<P<Li>As My Pal Cautious Carl Says, Buy a Nice Watch from Mike .But Keep in Mind

<img src=http://www.nwlink.com/~holben/advertomega2.jpg> Among new and old watch collectors, the Omega Watch Co. of Switzerland is one of the most renowned brands of timepieces, a firm founded by Louis Brandt of Biel in 1848. In 1894 a new caliber bore the name of Omega for the first time, and since then the company has produced some of the finest caliber wristwatches money can buy. Omega is also my favorite Swiss watch firm, unsurpassed when it comes to style and high quality for a not (as of yet) crazy high price. I am pleased to offer for sale the following vintage men’s Omega timepiece, a WWII period military dial model in excellent condition that dates to 1943.Its stainless steel, Omega-signed case measures 38mm end to end and 31mm in width (33.5mm with original steel crown). In inches this works out to be 1-1/2” by just shy of 1-1/4”, not including the winding crown. It is powered by its original R17.8 SC caliber, 17 jewel, manual wind mechanism, fully serviced by my watchmaker David to ensure accurate timekeeping.p>The ivory color, enamel finished dial is in flawless condition - professionally restored to mimic an evenly aged original dial. It features a 60 second outer track border calibrated to 1/5 of a second for precision, brown Arabic numerals, original steel hands with brown (radium look but safe) finish and ‘sweep’ original blue steel seconds hand. Signed OMEGA below the 12 with trademark Omega symbol.The hardened acrylic crystal is in excellent condition, a later replacement although the original would have been plastic for durability and resistance to shattering. The two-piece case is solid stainless steel and in excellent condition, coming together nice and tight when closed. The vintage steel winding crown is unmarked (correct for era and model type) and in excellent shape, winding and setting smoothly.Turning the watch over I find a stainless steel, screw-down back lid in excellent shape, unmarked and without engravings past or present. Inside I find the original Omega rectangular movement (set within a round protective guard), signed Omega Watch Co., SWISS, Seventeen 17 Jewels - OXG with caliber number of R17.8 SC stamped below the balance wheel. The SC stands for “Seconde au Centre”, or the central sweep hand of this watch (vs. sub-seconds at the bottom of the dial). The serial number of #9,808,984 dates the watch to ca 1942 as per company production records. The inside of the case lid is finely engine turned and stamped ACIER INOXYDABLE – OMEGA, FAB. SUISSE, SWISS MADE – 2300/1.This fine watch has been disassembled, cleaned, oiled and regulated to ensure it winds and sets smoothly and keeps accurate time. It is fitted on a new and high quality 15mm black alligator (grain) Swiss calf leather strap with stainless steel buckle. All in all a great example of a Second World War non-ordnance military timepiece – thanks for dropping by!p<ul<li>Since 1998, Holben's Fine Watches' goal has been happy customers. I treat buyers as I like to be treated: with courtesy and respect. I’m especially proud of my excellent feedback and high number of repeat clients. I’m a long-standing member of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC), and have collected Swiss and American mechanical watches since I was a kid.</li<p<li>Watch sizes: I provide exact measurements in millimeters (the watch industry standard) and inches, and include a U.S. quarter in photos as a size reference. Draw the measurements on paper to help visualize the watch on your wrist. Remember, men’s watches from the 1910s - 1960s were smaller than considered normal today.</li<p<li>Buyers outside the United States with less than five feedback: Please introduce yourself via email PRIOR to bidding. Otherwise, your bid may be retracted. </li<p<li>U.S. winners pay $7.75 for fully insured, safely boxed USPS First-Class Mail shipping. Washington State residents (and those with shipping addresses in Washington State) add 8.6% sales tax.</li<p<li>Canadian ($14.75) and most international buyers ($17.75) receive safely boxed USPS First-Class Mail International REGISTERED shipping. I can ship via USPS Express Mail International to most countries for approximately $30 and this shipping method is REQUIRED for shipments to countries that do not scan registered parcels at delivery, including Germany, Singapore and Australia. Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. Prior to bidding, check your country's customs regulations to determine any additional costs.</li<p<li>Preferred payment method is PayPal; other options are available by contacting me.</li<p<li>Payment is due within three days of auction end, unless you’ve contacted me prior to arrange otherwise. In accordance with eBay policy, payments not received in four days will initiate an unpaid item case through the Resolution Center.</li<p<li>In the rare event of a problem occurring after transit, return the wristwatch to me (or to my watchmaker, David) at my expense. It will be quickly corrected and shipped safely back to you.</li <li>If you like unique and collectible vintage or antique wristwatches, add holbensfinewatches to your Favorite Sellers. I specialize in timepieces from the 1910s – 1960s. My selection changes weekly, and is comprised of manual wind and automatic watches from the following categories: WWI trench; WWII; military; fancy case, art nouveau; art deco; mid-century modern; stainless steel; sterling silver; white, yellow and rose gold; solid gold; platinum; and diamond, ruby and/or sapphire ladies’ cocktail watches.</li <table border="0" cellspacing="10"<tbody<tr<td<a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Holbens-Fine-Watch-Bands" target="_blank"<img src="http://www.nwlink.com/%7Eholben/bandlogo2.jpg" alt="Holben's-Fine-Watch-Bands"</a</td<td colspan="2"Are you looking for high quality watch straps for your new or vintage military, sport and wire lug watches? Our sister store, <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Holbens-Fine-Watch-Bands"> Holben's Fine Watch Bands</a>, offers an extensive selection of straps, including:<br<ul<li>UTC G10 NATO ballistic nylon (one-piece, two-piece, solid, striped and PVD);</li<li>German Bund leather military (riveted and non-riveted in black and brown);</li<li>NATO striped James Bond;</li<li>Canvas military WWII (one-piece and two-piece in khaki, olive green and black);</li<li>Alligator-, crocodile- and buffalo-grain leather (open-ended / wire lug and closed-end in black, brown and tan);</li<li>Hamilton Khaki-, Breitling- and Panerai-style leather;</li<li>GT Rally Tropic leather (big hole) and buffalo-grain Tropic (small holes); and</li<li>Rubber and silicone deployment/deployant clasp divers (solid color, contrast-stitched and textured).</li</ul</span</td</tr</tbody</table>

