# Help with my late Grandfathers Roamer



## Paul Mc (Jun 6, 2019)

Hi Everyone, brand new to the forums, Im trying find any information on this Roamer regarding model and age.
The only thing that I know for sure regarding age is my Grandfather had it in 1978.

Any help would be much appreciated.


----------



## gimli (Mar 24, 2016)

Hey Paul, that is a very beautiful looking watch.

Did he buy it brand new in 1978 ? Because it looks like a 1960s watch to me...


----------



## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

Looks a nice thing, especially if you can find a crystal for it. 14k means it was probably made for the US market.

If you can open the back carefully and take a picture that would be very helpful. Before 1975 Roamer made very nice movements, branded MST. After 1975, well, it went wrong and they put any old thing they could buy cheaply in.

My guestimate would be 1967 just based on those photos, and the fact that gold prices soared in the 1970's so fewer brands used gold cases (the price of gold increased 4.5 times in five years!)


----------



## Paul Mc (Jun 6, 2019)

gimli said:


> Hey Paul, that is a very beautiful looking watch.
> 
> Did he buy it brand new in 1978 ? Because it looks like a 1960s watch to me...


 Hi, It could be 1960s, but I don't know for sure the only thing we know is its in a photo from 78 of him wearing it so that's the earliest date we have, I might try find the original invoice as he probably kept it.
Cheers, Paul.



scottswatches said:


> Looks a nice thing, especially if you can find a crystal for it. 14k means it was probably made for the US market.
> 
> If you can open the back carefully and take a picture that would be very helpful. Before 1975 Roamer made very nice movements, branded MST. After 1975, well, it went wrong and they put any old thing they could buy cheaply in.
> 
> My guestimate would be 1967 just based on those photos, and the fact that gold prices soared in the 1970's so fewer brands used gold cases (the price of gold increased 4.5 times in five years!)


 Hey thanks for that, I might have a go at getting the back off, if I do I will take some photos and see what we get.

My Grandfather was ex UK Royal Navy and moved here (NZ) after the war, so was bought here at some stage...currently only 1 seller of Roamer watches in Auckland, presumably there was more
back in the 60s - 70s.

Thanks for your help, Paul.


----------



## Paul Mc (Jun 6, 2019)

Okay..got the back off, hope this helps!!
Paul


----------



## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

Looks like a version of the MST 400

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?10&ranfft&2&2uswk&MST_401

it was in production until the late 1960's, which would fall nicely into line with my 1967 estimate....


----------



## Paul Mc (Jun 6, 2019)

Thank you so much for your help


----------



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

Interesting watch in classic style that is quite hard to date accurately without the information provided about the movement by Scott. I would also have plumped for the 1960s, and perhaps a bit earlier than 1967.


----------



## streety (Jan 17, 2009)

Nice watch. If the watch is 14K gold there may be assay/date letters on the inside case back thay could provide a date.


----------



## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

streety said:


> Nice watch. If the watch is 14K gold there may be assay/date letters on the inside case back thay could provide a date.


 Good point, but don't be shocked if you don't see any hallmarks. 14k gold is usually (but not exclusively) destined for America, and they don't hallmark anything


----------



## Paul Mc (Jun 6, 2019)

I took some more photos of the inside of the case, theirs numbers which are easy to see but also what looks like some symbols and numbers but are much harder to make out.



















Thanks for all the help so far!!

Some more shots


----------



## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

The light scratched in marks are service marks, and they sadly won't tell you much. Every independent watchmaker has their own system, so it could be an invoice number, date, or anything else. No hall marks are visible


----------

