The must-have Macro Loupe for all watch lovers

Iconic watch art prints. Made in Switzerland, lifetime guarantee

I let myself be tempted by this diver bought on a well-known Chinese site. We are clearly in a "manly" style with this screwed case protection which protects the bezel. The beautiful blue dial which changes depending on the brightness is very successful. On the motorization side we find a classic NH35 automatic which makes coffee. The steel bracelet is quite qualitative except for the pressed metal buckle but at the price sold of the watch you should not be too fussy, especially since the finishes are rather good. The watch is delivered in a small black plastic box simple but solid. The tool to adjust the bracelet is delivered with it. It is a good watch for water sports (30atm) without taking the head.

Under the influence of its blue dial

This is my first real watch.
Even though digital was almost the norm at the time, my father gave me this Seiko Sports 100 for my 10th birthday.
For me, it was a "boy's" watch, despite some teasing about the size of the watch (28mm) because of the diving bezel.
I wore this watch until the end of middle school (afterward, the size was too small).
It remained inactive for over 20 years (due to a stuck caseback).
Finally, ten years ago, when I started to "get equipped," I was able to open it.
I wasn't sure it would work again. That's a misunderstanding of Seiko reliability.
1 battery, a new case gasket, and hey presto, it's back to working like it did in 1940!
So, it's mostly my wife who wears it, my son seeing it as "too feminine."
It remains a Proust madeleine.
The detail I like: the shape of the sides with the curve of the horns and the shoulder of the crown.

My first "real" watch

This Sinn U1 is the first "value" watch that I bought about ten years ago. I already had a chic sports watch but I wanted something more radical. I was seduced by the specs: 1000m waterproof (lol especially in the pool!), U-boat steel, original syringe hands. Its only enemy: the coating of modern offices which will easily scratch your beautiful micro-beaded bracelet. Prefer the tegiment. It has become my No. 1 watch for the beach. It is also the largest I own (44mm, at the time the U50 did not exist). It is an ETA model and not Sellita like today. It is not very well known but I have the impression that among collectors it has a good love rating. Quite comfortable, it nevertheless weighs its weight if you leave it with its all-steel bracelet.

My holiday watch

Bought at auction, I didn't know its whole story but I liked its dial and I found the original micro rotor. I then discovered that I had one of the first models of the cal 215. Then Genta had designed it. A bit of legend at a low price for the time. I wear it regularly and its particular little noise reminds me that I don't have a watch like the others. Attention to bracelet enthusiasts, it is not the standard size (19mm)

A watch full of surprises

As soon as I saw them in photos I knew I was going to fall for them. During a weekend in Amiens I tried the 2 models: quartz and powermatic 80. The sunray blue dial excited me more than that of the automatic and although I prefer mechanical watches I found it more in keeping with the spirit of the 80s Seastar to take it in an electric version. No regrets, this watch has become one of the ones I wear the most. Sporty chic, waterproof to 10 atm, comfortable; the dial is really superb and playing with the light is a real pleasure. Very good value for money (at the time €350). I love it so much that I bought its 35 mm twin for my wife...but that's another story

The watch of summer 2021!

Having already bought the Prx 40 quartz, I gave the 35 mm model to my wife before the summer holidays. I love its design. It is a bit too small for me, mine in 40 mm being a little bit big. I am being picky but in 38 mm it would be perfect. Otherwise the same qualities and defects as the 40 mm. Well finished, beautiful bracelet not easy to adjust because there is no fine adjustment of the butterfly buckle. My wife loves its sky blue dial. The new automatic tapestry version is also very beautiful. It is quite versatile and can be used for swimming (10 atm), but for her it is a fairly urban watch in its style.

