Vintage Favre Leuba Geneve Sea Chief Blue Lagoon Cal 253 Manual Watch 35mm

Certified Pre-Owned Luxury

My passion of collecting watches has led me to vintage watches, where the passion turned to an obsession. Given that each vintage time piece and watch has its own history, which is part of the story, character, history, origin, and charm. It is hard to evaluate them under the same scope.  I have been lucky to work with a lot of collectors, watchmakers, watch brands, and be a co-founder of Watch Collector Group. This has helped me to create a new standard in Pre-Owned Watches, Especially Vintage Watches. It is my pleasure to introduce our Certified Pre-Owned Luxury Collection by Experts Watches. A 25-point inspection check list. Which is always evolving and improving. 

Last thing I want as a seller, is to sell a watch and have it come back or worst, have an unhappy customer.  That is why this was introduced our CPO program. To take the time and review the watches and provide a detailed presentation of the watch. We take a lot of time to provide these details so please review it. I know some dealers do not want to take the time since time is money and finding problem cost you more money. But when you do things out of passion, the rationality goes out the door. Please note I have some watches over 90 years old, and some newer watches.  Clearly, they are all different from each other but get tested nevertheless to provide our customer a clear snapshot of the watch. 

Please see some of our steps:

Based on type of the watch not all steps are necessary, and they will be NA. List for Mechanical Watches. Any exception will be listed in our SPECIFICATION section.

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SECURE SHOPPING & PAYMENTS

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Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your bank cannot hold you liable for more than $50.00 of fraudulent charges. If your bank does hold you liable for any of this $50.00, we will cover the liability for you, up to the full $50.00. We will only cover this liability if the unauthorized use of your credit card resulted through no fault of your own from purchases made on our website while using the secure server.

In the event of unauthorized use of your credit card, you must notify your credit card provider in accordance with its reporting rules and procedures.

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Types of Payment options being offered

Our goal at EXPERTSWATCHES.COM is to offer the most secure, safe and easy way for our customers to purchase their Watches, Vintage Watches, Watch Accessories, Watch Straps, Watch Tools and Watch Essentials. That is why we offer the most versatile and verity of Payment & Check out options.  And we are always looking to expand our offering to make purchase even easier. We offer Amazon Checkout, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Paypal, and Venmo plus Credit Card options through American Express, Dinner Club, Discover, JCB, Visa, and MasterCard. Please  Contact US if you wish to make Payments by Check, Money Transfer, Zelle, PayPal Friends or Bank Wire Transfer EXPERTSWATCHES.COM offers a 3% discount to customer paying via this method. Please contact use via our Contact Page.

International Shoppers

Our goal at EXPERTSWATCHES.COM is to eliminate fraud and our customer safety that is why all international customer need to  Contact US first and provide payment via Payments by Check, Money Transfer, Zelle, PayPal Friends or Bank Wire Transfer EXPERTSWATCHES.COM Please contact use via our Contact Page.

Wire transfer and check orders cannot be processed online and must be placed over the phone or email. You will be provided with your order information, emailed instruction and details. Wire transfers or checks are recommended for orders placed without access to a credit card. Please notify us after the anticipated wire transfer date so we may check our records for your payment. Only after payment is received your order will be shipped. We will notify you with all the details.

Please Note: Credit card payment can only be processed  on the credit card from accepted countries after proof of address and credit card in position. (Name on the card, last four digits, and CVV proof and address proof) 

SHIPPING INFORMATION

DISPATCH TIME

For our customer safe, security, and to prevent fraud, all timepieces will be shipped promptly after funds clearing and passing the security checks. All watches are shipped fully insured for the full value of the specific piece. Watches typically ships to you within 1 to 2 business days after order is processed and approved. This can be extended due to high volumes or holidays.

SHIPPING METHODS

Giving our extensive range of products (Watches, Vintage Watches, Watch Accessories, Watch Straps, Watch Tools and Watch Essentials); and our goal of providing the best value to our customers; we provided different shipping methods based on the value of the item. We do provide FREE Domestic shipping on most watches based on the value of the item only on our website. We have relationship with all the carries such as USPS, FedEX, and UPS.

For time sensitive or gifts purchases, please Contact US first and let us know you timeline, we can upgrade the shipping at minimal charge.

US Shipments

• USPS First Class, UPS/FedEx Ground
• USPS Priority Mail: 2-3 Days
• UPS 2-Day
• UPS Next Day Air

International Shipments

Please Contact US first to be arranged.

• UPS Saver/Ground or FedEx International
• UPS Worldwide/FedEx Expedited
• USPS First Class or Priority Mail International

International shipments sent via USPS can sometimes take up to 30 days to be delivered. This is because international USPS shipments must go through processing and customs facilities before leaving the U.S. Then, once they have left the U.S., they are handed over to the postal service in the destination country, which makes the final delivery once it has cleared that country's customs.

We advise our international customers to try tracking the shipment through their local postal service--for example, Royal Mail, Post Nord, Canada Post, La Poste--since once it's made its way through U.S. processing, that's where it will show up next.

Shipment times and speeds outside the USA are not guaranteed.

