Does anyone know the history of these 70s 17 jewel "Swiss watches" ?
Was surfing ebay for a fix and came across a 100% seller knocking these out at just over 40 bucks.
I thought what's to loose, if it's a dud I can strip down the movement for fun, it arrived in a few days from the UK and is keeping perfect time.
It's a fun little piece and I've put a era appropriate bracelet on it and I'm getting good vibes from it at the minute.
But I have no idea what the history is, they seem very prolific on ebay all similar dial & looks but different brands.... Are they real?
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Jim
Love all kinds of watches, especially Seikos Compulsive collector of lots of things
Northern England
Member since
Last active: 1 hr ago
8.00” / 20.32 cm
I am not trying to be a killjoy. It keeps time, you like it, and it cost less than a quartz Timex. But, to ask the question is to answer it. This watch may be many things, but it certainly did not begin life as an Oris.
There is an industry, usually centered around Mumbai, that takes old cases and movements, refurbishes them, and marries them to newly painted dials. These are so-called "fantasy dials". The watches carry the brands of Oris, Camy, Sandoz and others.
The movement is unsigned. That is unusual for any Swiss manufacturer after about 1940. A spacer is used meaning that the case is larger than the one meant for the movement. Spacers are common in quartz watches and Soviet watches, but much less so with Swiss watches. It does not look like an Oris movement. Oris was confined by Swiss law to make pin pallet movements and did so very late into the 1960's. After that many Oris movements were based on an ETA 2824. There are movement experts here. I am not one of them. I suspect that this is a FHF or Peseux.
Lastly, this is a painted dial. By the 1950's most brands, including Oris, used applied indices, numerals, and logos on all of their watches. There were not a lot of bright colors on watches for decades (I think that bright colors appeal to the Indian and South East Asian markets). Most designations of "shock proof" and words to that effect dropped off of dials by the early 1960's (some Incabloc remained). Oris always used "Anti-Shock" on their dials.
Enjoy its color and its accuracy. Don't fret about it.
I am not trying to be a killjoy. It keeps time, you like it, and it cost less than a quartz Timex. But, to ask the question is to answer it. This watch may be many things, but it certainly did not begin life as an Oris.
There is an industry, usually centered around Mumbai, that takes old cases and movements, refurbishes them, and marries them to newly painted dials. These are so-called "fantasy dials". The watches carry the brands of Oris, Camy, Sandoz and others.
The movement is unsigned. That is unusual for any Swiss manufacturer after about 1940. A spacer is used meaning that the case is larger than the one meant for the movement. Spacers are common in quartz watches and Soviet watches, but much less so with Swiss watches. It does not look like an Oris movement. Oris was confined by Swiss law to make pin pallet movements and did so very late into the 1960's. After that many Oris movements were based on an ETA 2824. There are movement experts here. I am not one of them. I suspect that this is a FHF or Peseux.
Lastly, this is a painted dial. By the 1950's most brands, including Oris, used applied indices, numerals, and logos on all of their watches. There were not a lot of bright colors on watches for decades (I think that bright colors appeal to the Indian and South East Asian markets). Most designations of "shock proof" and words to that effect dropped off of dials by the early 1960's (some Incabloc remained). Oris always used "Anti-Shock" on their dials.
Enjoy its color and its accuracy. Don't fret about it.
Many thanks, I suspected as much to be honest, as I've seen the Mumbai frankenwatches kicking about, and for the cash it's a fun little piece. No real regrets 👍
Haha. Somebody already said it. Likely a Mumbai special. Vintage Oris and Seiko seem to be their bag. They must be pretty skilled. They can crank these out.
I had an HMT kick for a little bit and I walked away with some good pieces. But I also sold a few and a few others didn't work. But over all it was nice walking away with a nice HMT to two for the amount of money I spent.
Run, don't walk away!
I bought a Mumbai special once too. They are very affordable and fun. Mine is running surprisingly well. Very fun to wear.
I am not trying to be a killjoy. It keeps time, you like it, and it cost less than a quartz Timex. But, to ask the question is to answer it. This watch may be many things, but it certainly did not begin life as an Oris.
There is an industry, usually centered around Mumbai, that takes old cases and movements, refurbishes them, and marries them to newly painted dials. These are so-called "fantasy dials". The watches carry the brands of Oris, Camy, Sandoz and others.
The movement is unsigned. That is unusual for any Swiss manufacturer after about 1940. A spacer is used meaning that the case is larger than the one meant for the movement. Spacers are common in quartz watches and Soviet watches, but much less so with Swiss watches. It does not look like an Oris movement. Oris was confined by Swiss law to make pin pallet movements and did so very late into the 1960's. After that many Oris movements were based on an ETA 2824. There are movement experts here. I am not one of them. I suspect that this is a FHF or Peseux.
Lastly, this is a painted dial. By the 1950's most brands, including Oris, used applied indices, numerals, and logos on all of their watches. There were not a lot of bright colors on watches for decades (I think that bright colors appeal to the Indian and South East Asian markets). Most designations of "shock proof" and words to that effect dropped off of dials by the early 1960's (some Incabloc remained). Oris always used "Anti-Shock" on their dials.
Enjoy its color and its accuracy. Don't fret about it.
I recently noticed a ton of e-bay listings for watches like this, and all from Indian vendors. I suspected something like this was going on. If one is aware of the nature of the "refurbishment," and weighs that against cost, and visual appeal, though, I can see going for it.
Whether it's real or not I love that dial.
#mumbaispecial #oris
Whether it's real or not I love that dial.
#mumbaispecial #oris
yeah I'm really quite pleased with it, it giving me some cheap joy 😀
I bought a Mumbai special once too. They are very affordable and fun. Mine is running surprisingly well. Very fun to wear.
I agree, its decent bang for the buck, it's no heirloom, but its fun
I recently noticed a ton of e-bay listings for watches like this, and all from Indian vendors. I suspected something like this was going on. If one is aware of the nature of the "refurbishment," and weighs that against cost, and visual appeal, though, I can see going for it.
mine came from the UK, but maybe it was just a stock held here
I am not trying to be a killjoy. It keeps time, you like it, and it cost less than a quartz Timex. But, to ask the question is to answer it. This watch may be many things, but it certainly did not begin life as an Oris.
There is an industry, usually centered around Mumbai, that takes old cases and movements, refurbishes them, and marries them to newly painted dials. These are so-called "fantasy dials". The watches carry the brands of Oris, Camy, Sandoz and others.
The movement is unsigned. That is unusual for any Swiss manufacturer after about 1940. A spacer is used meaning that the case is larger than the one meant for the movement. Spacers are common in quartz watches and Soviet watches, but much less so with Swiss watches. It does not look like an Oris movement. Oris was confined by Swiss law to make pin pallet movements and did so very late into the 1960's. After that many Oris movements were based on an ETA 2824. There are movement experts here. I am not one of them. I suspect that this is a FHF or Peseux.
Lastly, this is a painted dial. By the 1950's most brands, including Oris, used applied indices, numerals, and logos on all of their watches. There were not a lot of bright colors on watches for decades (I think that bright colors appeal to the Indian and South East Asian markets). Most designations of "shock proof" and words to that effect dropped off of dials by the early 1960's (some Incabloc remained). Oris always used "Anti-Shock" on their dials.
Enjoy its color and its accuracy. Don't fret about it.
looks like the FHF 96, so it swissish 😉
yeah I'm really quite pleased with it, it giving me some cheap joy 😀
And that's what it's all about!