Grandpa's vintage Solar Aqua: Tudor inside?
I was really interested in radioactive material as a teenager (don't ask) and got a few hand-me-down radium watches from older family members. Visiting family for the weekend, I finally dug them back out, and it turns out that great-grandpa's Solar Aqua King-of-Wings was actually never broken... it just had a screw-down crown. Ah, the cultural knowledge we have lost.
In fact, the Solar Aqua wound up very smoothly, and has been keeping better time than my AliExpress hand-winds. It also has a handsome stainless steel case, unlike the plated crap that's falling apart on every vintage watch in my usual price range. And the crown reads "OYSTER PATENT"!!!
Google says:
Solar was a brand name used exclusively by Eaton's, Canada's pre-eminent 20th century department store. Perfect fit for the known provenance of the watch.
Many Solars, but not all of them, contain a Rolex or Tudor movement.
The Solar Aqua line, with screw-down crown and oyster style case, is more likely to contain a Tudor movement.
I quickly discovered:
I do not own an oyster case opening tool.
Also, I own a Geiger counter and this watch is hot. Probably the full Arabic numerals.
So I figured I'd make a forum post before trying to do anything expensive to this family heirloom. Do any enthusiasts know more about estimating its value?
child of the 90s... collector on a budget... happily married and loving the socially acceptable way for men to talk about their jewelry habit
Didn't Rolex and Tudor use off the shelf movements in those days?
Effectively a Tudor. Aqua and King of Wings are Rolex trademarks. It will likely have the Rolex Cal.59 movement, which is essentially a rebranded FHF30 that Rolex used in the Canadian market. Depending on condition, I’d estimate £1000-£1500 GBP working, £500-£750 broken.
I’m a lover of a vintage watch and it doesn’t get more vintage than this condition is fantastic!!!
Effectively a Tudor. Aqua and King of Wings are Rolex trademarks. It will likely have the Rolex Cal.59 movement, which is essentially a rebranded FHF30 that Rolex used in the Canadian market. Depending on condition, I’d estimate £1000-£1500 GBP working, £500-£750 broken.
Thank you!!! What a shock - it was stored next to an obviously fake Datejust (remembered by family members as an 80's Hong Kong souvenir). I never would have guessed that there really was at least one valuable thing in that box.
While Googling random Eaton's/Solar keywords, I was very entertained to learn about the famous Eaton's Quarter Century Club:
I've spent a day in the town of Eatonia, Saskatchewan - explicitly named after the now-defunct department store. Apparently there are statues of Eaton family members still standing in Winnipeg. I've never lived anywhere else, but sometimes I feel like I really don't understand Canada.
What a great find! Beautiful watch.
I got this in Japan many years ago.