Episode. #11: The Poljot 3133 and Other Affordable Chronographs (Vintage and Modern)!
Affordable vintage chronographs is the focus of this week’s show!
Normally you think you’d have to spend some serious cash on a mechanical chronograph. But this week’s show proves that’s not the case. The guys each talk about two chronographs: one modern and one vintage. A notable part of the discussion is dedicated to Kaz’s Vintage Poljot 3133.
Other chronographs covered in the show:
Here are other links for pages we talked about:
Poljot 3133 authentication info/guide
Spencer “Seikoholic” Klein’s Youtube
I was listening to some of the back episodes, and found your thoughts on the Bulova Moon Watch very interesting. One note, though: the reason that the watch looks so similar to the Speedmaster is because of the requirements set out by NASA in their RFP. It specified that “All disks, bands, and figures must be readable in various lighting conditions. The chronograph must be readable under both “red” and “white” lighting conditions to or beyond a 5 foot candle illumination intensity. Either a black face with white figures and numerals or black on white is satisfactory. ” Since there are only so many chrono layouts, there are bound to be similarities.
Also of note is that Bulova actually lobbied senators to force NASA to comply with the “Buy American Act”, which they thought would give them an advantage over Omega. However, Omega found a couple of loopholes that let them comply (and in fact, I think that the movements in the Bulovas where Universal Geneve (which was owned by Bulova), and thus made in Switzerland. Also, when NASA tested the Bulovas, they failed the moisture tests, so the decision was made to stick with Omega.
Sources (both are great reads for watch nerds!)
https://bellevue.nzz.ch/uhren-schmuck/die-omega-speedmaster-und-ihr-flug-auf-den-mond-omega-und-die-brisanten-nasa-files-teil-2-ld.120479
http://wornandwound.com/bulova-used-universal-geneve-get-moon-can-get-one-today/