Watches from each decade, 2023 edition - Share your watches Part 6: The 60s
I take the liberty to call the 60s the decade of liberation. Liberation from colonial power, from rigid systems and convention.
In the first years of the 60s numerous African colonys became independent in either peaceful or violent processes. A century after that Europes leading nations basically split the continent between them with a ruler the continent bit by bit became independent or more losely connected to their former colonizers. In 1960 Cameroun, Togo and Mali become independent as well as Congo and Nigeria. For the two latter it’s not a smooth process and internal struggles follow. Even within Europe, Cyprus becomes independent from the British Empire.
In 1968 Czechoslovakia tried to find it’s own way inside the eastern block. The Prague Spring was a period when the Czechoslovakias leader Dubcek and his cabinet tried to implement liberal reforms. These attempts came to and end i August the same year when Czechoslovakia was invadeded by the Soviet Union together with other allied in the Warsaw Pact.
Another type of revolution was the flower power moment. Originating as a war protest movement. Flower instead of weapons should disarm the hostility between protesters and the authorities as well as Pro war groups. The war was of course the Vietnam war. Starting point, and base, was California but the movement and message spread from there.
For watches, the 60s representative the peak of watch design for dressier pieces imo, but we also saw fantastic sport watches.
https://youtu.be/ve2poVr0zH4?si=u-rXSK_OU2IjMzuO
If you have watches from the 60s don’t hesitate to share with the rest of us.
I collect new as well as vintage. I have a weak spot for 50s and 60s Omegas. Besides from those I consider myself allround.
My Desta Ultra-flat is from the 60's:
Early sixties EPSA cased Universal Genève Polerouter Sub
A true super compressor dive watch, with a micro rotor movement. 👍🏼
My Desta Ultra-flat is from the 60's:
Lovely👌 Ultra clean Mad men look. I love how they have to write the spec on the dial. I believe @aurelian have a ”Very Thin” Thank you for sharing!
Early sixties EPSA cased Universal Genève Polerouter Sub
A true super compressor dive watch, with a micro rotor movement. 👍🏼
That is a true stunner I envy you. Lovely watch👌 Thank you for sharing!
Doesn't look like it, but West End was weird.
The Hamilton, Zodiac, and Bulova are amazingly thin.
Doesn't look like it, but West End was weird.
The Hamilton, Zodiac, and Bulova are amazingly thin.
Is amazingly thin thinner than ”Very Thin”? I get so confused with all these American standards. Lovely line up as always. Lovely linen dial on the Bulova. The UTI (?) looks like it jumped right into the 70s already. Thank you for sharing!
Handed down to me in 1969. Accutron Model 214. I wore this through high school, college and med school. Astronauts wore Omegas but precise timing of many NASA instruments depended on a tuning fork. Still running. Seen here on an original Speidel Twist-O-Flex.
1962 Omega Constellation Piepan
Late 60s Remington Electra 17.
Neither electric nor 17 jewels.
Seiko Champion Alpinist 850 - 1963
My two 1960s babies:
1960 Helbros Invincible:
And 1968 Seiko DX SeaLion M330:
Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch 105.012-66 CB La Centrale Boites - 1966
Omega Constellation with custom bracelet.
I’ll raise with this Helbros Quartz Diver ++
Many last entry is to my knowledge from the late 60s.
Such a clean dial👌Lovely watch! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for your kind words🙏 Great to see a pocket watch from a late date. What is thenstory with the gold detail? Something added later or a fashion detail? Thank you for sharing!
After a little research I found that other Kienzles from that era also have a brass bows and I instantly thought it must be a design feature. But Kienzle made their watches of chrome plated brass back then and that has been worn down over the years.
If you take a close look at the end of the bow where it mounts to the pendent you can see the remnants of chrome. So it's not a feature, it's a flow (well wear) and it's perfect.
After a little research I found that other Kienzles from that era also have a brass bows and I instantly thought it must be a design feature. But Kienzle made their watches of chrome plated brass back then and that has been worn down over the years.
If you take a close look at the end of the bow where it mounts to the pendent you can see the remnants of chrome. So it's not a feature, it's a flow (well wear) and it's perfect.
Thank you for solving the case Sherlock👍
Just realised I didn’t contributed myself.
Two Omega Constellations
My UG and Certina divers
My Desta Ultra-flat is from the 60's:
You've got to admire the truth in advertising here. It's a beauty. But it's the Desta Ultra- Flat. Not Ultra Slim or Ultra Thin, no overblown inflated claims of what it really is, it's the Desta Ultra-Flat.
Although maybe this approach never paid off. Haven't seen much from Desta these days.
Doesn't look like it, but West End was weird.
The Hamilton, Zodiac, and Bulova are amazingly thin.
Referencing Pallet Fork's photo of his watch: The Desta company would call them Ultra-Flat.
You've got to admire the truth in advertising here. It's a beauty. But it's the Desta Ultra- Flat. Not Ultra Slim or Ultra Thin, no overblown inflated claims of what it really is, it's the Desta Ultra-Flat.
Although maybe this approach never paid off. Haven't seen much from Desta these days.
Another shot.
Another shot.
This is the last word for me for all our Is This Watch Too Large or Is This Watch Too Thick or Is This Watch Too Etcetera posts. Those watches are all fine, but with this photo I am now totally into The Flat. Maybe I'll find one that somebody has to sell because he's Flat broke. He might turn me down Flat. It doesn't matter. I will Flat out keep searching. I don't expect to find one in seconds Flat. When I find one, I'll wear it to work. I'll wear it in my house. And if I don't have a house, just a Flat, I'll wear it in my Flat. I'll wear my Flat in my Flat. And they say that Flattery will get you nowhere, but I say Flatness is All.
Thank you so much for this post. It's like an early Christmas present. I would say (bias) that the 1960s were the best watch decade. I don't have any watches from the 60s but I had a Timex Mercury during the 60s. My Dad had a (non-Cricket) Vulcain. I still look for those models now and then on the internet, but I never see them.
Lovely👌 Ultra clean Mad men look. I love how they have to write the spec on the dial. I believe @aurelian have a ”Very Thin” Thank you for sharing!
I thought the watches in Mad Men were more interesting than the actual story.
I’m glad I hit the theme for your fantastic story! Great GS with a provinence. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for this post. It's like an early Christmas present. I would say (bias) that the 1960s were the best watch decade. I don't have any watches from the 60s but I had a Timex Mercury during the 60s. My Dad had a (non-Cricket) Vulcain. I still look for those models now and then on the internet, but I never see them.
I’m so glad you appreciated it. We obviously share the appreciation of the watches from the 60s.
The Timex Marlin 1965 Reissue!! Not exactly from the 60s but it's a reproduction of a 60s dress watch
The Timex Marlin 1965 Reissue!! Not exactly from the 60s but it's a reproduction of a 60s dress watch
And a nice one👌 Thank you for sharing!
And a nice one👌 Thank you for sharing!
Thank you!!! I also have a Praesidus Jungle Field on the way, which is a reproduction of the GG-W-113 worn by the US Military during the Vietnam War