eBay Finds: Universal Genève Polerouter, Citizen Crystron Diver, and More

When it comes to hunting down 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!

Universal Genève Polerouter

Universal Genève Polerouters are hot right now, and one look at a nice example of one and you’ll see why. Designed by the great Gerald Genta, Polerouters are timeless classics (read up on them here). This example is in good condition, with some honest patina on the dial/hands, but nothing too bad. The case looks like it has been lightly polished, but, for whatever reason, these are rarely found in unpolished condition. Regardless, the bombé lugs still look pretty sharp to my eye, and this one has the original signed crown as well. These are usually listed with inflated “buy it now” prices, so here’s a great opportunity to take a shot at one at auction.

Check it out here

Movado Sub Sea

Here’s a super crisp vintage Movado that looks it has been pulled straight out of an episode of Mad Men. It’s described as mint, which I think is a step too far, but it’s damn close. It has a classic 1960s aesthetic with a really clean silver dial that features a vertically-brushed finish and applied markers, which look correctly paired with a set of lume-filled stick hands. The 34mm case with its original signed crown is as sharp and untouched as you could ever want to find in a vintage watch short of finding a NOS piece, and the manual movement appears to be clean. The seller states that the watch is running slow, so a service will likely be in order to get this in proper working condition, but this is a gem of a watch at a reasonable “buy it now” and I’d say it’s worth it.

Check it out here

Seiko Ref. 66-7109 Mechanical

Here’s another great hand-cranker (despite it being listed as an automatic watch). This ’70s Seiko 66-7109 with its quasi bullseye/sector dial has a great sporty look. I especially like the color, which is a handsome deep blue (I’ve owned a couple of these in my time, and trust me when I say they look even better in person). The case looks unpolished, and the crown is correct to the watch. Best of all, this example comes with an original beads-of-rice bracelet. These don’t usually go for too much and I would expect that to be the case here, so this one is a great buy.

Check it out here

Citizen Crystron Diver

Vintage Citizen divers are becoming more sought after, and the ones you usually encounter are the mechanical variants with mercedes hands. Here is something a little different — a really nice example of a circa 1979 Crystron diver with paddle hands. This is a later reference with the Crystron quartz movement, and it still retains the great design and look of the earlier models. The dial and hands are superb, and the case looks unpolished and the bezel is nicely faded. Even the mineral glass crystal is in great shape.

Check it out here