eBay Finds: Pie-Pan Dials, Hand Wound Movements, & Basketweave Cases

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at [email protected] for potential inclusion!

Nivada Grenchen Landeron Chronograph

First up we have a gorgeous, sporty and chunky 1970’s Nivada Grenchen chronograph. This big boy is a hunk of steel, with the solid stainless case coming in at 39mm wide. The case shows some honest wear from being worn, but nothing too bad, and it looks to be unpolished. The gray panda dial with white subdials is perfect, with the date window just under the 12 marker, giving it a perfectly symmetrical look. The crown is signed, but I don’t recognize the logo, however it could be a Grenchen logo? Not sure but it certainly doesn’t look out of place. The big ol’ acrylic dome crystal is crack free, and the Landeron movement looks clean and runs well per the seller. The watch comes on a period-correct looking vintage steel bracelet, ready to wear and show off!

View auction here.

Royce Handwinder

This little Royce gem may be small, but the dial alone packs enough vintage style to be worth the price of admission alone. The copper colored dial is commonly referred to as a military style dial, but I doubt this was intended for military use. That said the dial is spectacular, with the copper color and ‘bullseye’ style with its silver ring that features radial Roman numeral hour markers and outer minute chapter track. Nice fat lume filled hands compliment the dial perfectly. The approximately 33mm wide case is smallish, but the wide flat bezel makes it look and wear larger than it is. The case is unpolished, with nice sharp edges, and ooh, that bezel is soooo sweet! This one shouldn’t break the bank and has loads of vintage juice.

View auction here.

Bulova ‘Basketweave’

Speaking of vintage style, this Bulova has it in spades, but a much different look than the Royce above. This 1963 Bulova has an amazing, unpolished gold filled case that features a cross- hatched texture coupled with a truly unique dial. The dial is silver with bold sunburst lines and outlined by a triangular gold border that gives it more of a late 1950’s Atomic Age vibe. This is one I hadn’t seen before, and the look is like nothing else. This one is definitely small, with a diameter of just under 32mm, so keep that in mind if you have a big wrist. Still, this watch has presence, and will surely attract attention. No picture of the movement, but seller states it’s a manual wind and runs well. Nice, thin, signed crown. As a bonus, the watch comes on a vintage (perhaps original?) Bulova signed strap with Bulova signed buckle.

View auction here.

Seiko Sportmatic 6619

The late 1960’s Seiko Sportsmatic watches are ridiculously underrated, and one look at this vintage 1967 6619-8230 will show you why. The large, unpolished 38mm case is solid looking with a nice broad bezel and hefty lugs. The charcoal dial is perfect, with classic faceted steel markers and a day/date window at 3 o’clock. The wide stick hands are lume filled and really easy to read. Also, these hands are the same hands used on the famous Seiko 62MAS diver! This great watch comes on a Seiko beads of rice bracelet which I believe to be correct. And if it’s not, at least it’s a killer beads of rice bracelet! Best of all, the caliber 6619 automatic movement is an absolute workhorse, and it is clean and runs fine per the seller. You simply cannot go wrong with this one.

View auction here.

Timex 21

Here’s a solid vintage Timex, complete with box and papers! While vintage Timex watches may not get a ton of love, they should not be counted out. This simple silver dialed watch has a chrome plated case which looks to be in solid shape. The silver dial looks clean and classic with some nice lume filled hands. Not an Earth shattering watch, but it will likely go for a very reasonable price, and as it comes with the original plastic box and the guarantee papers this makes for a great vintage find!

View auction here.

Omega Constellation

The vintage Omega Constellation is one of the most classic and sought-after vintage dress watches hands down. And the ‘Pie-Pan’ Constellation is the most classic of them all. The silver pie-pan dial looks original to me, and is in excellent condition. These are notorious for being redials, but this one looks legit to me (fyi, always take my opinion with a grain or two of salt ;-)). The steel case compliments the pie-pan dial, and features the iconic ‘dog-leg’ design, and the case looks unpolished which is rare for vintage Constellations in my experience. Overall this watch (dial included!) looks correct and original. The vintage Omega Constellations are very popular with collectors, yet they are notoriously hard to find in original condition. The dials are very often redone, some poorly and some nearly impossible to distinguish from original. The dial on this example looks correct and original to me. The crown is correct and signed as it should be, and the movement looks pretty clean. If you’re looking for a a vintage Constellation, give this one some serious consideration!

View auction here.

Bonus Staff Pick: Bell & Ross by Sinn 144 GMT Chronograph

It doesn’t get much better than neo-vintage sport watches from the likes of Sinn, IWC, and yes, even Bell & Ross. This Bell & Ross by Sinn is one of our favorite executions of the GMT chronograph, and this example is a peach. Lovely aging has set in on the dial, but all features and functionality is still intact, making this as practical as it was when it was released. As the saying goes, they don’t make ‘em like this anymore, and that’s a damn shame if you ask us. This one falls under eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee, making the sub $3,000 price all the more attractive. 

View auction here.