Retro 1970’s Roamer Vanguard wristwatch with a solid stainless steel case and bas relief logo on the caseback. The Roamer brand has been synonymous with high-quality Swiss watches, in combination with classically elegant designs since 1888. They are known for their high-quality movements, as well as for their divers watches – patenting the highly-successful Anfibio watertight watchcase in 1955. This Roamer Vanguard is in perfect condition, the silver case is eye-catching, especially in combination with the cross-hair dial design and fashionable blue strap.
Key Features
The solid stainless steel case is quite are as this alloy is difficult to handle in production, and solid steel cases were 2-3 times more expensive than chrome plated brass cases during the period in which this timepiece was made. The 70’s tonneau style case has been satin-brushed (matte), contrasting nicely with the mirror-polished bezel. The caseback is also stainless steel, and features a bas relief logo of the Roamer brand. The silver-tone dial has an interesting cross-hair design, and the silver-tone indices are accented with black, perfectly matching the style of the lume hands.
About Roamer
At 29 years of age, Fritz Meyer established a workshop in Solothurn to produce cylinder escapements for other etablisseurs. The company grew rapidly, and began assembling complete watches by 1895. These contained components from many other businesses and were sold with other brand names. In 1897, Meyer’s workshop produced its first complete movement, named “Calibre 38” for the age of the founder. In 1905, Meyer partnered with watchmaker Johann Studeli, forming Meyer and Studeli or MST. The combined company opened a large factory in 1906, still producing inexpensive cylinder movements. The company registered their distinctive triangular MST logo in 1927 and the modern Roamer logo was registered in the UK in 1938. The entire company adopted the Roamer name in 1951, though the in-house movements were still known as “MST”. Roamer introduced a quartz watch in 1972 and shifted much of their production there. By 1975 the company had ceased movement production entirely.
In 2009, Roamer was reincorporated as a joint venture between Chung Nam and Swiss Watch Group. Although no longer an independent family firm, Roamer has continued as a producer of Swiss watches for more than 120 years in the same city. Today, Roamer is a less-expensive brand, competing with companies like Rado, Mido, Movado, and Tissot with a line of quartz and ETA-powered mechanical watches.
Servicing and Guarantee
This timepiece has been serviced with full disassembly in our Bristol workshop. There is a 12-month guarantee, subject to the usage and care guidelines. The watch comes with a dusky blue leather strap with white thread detail.
Overview
Case and Strap
- 70’s tonneau style case.
- Solid stainless steel.
- Mineral crystal, front convex.
- Screw-in stainless steel caseback with bas relief logo.
- Small crown with pull-out function.
- Technically water-resistant, but this cannot be guaranteed with vintage watches.
- Dusky blue leather strap with white thread detailing.
Dimensions:
- Width w/o crown 34.3 mm.
- Width w/crown 36.3 mm.
- Height 40 mm.
- Strap width 18 mm.
Dial and Hands
- Original silver-tone metal dial with cross-hair design.
- Silver-tone block-style indices with black accents.
- “Roamer Vanguard” signature with circular Roamer logo.
- ‘Pencil’ style, lume hour and minute hands.
Movement
- Swiss-made movement.
- Roamer MST 801 calibre.
- 15 jewels.
- Satin-brushed (matte) plates, bridges, and wheels.
- Polished screws.
Testing Results
- Testing duration: 2 weeks
- Average timekeeping range: 10-40 sec/day.
Servicing and Guarantee
- Fully serviced with disassembly in our Bristol shop.
- Mechanics in full working order – has passed preventative maintenance and testing.
- New, 18 mm blue leather strap with thread detail.
- 12-month warranty.
- Guarantee Terms and Conditions.
Links and Resources:
Roamer Watch of Similar Design.
