1960s Vintage Space-Age Men's "digital" watch - Mechanical Jump-Hour, Direct-Read by Customtime, Switzerland - serviced + 6 mo warranty
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DetailsSTOP! READ THIS! Here's everything you need to know about this mid-century oddity:
• Customtime men's digital-mechanical watch—Switzerland, circa 1965
• Direct read aka "jump hour" dial gives a "digital" time
• The golden case is 43mm tall, including the lugs.
• 37mm wide including the winding crown
• Swiss, hand-winding Baumgartner 582 movement with 1 jewel—needs winding daily
• Includes period-correct, rolled-gold-plated 20mm Speidel stretch metal band
• Additional new leather bands available for purchase.
• Fully disassembled, cleaned, inspected, reassembled, and calibrated by Master Watchmaker (Aug. 2018)
• Six month warranty on the mechanicals
Digital watches have been popular for over 100 years now. Yes, you read that right. I said DIGITAL. How?
Digital watches display time using, you guessed it, digits. Instead of moving hands, there are numbers for the hour, minute, and seconds next to one another. No circuitry. Just gears and wheels and pinions and springs. They were popular during the 1920s, and made quite a comeback in the 1960s—which this is an example of.
This was a stylish, inexpensive watch at the time—like the early Swatch watches, for example. The Baumgartner 582 movement has only one jewel—a ruby—to serve as a bushing and ensure that the mechanisms work properly. Every higher-end Swiss watch company jumped in to make a quick buck off the low-price, fashion-watch market of the 1960s. (Example: I'm not 100% sure, but research suggests this was probably made by Tissot under the name Customtime.) People called them "dollar watches" at the time. They weren't built to last, and they certainly didn't. That's what makes this one so special. This is a wonderful example of a mid-1960s jump hour digital watch in perfect running and nearly perfect cosmetic condition. Simply, you're not going to find another one this clean. Ever.
I had it serviced by my Master Watchmaker (August 2018), who completely disassembled it, cleaned every single tiny part, put it back together, polished all surfaces, and calibrated it to keep time within a few minutes per day—quite a feat on a sixty-year-old, low-price, fashion watch. It has not been worn since servicing, but has been wound frequently to sustain the integrity of the movement.
The dial, the face, and the crown have no scratches or easily noticeable signs of wear. There is a ~9mm crack in the ORIGINAL plastic front crystal at the Customtime logo. This crack is visible from certain angles, as seen in the photos. The crystal is otherwise perfect and without any signs of wear, as it was recently polished. Please look carefully at the pics to make sure it otherwise meets your standards. (And, if it doesn't, you might want to get your eyes checked, because even with the tiny crack in the crystal, it's still REALLY nice.)
It comes with the gold plated stretch band pictured. You can buy ADDITIONAL bands, pictured above. Choose between smooth black leather, orange patterned leather, or all three (including the original.) You'll receive the watch with the gold band installed. The other(s) will be included in the package. You can switch them back and forth whenever you want to.
It has not been tested for water-resistance. (Never assume a vintage watch is water resistant.)
Questions? Ask me!
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I can repair your vintage watch.
I buy vintage watches.
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About Me
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Who gave you your first watch? How old were you? Where were you? Everybody I ask has a very unique, intimate story to tell. Why? Your first watch is magic. It’s the first time you gain agency over your most precious, limited resource: time. I wanted to feel that magic again. So, I started buying vintage watches that made me feel romantic and nostalgic—for moments I’d lived, and for moments I might have lived if things had turned out just a tiny bit differently.
Collecting (and wearing) vintage timepieces is truly a rich man’s game. A weatherbeaten mid-century Rolex will cost at least $3,000; a vintage Patek Philippe can set you back ten times that! I’m no rich man. My budget is more like $50-300. There must be low-priced watches that Swiss-watch-snobs with deep pockets don’t care about, right?
Turns out the answer is YES! There are plenty of extremely rare, conversation-starting, iconic timepieces out there. You just need to know where to look and what to look for. They’re frequently made by the same Swiss horologists—often with some of the same exact parts as the prestige brands. I scour auctions, estate sales, and curio shops around the world to find them. I taught myself to clean and repair them so I could keep my costs down—and teamed up with a watchmaker for issues I can’t figure out on my own.