SHIPPING COSTS

We do provide FREE Domestic shipping on most watches based on the value of the item only on our website, and shipping outside of the USA is calculated based on weight giving the option of different speeds. Time in transit to destinations outside the USA can vary depending on customs.

DUTIES & TAXES

All orders shipped to California will incur sales tax.  Orders shipped outside of the USA may incur duties and fees from your local government or from the shipping company.  EXPERTSWATCHES.COM is not responsible for any taxes or fees on outbound or returned products. Please Contact US for information.

INSURANCE

We insure all watches that we ship.  If your watch is damaged or lost in transit, please let us know as soon as possible so we can work with the shipping company to get the necessary information to them. This process can sometimes take 30-60 days. Please keep all shipping & packaging material for the claim adjusters.

In the case that packages are lost or stolen, a refund will be issued only upon the approval and payment of the insurance claim. Buyers are responsible for any taxes, tariffs, customs or duties due in the country of destination.

We will provide you easy & safe competitive quote for your Watch! That will help you get the best value for your Watch or Collection!

Care for your Watch

Given that each purchase is personal, as a collector. It is imperative to maintain and care of your investment.  We have wide range of customers from collectors who buy watches for next generation to starting collectors who are taking their first steps to the next adventure. In either case maintaining and care of your watch is imperative. 

Helping to keep your watch in its top working order with our watch care guide Do’s and Don’ts of Fine Watch Use.

Mechanical watches are not only by and large more expensive and complex than quartz, they also require a little more care as all mechanical marvels. Usually all movements need some level of servicing from time to time to make sure it is performing at manufacture recommended level. This is an example of our routine service includes the following (Please note factory service will include more steps):

• Complete disassembly of the watch. completely disassembled, cleaned, oiled, and timed.
• Clean all moving parts with specialized cleaning solvents.
• Proper lubrication with only the highest-grade lubricants and oils during the reassembly process.
• Thorough testing of accuracy. Your watch is tested to our exacting standards of 24 to 72 hours to assure accuracy, water resistance, and proper operation of all functionality. (Overhaul – Lubricants, Gaskets, Sealing, Regulation, MISC testing)
• The was inside case is marked and dated by the service man.

Please note: Not all the steps above are available for our vintage watches, given different parts or needs (unless it is factory serviced). This is for our newer serviced watches. Most of our timepieces run on manual winding or automatic movements, which are not as accurate as modern quartz. None of our timepieces are guaranteed water resistant. Customary care is always necessary. The information about water resistance will be in the description, since our vintage watches will not meet water resistance levels and we do not recommend watches to be used for water activity, unless it has been tested prior to use. Here are some tips for dealing with these mechanical beauties for new watch owners and reminders for the old hands.

Setting Time:  Please pull crowns gently when setting time/date. Do not force it out!  Turning wheels in one direction whenever possible to set time in clockwise motion only. Try not to set vintage watches counter (reverse) clockwise unless it is for setting date. Please note some watches have screw down crown, especially on sport and diving watches. Which requires unscrewing of the crown first prior to setting. Also, some watch might appear to have two crowns on one side, please do not pull on them till you figure out which is for time setting and which is the other function like alarm or inner bezel. The crown that is winding the watch will be the used for setting the time.

Screw that crown down (and those pushers)!
 Always check and double-check to ensure a watch fitted with a screwed-down crown is closed tightly. Screwed-down pushers for a chronograph—or any other functions—deserve the same attention. This one oversight has cost quite a few owners their watches. If a screwed-down crown is not secured, water will likely get into the case and start oxidizing the metal. In time, the problem can destroy the watch.

Date changes: "quick set": Allows the pulling or pushing of crown to change day or date, some allow one to click out [first position] and turn crown to set. Some have to be turned hour hands for 24 hours to advance one day. Do not change the date manually (via the crown or pusher) on any mechanical watch—whether manual wind or automatic—when the time indicated on the dial reads between 10 and 2 o’clock. Although some better watches are protected against this horological quirk, most mechanical watches with a date indicator are engaged in the process of automatically changing the date between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Intervening with a forced manual change while the automatic date shift is engaged can damage the movement. Of course, you can make the adjustment between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in most cases— but this is just not a good habit to get into. When in doubt, roll the time past 12 o’clock and look for an automatic date change before you set the time and date. The Ulysse Nardin brand is notable, among a very few others, for in- house mechanical movements immune to this effect.

Valjoux 72C usage instruction

Valjoux 88 usage instruction

Working and setting the moon phase device:

Please don’t use the pushers to work the day, month and date indicators between 8 PM and 2 AM or to work the date and moon phase indicators between 10 AM and 2 PM when the automatic jumping takes place.

Automatic Winding: Full automatics must be moved up and down counting at least 30 times per double movement before wearing.  do not swing, or fast start a bumper automatic. Most watches have can be manually winded before wearing.

