Watch brands Lost to History, and Nostalgia
Hello there watch gang,
A few years back, I was looking for a watch (Daniel Wellington, don’t hate me I was still learning🏃), and when I showed my Dad the picture on Amazon, he told me to wait as he wondered off to get something…
Low and behold he comes back with a small gold watch on an old strap and tells me this was the watch he received for his 21st birthday, over 50 years ago now! Simple design, still ticking with a nice smooth sweep, and “Swiss made” at the six o’clock. I loved it instantly - and dad told me I could keep it (if I put a new strap on it..!).
I’ve worn it a lot since then, had it serviced and cleaned up and it is doing brilliant.
Now, the brand is Roamer - which I had never heard of. It is one of those brands lost to history: I think technically it still exists but it’s a different thing altogether now. You can still find vintage versions around, on eBay and other places but they aren’t exactly well known.
So, does anyone else have a watch from a long lost brand? And a story of nostalgia to go along with it? Share some photos and your stories!
Welcome to my WatchCrunch profile.
Great story, beautiful gifted watch but I know less than you about Roamer, sorry.
I used to work for a Roamer AD, and then for another watch & jewelry retail chain that had Citizen, which here shares the same importer/distributor. Took a Roamer from sales rewards program, a Mechaline Pro. The movement finishing is very good for their prices, but the specimen I got was defective - dead on arrival. Dunno, mistreated in storage, possibly. It was quickly fixed on warranty and runs with no issues ever since. The bracelet was rubbish - the butterfly clasp was horrible, opened up on its own, also no half-links for adjustment. So, I ditched the bracelet in favour of a nice gator-grain leather strap and it's alright.
All in all, their finishing is really good, but they really should address a number of QC and design issues, especially concerning bracelets. There's no telling if the parcel with the watch was mistreated, or did someone mishandle it in storage, so I can't exactly say that Roamer is fully to blame for the matter. They really have potential, since their movement finishing I'd rate above the one found on the 2824 and 2892 in older (non-Powermatic) Tissots.
I can't hate on a watch with 44 jewels.
Here is a link with lots of info: http://roamer-watches.info/
I can't add anything, but wanted to say that it looks like your dad took great care of it. Great looking watch, btw.
Vintage Roamer are good watches 💪
Thanks everyone for your comments! I’ve found out all I can on the watch already, been down that rabbit hole some time back. It’s a Brevete, from the late 1960s. Interestingly, it has a front loaded movement, so when they load it in from dial side, rather than the usual case back off and movement out!
I was wondering if people had similar, old unknown brand vintage watches here on Watch Crunch? There must be a few gems out there in our community!
Thanks everyone for your comments! I’ve found out all I can on the watch already, been down that rabbit hole some time back. It’s a Brevete, from the late 1960s. Interestingly, it has a front loaded movement, so when they load it in from dial side, rather than the usual case back off and movement out!
I was wondering if people had similar, old unknown brand vintage watches here on Watch Crunch? There must be a few gems out there in our community!
You mean like this (but the stories are lost):
or these:
Edit: the rabbit hole is most interesting on the Santa Fe. It does not lead to that watch.
I still see new Roamer watches being sold now in HK. This is a photo I saw on a HK watch store website:
I still see new Roamer watches being sold now in HK. This is a photo I saw on a HK watch store website:
Oh cool. Looks like an evolution of the Brevete to a degree!
You mean like this (but the stories are lost):
or these:
Edit: the rabbit hole is most interesting on the Santa Fe. It does not lead to that watch.
Really cool - I haven’t heard of any of these. What size are they?
I can't hate on a watch with 44 jewels.
Here is a link with lots of info: http://roamer-watches.info/
I had heard that back in the day, number of jewels somewhat became one of those “measurably better” things, like “our watch has more jewels than their watch”.
A bit like megapixels in the 2000s. Something for marketing to put a bigger number out there! Seems to have gone back down a bit these days.
Oh cool. Looks like an evolution of the Brevete to a degree!
And it is available for HKD4400 which is less than $600 US. A good bargain considering it has a Swiss movement according to the watch store
Fun fact about Roamer by the way - when watching Ip Man some time back, it's actually an ad on the roof of the building where the training is done:
That was a fun surprise when watching that movie.
Really cool - I haven’t heard of any of these. What size are they?
32-34mm, the classic men's size.
I had heard that back in the day, number of jewels somewhat became one of those “measurably better” things, like “our watch has more jewels than their watch”.
A bit like megapixels in the 2000s. Something for marketing to put a bigger number out there! Seems to have gone back down a bit these days.
I have read about a 100 jewel Waltham from the 1960's that took it to an extreme. Jewel count, at least for imported watches, was largely a function of tariff policy. 44 jewels would have been at the high end in any era. It is high now.
Fun fact about Roamer by the way - when watching Ip Man some time back, it's actually an ad on the roof of the building where the training is done:
That was a fun surprise when watching that movie.
The first one is a surprisingly good movie.
The first one is a surprisingly good movie.
Agreed - I enjoyed far more than I expected.