Vintage watches, honoring the past, shaping the future
Vintage
The widespread use of this term leaves no doubt as to the covetousness it arouses, even at the risk of emptying it of its substance. Since its appearance in the 1990s in the fashion world, it has gradually spread to the point of becoming almost essential. Unsurprisingly, this term comes to us from across the Channel and could simply be translated as "old". But things are far from being that simple, especially when we know that "vintage" itself comes from "vendange", thus directly referring to "vintage", that is to say to the wines of the best years. Now that's interesting .
It is commonly accepted that the word "vintage" defines any artifact dating back to the 1980s at the latest, or at least 30 years from the present time. It applies to pieces that reflect a certain form of authenticity, whether through the techniques used or what the brand embodies. In fact, it allows us to distinguish any old object from another thanks to a certain form of timelessness: vintage is the opposite of what is "old", that is to say, locked in an era.
Vintage men's watches
Of course, watches and watchmaking in general are not immune to this trend, with a few specific differences. To understand this, it is worth remembering that the development of watchmaking underwent a major upheaval in the 1970s, a revolution remembered as the "quartz crisis." Until then, the development of watchmaking had proceeded relatively smoothly: watches had gradually become more precise and complicated, and had ended up leaving jacket pockets for wrists... But the advent of this new technology from Asia shook the economic structure of watchmaking in the traditional Jura region so strongly that many companies disappeared, leaving even the survivors somewhat stunned. Thus, the world of watchmaking has a before and an after: vintage men's watch straps are therefore located in this before, some of which precisely set the limit in 1985, with the advent of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and the acquisition of the Heuer brand by the TAG group.
This break makes it all the easier to identify vintage men's watches. And for good reason! Far from the status objects they have become, the watches of those years were above all tools, much more intended to accompany their wearers, both in their daily lives and in their adventures, than to be seen or to display any social success.
Also, vintage men's watches are recognized first of all by their quality and robustness, unlike the plastic watches that accompanied the surge of quartz. Then, it is of course the harmony of their proportions that distinguishes them, with more contained dimensions, less abrupt lines and this famous domed plexiglass. Finally, and this is the most remarkable, it is their patina that makes all the difference: a particular discoloration of the dial, tritium indexes that have taken on an eggshell hue... all these elements that make a vintage watch unique, improved by the passing of time, like a good wine. Here we are.
But just as not just any grape juice will produce a great vintage, not just any old watch will become a vintage worthy of the name.
Vintage Yema watches
Let's take the case of the Yema factory. First, let's clarify that this factory was founded in Doubs, more precisely in Besançon, the cradle of French watchmaking, by Henry Louis Belmont in 1948. Yema experienced strong growth and even achieved some international success. Indeed, from 1966 and for three consecutive years, it was the leading French exporter of watches: 500,000 models delivered to more than 50 countries! But despite this enthusiasm, Yema will not escape the turpitudes linked to the quartz crisis: the company will be bought in 1988 by the Hattori-Seiko group, but the heart (and the era?) is no longer in it... It will also be placed in receivership in November 2008, converted into liquidation in March 2009, before rising from its ashes the same year with the purchase by the Ambre group located in Morteau in the heart of Franche-Comté. But that's another story...!
Beyond a success story, what is special about vintage Yema watches ?
If we consider the brand's most iconic watches, namely the Superman (1963), the Yachtingraf (1966), the Rallygraf (1972) and finally the Flygraf (1978), we notice that they all present strong aesthetic elements, making them clearly identifiable: we are obviously talking about the bezel lock of the first, the regatta sub-counter of the second, or the colored masks on the dials of the next two. In short, vintage Yema watches are unlike any other. But their design alone does not explain the craze they are the subject of.
Indeed, on closer inspection, these watches were intended for professionals, Yema also claiming their reliability and robustness. Also, these models were privileged witnesses of the human adventures that took place during the second half of the 20th century. The Superman equipped the "PLOUFS", the helicopter rescue divers of the French Air Force, the Yachtingraf was worn by the French sailing team during the 1972 Olympic Games, while the Rallygraf accompanied Mario Andretti during the 500 miles of Daytona, Indianapolis and finally the Formula 1 world championship. In fact, what makes vintage Yema watches special is that they tell stories...!
Also, beyond its age, its quality or its design, it is the experience of a vintage which makes all its singularity, not to say all its value.
Vintage leather watch strap
Straps, for their part, occupy a special place in the world of vintage watches. And although they weren't directly impacted by the quartz crisis, vintage leather watch straps nevertheless differ from contemporary straps in several ways.
- First, the shape: while contemporary straps tend to maintain the same width from the lug to the tip, vintage leather watch straps taper toward the tip, sometimes by 2 to 4 mm. This reduction is called the drop.
- Next, thickness: Vintage leather watch straps are distinguished from others by their lesser thickness. Ideally, the thickness of the leather strap should match that of the watch case lugs. Their profile is generally flatter than modern straps, although there may have been exceptions.
- Finally, the material: while cowhide has been by far the most widely used, other leathers have stood out in the past, such as lizard leather, stingray leather, and crocodile skin. Having fallen somewhat into disuse, these leathers are now experiencing a revival.
Maison Fèvre vintage watch straps
For its part, Maison Fèvre draws on its history and uses all its know-how to offer vintage-inspired bracelets. Lovers of the genre will certainly find what they are looking for with the vintage leather strap, the Vintage Retro with its contrasting stitching or the 20mm Nubuck watch strap for its tone-on-tone stitching and their numerous color variations, as well as with the Epuré or the Chèvre Velours, whose apparent simplicity will further highlight the sophisticated lines and the somewhat busy dials of certain collector's watches.
This way, you can give a new lease of life to an old watch or even give a more recent watch a vintage tint. But it would be reductive to limit leather straps to their aesthetic dimension alone. The French know-how of Maison Fèvre
Rally leather watch strap
Take for example the rally leather watch strap. Appearing at the dawn of the 1970s, this strap is characterized by the presence of perforations along its entire length. These originate somewhere between the design of driving gloves, that of the seats of endurance racing cars, such as the Ford GT40, or even the arms of the steering wheels of racing cars... To put it simply, the rally leather watch strap is the heir to a graphic tradition from the world of automobiles. And knowing that it equipped the now famous Heuer Monaco worn by Steve McQueen in the film "Le Mans" released in 1971, this perforated leather watch strap is much more than a simple heir, but a full-fledged member of the history of the automobile.
Now let's imagine that you inherited your father's or grandfather's Yema. And although he participated in a few car races in his youth, this is not a Rallygraf but a more classic watch, which he also wore around town. By choosing to equip this vintage Yema with a rally leather watch strap, you would be emphasizing your grandfather's racing past more than any other part of his life.
So, beyond style, leather watch straps allow themselves to tell more personal, not to say intimate, stories, and that's their strength. They have the power to increase or change the emotional charge of a watch. Maison Fèvre is at the service of watchmakers and individuals to meet the highest standards of leather watch straps.
However, there will always be those who denigrate vintage, saying that its enthusiasts live in the past and repeat to anyone who will listen that " it was better before ." They couldn't be more wrong. Because it's quite the opposite: vintage enthusiasts urge contemporary watchmakers to create beautiful, unique watches, made to last... in short, ready to tell new stories!
Cyril LEROY
Watchmaking editor at Maison Fèvre
Enlightened amateur & passionate collector
