The must-have Macro Loupe for all watch lovers

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What a look, this CADOLA! Very original indexes, broad arrow hands, a second hand with a red tip, a very thin bezel, a lovely case shape with beveled lugs, and a magnificent patina.
CADOLA is a brand I'd heard of a few times, but I hadn't really looked into it.
However, when I saw this one for sale, I couldn't resist. I had to have it in my collection. It also gave me the opportunity to deepen my knowledge of this brand. CADOLA divers from the 1960s are very rare, especially in 20 ATM, as it's a brand that mainly made classic watches and chronographs.
Today, the brand still exists and specializes in vintage-look sports watches, even having a partnership with Cosworth.
Coming back to mine, it has a 38 mm case and a very precise ETA 2472 caliber. I wear it very rarely, but always with immense pleasure.

A rare diver

I was looking for a caliber 11 (Heuer-Breitling-Hamilton-Buren) because I have wanted to have one in my collection for years. But I could not decide, because in my wildest desires, I dreamed of a Breitling Chrono-matic 2130. Except that I know that it is almost impossible to find! I have rarely seen one for sale (on the net or at auction), not even one per year. I even read an article on Breitling where it was written that the 2130 was the rarest Breitling of the 70s, if not the rarest of all Breitlings. In addition, I wanted the black dial version, so with the 2 "gold sunray" counters, but in good condition. Except that on the black dial, the "gold" counters are almost all stained (ugly brown spots form). And finally, in my dreams, I bought him a matte black leather strap. Needless to say, I had a better chance of winning the lottery than finding the rare gem. And yet, after years of patience, I came across this 2130 for sale in Germany. I pinch myself: no, it's not a dream. I immediately contact the seller (not buying it was unthinkable for me), but I still negotiated it down by €300 (it doesn't hurt to try)! So it's a Breitling Chrono-matic reference 2130 from 1978. The 2130, unlike the more common 2110 and 2112, has "lyre" shaped lugs, a bit like on the Speedmaster. It may not seem like much, but it changes the entire appearance of the watch and gives it that indefinable charm. Mine is equipped with caliber 11 (19800 vibrations), but most of the 2130s are equipped with caliber 12 (21600 vibrations and more reliable). There is also a 2130 caliber 15, but with a different dial type. 42 hours of power reserve, 38 mm case, crown on the left, hour and minute counters, no small seconds. This is the first self-winding chronograph.....(I'm getting Zenith fans excited).....that is equipped with a micro-rotor. The movement is very reliable, very quiet, and the winding is very smooth. The condition is exceptional, close to new, because the previous owner wore it very little (1st hand), and so did I. It is a very endearing watch, but unfortunately very rare. It also exists with a white dial with black counters and applied indexes, but it is just as rare. There are also color variations (white or orange) on each hand, and the date is either black or white. That makes for a lot of possible combinations. If you are lucky enough to find one, don't be surprised if it is a little different from mine. Personally, I have yet to find the same configuration as mine in all the photos posted by 2130 owners around the world. To conclude: I have found my holy grail (it always makes you believe in Santa Claus), and you can imagine that it is my favorite watch in my entire collection. I will never sell this watch (yet another 2130 on the market!).

You should always believe in Santa Claus

Another small watch from my collection that's worth a look. CODHOR was founded in 1964. It was a cooperative of watchmakers (hence the name) who made products accessible to all, but without neglecting quality. The brand still exists, by the way.
That's what I love about these vintage watches: no pretensions, but robustness, efficiency, good workmanship, and a beautiful design. Nothing extraordinary, but no hassle. When you decide to put it on your wrist, you wind it up, and it will never let you down. No servicing required (unless you're on the lookout for every second for all your appointments). It's these "small" watches that made me fall in love with vintage.

No hassle

This beautiful DREFFA Genève shines brightly. The outer band of the dial is mirror-treated, the indexes are hollowed out of the dial and polished, and the two equally polished hands end up creating a whole that sparkles in the slightest light. The watch isn't exactly discreet on the wrist, but what a look nonetheless! A beautiful movement and a nice case complete this DREFFA that lives up to its name.

Always quality

A very simple ETERNA, with a very pure design, without any frills. This creates a watch that dates back to the late 1960s, but which stands the test of time without really going out of fashion. In addition, its movement is impressively precise. The 36 mm case also doesn't betray its age. A very beautiful watch that seems eternal and lives up to its name.

Classic but desirable

July 1981, I just turned 14. First summer job and also my first paycheck. I had already scouted watch shops in my town a few weeks earlier, and I had already chosen the watch I would buy at the end of the month. And as soon as I got my paycheck, I rushed out and bought this Emile Pequignet Equus.
Why this choice? At 14, this watch looked rather classic, almost like an "old man's watch." But I didn't care about what others thought. I was buying a watch for myself, not for others.
At the time, I was already passionate about watches, and there was one watch I really loved: the Hermes Arceau.
I obviously didn't have the budget to buy one, but it made me dream. And somehow, this Emile Pequignet had a hint of Hermes (at least that's what I tried to make myself believe). And since the watchmaker who sold it to me was an AD of the brand, he explained the history of Pequignet and the quality of the product, which finally persuaded me to buy it. The price was not insignificant for the time.
I only kept it on my wrist for a year, but I wore it every day, even to school. I loved this watch and the very classy look of the dial, the finesse of its case, and its precision. Then I moved on. And seven years later, I bought myself a Hermes Arceau for my 21st birthday. The circle was complete.
Today, when I look at the Pequignet, it reminds me of my youth. It is just as it was then, with very minimal signs of wear and its original leather strap signed Péquignet. Still as beautiful as ever!

Looking back on my youth

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)

Here is a Courant type LIP that dates from the early 1910s. A classic at the time, with its almost square case (31.5 x 32mm) and its welded lugs. These watches were decorated with a canvas strap or a set leather, but I preferred to put a 22 mm NATO on it to make a slightly offbeat style. On the wrist, the LIP is a little small (the standards of the time), but with the NATO, it fits (but it still looks more like a bracelet than a watch).
It is in very good original condition, because unlike the majority of Courant types of the time, this one is not in nickel chrome, but its case is in solid silver (hallmarked), therefore free of corrosion.
It needs a revision of its movement because it does not want to start again (it had been 10 years since I had taken it out either). It is almost never used and the oils must have solidified.
I bought it mainly for its look, its condition, and its age. And then it's a LIP.....and I like old LIPs in general!

A very pretty ancestor

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)

Lip Owner Review : Fun, fine and authentic

A very pretty ancestor

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