Horological Meandering

Team,

I'm not a particular fan of vintage watches, not that I dislike those watches but I just prefer brand new stuff.

But we must "never say never" and here is the story:

When I was a boy, many and many moons back, I was exposed to the Thor Heyerdahl saga of the Kon Tiki. This saga excited my young brains and I just devoured the book.

Better brains already told this amazing adventure, see MattS post here: home.watchprosite.com

Because of this old relationship with KonTiki, I'm chasing an acceptable KonTiki watch since I start this hobby.
I had one, but it was far from being in good shape.

Last week, this one was offered to me and after an amazing fast negotiation with my preferred seller ... I took it without a single blink.

The set included the original SS bracelet (I don't do steel bracelets -- I just remove it and put on my bracelet repository), the original (?) box and a receipt for the last maintenance (1990).

A classic diver, I believe.





Unpolished case, with some "beauty" marks, impeccable dial, hands, even the plastic crystal carries the five Eterna dots.

Of course, a beautiful patina.

I was a little concerned about the bezel but a quick search here on the PuristSPro and ... bingo:



Another KonTiki post, this time by Ludi, included this advertising material with the same bezel (decompression table?).

Ludi's post can be accessed here: home.watchprosite.com
 
After a quick "pit stop" on my watchmaker for a full maintenance (believe it or not, it was subjected to a maintenance circa 1990!) the watch is performing just like a COSC one or better. I instructed my watchmaker to leave the case untouched, as it should be.

I don't have any movement pic but it's pristine.

Another picture. The green tone on the patina was caused by a combination of the patina with the amazing blue sky when I took those quick pics.

According to many sources, this one is called a Mark II model.

The case is around 40mm, not including the crown.

About the crown, that is screw down and is working perfectly, it does not have the five dots Eterna signature.

Is this correct? I don't have a clue.

The case back, with the perfect golden KonTiki raft. Lovely by my book. Civilian model (I don't do military watches),

I'm very happy with this watch.

It carries history, it reminds me of my boyhood and it's a very solid keeper.

I'm wearing it, as we speak, on a sailcloth black strap and is a pleasure on the wrist.

Thanks for seeing.

Cheers and a wonderful weekend to all,

Nilo

Great catch

Old farts, here is the song:



Amazing innocence.

I'm so old times that my ring tone is "Peace Pipe" for more than five years!

~

Very vintage, correct?

Sometimes I switch to Frank Zappa:



Less "square", for sure.

Cheers,

Nilo

. . . my hometown, Nilo.  A medley . . . 

Art,

That songs ... amazing,

Thank you for the memories..

Cheers,

Nilo

Art,

 

Like I replied to Nilo in another sub-thread, I don't recognise the bands but two tunes are hardwired in the corners of my mind.

Thanks,

MTF

 

Nilo,

 

I am an old fart too but brought up in a 'land and time' half a generation behind real time.

In a way, 'time stood still' for me so what was old-fashioned in the West was still fresh for me.

I am amazed to recognise all those tunes even though I may not know their titles.....

Thanks,

MTF

 

Of "half generation behind"...

During 50's and 60's, here the issue was the same.

The world was .,. Much bigger than today's global village times.

Anyway, I prefer today's world, where is possible to chat and socialize with everyone.

Cheers,

Nilo

just a beautiful example. congratulations. a testament to how well-made these watches were- very few survive in this kind of condition. most are heavily used as they saw plenty of action. of course, another reason was the fairly low production figures of eterna, so there weren't that many made. i am green with envy. a kon-tiki is really the last watch on my wish list.

the question has come up a few times about dating eternas. recently, i was made aware of a german website where a list of serial numbers and their production dates resided. i'm not sure why, but i can't seem to copy/paste said list, so i'll provide the link.

Here is the numeric sequence (I need to remove the link to the external site):

                                 1894       630 000           626 752  IXL

          1900   1 045 000          
1901   1 090 000
1902   1 135 000
1903   1 180 000
1904   1 225 000
1905   1 270 000
1906   1 315 000
1907   1 360 000
1908   1 405 000
1909   1 450 000
                             1910   1 500 000          1 556 288 
1911   1 550 000
1912   1 600 000
                            1913   1 650 000          1 663 980
1914   1 700 000
                            1915   1 750 000          1 914 868
1916   1 800 000
1917   1 850 000
1918   1 890 000
1919   1 930 000
1920   1 970 000
1921   2 010 000
1922   2 050 000
1923   2 090 000
1924   2 130 000
1925   2 170 000
1926   2 210 000
1927   2 250 000
1928   2 290 000
1929   2 330 000
1930   2 370 000
1931   2 410 000
1932   2 450 000
                            1933   2 500 000          2 451 950
1934   2 550 000
1935   2 600 000
1936   2 650 000
                            1937   2 700 000          2 740 007
1938   2 750 000
1939   2 800 000
1940   2 850 000
1941   2 900 000
1942   2 950 000
1943   3 000 000
1944   3 050 000
1945   3 100 000
1946   3 170 000
1947   3 240 000
1948   3 310 000
1949   3 380 000
1950   3 450 000
1951   3 520 000
1952   3 600 000
1953   3 700 000
1954   3 800 000
1955   3 900 000
1956   4 000 000
                             1957   4 100 000           4 059 XXX
1958   4 200 000
1959   4 300 000
1960   4 400 000
1961   4 500 000
1962   4 650 000
1963   4 800 000
1964   4 950 000
1965   5 100 000
1966   5 250 000
1967   5 400 000
1968   5 550 000
1969   5 700 000
1970   5 850 000
                                          1971   6 000 000           5 909 304             
1972   6 100 000
1973   6 200 000
1974   6 300 000

 

This message has been edited by nilomis on 2013-08-09 11:46:05

I was able to copy the table and I edited your post to show this invaluable information.

