For the last Bring A Loupe of 2016, we focused on the most unusual vintage watches we could find over the past week. Those include a forgotten Breitling Compass from the 1980s, and a practical Girard-Perregaux Gyrodate that boast a high-frequency chronometer movement. You will also see a military Rolex Daytona reference 6265, and a vintage-inspired and fairly unknown Grand Seiko in yellow gold, the reference SBGW004. This is your Bring A Loupe for December 30, 2016.
A Girard-Perregaux Gyrodate Reference 9080, With Smart Calendar Display
While we tend to shy away from gold plated cases for Bring A Loupe, we had to make an exception for this Girard-Perregaux. Launched in the 1960s, the Gyrodate builds on its rotating bezel to display the days for an entire month, as long as you know how to line up the rotating bezel with the inner scale (and its catchy Sundays in red). It is a pretty unique display, and the fact that it comes with a high-frequency chronometer-certified automatic movement makes it all the more interesting.
As indicated in the original booklet below (“Meet the Gyrodate”) the reference 9080 either came with a black or silver dial, with a stainless steel or gold-plated 35mm case . All versions run with the automatic caliber 42.1, a chronometer grade movement that offered a frequency of 36,000 beats per hour. The seller indicates that the watch comes with the original strap and buckle, both signed with the GP initials. He also describes this Gyrodate as in new old stock condition, although it seems on the picture provided that there is a small impact to the bezel, just above the digit 1.
The dealer MM Antiques listed this unusual Girard-Perregaux Gyrodate for £1,400 or around $ 1,715.
A Rolex Daytona Reference 6265 Purchased By The Peruvian Army
At first glance, this Daytona looks like a regular reference 6265 with its screw-down pushers and stainless steel bezel. Obviously, it does not offer a “Paul Newman” dial (read Ben’s Reference Points to catch up on that coveted configuration) but this watch needs to be turned around to be fully appreciated. The engravings on the caseback reveal its military origins, more specifically for the Peruvian Army. The Peruvian Airforce (Fuerza Aerea Del Peru) had indeed issued some Rolexes for its pilots, starting in the early-1960s (after previously entrusting Omega).
The caseback is definitely the key part to check on any Rolex from the FAP, since the serial number is also engraved on the inner side with FAP watches, while it is only engraved in between the lugs of civilian models. The Peruvian Army ordered diverse models from Rolex such as Submariner or GMT-Masters, but most of the chronographs that it got did not bear the “Daytona” mention on the dial – although exceptions exist. Additionally, this example features the “Sigma” dial (from the symbols at either side of the “T-Swiss-T” line); they indicate that the indexes were made of solid gold. The case is described as lightly polished and the handset as original, which is great news for a military-issued watch that probably underwent many services. The dial is in great condition, but I disagree with the seller regarding the lume plots: based on the picture it seems those at 3 and 6 o’clock are mostly gone, which often happens but still ought to be noted.
This military Rolex Daytona reference 6265 is priced at $ 89,700 by the US-based dealer IconicWatchCompany.
A Breitling Compass Reference 80940, A ‘Badass’ Tool Watch
You might often hear about vintage Breitling around here (especially from Mr. Toledano), but 1980s pieces do not get much recognition. Many would say that they are more of an acquired taste, but there is no denying that the reference 80940 deserves a closer look. With its black PVD case in aluminum it already looks and feels tool-ish, but it’s when it’s opened that it reveals the full extent of its skills. Inside is a compass that can be removed, or read through the back, while the strap features several scales for reading a map. And the Morse code, just to be on the safe side after an emergency landing…
This watch was engineered to work in extreme conditions, to meet “military and scientific requirements” according to the original ad. So you won’t be surprised that the caseback shows a checklist of all necessary items for an expedition, from food & water to fire making equipment and ammunition. And the watch is obviously waterproof to 300ft while its quartz caliber (ETA 955.112) is said to run under the most extreme temperatures. This peculiar reference was only produced in 1985 and 1986 (the highest serial number I could find indicated a production just above 650 examples, while the 800-number is often brought forward), so it is something of a rarity, especially in the new old stock condition described. One caveat though; the provided strap looks different than the original one.
A French collector offers this rare Breitling Compass for €4,000 or around $ 4,195.
A Grand Seiko SBW004, A Limited Edition Based On The Very First Grand Seiko
Despite its vintage looks, this Grand Seiko was only released in 2001, to celebrate Seiko’s 120th Anniversary. As such it is virtually identical in looks to the very first Grand Seiko ever produced, with the caliber 3180, whose ambition was to beat the very best Swiss dress watches. And just looking at the sharp hands, the wonderfully balanced dial and the elegant case, one could definitely say: “Mission accomplished”. However, the reference SBGW004 is virtually unknown, as the 300 pieces were only sold in Japan at the time, and since then, it has remained in the shadow of the reference SBGW040 (also a Limited Edition of 120 examples) that was available 10 years later for $ 16,500.
Both watches honor the original reference 3180, but I would go for the SBGW004 given its more accurately reproduced dial, which bears the original “star”. Interestingly, most consider that this symbol indicates the presence of an applied logo, while it more likely represents the material of the applied indexes, since Mk1 and Mk2 dials for the 3180 did not have the applied logo but still featured this distinctive “star”. In all fairness, the manual-wound caliber 9s64 of the later SBGW040 comes with a longer power-reserve than the 9s54 on the SBGW004 you see here (72 hours vs. 50+ hours, and 2011 vs. 1998 for the conception) but I could easily live with that. This example comes full set, with the original box and papers, and it’s said to be in great condition.
A collector just listed this rare Grand Seiko SBGW004 on TimeZone for $ 8,350.
A Heuer Regatta Reference 134.603, Straight From The 1980s
Heuer had a longstanding history with regatta timing, introducing dedicated stopwatches in 1959, and the first Skipper wristwatch nine years later. Very quickly, those chronographs moved from the original Carrera case to the Autavia one, which benefitted from a higher water resistance – not a small detail when you are on a boat. Launched in 1983, the Heuer Regatta reference 134.603 follows the same logic, but offers a revolutionary display allowed by the automatic caliber Lemania 1345, also used for the same purpose by Omega, Aquastar and Tissot. The apertures allow you to track the countdown to the start of a regatta, each of the 5 minutes changing colors for every elapsed minute as described on a detailed review of the Regatta, or on the original documentation below.
The reference 134.603 offered a grey-PVD case, while its sister references came with the olive- and black PVD finish that can also be found on the Autavia of the 1980s. The present watch also kept its original Jubilee bracelet with the Heuer-signed clasp. It is indicated as in good condition, with the chronograph function working properly, which seems backed up by the pictures of the listing, showing the countdown in action.
You can find this Heuer Regatta on Ebay at a Buy-It-Now Price of $ 3,659; the seller indicates he’ll consider lower offers.
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