But, I can’t keep them all. My Etsy shop lets me keep my collection ever-changing—while bringing you a curated collection of the coolest watches around. -
Shipping & Policies
Shipping from United States
Processing time
3-6 business days
Estimated shipping times
- Australia : 1 - 3 weeks
- Canada : 1 - 2 weeks
- Italy : 2 - 5 weeks
- United Kingdom : 2 - 3 weeks
- United States : 2 - 5 business days
I'll do my best to meet these shipping estimates, but can't guarantee them. Actual delivery time will depend on the shipping method you choose.
Customs and import taxes
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Payment Options
Returns & Exchanges
I gladly accept returns and exchanges
Just contact me within: 3 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 7 days of delivery
I don't accept cancellations
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
The following items can't be returned or exchanged
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
- Custom or personalized orders
- Perishable products (like food or flowers)
- Digital downloads
- Intimate items (for health/hygiene reasons)
- Items on sale
Conditions of return
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
Privacy policy
•• Information I Collect ••
To fulfil your order, you must provide me with certain information (which you authorized Etsy to provide to me), such as your name, email address, postal address, payment information, and the details of the product that you’re ordering. You may also choose to provide me with additional personal information (for a custom order, for example), if you contact me directly.
•• Why I Need Your Information and How I Use It ••
I rely on a number of legal bases to collect, use, and share your information, including:
as needed to provide my services, such as when I use your information to fulfil your order, to settle disputes, or to provide customer support;
when you have provided your affirmative consent, which you may revoke at any time, such as by signing up for my mailing list;
if necessary to comply with a legal obligation or court order or in connection with a legal claim, such as retaining information about your purchases if required by tax law; and
as necessary for the purpose of my legitimate interests, if those legitimate interests are not overridden by your rights or interests, such as 1) providing and improving my services. I use your information to provide the services you requested and in my legitimate interest toimprove my services; and 2) Compliance with the Etsy Seller Policy and Terms of Use. I use your information as necessary to comply with my obligations under the Etsy Seller Policy and Terms of Use.
•• Information Sharing and Disclosure ••
Customer privacy is important to my business. Ideally I would like to NEVER share anyone's information, ever. But, it turns out that I may need to share your personal information for very limited reasons and in limited circumstances, as follows:
Etsy. I share information with Etsy as necessary to provide you my services and comply with my obligations under both the Etsy Seller Policy and Etsy Terms of Use.
Service providers. I engage certain trusted third parties to perform functions and provide services to my shop, such as delivery companies. I will share your personal information with these third parties, but only to the extent necessary to perform these services.
Business transfers. If I sell or merge my business, I may disclose your information as part of that transaction, only to the extent permitted by law.
Compliance with laws. I may collect, use, retain, and share your information if I have a good faith belief that it is reasonably necessary to: (a) respond to legal process or to government requests; (b) enforce my agreements, terms and policies; (c) prevent, investigate, and address fraud and other illegal activity, security, or technical issues; or (d) protect the rights, property, and safety of my customers, or others.
•• Data Retention ••
I retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide you with my services and as described in my Privacy Policy. However, I may also be required to retain this information to comply with my legal and regulatory obligations, to resolve disputes, and to enforce my agreements. I generally keep your data for 3 years.
•• Transfers of Personal Information Outside the EU ••
I may store and process your information through third-party hosting services in the US and other jurisdictions. As a result, I may transfer your personal information to a jurisdiction with different data protection and government surveillance laws than your jurisdiction. If I am deemed to transfer information about you outside of the EU, I rely on Privacy Shield as the legal basis for the transfer, as Google Cloud is Privacy Shield certified.
•• Your Rights ••
If you reside in certain territories, including the EU, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal information. While some of these rights apply generally, certain rights apply only in certain limited cases. I describe these rights below:
Access. You may have the right to access and receive a copy of the personal information I hold about you by contacting me using the contact information below.
Change, restrict, delete. You may also have rights to change, restrict my use of, or delete your personal information. Absent exceptional circumstances (like where I am required to store data for legal reasons) I will generally delete your personal information upon request.
Object. You can object to (i) my processing of some of your information based on my legitimate interests and (ii) receiving marketing messages from me after providing your express consent to receive them. In such cases, I will delete your personal information unless I have compelling and legitimate grounds to continue using that information or if it is needed for legal reasons.
