# Just bought this Socar watch- any info?



## TDC (Aug 11, 2019)

Afternoon all,

One of my latest online purchases has just arrived- I bought it on a whim as I liked the dial and that was enough for me! It's a "Socar" manual with four different time zones, New York, "Tokio", "Mosca" and what I'm using as UK time (the others will be right when BST ends)! I like the details and the interesting time zones, and the size at ~37mm is nice along with the plastic crystal which reminds me of how a Speedmaster looks from an angle.

I don't suppose anyone can help me out with any information on the brand or the watch? Google is awash with info on an oil company in Azerbaijan called SOCAR so it's hard to find anything useful about the watch.










Many thanks,

TC


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## TDC (Aug 11, 2019)

Other than a couple of listings I've not managed to find anything yet, I did however find this (which sold in 2016!) which I am in love with, maybe one day another will pop up somewhere!


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

If you are able to post a pic of the movement that might help.


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## Tazmo61 (Oct 3, 2016)

Tazmo61 said:


> I personally don't know anything about Socar has a brand . But if this is the movement in your watch , I can tell you that it is a pin lever movement that looks to me to be a Baumgartner 34 cal . A very nice looking watch btw , love the dial .


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

Those are interesting watches, but you're right, there's nothing about Socar as a watch brand, other than a few eBay listings. Mikrolisk comes up blank.

Have you had the back off? The movement sometimes provides clues to the maker, or something inside the case.

The son of the Socar energy company did have his very expensive watch stolen recently. It's possible that these are watches branded by that company for promotional purposes, but I haven't seen anything to confirm that.

One other slightly intriguing clue. Socar has an office at 40 Rue du Rhone, Geneva. The ground floor of that building is a very high end watch shop.

Edit: took so long to post this it crossed with the other replies.


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## TDC (Aug 11, 2019)

That is intriguing, and spot on with the pictures above, here it is:










I assume it is a very basic movement? No bling and (although not serviced) only runs for around 10 or 12 hours.


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## Tazmo61 (Oct 3, 2016)

There is more information on the movement here http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&&2uswk&Baumgartner_34


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## andyclient (Aug 1, 2009)

TDC said:


> That is intriguing, and spot on with the pictures above, here it is:
> 
> 
> 
> *I assume it is a very basic movement?* No bling and (although not serviced) only runs for around 10 or 12 hours.


 Yes you're correct , it is a basic pin pallet movement , named as such due to it having pins on the pallet fork as opposed to jewels , and as you've noticed a lack of jewels generally. (on the gear train , escapement bridge and balance cock )

These can be quite fiddly for a beginner to strip and service so would recommend a jewelled movement with separate gear train and barrel bridges , and preferably a pocket watch just because they are bigger .

Apologies if i'm telling you what you already know


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## TDC (Aug 11, 2019)

andyclient said:


> Yes you're correct , it is a basic pin pallet movement , named as such due to it having pins on the pallet fork as opposed to jewels , and as you've noticed a lack of jewels generally. (on the gear train , escapement bridge and balance cock )
> 
> These can be quite fiddly for a beginner to strip and service so would recommend a jewelled movement with separate gear train and barrel bridges , and preferably a pocket watch just because they are bigger .
> 
> Apologies if i'm telling you what you already know


 Funnily enough I was thinking that a pocket watch may be a better starting point to strip down, I just bought a cheap watch to dismantle as I like the Socar too much to risk breaking! I've heard of pin pallet plenty of times but not researched it yet- your post makes perfect sense!

I'm just hoping to find history on the Socar watches at the moment, this one keeps good time but no doubt could do with a service at some point- when I've had some practice maybe I'll tackle it!


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Thanks for starting this great thread, @TDC. I love your "world time" watch and, like other knowledgeable Forum members who have contributed to the thread, I have drawn a blank on Socar as a watch brand. I note that the dial bears the legend, "SWISS MODEL," which I feel is a possible indication that the actual watch was not Swiss-made. In fact, I have done a bit of research into the use of the place name spellings, "Mosca" and "Tokio," which appear on the dial of your watch and these appear to be Italian. Perhaps then your watch has an Italian flavour when it comes to who produced it and where.


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## TDC (Aug 11, 2019)

No problem, thanks for your input. This is exactly why I like forums like this, and glad my love for the occasional unusual and unloved watch wasn't shot down!


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

nice project, good show ! simple oil/no jewels. might be easer to service than a "full jeweled" mvt.. if i am not misstaken, could it be pin balance/pin pallet? vin


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

> Perhaps then your watch has an Italian flavour


 I thought that might be a lead worth following up and did a search for "Orologi Socar" which turned up a couple of threads on Italian language forums. I thought the first one, on a forum for fans of Russian watches, might be productive, but it turns out to be descriptions of various Socar watches found online. The poster does, however, think the brand is Italian.



> There is not much information on the Socar brand, behind which there is probably one of the many watchmaking factories operating in Italy in the 1950s and 1960s. ... Note the illusory Swiss Model writing, which a hasty look can easily confuse with Swiss Made.


 https://www.cccp-forum.it/mb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1736&sid=bd8019709d84875e9d148272df16e3d0

The second reference is just a movement question and another identification of a Baumgartner cal 34.

http://www.orologiko.it/forum/viewtopic.php?f=131&t=33683&view=previous

Then I looked for "Swiss model 18750", which turns up references to watches branded "Stopwatch", which is a definite lost cause when it comes to Google searches. But they also have Baumgartner movements and there's suggestions that "18750" is a false indication of 18ct gold.

https://forums.watchuseek.com/f11/ct-swiss-model-stopwatch-3027490.html

https://forums.watchuseek.com/f11/wrist-watch-stopwatch-226731.html

Someone who knows more about Baumgartner might be able to spot a link through all this.


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## TDC (Aug 11, 2019)

Thanks again, will trawl through when I get a chance later!


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Nice one dear spinynorman. Just how far we can go with this Italian lead I don't know, but its interesting that my hunch on the nationality of Socar has some support elsewhere.


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## TDC (Aug 11, 2019)

spinynorman said:


> I thought that might be a lead worth following up and did a search for "Orologi Socar" which turned up a couple of threads on Italian language forums. I thought the first one, on a forum for fans of Russian watches, might be productive, but it turns out to be descriptions of various Socar watches found online. The poster does, however, think the brand is Italian.
> 
> https://www.cccp-forum.it/mb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1736&sid=bd8019709d84875e9d148272df16e3d0


 I've just managed to read through this and the link above (once translated!) is a great read, thank you again for this.


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