Citizen Automatic Flyback Chronograph 8110A

Now I have not updated the blog or made any post for like 3 years! I apologize for that. Other priorities and commitments in life just took over. And I had not bought watches for a long long time.

Today, I just suddenly have the impulse and I remembered a particular watch that I hunted for, found and bought on ebay 5 years ago. I wrote about it here:
http://anton-c.blogspot.sg/2008/06/bad-ebay-purchase.html

And yes, back then the watch arrived damaged and was returned. But I never really forget my fondness for that watch however decided that I should be more cautious with my vintage adventures, coz its not just ebay but on flea market buys I been disappointed too.

So today I just feel like buying a watch, remembered this lovely vintage Citizen Automatic Flyback Chronograph I had for a while, ebay searched, found one. Clicked BuyItNow and paid immediately without much thinking.

I hope 5 years down the round this time, the purchase will be a smooth one.

Seller dates the watch to October 1976 and wrote that it is professionally serviced and running well with original parts. Good luck to me. (Seller's photo).

ORIENT WATCH GIVEAWAY WINNER!

The winner is Dan Meinhardt (DJM on the watch forums)!!!

Congratulations to the Orient fan!

Hope you enjoy your incoming new watch!

To everyone, thank you for participating! :)

ORIENT WATCH GIVEAWAY

Want a free watch? Yes! Orient Watch USA is giving away the above watch free to a lucky reader of this blog. It is an Orient Automatic watch and its yours free if you win this give-away contest!

Commonly known as the Orient 3 Star, this is a 21 jewel Orient movement, (I think its caliber EMZO), which has an interesting day indicator where a disk rotates and shows the current day of the week as a red dot on the dial. Quick set date button at 2 o clock, water resistant is 5 ATM. Stainless steel 37mm watch case with 20mm lugs, mineral glass crystal. I think this watch got a retro, 70s look and will make an interesting addition to any collection.

To participate in this watch-giveaway contest, all you have to do is to check out this hot Orient CFM00003B and then post a comment to this blog post stating what's the one thing you like most about it and what occasions you would like to wear it for? (I personally think it makes a great daily wear watch.)

The selected winner will receive the free watch from Orient Watch USA, shipping cost will be taken care of too!

Important!:
* Your email address must be included in the comment post for purpose of this giveaway.
* Contest ends 2 weeks from now (8 April 2010 GMT time). Comment posts after said date will not be considered.
* Winner will be contacted by a rep/assign of Orient Watch USA for the receiving of the prize.
* This contest is only available to US residents only.

Good luck!

Update!!! Contest had ended, pending results. Thank you for your participation.

BAD EBAY PURCHASE

I recently bidded on a vintage Citizen Automatic Chronograph from the 1970s. Its running on the Citizen 8110 movement so it's a Flyback chronograph.

These vintage chronographs are extremely good deals because you pay small money for very good movements. A Swiss equivalent of a Flyback chronograph would probably cost 20 times as much, conservatively. The more common ones are the Citizen Bullhead chronographs, which are always on Ebay. I guess they are in abundance because collectors prefer the larger Seiko Bullheads instead of the smaller Citizens.

So this piece caught my eye (seller's pic) because it looks really like those German pilot watches. Think in the lines of Tutima, Bell & Ross, Sinn, etc. It is also less common, compared to the Bullheads. I won the bid and so the watch arrives today.

However when I put it on my wrist and press down the snap on clasp, the crystal popped off. I was seated and the crystal landed on the coffee table in front of me. The sub-second hand at 6 O clock dial also went missing. I looked high and low, but couldn't find the sub-second hand.

It seems that the friction fit ring around the crystal had already worn off and when I examined the inner rotating bezel attached to the crystal, there are brown stains underneath. I am not sure but maybe its dried glue. I fear that the crystal is attached to the watch via those glue.

It's a real pity, cause the watch is really nice and is in good condition cosmetically. Although I think the case had been refurbished to a mirror polished surface. I think it should be a brushed surface originally. In fact I had been thinking of sending it to Jakub for a bead blasting job, but now I guess I should scrap the plan.

I have notified the Ebay seller about the problem, it seems that he is willing to work out a solution with me. I hope he will make things right. I will post again on the outcome later.

Whatever it is, I guess it seems likely that more cost would have to be incurred. Oh well...