My Helbros made the journey to me!
Have you ever made a gamble purchase on a vintage watch?First I bought a 1953 Westclox pocket ben a year ago and it arrived in great shape but this was my first vintage wrist watch purchase. I think it’s a 1968~ model.
The closer it got to me the more worried I was about the condition or if I had wasted my money. Finally today I got it and wow I’m really happy with it! Part of me was worried that the inside would be a HMT from India or something but I popped it open and it was a PUW 363 from Germany. It honestly looked like nobody had ever opened it before. On top of that the case back still has part of the original sticker on it (I’m assuming.)
I know it’s going to need a service but unfortunately I live somewhere far from big cities and I have yet to establish a relationship with someone who can professionally service a movement.
Does anybody here know if it is supposed to have a quick set date function? Because I can only turn the hands and if I had to keep turning them to get the day and date to line up that would be quite a lot. I’m kinda new to vintage pieces so I just don’t know. I can’t find this reference online anywhere either.
But anyway I thought I’d share some pictures and my overall enthusiasm about this piece.
I’ve got problems. Like which watch am I gonna wear today?
Probably what you'll need to do, if it's like my vintage pieces, is the following.
Set the day to the day before the current day. You'll probably have to go round and round with the hands for this. Before you get to midnight where the day changes to today, stop. So if you're doing this today, stop it on Wednesday before it changes to Thursday.
Now to set the date, turn the hands backwards to about 9:00 p.m. or so. Sometimes you'll hear a little click. Move the hands forward, slowly, until the date number clicks over, then go back to 9:00 p.m. and do it again. Once you get the date window set to the 29th, go back to 9:00 p.m. and move the hands forward again until both the day and date change to Thursday the 30th, then set the time.
Beautiful watch, btw! Love it! 😍
A 1953 with a quick set date? No, I believe that feature was of late 70's vintage
A 1953 with a quick set date? No, I believe that feature was of late 70's vintage
I should have been more clear in my post. I edited it. My first vintage purchase was a ‘53 pocket watch. This 1968ish Helbros is my first vintage wristwatch. But yeah still probably too early idk
Probably what you'll need to do, if it's like my vintage pieces, is the following.
Set the day to the day before the current day. You'll probably have to go round and round with the hands for this. Before you get to midnight where the day changes to today, stop. So if you're doing this today, stop it on Wednesday before it changes to Thursday.
Now to set the date, turn the hands backwards to about 9:00 p.m. or so. Sometimes you'll hear a little click. Move the hands forward, slowly, until the date number clicks over, then go back to 9:00 p.m. and do it again. Once you get the date window set to the 29th, go back to 9:00 p.m. and move the hands forward again until both the day and date change to Thursday the 30th, then set the time.
Beautiful watch, btw! Love it! 😍
Thank you Pallet! I will try it out and see if it works.
Thank you Pallet! I will try it out and see if it works.
The 9:00 p.m. position may not be correct for your particular watch - might be 10:00 p.m. or it might be 8:00 p.m., or even 6:00 p.m. Just a heads up.