eBay Finds: Eterna Sonic Sevenday Tuning Fork, Seiko SUMO, and More

When it comes to shopping for vintage watches on eBay, it can be a gold mine, but it can also be a minefield. Our very own Christoph McNeill (you all might know him as Instagram’s @VintageDiver) wrote a must-read, common sense guide to buying vintage watches on eBay (check out Part 1 and Part 2). So if you’re looking for a vintage watch, but are still a little nervous diving head-first into those murky waters, then don’t worry—we’re here to help.  Today, we have another installment of eBay Finds, our series where we highlight some great vintage gems looking for a new home. Happy hunting!

Eterna Sonic Sevenday Tuning Fork Electronic Watch

While Accutron gets the lion’s share of attention when it comes to tuning fork movements, Bulova was not the only one utilizing them. Eterna was another brand, and they marketed their tuning fork watches under the name Eterna Sonic. 

The Eterna Sonic Sevenday we have here has that classic late ‘60s/early ‘70s  aesthetic. The silver dial has a light sprinkling of patina and a day/date window. The steel case features straight lugs and the original signed crown. The finish looks unpolished, as can be seen by the tool marks on the case back.

These aren’t too common in the wild. In my experience, these are extremely accurate watches, and they’re a fun addition to any collection. 

Check it out here

NOS  SEIKO 5 (circa 1970s) 

Here’s a real find! This is a 1970s Seiko 5 sport watch with original packaging, papers, and tags! You really don’t find complete sets very often, and that’s especially true with vintage Seiko. I’m not sure what the model is (it’s definitely not “511WS” as it’s listed here), and I’ve never seen this one in my many years of collecting. Regardless, it has a killer charcoal dial with lume-filled steel markers that are reminiscent of the fabled 62MAS diver. 

The outer Seiko box is a bit rough, but the watch itself is super clean, and it includes the original bracelet. Add in the papers and the hang tags, and you’ve got a great little set here.

Check it out here

Seiko SBDC003 “SUMO” Diver

Ok, so this one’s not vintage, but you just can’t beat the Seiko “Sumo” (SBDC00x) for bang-for-your-buck-value when it comes to divers. This is the blue dial/bezel version, and it’s in great condition. The starting bid here is less than $200, and these don’t show up for auction too often (they’re usually up with a “buy it now”). If you can snag it for under $300, then you’ve got yourself a major bargain!

Check it out here

Vintage Waltham Diver (with a Tropical Dial)

Finally, what we have here is a really nice Waltham diver with a tropical dial. I really like this model, in part because of the manual wind movement — you just don’t really see decent vintage divers with manual movements too often. In addition to the even patina on the dial, the case is in excellent condition — it has an unpolished finish, the original crown, and a bezel insert that’s in great shape.

Check it out here