<p<li>As my pal Cautious Carl says, "Buy a Nice Watch from Mike"….but keep in mind he doesn’t wear a watch, nor understand how to tell time! <img src=http://www.nwlink.com/~holben/carl.jpg>

The story of the Eterna Watch Co. of Grenchen, Switzerland reads as a long list of achievements in the world of horology…countless innovations have originated from its factory, and they are prized watches amongst those “in the know,” primarily collectors in Europe and Japan. The quality is remarkable, and one look at its movements tells the story, truly topnotch. Founded on November 7, 1856 by Dr. Josef Gerard and Urs Schild, the first Eterna watch factory began producing pocket watch movements, quickly followed by complete timepieces. Schild took control of the company in 1866, and was noted as the inventor of the pocket “alarm” watch (which Schild patented in 1908) for use on the wrist.Through the 1930s and onwards the company had a succession of technical innovations, teamed with its movement-making subsidiary ETA. This included the smallest serially-produced wristwatch, with a baguette movement, in 1930; an eight-day alarm in the early thirties; the first Eterna automatic (self-winding) wristwatch in 1938 - a men's model with a swinging winding-weight; an automatic wristwatch in 1942, considered remarkably small and thin for its time; and the futuristic winding-rotor on ball-bearings launched in 1948 for the Eterna-Matic self-winding wristwatches. Sorry if this introduction is a bit long but I wanted to emphasize that these watches were every bit as good as a comparable Omega or Longines model.I am pleased to offer for sale the following men’s Eterna timepiece – an early 1950s “Eterna-Matic” model in excellent, original condition. It is quadruple-signed and measures 37.5mm lug tip to lug tip and 30.5mm in width (33.5mm with original signed crown). In inches this works out to be 1-1/2” long by 1-3/16” wide, not counting the Eterna crown so a smaller 1950s men’s watch – more in keeping with the size of men’s watches during WWII. It is powered by its original and higher-grade 17 jewel, automatic (self-winding) mechanism that has been fully serviced by my trusted watchmaker David to ensure it winds smoothly and runs accurately.The 100% original silver, enamel finished dial is in excellent PLUS condition, untouched since it left the factory almost 60 years ago. It features a 60 second outer chapter, applied silver hour markers, original Lance-style silver metal hands and a ‘sweep’ silver colored center seconds hand. Signed ETERNA-MATIC below the 12 (with five star trademark) and SWISS at the base of the dial.p>The hardened acrylic crystal is in excellent shape with no flaws. The two-piece case is in excellent condition, solid stainless steel and looking as nice now as it did when new. The matching and original steel winding crown features the five star Eterna trademark and is in excellent order, operating smoothly.Turning the watch over I note that the back lid is stainless steel, screw down in design and in excellent shape with no personal engravings. It carries the case number 3,789,109. Inside is a beautiful and truly higher-end rotor automatic mechanism signed Eterna-Matic Watch Co., Seventeen 17 Jewels – Patented – Swiss, EXA with serial number 3,977,355 (as with Omega, Eterna case and movement numbers were not meant to match). The inside of the case lid is stamped ETERNA WATCH CO. – SWISS – ACIER INOXYDABLE – A. This timepiece has been disassembled, cleaned, oiled and regulated prior to auction to ensure it winds and sets smoothly and keeps accurate time. It is fitted on a new and high quality 16mm black deBeer lizard (grain) calf leather strap with matching steel buckle. All in all an elegant, ORIGINAL and higher-end Swiss Eterna for the collector “in the know” – I think you’ll be pleased.<p<ul<li>Since 1998, Holben's Fine Watches' goal has been happy customers. I treat buyers as I like to be treated: with courtesy and respect. I’m especially proud of my excellent feedback and high number of repeat clients. I’m a long-standing member of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC), and have collected Swiss and American mechanical watches since I was a kid.