No 248 - Le Jour Chronograph

“I feel the need, the need for speed.” You know how it is being a watch maniac constantly looking on peoples wrists. Tom Cruise’s black chronograph sure doesn’t go unnoticed in the classic Top Gun from 1986; one of his best movies ever.  After a quick research you learn that it probably is an Orfina Porsche Design chronograph with the Lemania 5100 movement. You also learn that there are tons of watches from different manufactures from the very same era that pretty much look the same and that the prices can vary a lot. I’m not really sure which the true original is but have been assuming it’s the Heuer Pasadena that all the others derive from (read more here) but I'm not sure at all. The newer ones are usually equipped with the Valjoux 7750 movement instead of the Lemania and are often cheaper. The used Orfina's you find are usually quite expensive and are also very often quite worn. I would of course have preferred the real deal from the start but I felt there was so much to learn about all the different models that I barely had begun to scratch the surface. I instead decided to go for one of the cheaper versions just to quickly get that Maverick vibe going.

#248 - The Le Jour chronograph. Not entirely sure about the correct reference.

I found my Le Jour head only to a decent price but in the need of service because its 7750 movement had a loose rotor and wouldn’t self-wind. After the service it was fine though and worked perfectly. I quickly realized that one of the hardest parts when you purchase one of those old PVD military style chronographs is to source a good bracelet for it. Usually all used watches are sold on some ugly leather bund strap (I can't stand them!). I searched forever and ever after a suitable vintage bracelet but finally settled for an oyster type bracelet from Hadley Roma that seemed to be of a rather decent quality. I had plans on making the bracelet look a little more vintage to match the worn surface of the watch case but instead I switched it for a Bonetto Cinturini 295 rubber which also gave a good vintage feel to it. 

OK. So maybe I didn't became as cool as Maverick with my Le Jour but it really opened up my eyes for chronographs even more just like the Tutima and the Tudor's did and I can honestly say that my venturing among the 80's and 90's Lemania and 7750 chronos is far from over.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 187 - Tudor Chronograph 79273P

Received this one in a trade for my Ball Skindiver back in August 2013. I’d really start to love the Tudor chronographs after owning the 79270. Such great watches! So when I got the opportunity to try out the same chrono but in a twotone version it was a no-brainer. I actually thought it looked awful when I first saw it with the white dial and its red details but I knew it had potential to become something else. I think I received the watch on a black leather strap, not sure, but I had it replaced with a 22mm croc strap that I managed to squeeze in without having it look too terrible. A watch colleague helped me to source a black dial with gold indexes for it which turned out to be a perfect match. Looked fantastic!  And when I had had the new dial installed I changed the strap to a brown crocodile leather which made the watch look even more awesome. Some thought that a black leather strap would have been a better match but seriously, there are few things that look uglier than black leather straps. I had plans trying to find a working twotone bracelet for it but never found one. That would have been so cool. 

#187 - The Tudor Chronograph ref. 79273P.

Having a beer in our old kitchen.

I honestly don’t know why I sold this one. It was even complete with box and certificate. It looked freakin’ fantastic! I probably needed cash for something else or just got bored as usual. Stupid. But damn, looking back on the pictures I really feel that I could go another round with this one. It’s crazy how the prices for these 90’s Tudor chronographs completely have gone through the roof. I even lost about $350 when selling this one because of the dial change. God that hurts. 

With the white dial it came with. Not a big fan.

Here on the 22mm croc strap.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 167 - Tudor Chronograph 79270

Was I going through a Tudor phase here? Well, yesterday I told you I felt a bit reluctant wearing the Tudor Submariner. This chronograph was a different story. “But that’s a Daytona rip off!” some of you might say. But is it? Really? No, I don’t think so. OK, the case design and the pushers might make you think of the Daytona but the 79270 has a 6/9/12 subdial setup (Valjoux 7750 movement) while the Daytona has the 3/6/9 setup. The 79270 also have a date and a bezel that turns. I would say it might be inspired by the Daytona but the 79270 definitely stands on its own legs and does not feel like a wannabe Rolex. On the other hand, the reference 79280, with steel tachymeter, would be a closer call. 

#167 - The Tudor Chronograph ref. 79270.

Tudor shield on the crown.

I loved this one. It was great to look at. Beautiful! It felt like a good allround beater chrono. The lug-holes for example; a great feature! Just as the turning bezel. A much more useful chronograph than the Rolex Daytona. I’m happy I got it on the oyster bracelet. I’m usually a big fan of jubilee bracelets but Tudor’s version of the jubilee just looks awful. I bought it as a full set in the end of March 2013 with box, books and certificate in great condition. The watch itself wasn’t far from being NOS. I had plans to buy a black dial with white subdials for it but it didn’t get to stick around that long. This model is another great example of a watch that has more than doubled its value in the last three years.

This watch ended up in a trade for a NOS Omega SM300 (Watchco) which I will present in the near future.

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.

No 126 - Sinn 356 Flieger

I think this one is the best chronograph Sinn has ever produced in their Flieger chronograph series. The basic version with the non-see through caseback and the domed plexi crystal. It shouldn’t be fancy. It should be rough, durable and functional. I loved mine. The size was perfect. 38,5mm excl. crown. Perhaps a little too thick but nothing that really bothered me. I had an older version with the Valjoux 7750 movement which today I think has been replaced by the Sellita SW500. Nothing negative about the 356 that I can come to think of. Don’t remember why I sold mine. I even lost money on it from what I can see so I was probably in a hurry to buy something else.

#126 - The Sinn 356 Flieger.

Besides the 356 I don’t have much love for Sinn's other Flieger models but they have some other chronographs like the 142 and 144 that I recently added to my watches-to-buy-list. I’ve never really liked chronographs in general but lately I’ve been going crazy learning about the old PVD chronos from brands like Heuer, Orfina and Porsche Design. That's some good stuff!

© All pictures by a Watch Flipper's Diary unless noted.