Complain. If you reside in the EU and wish to raise a concern about my use of your information (and without prejudice to any other rights you may have), you have the right to do so with your local data protection authority.
•• How to Contact Me ••
For purposes of EU data protection law, I, Nathan Martin, am the data controller of your personal information. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact me at justin@justinwinokur.com.Frequently Asked Questions
Will my package require a signature?
Yes. A signature is required for almost all shipments. That way you can rest assured that your items will arrive safely. Make sure to use a shipping address where someone can sign for your package, otherwise you'll have to go to the post office to collect it.
What shipping method do you use?
• In the USA, items with free shipping are sent by USPS First Class with insurance and signature required.
• International orders ship via USPS Priority.
• Upgraded shipping is USPS Priority Express mail with insurance and signature required.
• Express shipping via private carriers like FedEx, DHL, and UPS is available upon request. Pricing is on a case by case basis. Prices range from about 75 USD for DHL Express to 140 USD for FedEx and UPS Express.Can I upgrade to faster shipping?
Yes! Upgraded shipping is via USPS Priority Express Mail with insurance and signature required. It usually takes 1-2 days within the continental USA, and 3-5 days to other countries.
Express shipping via private carriers like FedEx, DHL, and UPS is available upon request. Pricing is on a case by case basis. Prices range from about 75 USD for DHL Express to 140 USD for FedEx and UPS Express.Can I get a different colored watchband?
I have watchbands in many different styles, colors and materials. If you love the watch but want a different color band, send me a message. I'll see if I have the color you want in my inventory. If I don't, you can swap out the band for any strap you'd like by buying one online or taking it to your local jeweler or watch repair store.
Does my watch need a battery?
It depends on the watch.
1) Mechanical (hand-winding): These watches use a spring and gears to run. There is no battery. You must wind the watch once daily for it to keep running. Most of my watches are this kind.
2) Mechanical (automatic/kinetic): These use a spring and gears as well as a swinging pendulum that rotates as you move throughout the day. It winds itself. You don't need a battery and you don't need to wind it.
3) Quartz: These use batteries. Your watch will include a brand new battery. They can last anywhere from six months to a few years, depending on the watch.I changed my mind! Can I cancel my order and get a full refund?
We don't accept cancellations for a refund. Instead, we offer you store credit which you can use on any of our other items. This store credit is good for one year.
Will the vintage watchband fit me?
Use a measuring tape to measure around your wrist.
All my detailed descriptions include the max wrist size of the bracelet. Bracelets are standardized. They're not an integral part of the watch itself. It's easy to change the band.
NOTE: YOU CAN NOT RETURN THE WATCH BECAUSE THE BRACELET IS THE WRONG SIZE. You're paying for the watch itself—the bracelet is basically free.How do I return an item?
Contact us and we will guide you through the process. Note that the paperwork, documents, packaging, photographs, cards, and anything else in the package MUST be returned in the condition which we sent them to you in. If anything is missing or damaged we will deduct the value of those items from your refund.
Bigger/Smaller Bracelets?
The bracelet (aka band or strap) is usually NOT an integral part of the "watch" itself. It's normal (and somewhat expected) that you'll have a jeweler adjust the band to fit you, or replace the band with one that you can try on in person. Watchbands are standardized and available from any jeweler, watch shop, and online.
NOTE: YOU CAN NOT RETURN THE WATCH BECAUSE THE BRACELET IS THE WRONG SIZE. You're paying for the watch itself—the bracelet is basically free.What do I do if the bracelet isn't the right size?
YOU CAN NOT RETURN THE WATCH BECAUSE THE BRACELET IS THE WRONG SIZE. You're paying for the watch itself—the bracelet is basically free. The bracelet size is listed in the product description. And, any jeweler will adjust the bracelet/band size for you as needed.
A watch is like a ring or other fine piece of jewelry, in that you need to have a jeweler adjust it to fit your perfectly. This is expected and normal. You may even find that you want to replace the bracelet. Bracelets are not an integral part of the watch. They are interchangeable. They can be replaced easily—and quite inexpensively. You can do it yourself or have your local jeweler or watch repair shop do it for you.
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