First purchase of 2016, of course it's a...

[hayday]

...vintage!

I finally plugged a serious hole in my collection, a vintage chronograph. This is a late 1950s or early 1960s Zodiac Hermetic two-register chrono with a 34mm steel case. Yes, I know, the seconds hand is missing so it will be going off for some servicing. The Zodiac Sea Wolf I have has set me down the Zodiac road as there are several others I'd like to get (an Aerospace, for example. I narrowly missed out on one other Zodiac chrono but I'm sort of glad I did as I really like this Hermetic. As a chrono, it has a sporty feel to it but it also has a dressy vibe to it. The 34mm case is a great size for vintage pieces and the silver dial only adds to the sporty look of the watch.

Anyway, on to the pics...

-hayday

[Raza]

Great looking watch!

[geoffbot]

Nice watch, classic design, great looking movement.

[shameless]

great looking chrono - although the hands have lost there fill so to speak i quite like that skeleton look - smaller size chronos are a real delight - nice one buddy

[popoki nui]

Beautiful! Such a classic looking chrono.

Are you sure that's a steel case? Looks like some brassing going on there on the lugs....or is that just the lighting..?

[SpaceAgeSoul]

It's a beauty! There's just something about vintage chronos!

Randy

[hayday]

It's the bad iPhone flash that's messing things up.

I also like the skeleton hands and I'm not convinced that this isn't the design.

The bottom chrono pusher is quite brassed so it may not be the original

Tis watch is a first for me in that it is going to be a bit of a project to restore it. Should be fun.

-hayday

[hayday]

Beautiful! Such a classic looking chrono.

Are you sure that's a steel case? Looks like some brassing going on there on the lugs....or is that just the lighting..?

Upon further review, there appears to be some brassing going on. What should I be concerned about? Normally I would let the case go au natural but I'm tempted to have this one polished. Thoughts on this?

-hayday

[popoki nui]

Upon further review, there appears to be some brassing going on. What should I be concerned about? Normally I would let the case go au natural but I'm tempted to have this one polished. Thoughts on this?

-hayday

Corrosion of th case , both from perspiration and and environmental sources, would be your biggest concern. If you want to go th purist route with this watch, then don't do anything. Just wipe it dry and keep the case clean after each use.

Otherwise, you could have the case, pushers, and crown rechromed. That would involve de-chroming, polishing/restoring the case base metal, then chrome plating.

~Sherry.

[hayday]

Corrosion of th case , both from perspiration and and environmental sources, would be your biggest concern. If you want to go th purist route with this watch, then don't do anything. Just wipe it dry and keep the case clean after each use.

Otherwise, you could have the case, pushers, and crown rechromed. That would involve de-chroming, polishing/restoring the case base metal, then chrome plating.

~Sherry.

I kinda dig the battle scars, to be honest.

-hayday