This Bring A Loupe will be dedicated to chronographs; this is not the first time, but we found too many cool listings on eBay to not make it the focus of this week. The usual suspects are there, from an oversized UG to a transitional Heuer Autavia. But we also present some more under-the-radar picks, such as a Mido Multi-Centerchrono, a Gallet MultiChron Navigator, and a blue-dialed Enicar Aqua Graph. This is your Bring A Loupe for May 6, 2016.
A Mido Multi-Centerchrono – A Chronograph In Disguise
"Here is the only chronograph that looks like a handsome watch." The original advertising tagline for this Mido was sharp but on point. The chronograph function is indeed centralized, rather than displayed through the usual sub-registers. Therefore, the thin steel hand tracks the second, while the red one records the elapsed minutes, with the relevant tracks on the outside of the dial. And the result is striking: this Mido achieves an incredible legibility for its 35 mm diameter. You might have also recognized the sunburst engraved pushers from Patek's first waterproof chronograph (the reference 1463); and indeed, both cases come from the same casemaker, François Borgel. Inside the Multi-Centerchrono is the very interesting caliber 1300, based on the illustrious Valjoux VZ, which was also adopted by Patek and Audemars Piguet, among others.
A German dealer is offering this unusual chronograph here (price on request).
A Gallet MultiChron Navigator – A Chronograph With A GMT-Hand
There is much to love about Gallet's chronograph, and even more about the MultiChron Navigator GMT, a true tool watch from the 1940s. The watch is not a "simple" chronograph, as it also features a 24-hour GMT hand, much like the one you will find some 10 years later on the Rolex GMT-Master. Interestingly, the red hand can also be used as a compass during daylight: you point the regular hour hand to the sun, and the red hand works as a compass, pointing north. Furthermore, the second hand can be hacked (meaning stopped), which allowed military personal to synchronize more precisely prior to a mission. All technical details aside, the watch looks killer with a beautiful dial, nice patina of the lume, and a well preserved 35.5 mm case. In short, this is a really interesting watch, housing a modified movement from Excelsior Park, a renowned maker for chronograph calibers at the time.
This fantastic Gallet is offered on eBay here; at the time of publishing bidding was still below $3,000.
A Heuer Autavia Reference 3646H, With Transitional Configuration
Unsurprisingly, an early model recently won the Autavia Cup that we had covered here; it confirmed the love for this chronograph line, even outside of the circle of hardcore Heuer collectors. The winning watch, found here, was actually a reference 2446 Mark 3, looking very similar to the vintage Autavia above, if it were not for its three-register layout. The reference 3646 was indeed a contemporary of the 2446, without the lower hour counter. And the example here offers the beloved bezel tracking the hours, as well as a typical Mark 3 dial with larger indexes. It still comes with a screw-back case with bevelled lugs but it retained the earlier larger bezel. Its serial number actually confirms the transitional status described in a thorough article here. Note that the seller discloses that the hands have been re-lumed to match the the dial's patina, and the second hand repainted. On the plus side, the Valjoux 92 movement was recently serviced and comes with a one-year warranty.
You can find this Autavia on the dedicated marketplace ChronoTrader here, and the seller is taking offers above $8,000 until Sunday.
An Enicar Aqua Graph With A Rare And Attractive Blue Dial
I had been following this Enicar, successively offered on Instagram and on forums, so I was pretty excited to see it finally appear on eBay. This is not the first Aqua Graph we've looked at in Bring A Loupe, so its cool look does not need much explanation. That said, this one offers a very enticing blue dial that nicely contrasts with the orange hands. According to the seller, this dial was offered in the later version of the Aqua Graph, dating this one to the late 1960s. This is confirmed by the case back, also indicating Piquerez as the manufacturer for this compressor case – as it should.
You can find this blue Aqua Graph listed on eBay here; at the time of publishing bidding was just above $3,000.
A Yema 'Daytona' With Valjoux 7730
The French company Yema is more well known for its Yachtingraf and Rallye/Rallygraf, but this 38 mm chrono deserves some recognition too. The"Daytona" nickname – a bit ambitious, but also a commonly used one for this watch – was based on the thin grounds that, well, this chronograph had a black bezel and contrasting sub-registers on the dial. Never mind that the dial only featured two registers, and that the handset and bezel were noticeably different in style, my French compatriots were feeling generous and the name remained. The Yema "Daytona" line was launched in the mid-1960s, initially with a Valjoux 92, and two years later with the caliber Valjoux 7730, as the example here listed with a tropic strap, and coming with a replacement crown.
You can find this French chronograph listed on eBay here with bids still below $800.
(Almost) Notable Sale Of Past Week: An Oversized Universal Geneve Compax Reference 22430 That Put EBay On Fire
It all started as a very exciting listing that no one really missed. Within the first hours the bids had risen from the initial $19.99 price to more than $17,000! It would have been really interesting to see where it would have ended; unfortunately the listing was pulled yesterday. The good news is that this oversized Universal Geneve – think a colossal 46 mm diameter, a crazy dimension for the 1940s – was not bought behind the scenes, but will likely be featured later in a standard auction. So we will be on the lookout, and report the final selling price. The dial is not perfect, and the hands have lost their lume, but you've got to love the sheer size of this Compax reference 22430, and its characteristic lume dots near the numerals.
You can find the link to the original listing here, and you will probably see this attractive chronograph popping up at an auction soon.
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