-DODIMEAD HOROLOGY-
-DISTINCTIVE VINTAGE WATCHES-
Dodimead Horology Ltd was established from a lifelong passion for collecting watches. Rather than chasing volume, I focus on sourcing interesting, honest vintage pieces with originality, condition and character—watches that I would be genuinely happy to add to my own collection or see my wife wearing.
Featured Products
Breitling Chrono-Matic, 2110. 1969. Cal: 112.
The movement of the Breitling Chrono-Matic ref. 2110 is based on the Buren 1282 with micro rotor and was not designed to attach a chronograph mechanism. This led to the crown at an unusual 9 o’clock position. While other similar chronograph movements survived much longer, the expensive design made this movement a victim of the quartz boom. Consequently, the number of these watches with the crown on the wrong side is pretty low.
There were three versions of this movement, marked 11, 112 and 12. The version in this piece being the 17 jewel higher beat, 21,600 unit.
After creating the first self-winding chronograph movement in 1969, the Breitling company invented a whole range of chronographs and named them Chrono-Matic, featuring an original and distinctive appearance following the 70s trend.
A Personal Note:-
The dial on this is an absolute cracker from a design point of view. And then there is the dial condition…. Just a stunning thing to behold on many levels. This one, I found at auction but with a scuffed plexi concealing the beauty beneath. It was a satisfying reveal!
Condition:-
Most importantly, the dial on this piece is in outstanding condition. The black finish with tritium lume plots is all original and stunning. The tritium has developed a nice cream patina and is very stable. All glowing as one would expect under UV light, and then fading off quickly after exposure. The hands are all original to the watch and are also tritium, in great condition. They also lose their luminosity straight after being subjected to UV. The silver date wheel is original to the watch, with its punchy red numbering.
The plexiglass is scratch free and in lovely condition. The crown is original to the head, along with the pushers, which are showing some age/use related wear when viewed under a loupe. The case is lovely and chunky and although it may well have been polished at some point, retains all its original sharp features. The caseback has definitely seen some wear over the years, with mainly the serial number being affected. But still legible under a loupe.
The bezel insert is the original item and is looking very nice indeed, with a little age related wear at the edges. Lots of these have been changed for different inserts, but this is what they would have come with originally.
Movement:-
The beautiful Breitling Cal:112 is the updated version of the original Calibre with a few upgrades, and is running nicely. The crown and pushers all work as intended.
I personally guarantee the authenticity and the working order of this piece at the time of sale and also offer a 3 month extended warranty.
Although this watch is in great, clean condition, it is over 50 years old, so please don’t treat it as one which is waterproof.
Rolex King Midas, diamond set, ref: 4315 produced in 1976.
The Rolex King Midas first appeared in the early 60’s and was designed by the legendary Gérald Genta. It was made to look like the Greek Pantheon, and when turning the watch on its flat side, the triangular case section resembles the temple roof, while the bracelet grooves represent the columns. It was given the name ‘King Midas’ honoring the myth that everything he touched with his left hand turned to gold. Hence the crown is on the left hand side.
The King Midas was the heaviest gold watch of its day and the most expensive Rolex model. Most were produced in yellow gold, with only a small proportion in white gold.
This 3rd series piece, differed from the 1st series in several ways. The bracelet was slightly reduced in thickness and also there was the introduction of the single fold clasp. Also, there was the addition of screws to the underside to aid with bracelet removal and link changes. The upgraded caliber 651 is consistently used in the ref. 4315 with the dial normally featuring ‘Cellini’ branding. However, unusually this dial features the original ‘ΜΙΔΑΣ’ branding.
A Personal Note:-
Sourced from a Jeweller friend who’d had it in his safe for years. It really pains me to even think of letting this piece go and I’ll probably never have the chance to purchase another, especially in this condition. A special thing for sure……
Condition:-
This piece is in absolutely superb condition, having been cared for extremely well for almost 50 years. The case and bracelet are super sharp and show very few signs of use. No significant marks at all and they retain their factory brushing. The bracelet has full links and suffers from no stretch at all. In fact, the link articulation is still factory stiff. The clasp closes crisply and the crown works as it should do.
It is unknown if this piece left the factory with its diamond set bezel, being a ref. 4315, as most diamond set variants were ref. 4309. But suffice to say, it has been executed in a way one would expect from Rolex. Perhaps the original owner decided to get Rolex themselves to set the bezel with diamonds when they purchased it?? We will never know for sure….
The original dial, printing, coronet and handset are perfect, and the sapphire crystal has no damage.
This is a hefty piece, at almost 150g gross.
Movement:-
There is no service history with this watch. However, the manual wind Rolex cal. 651 movement is running very strong indeed and won’t require a service anytime soon.
I guarantee the authenticity and the working order of this piece at the time of sale, and will offer a 1 year extended warranty. Please don’t expect this piece to be waterproof. It will not be covered by the guarantee.
Eska – Blue Sunburst Dial – Peseux 7066 manual wind – c.1970
A distinctive vintage Eska from around 1970, combining an extraordinary electric-blue sunburst dial with an elegant gold-plated, stepped oval case and a hand-wound 17-jewel Peseux movement.
Eska was the watchmaking name of S. Kocher & Co., a Swiss manufacturer established in Grenchen in 1918. The Eska name derives from the initials “S.K.” of founder Silvan Kocher, and the company became particularly associated with elegant and unconventional Swiss watches during the mid-20th century.
This example is particularly striking. Its deep blue sunburst dial changes dramatically with the light, ranging from almost midnight blue to vivid electric blue. The dial is restrained, with slender gold hands, the simple Eska signature and a discreet date aperture positioned unusually at 12 o'clock. A “SWISS” signature appears at the lower edge of the dial.
The case is equally characteristic of the period. Measuring approximately 34mm including the crown and 40mm lug-to-lug, its softly sculpted, stepped oval form sits somewhere between a traditional dress watch and the more adventurous case designs that began appearing at the end of the 1960s. The case is 10-micron gold plated, with a stainless-steel case back, and takes a 17mm strap.
Inside is the Peseux calibre 7066, a Swiss hand-wound mechanical movement with 17 jewels, running at 21,600 vibrations per hour and incorporating the date complication. The movement is signed ESKA and remains beautifully clean.
The Peseux 7066 belongs to the 7050-series family that appeared around the turn of the 1970s, and period documentation places the 7066 firmly in this era. Together with the case and dial design, this allows the watch to be dated confidently to circa 1970–72, with circa 1970 being a reasonable attribution.
The inside of the stainless-steel case back is signed “S. KOCHER / SWISS / STAINLESS STEEL BACK”, providing a pleasing direct connection to the company behind the Eska name. The exterior carries the reference 10-129.
A Personal Note:-
This is one of those pieces which offers so much more than value than the price would suggest. An under-the-radar maker, but at the same time, highly regarded. This one packs a big, sophisticated punch. In fact, I’m not actually sure why I’m selling it!!
Condition:-
The watch presents extremely well for its age in all areas.
The blue sunburst dial is the highlight and remains in almost perfect condition, retaining its rich colour and radial finish. The printing and Eska signature are clear, and the minimalist gold hands complement the dial beautifully.
The gold-plated case retains all its original definition and shows only very light honest age-related marks. In fact, I really don’t think it could have been worn much at all. The stainless-steel back is also particularly clean, with its brushed finish still clearly visible, along with its markings.
Mechanically, the watch is running beautifully. Winding and hand-setting operate correctly, and the date sets and functions perfectly.
This piece should not be considered waterproof.
This piece will be supplied on a new 17 mm leather strap.
Follow us on Instagram