Sorry about that but the forum rules don't allow links to external sites.

My KonTiki, based on this table, is from 1967!!!

Now I have an additional motive to love this watch, that was made 47 years ago and, as you stated, so well made that is working as a charm.

Cheers,

Nilo

i apologize for the link, but i'm glad to see your superior intarweb skillz employed to grab the list!

thank you!

We have a very simple Code of Conduct.

You can check it here: home.watchprosite.com rs,

Nilo

who will enjoy finding out which models are from 1964.

. . . Eterna has been on my radar for a very long time.  While I've never seen one of these in the metal, Matt's example, amongst others, has created a permanent place in my heart for what I feel is a worthy competitor to the pantheon of dive watch icons from Rolex, Omega, Blancpain, JLC, and Longines.

Thank you Art,

Nilo

I am on the hunt for an earlier model, but this one is cool, too.

Bravo, my friend.

Best,

Nicolas.

Big triangle indexes, no rotating bezel, perfect chocolate patina....

Looks to be in great condition!

Congrats!, I love vintage watches, they remind me of simpler times, of my grandmother's house which had a 1940s/50s mid-century modern design, they evoke pure emotion and passion and I can see your KonTiki has done the same for you, enjoy it my friend.

Nilo,

 

In those days, I did not read full books.

As was the custom of the times, we were all about 'time saving' and convenience appliances so most of my reading was through Readers' Digest.  I got interested in medicine through the "I am Joe's...(insert favourite organ here) " series of articles. 'I am Joe's pituitary' was fascinating.  We never got 'I am Joe's penis' though......as any young boy would have been interested in. 

The KonTiki story in Readers' Digest was still a substantial chunk of the issue and in small print, plus there were many interviews with Thor so I got the flavour of the construction and adventure.

Thanks for the memories.

MTF

 

 

During the early 50's, what the moon landing was on the 60's.

Crossing the Pacific on a raft, was the ultimate adventure.

When I saw the Pacific for the first time by mid 70's, I remember thinking "so, it was here!".

Cheers,

Nilo

I was fascinated with the Kon Tiki voyage, we even had this subject as a dissertation at school in Switzerland. Perhaps the book instigated in me this desire to know other cultures therefore go and live in other countries. Today I am "posted" in Australia after been "posted" in your beautiful country, Brasil for 8 years.

When I was a teenager, I was invited to attend an Explorer's Club Annual Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria. First time (and maybe last time) that I wore a tuxedo. The highlight of the dinner was the opportunity to meet some great explorers of the world and of the mind: Jean-Michel Cousteau, Issac Asimov, Maxie Anderson, Clive Cussler and not least of which this guy:



I'm sure that I have told this story before, but like you, those boyhood memories are important ones.

A beautiful specimen Nilo, hope you wear it to new adventures!

Sir

That is a true memento.

Thank you,

Nilo

Hi Nilo

GREAT purchase.. Typically they relum the dial and you lose the 12 ,6, 9 numbers that are applied on top of the original lum !!

I love mine I think the case is actually 39 mm.... my screw down crown is unsigned as well.  Sad about the bracelet it is a super high grade GF swiss made bracelet.   Top quality manufacture.

I have mine somewhere and I do not have any photos of it .  Your decompression bezel is cool as well.

I use have the first generation Kontiki in both NON date and date examples...  My non-date was near mint and a fellow collector talked me out of it.  The date I still have somewhere ....  and I wear it on occasion. what I found really cool about the date was the date wheel was black with gilt print !

here are a few pics of the first gen from 1958 as other people were asking about it..

super clean non-date that was "TAKEN from me "

[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/armitageshanks/media/kon/DSCN0647_zpsf717e43f.jpg.html][/URL]

and now a really uncommon first generation DATE Kontiki..

[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/armitageshanks/media/kon/kontikidatebrace_zps75f24f64.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/armitageshanks/media/kon/IMG_0365_zpsc29b269d.jpg.html][/URL]


[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/armitageshanks/media/kon/movkontiki_zpsf762ef84.jpg.html][/URL]
I love the bracelet .... silky smooth....

Good hunting

Bill Sohne

Even on the bracelet point.

Very well made but I'm not a bracelet person and I just put it aside.

Based on your comments I go to give it a try. Summer (we don't have a true spring) is coming.

Eterna is a brand to be discovered (I know nothing about) and there are modern wonders son the movement side.

They now belong to China Haidian and let's see where they are heading.

During the 50's and 60's they had a strong presence here in Brazil and is relatively easy to find parts and watches on any flea market.

My watchmaker respects a lot the Eterna vintage movements and he did his magic on mine.

Cheers,

Nilo