Era
Modern vintage Swiss watches, 1970–1985
The years when quartz took hold and mechanical watches carried on. Our picks here are simpler watches of the early 1970s, like a hand-wound Omega Genève and Tissot's Lemania-powered T12 chronograph, plus Zenith's Port Royal line. When Zenith's owners shelved the El Primero to focus on quartz, watchmaker Charles Vermot hid its tooling in an attic and saved the caliber, which is why it turns up in 1980s Port Royals.
3 references we cover.
Omega · Genève
DressOmega Genève 135.070
ref 135.070
- Caliber
- cal. 601
- Years
- about 1970
$525–$975 typical ask
88 on eBay
Tissot · T12
ChronographTissot T12 Chronograph
ref T12
- Caliber
- Lemania 873
- Years
- early 1970s
$1,525–$1,900 typical ask
10 on eBay
Zenith · Port Royal
DressZenith Port Royal
ref Port Royal (various)
- Caliber
- varies by model
- Years
- 1970s–2010s
$2,300–$3,325 typical ask
96 on eBay