, and watches are still manufactured, but with no link to the original company.

There isn't much more information on the watch except that it is a Gruen Precision model which I guess means it was a high end model. It also states that it was Swiss made which makes it before 1977, and I'd guess this is a 60s or 70s model. The back only states that it is a mixture of stainless steel (back) and base metal (bezel).