spinynorman

Model railway. But for some reason my parents bought the Triang Canadian Pacific set, so the trains going through my English Airfix stations were like the ones top and bottom of this catalogue page. I also had the wagon with the helicopter that took off.

I wonder what this is doing in an Allaine watch. It's not the first time I've seen one, so I'm fairly sure it's original.

It's a well made Swiss watch, with an interesting background. You'll likely never see another.

What amazing response. I'm waiting for someone to pick "spent".

No "grumpy"?

The first of two Allaines to arrive this week, this handwinding with 21 of your finest Swiss rubis encrusting an FHF 73.

If you look on eBay for "Tressa watch", you'll find a lot of NOS watches, which have Swiss movements and "Crystal" on the dial, along with a number in a shield. The rumour is a warehouse full of them was discovered in Lebanon and is slowly being released onto the market. They're well made, if over-decorated for some tastes. Your watch does look to me like a rebadged Tressa.

Stands the Church clock at ten to three?And is there honey still for tea?

@Eaglegale I've done a bit more digging around and found a couple of "Railway Timekeeper" watches on Ebay with "J F *" in the case and the movement signed "Orabek". Bad news is it's not the same movement as yours, looks earlier and more up market to me, but that trademark belonged to C. Jequier-Borle in Fleurier. He was part of Jequier Freres and made cases, so it's possible that's what "J F" stands for, just can't prove it. This was their advert in the trade journal Davoine for 1908.

Thanks. I'm feeling better about it. Anyway, I really bought it for the movement, and I haven't seen that many chromed case Allaines, so could just be this style of dial hasn't crossed my path yet.

Do you have a link?

Eloquent description by the seller. It'll be interesting to see the movement. Did you see the hand-winding Fleurier with the same logo? A bit more expensive, but open to offers.

I think you need a history forum, rather than watches.

@Always"watching" Thanks Honour. I think it may be paranoia. Compared to another example, it's not so different. The difference in colours between the hands and markers is just my lousy photography, they're all silver.

Junghans 93/1

Two tone dial, French movement, could almost be a Kered. Me and my conspiracy theories.

Not sure about this one now it's arrived. The dial looks too clean compared with the case and those dot markers don't look right. Repaint job, or am I just paranoid? FHF 73 under the covers, alternative bridge shape. (See FHF 73-4 on ranfft)

Achille Barre era Allaine probably from 1950s. With 25j AS 1361N Allaine Watch SA era with black shield and 21J Felsa 465N

I was beginning to think this A4 envelope was just stuffed with bubble wrap, but I found a watch in there eventually.

I've bought the Black Cat cigarette coupon catalogue I referred to above. I hope it may give some clue about Sackville. Just waiting for it to arrive. Your new acquisition looks interesting. Let us know what you find out.

Another little thing that niggles - who or what is CLB? Presumably it stands for something.

I have two, both inherited, and not going anywhere.

Following Balaton's lead - the Artur Rauschmayer business survived until 2008. The only timeline I can find for it starts in 1961, but I think it must be older than that. Artur's son Roland owns the Rauschmayer jewellery chain in Germany. As he was 75 in 2017 and started that business in 1963 it seems likely Artur was in business in the 1950s at least. Sadly, although Artur gets a mention in the birthday puff piece and Roland is described as "the son of a Pforzheim watchmaker", the backstory isn't explored any further. Men's A.R.P watches sometimes turn up on German watch forums. Do you know when your great grandmother acquired her watch?

It's like a telegram, only quicker.

Definite improvement all round. Much prefer the replacement hands.