Zodiac Talk => General Zodiac Discussion => Topic started by: sumitagarwal on January 27, 2016, 12:55:05 PM

Title: Sea Wolf: bakelite bezel introduction date / SSW introduction date
Post by: sumitagarwal on January 27, 2016, 12:55:05 PM
Hey everyone, I'm in the market for a Sea Wolf and was aiming to get one from the 60's. Seems there was some overlap of 60's designs into the 70's but maybe a prime differentiator is the bezel material?

Does anyone know in which year Zodiac began introducing bakelite bezels instead of only the engraved metal ones? As an aside: what year did the Super Sea Wolf come about? I thought of it as a 70's watch but I noticed this site has an ad from 1969 for it.
Title: Re: Sea Wolf: bakelite bezel introduction date / SSW introduction date
Post by: jon p on January 28, 2016, 12:11:36 PM
plastic insert bezel  beginning  EARLY 1970s.i own a one owner SW with METAL bezel, I bought new in middle of the year 1968.  along with that plastic bezel came the press crown to set quick date instead  of running the hands around. sorry, I cant help with your SSW question, but butch will probably jump in soon.
Title: Re: Sea Wolf: bakelite bezel introduction date / SSW introduction date
Post by: sumitagarwal on January 28, 2016, 12:28:31 PM
Quote from: jon p on January 28, 2016, 12:11:36 PM
plastic insert bezel  beginning  EARLY 1970s.i own a one owner SW with METAL bezel, I bought new in middle of the year 1968.  along with that plastic bezel came the press crown to set quick date instead  of running the hands around. sorry, I cant help with your SSW question, but butch will probably jump in soon.

Helpful, thanks! Do you know if there is any reliability difference between the quickset and non quickset?
Title: Re: Sea Wolf: bakelite bezel introduction date / SSW introduction date
Post by: Butch on January 28, 2016, 02:25:26 PM
Pretty much all a collector has to go on are the ads and the catalogs. The SSW came out in the early 70's and was then updated a couple of times. No particular reliability issues that you mentioned, just a new feature with more parts.
Title: Re: Sea Wolf: bakelite bezel introduction date / SSW introduction date
Post by: YuriyV on January 28, 2016, 03:26:20 PM
Generally speaking there is one reliability issue comes to mind with lack of quickset feature - cannon pinion malfunction. Without the feature, stopped minute/hour hands while second hand is running, could come earlier.
Title: Re: Sea Wolf: bakelite bezel introduction date / SSW introduction date
Post by: Ultra-Vintage on January 29, 2016, 11:40:02 AM
Quote from: YuriyV on January 28, 2016, 03:26:20 PM
Generally speaking there is one reliability issue comes to mind with lack of quickset feature - cannon pinion malfunction. Without the feature, stopped minute/hour hands while second hand is running, could come earlier.

With proper service and maintenance the offset cannon pinion is not an issue
Title: Re: Sea Wolf: bakelite bezel introduction date / SSW introduction date
Post by: YuriyV on January 29, 2016, 11:50:42 AM
Quote from: Ultra-Vintage on January 29, 2016, 11:40:02 AM
With proper service and maintenance the offset cannon pinion is not an issue
Of course. Just stating that with other equal conditions, the phrase "non quick set watches with dates are notorious cannon pinion killers" takes place.