Little sister

The French watch brand LIP is an emblematic figure of the watch industry, recognized for his innovation, his avant-garde design and his history rich in twists and turns. Founded in 1867 in Besan&ccedil;on, LIP has gone through periods of glory, economic challenges and social struggles, while leaving an indelible mark in the history of French watchmaking.
<h2 dir="ltr">The Beginnings: Foundation and Expansion (1867-1930)</h2>
The history of LIP begins in 1867 when Emmanuel Lipmann founded a small watchmaking workshop in Besan&ccedil;on, the French capital of watchmaking. Initially named "Comptoir Lipmann", the workshop specializes in the manufacture of high quality pocket watches. In 1893, the company became the "Soci&eacute;t&eacute; Anonyme d'Horlogerie Lipmann Fr&egrave;res" and adopted the brand LIP, acronym of the founder's initials.
At the beginning of the 20th century, LIP stood out for its technical and aesthetic innovations. In 1904, the brand introduced the "Lip" pocket chronometer, which met with notable success. LIP is quickly positioning itself as a major player in French watchmaking, combining precision and elegance in its creations.
<h2 dir="ltr">The Age of Innovation: The 1930s-1950s</h2>
Under the direction of Fred Lip, son of Ernest Lipmann, LIP enters a period of intense innovation. In 1933, the brand launched the model <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/lip/t18">Lip T18</a>, a rectangular wristwatch equipped with a high-precision movement. This model became emblematic and was offered in 1948 to Winston Churchill in recognition of his role during the Second World War.
In the 1950s, LIP continued to innovate by introducing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/lip/electronic">Lip Electronic</a> in 1952, the first French electronic watch. This model uses a quartz crystal to keep time, constituting a significant advancement in watchmaking technology. Lip offered at this time the first models&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/lip/himalaya">Lip Himalaya</a> which still remain in the catalog today.
<h2 dir="ltr">The 1960s: Expansion and Avant-Garde Design</h2>
The 1960s marked a period of expansion for LIP like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/lip/nautic-ski">Lip Nautic-Ski</a> presented during the Grenoble Olympic Games in 1968. It was also the beginning of collaborations with renowned designers to create watches with innovative designs. In 1967, the brand called on Roger Tallon, famous industrial designer, to design the collection&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/lip/mach_2000">Lip Mach 2000</a>. These watches are distinguished by their futuristic aesthetic and their bold shapes, breaking with traditional watchmaking codes.
At the same time, LIP develops watches intended for specific uses, notably for pilots and divers, thus strengthening its reputation as a manufacturer of technical and reliable watches.
<h2 dir="ltr">The 1970s: Crisis and Social Struggles</h2>
Despite its successes, LIP faced financial difficulties at the end of the 1960s, exacerbated by international competition and changes in the watch market. In 1973, the company was placed in liquidation, triggering a series of strikes and factory occupations by workers. This social movement, known as "LIP Conflict", became emblematic of workers' struggles in France and attracted national media attention.
The employees, led by the trade unionist Charles Piaget, took control of production and continued to manufacture and sell watches under the slogan "It's possible: we make, we sell, we get paid!". This experiment in self-management aroused broad popular support and symbolized workers' resistance to factory closures.
<h2 dir="ltr">The 1980s-1990s: Relaunch Attempts and Changes in Ownership</h2>
After the liquidation of LIP in 1977, several attempts at revival were undertaken. In 1984, the brand was bought by the "Kipl&eacute;" company, but this initiative failed, leading to another liquidation in 1986. In 1990, the businessman Jean-Claude Sensemat acquired the brand and successfully relaunched production, relying on modern marketing methods and reissuing iconic models. Under his leadership, LIP experienced a renaissance and achieved significant sales.
<h2 dir="ltr">The 2000s: Renewal and Modernization</h2>
In 2002, Jean-Claude Sensemat signed a worldwide licensing contract with Jean-Luc Bernerd, who created the Manufacture G&eacute;n&eacute;rale Horlog&egrave;re in Lectoure, in the Gers region, to produce LIP watches. This collaboration makes it possible to modernize the collections while respecting the brand's heritage. LIP continues to offer reissues of historic models, while introducing new creations adapted to contemporary tastes.
<h2 dir="ltr">The 2010s: Back to Basics and Sustainable Development</h2>
In 2015, the brand was bought by the "Soci&eacute;t&eacute; des Montres Bisontines" (SMB), based in Ch&acirc;tillon-le-Duc, near Besan&ccedil;on, France. This return to geographical sources marks a new stage in the history of LIP, which strengthens its local roots and its commitment to sustainable development. Production is relocated to France, and the brand strives to promote French watchmaking know-how. LIP continues to offer its emblematic collections which have marked its history, seeking to meet the expectations of modern consumers.
Check out the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_french_watch_brands">Ranking of the most popular French watch brands</a>, including LIP.
(Updated November 2024)

I found this little LIP TV at a flea market. The watch looked bland but I saw straight away that it was running. Bought at the time for barely more than a pack of cigarettes, I cleaned the watch which actually had a nice gold plating that was not very worn. The mechanics were also relatively clean with a Durowe caliber. I don't wear it often but with a nice lizard strap it has a good vintage style. A good dress watch.

A well-hidden LIP

Here is one of my vintage, a so-called jumbo Lip with a gold-plated case in the art deco style from the 50s I think with the famous R25, size 38 mm, good size for the time and small seconds, it has been restored, revised and re-plated by a watchmaker friend in Belgium, it is like new with its white dial which has suffered the traces of time with a lunar effect. A marvel and a piece of French watchmaking history on my wrist.

Ma Lip vintage jumbo 

I got this watch from my grandfather, and I didn't know it.

A LIP from the 2000s-2010s, quartz with a reverso system that reveals a compass.

The original rubber strap is very comfortable to wear. The dial is small at 25mm, but on a 40mm case, it doesn't feel too small, and the watch has a certain bulky feel, which I really like.

The watch is water-resistant (there is a gasket), but I don't know to what extent. The indexes on the bezel are superb, and its look is striking.

