eBay Finds: Chronographs from Seiko and Heuer, Pulsar LED, & More

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!

Bulova A17A Military Watch

Vintage military watches are always highly sought after, and this one is a really cool example. The Bulova A17A mil-spec is small but mighty. These were made from about 1956-1962, and were issued as navigation watches for aviators. Nice smaller but chunky steel case with the original bead blasted finish and the military engravings on the back. The black dial is easy to read, and the lume has a nice patina. And you gotta love the oversized crown for the manual wind movement. No movement picture but the seller states the watch runs.

View auction here.

Pulsar LED

I don’t know why so many vintage LED watches are popping out of the woodwork, but I’m loving it. This week we have a sleek looking vintage Pulsar LED, complete with original bracelet, inner and outer boxes and a boat load of paperwork. This is a fantastic time-capsule piece that is in immaculate condition, and is currently working great! Look at that futuro / space age look of the steel case and that wild bracelet. Even the warranty paperwork is filled out, which you rarely see. So cool!

View auction here.

Heuer Autavia GMT Chronograph

Ok, time for a big boy. This is the famous Heuer Autavia GMT chronograph, and absolute beast of a vintage chrono. The steel case has super bold thick lugs with razor sharp chamfers, and is unpolished. The classic Pepsi blue and red aluminum GMT bezel has a few marks but is overall excellent. The classic reverse panda black and white dial is also superb, with nice patina to the lume. This beauty is powered by the vaunted and always sought-after Valjoux 72 movement, most famously used in the vintage Rolex Newman Daytona chronograph. This one even has the original Gay Freres beads of rice bracelet. If you’re looking to spend some coin, here ya go!

View auction here.

Vintage Bulova

Looking for a super cool vintage dress watch for your upcoming holiday cocktail party? Check out this 1950 Bulova! The gold fill case has stunning fancy lugs that look hinged, but they are indeed fixed. The case has nice sharp angles in edges, giving it a decidedly Machine Age. The dial has a vertical, deeply ribbed texture with stylized hour markers. Truly a unique and eye-catching look. The back has a beautiful hand engraved personalization, and it even has the original “Bulova” signed crown. This one has the juice for sure.

View auction here.

Vintage Universal Geneve

Next up is a sleek and sexy vintage Universal Geneve dress watch. The ultra thin case is a mere 6mm thick, and at only 31mm wide it will definitely fit under the cuff of your tuxedo shirt. The steel case looks brand new and unpolished and has the original factory finish. The silver dial has a nice subtle linen finish to it along with super simple stick hands. The crown looks original and I believe it looks signed. The watch comes on the original mesh bracelet that is also signed with the “U” logo. No movement picture but the seller states is has a UG caliber 1-42 movement and is running well.

View auction here.

Seiko 7A38-7280 Chronograph

Last up this week is this gorgeous vintage Seiko Quartz chronograph 7A38-7280. The 7A38 chronograph movement is fantastic, and the chronograph can time 1/20 of a second! It features three sub dials as well as a tiny day/date window in the 3 o’clock subdial. The steel case is unpolished and shows the original brushed factory finish. The integrated bracelet is original and excellent as well. The watch runs and works as it should. While I’m not usually a quartz guy, you really can’t beat these 7A38 chronographs. They are quite sought after by Seiko enthusiasts, and this example is as nice as they come.

View auction here.