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Please help ID this Roamer (with images)

3.3K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  trim  
#1 ·
Hello,

After lurking around these forums and trying to learn about older watches, I finally bit the bullet and acquired my very first Swiss watch. The watch is an unknown Roamer with a simple, three hand dial, and the numerals 3, 6, 9, and 12. It has been serviced, and the watch is keeping time with a 30+ hour reserve. The dial is clean, and the caseback has a few scuff /tooling marks. I got this for a reasonable price equivalent to $40, from Delhi.

However, being inexperienced in Roamer movements, or Swiss watches for that matter, I am unable to identify the possible manufacturing year, or the movement/model name. Pictures follow.. Any help in identifying the watch would be greatly appreciated. I'm not keen on opening the back as I don't have the relevant skill, but it seems to be one of the MST3XX/4XX calibre movements. I hope the images below are useful.





The text on the dial and caseback are as follows:

The dial reads:RW
ROAMER
INCABLOC
17 JEWELS.

At the bottom it says "Swiss Made".

The back dial is inscribed as such:
Along the circumference:
*ROAMER* STAINLESS STEEL WATERPROOF
In very light engraving: MOD 414-112 2.005

In the center:
SWISS MADE
BREVETE
+
305467 305776
307382 308491

Thanks!
~Rahul
 
#2 ·
Roamer on the whole didn't use model names at this point in its history. It did have some model names, but on the whole most watches were not named, and your watch would fall into this category. If your watch is original - and with watches from India this is never clear until the movement is checked. The movement of course should be the MST414.

You can read more about the case on trims excellent site, and check the history page too.

Vintage Roamer Watch Site
 
#3 ·
Thanks so much. Weirdly enough I couldn't locate this very same page before. So from the links, here's what I can gather about the watch:

Model: 414 -1122.005
Movement: 414 Calibre
Case closing method: Waterproof
Material: Stainless Steel
Style: 005
Date: 1961-1973

Considering such a wide range of dates for the 414 movement, I suppose there isn't an easy way to determine the exact year of manufacture, but thank you so much for the help.
 
#4 ·
Hi Rahulg,
I think the model number you quote has possibly been added to the case at a later date than the original watch -and not by Roamer themselves or it could just date to close to time when roamer changed their watch case design and started giving more detailed model numbers to their ranges, This was I believe around 1965/66.
Maybe they assigned a number to it as they were using up old line cases as the engraving looks pretty well done.

This style of their waterproof case was in use from around the mid 1950`s until the mid 1960`s when they also changed their logo to the lower case "r" on their dials.

If it`s the genuine Roamer case you can access the movement by easing the main body of the watch through the bezel from the front.
The crystal sits on a lip on the watch and can just be lifted off.
The dial looks in good condition..the hands may possibly have been replaced though.

The website that Mirius mentioned is a great guide for us Roamer fans though
Regards,
Demonfinder
 
#5 ·
This is a type-IIa case, probably mid 60s, maybe a little later. But it is a redial, which is throwing things off in terms of dating as some cues a are lost. The hands are not original. I am unsure of that added engraving, I have to look at some examples that I haven't got around to putting on the web yet - but I think I have seen this before, but have not looked at the example I am thinking of for a long time.