Chronograph use: On a simple chronograph start and stop is almost always the same button. Normally located above the crown, the start/stop actuator can be pressed at will to initiate and end the interval timing. The reset button, normally below the crown, is only used for resetting the chronograph to zero, but only when the chronograph is stopped—never while engaged. Only a “flyback” chronograph allows safe resetting to zero while running. With the chronograph engaged, you simply hit the reset button and all the chronograph indicators (seconds, minutes, and hours) snap back to zero and the chronograph begins to accumulate the interval time once again. In the early days of air travel this was a valuable complication as pilots would reset their chronographs when taking on a new heading—without having to fumble about with a three-step procedure with gloved hands. Nota bene: Don’t actuate or reset your chronograph while your watch is submerged—even if you have one of those that are built for such usage, like Omega, IWC, and a few other brands. Feel free to hit the buttons before submersion and jump in and swim while they run; just don’t push anything while in the water.

Changing time backward: Don’t adjust the time on your watch in a counterclockwise direction—especially if the watch has calendar functions. A few watches can tolerate the abuse, but it’s better to avoid the possibility of damage altogether. Change the dates as needed (remembering the 10 and 2 rule above).

Overwinding: Never wind your watch to maximum spring tension.  By twisting the watches crown with the thumb and forefinger in a clockwise fashion. You wind your watches mainspring.  the crown will spin both directions in set mode yet will only wind one direction in wind mode. Never wind a vintage watch to its maximum position. Gently wind the crown ten times. When winding begin slowly till you feel resistance then stop.  Don’t force!  Most modern watches are fitted with a mechanism that allows the mainspring to slide inside the barrel—or stops’ it completely once the spring is fully wound—for protection against over winding. The best advice here is just don’t force it. Over the years a winding crown may start to get “stickier” and more difficult to turn even when unwound. That’s a sure sign it is due for service. 

Water Resistance:  Do not swim or take shower with your watch on unless it has been approved for water use by EXPERTS WATCHES. Unless stated for use in water do not use in water. Majority of vintage watches can’t be used in water. Please pressure test all watches prior to using in water.

Water resistance ratings for watches are often presented in either metres, or ‘ATM’ meaning ATMosphere. This is also sometimes referred to as ‘BAR’. What this rating is indicating is the static pressure that the watch can withstand.

For example, let’s take a watch with a water resistance rating of 30 metres. This does not mean that the watch can be worn to underwater depths of 30 metres. This depth is the equivalent of 3ATM, or 3 BAR, and means only that the watch is resistant to three times the static atmospheric pressure at sea level.

As the atmospheric pressure increases, there are particular points of a watch that can become prone to failing such as gasket seals (“O” rings made from rubber, nylon, or other materials), the crown, or even the caseback itself. Should any of these parts fail and allow water to enter the inner workings of the watch, then this can cause irreparable damage.

There are some mitigating features that can be incorporated into watches to defend these points, such as the gasket materials used, a screw down crown or a crown protector (both of which should always remain locked when coming into contact with water), and the screw-down caseback option as opposed to sapphire crystal.

There are environmental factors which can further effect the performance of these, such as the age of a watch and corresponding wear-and-tear, the temperature of the water and any chemicals present (such as chlorine), or even just a rapid change in pressure from diving or jumping into a pool.

Usually anything under 30 Meter or 3 ATM, like vintage watch should be exposed to any water.

• 30 Meter or 3 ATM: Washing of hand, small splashes, or Rain.
• 50 Meter or 5 ATM: Above plus, Showering, which is not recommended.
• 100 Meter or 10 ATM: Above plus, swimming light snorkeling.
• 200 Meter or 20 ATM: Above plus, more active snorkeling and swimming, possible light scuba check with manufacture.
• 1000 Meter or 100 ATM: Above plus, Scuba Diving.

Crystal Care: 

• Mineral glass: Cannot be buffed out. Can scratch, the toughest of all crystals. (some experts watch makers can have diamond buffers to buff. Usually easier to change)
• Sapphire Crystal: Cannot be buffed out. Is clearer than any other crystal but shatters easy.
• Hardlex/Coated: Cannot be buffed out. Can scratch, scratches less than mineral crystals.
• ACRYLIC Plastic: Though this is the least appreciated crystal, it is the best since scratches can be buffed out, experienced jeweler can buff it out

Cleaning:  Do not use chemicals or cleaners.  Use a damp soft cotton cloth to clean your vintage watch. Pay attention to case back. If you every get water into your watch please take it to a watch maker right away. Please note some of the watch cases have been plated so they do not deal well with cleaning.

Tribology:  When storing your Watch, place watch with face up. Never place your watch on its side.  Keeping a mechanical timepiece hidden away in a box for extended lengths of time is not the best way to care for it. Even if you don’t wear a watch every day, it is a good idea to run your watch at regular intervals to keep its lubricating oils and greases viscous. Think about a can of house paint: Keep it stirred and it stays liquid almost indefinitely; leave it still for too long and a skin develops. On a smaller level the same thing can happen to the lubricants inside a mechanical watch.

Service: Most mechanical watches call for a three- to five-year service cycle for cleaning, oiling, and maintenance. Some mechanical watches can run twice that long and have functioned within acceptable parameters, but if you’re not going to have your watch serviced at regular intervals, you do take the chance of having timing issues. Always have your watch serviced by qualified watchmaker. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for assistance.