eBay Finds: A Bumper Seamaster; Texas Instruments LED; & A Full Set Lucien Piccard

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. If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at [email protected] for potential inclusion!

Citizen Star Alarm Date

Here’s something you don’t see every day, a vintage Citizen with box and papers…and an alarm watch to boot! This vintage circa late 1960’s / early 1970’s Citizen Alarm Date is a gem, in superb condition and complete with original bracelet and box and papers. The 37mm gold plate case has a classic fluted bezel and looks to be unpolished. The silver dial is perfect with no patina that I can see, with nice applied gold markers and gold hands. The oversized crowns look original as does the bracelet, although there are no pics of the buckle to see if it is signed. The watch comes complete with the original plastic clamshell box and instruction booklet. Oh yeah, and did I mention this is a vintage alarm watch? Man, this one has it all….

View auction here.

Omega Seamaster ‘Bumper’ 

Vintage “fat lug” Omega Seamasters are cool enough in their own right, but when you add in an original black dial…now you’re talking something special. This 1954 (date via the serial number on the movement) Seamaster is has the classic steel fat lug case that measures 35mm, and looks to be unpolished, you can still see the nicely defined chamfers on the fat lugs. The bumper automatic caliber 344 is clean and runs well according to the seller. That’s all well and good, but the real hero here is the original (IMHO) black sub-second dial. Most black dials you see on these vintage Seamasters are redials, but there are some that are legit, and it’s my opinion that this one is legit. The printing on the dial looks correct, and there is the expected amount of patina on the dial. Nice gold tone hands and hour markers complete the look, along with the correct clover leaf Omega signed crown.

View auction here.

Full Set Lucien Piccard Seashark

You like full sets? Well, I’ve got a very full set for your bidding pleasure here! This vintage Lucien Piccard Seashark has everything but the kitchen sink. Let’s start with the watch itself though, a clean and classic 34mm steel case with a cool white dial that features unique gold hour markers and gold dauphine hands. The back of the case has a personal engraving, this looks like it was an employee award watch. The dial and case look to be in near perfect shape, and the watch has a crown that has deep grooves and crosshatching and appears to be original to me. The watch is fantastic, but the best part is all the goodies it comes with! There’s the box, and several papers which are probably instructions and guarantee, as well as what looks like a cleaning cloth, and two hang tags and some other bits. It is rare to find this many pieces in a full set, and with the engraving it helps tell the story of the watch.

View auction here.

Texas Instruments Model 403 Red LED

If you’ve read my eBay finds before, you know I’m a sucker for vintage LED watches, and this one is super cool. It’s a vintage Texas Instruments (of calculator fame) Model 403, complete with original box! Funky, unpolished gold cushion/square case with classic radial brushing still intact and a nice big red ‘dial’ window. It even comes on the original beads of rice bracelet with a TI signed buckle! The watch works with no missing segments per the seller. Texas Instruments made their name making calculators (and they still do!), but dipped their toes into the watch marked during the LED-mania period in the early 70’s. It’s rare to find these in good working condition, especially with the awesome 70’s style clear box case.

View auction here.

Vintage Longines Grand Prize Automatic

You simply cannot go wrong with vintage Longines. While watches like the Conquest and Admiral may take most of the glory, they made many other models. This vintage Grand Prize is an absolute gem. I actually own an example of this model, and can personally attest that it is awesome. The 35mm steel case is simple with thin lugs and a personal engraving on the back. This is a front-loading case so no pic of the automatic movement. The hero here is the dial and hour markers though. You can’t really see it in these pictures, but the dial has a sunburst style brushing that radiates up and out from 6 o’clock, where the date window happens to be like the rising sun! The hour markers are arranged in radial fashion as well, and they are a cool Art Deco style with sharp facets. The hands are what I like to call ‘skyscraper’ and really complete the look. The crown is the correct small crown signed with the Longines logo. Trust me, this is one killer vintage dress watch that will not disappoint.

View auction here. 

BONUS Find: Vintage Zodiac Sea-Chron with Valjoux 72

Closing things out with a pick from the team back in NYC. This Zodiac Sea-Chron from the ‘60s features the legendary Valjoux 72, and pairs that classic chronograph layout with a funky bezel and bracelet that we love from Zodiac to this day. The bracelet needs a bit of work, but on the plus side, it’s a relatively uncommon, but very cool, coffin link design. This is a design we’d love to see make a comeback, perhaps with a few added (and unexpected) colorways. This watch is also covered by eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee so you can buy with a bit more confidence. 

View auction here.