I should add that we're talking about a watch between €50 and €100, but for me, it's filled with emotion and nostalgia and has an important place in my collection.

Its only flaw is the alignment of the second hand with the indexes (like almost all quartz watches).

My grandfather's lip

This Lip Genève panda 🐼 inverted watch is exceptional and now historic from the 1960s, it is the little sister of the Breitling co-pilot, powered by a Venus 178 movement. There must have been between 100 and 300 models only. To find out more, go to YouTube on the dialicious channel: Lip Genève watch 😉

Lip Geneva panda watch 🐼 reversed

Here is a very beautiful LIP, quite rare, with a rather improbable look. It seems to me to date from the beginning of the 80s, probably at the time of one of the umpteenth attempts to relaunch the brand after the slump of the strikes on the Lip sites in Besançon. I really like this style of 70s watch with a sort of integrated case. Paradoxically, it has a screw-down crown and a unidirectional bezel that gives it the characteristics of a diving watch without really being one! even if it proudly announces on the back that it is water-resistant to 100 meters! Two things are noteworthy: it must have spent a long time in a drawer because you can see the traces left by the hands on the inside of the glass... and the still active tritium treatment is nice... For those who like the 70s look, this vintage watch is simple, fun while generating curiosity 😎


LIP forever even in quartz version

A watch that is simply incredible, a pure reflection of the 70s when the nuclear power plant revolution was an innovation, but a worrying innovation. And so in the middle of the Lip crisis, in 1975 this watch came out. For France, nuclear power? No thanks! And for Germany: Atomkraft? Neine Danke! Just great, especially since I had been looking for it for 3 years. I bought it from a great seller simply named Montre Vintage.com

Lip nuclear power

La marque SYE [Start Your Engine] a &eacute;t&eacute; cr&eacute;&eacute;e en 2020 par Arnaud Pezeron &agrave; c&ocirc;t&eacute; de Paris en France. La marque inaugure le Sport Tailoring au poignet. Elle propose des montres sport-chic de caract&egrave;re, fiables, ludiques et abordables inspir&eacute;es de l'univers de la m&eacute;canique auto-moto. La gamme comprend deux mod&egrave;les distincts, la <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/sye/mot1on_automatic_24">SYE MOT1ON Automatic 24 </a>et la <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/sye/mot1on_chronograph">SYE MOT1ON Chronograph</a>.
Cette marque embarque une innovation sur le changement du bracelet disponible en acier ou en cuir. La montre n'offre aucun espace entre le bracelet et la boite d&ucirc; &agrave; l&rsquo;absence de cornes, ce qui am&eacute;liore son confort et sa portabilit&eacute;.
<h2 class="p1">Combien co&ucirc;te une montre&nbsp;SYE&nbsp;?</h2>
La gamme SYE comporte deux mod&egrave;les disponibles sur le site de la marque : La SYE MOT1ON Automatic 24 est propos&eacute;e &agrave; partir de 750&euro;. La SYE MOT1ON Chronograph est propos&eacute;e &agrave; partir de 599 &euro;.
SYE est ind&eacute;pendante et produit plusieurs centaines montres par an tous mod&egrave;les confondus. Pour choisir une SYE qui vous correspond le mieux, les avis clients Dialicious sont une pr&eacute;cieuse ressource pour &eacute;valuer chacun des diff&eacute;rents mod&egrave;les &agrave; travers l'exp&eacute;rience r&eacute;elle des clients.
Consultez le <a href="https://www.dialicious.com/top/les_meilleures_marques_de_montres_francaises">Classement des meilleures marques de montres fran&ccedil;aises</a> dont SYE fait partie.
(Mise &agrave; jour Novembre 2023)

The brand SYE [Start Your Engine] was created in 2020 by Arnaud Pezeron near Paris in France. The brand is introducing Sport Tailoring on the wrist. It offers sporty-chic watches with character, reliability, fun and affordability inspired by the world of car and motorcycle mechanics. The range includes two distinct models, the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/sye/mot1on_automatic_24"> SYE MOT1ON Automatic 24</a> and the<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/sye/mot1on_chronograph"> SYE MOT1ON Chronograph</a>.
This brand has an innovation in changing the bracelet available in steel or leather. The watch offers no space between the bracelet and the case due to the absence of lugs, which improves its comfort and portability.
<h2 dir="ltr">How much does a SYE watch cost?</h2>
The SYE range includes two models available on the brand's website: The SYE MOT1ON Automatic 24 is offered from &euro; 750. The SYE MOT1ON Chronograph is offered from &euro; 599.
SYE is independent and produces several hundred watches per year, all models combined. To choose an SYE that best suits you, the Dialicious owners' reviews are a valuable resource for evaluating each of the different models through real customer experience.
Check out the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dialicious.com/en/top/the_best_french_watch_brands">Ranking of the best French watch brands</a>, including SYE.
(Updated November 2023)

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