</li<p<li>Watch sizes: I provide exact measurements in millimeters (the watch industry standard) and inches, and include a U.S. quarter in photos as a size reference. Draw the measurements on paper to help visualize the watch on your wrist. Remember, men’s watches from the 1910s - 1960s were smaller than considered normal today.</li<p<li>Buyers outside the United States with less than five feedback: Please introduce yourself via email PRIOR to bidding. Otherwise, your bid may be retracted. </li<p<li>U.S. winners pay $6.75 for fully insured, safely boxed USPS First-Class Mail shipping. Washington State residents (and those with shipping addresses in Washington State) add 8.6% sales tax.</li<p<li>Canadian ($14.75) and most international buyers ($17.75) receive safely boxed USPS First-Class Mail International REGISTERED shipping. I can ship via USPS Express Mail International to most countries for approximately $30 and this shipping method is REQUIRED for shipments to countries that do not scan registered parcels at delivery, including Germany, Singapore and Australia. Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. Prior to bidding, check your country's customs regulations to determine any additional costs.</li<p<li>Preferred payment method is PayPal; other options are available by contacting me.</li<p<li>Payment is due within three days of auction end, unless you’ve contacted me prior to arrange otherwise. In accordance with eBay policy, payments not received in four days will initiate an unpaid item case through the Resolution Center.</li<p<li>In the rare event of a problem occurring after transit, return the wristwatch to me (or to my watchmaker, David) at my expense. It will be quickly corrected and shipped safely back to you.</li <li>If you like unique and collectible vintage or antique wristwatches, add holbensfinewatches to your Favorite Sellers. I specialize in timepieces from the 1910s – 1960s. My selection changes weekly, and is comprised of manual wind and automatic watches from the following categories: WWI trench; WWII; military; fancy case, art nouveau; art deco; mid-century modern; stainless steel; sterling silver; white, yellow and rose gold; solid gold; platinum; and diamond, ruby and/or sapphire ladies’ cocktail watches.</li <table border="0" cellspacing="10"<tbody<tr<td<a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Holbens-Fine-Watch-Bands" target="_blank"<img src="http://www.nwlink.com/%7Eholben/bandlogo2.jpg" alt="Holben's-Fine-Watch-Bands"</a</td<td colspan="2"Are you looking for high quality watch straps for your new or vintage military, sport and wire lug watches? Our sister store, <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/Holbens-Fine-Watch-Bands"> Holben's Fine Watch Bands</a>, offers an extensive selection of straps, including:<br<ul<li>UTC G10 NATO ballistic nylon (one-piece, two-piece, solid, striped and PVD);</li<li>German Bund leather military (riveted and non-riveted in black and brown);</li<li>NATO striped James Bond;</li<li>Canvas military WWII (one-piece and two-piece in khaki, olive green and black);</li<li>Alligator-, crocodile- and buffalo-grain leather (open-ended / wire lug and closed-end in black, brown and tan);</li<li>Hamilton Khaki-, Breitling- and Panerai-style leather;</li<li>GT Rally Tropic leather (big hole) and buffalo-grain Tropic (small holes); and</li<li>Rubber and silicone deployment/deployant clasp divers (solid color, contrast-stitched and textured).</li</ul</span</td</tr</tbody</table>

<p<li>As my pal Cautious Carl says, "Buy a Nice Watch from Mike"….but keep in mind he doesn’t wear a watch, nor understand how to tell time! <img src=http://www.nwlink.com/~holben/carl.jpg>

<img src=http://www.nwlink.com/~holben/advertdueber.jpg> A classic American watch firm with an intriguing history, the Dueber Hampden Watch Co. of Canton, Ohio shares a place in history alongside its U.S. brothers Illinois, Waltham, Elgin and Hamilton, but were never as prolific in the production of wristwatches for men, hence their rarity is increased.

&lt;P&lt;Li&gt;As My Pal Cautious Carl Says, Buy a Nice Watch from Mike .But Keep in Mind

<P<Li>As My Pal Cautious Carl Says, Buy a Nice Watch from Mike .But Keep in Mind