LIP Customer Service

[andy_s]

When you took your LIP into your watchmaker for a service the kind gentleman behind the old wooden counter would present you with one of these while you waited for your watch to be worked on:



(The dial reads 'AFTER SALES' and 'Your watchmaker has lent you the time')

It is said that many owners liked it better than the ones they'd handed in so kept them.

Here's a nice collection:


Some interesting connections:


Interesting innovation:

(A thermometre in the centre of the dial)

But some were a bit 'crazy':




Some classic looking:




...and the classics for me:

(All FAM)

[andy_s]

NeMiSiS said:

andy_s said:

: Some interesting connections:

I like this one, if there is more to tell, tell me please.

Breitling Lip 765 Co-pilot, prices vary from 2.5K upwards in good condition I think. There was also the 806 'LIP'.
Basically Lip distributed them in France and got their logo on the Breitling. 1967-1973. (Worn by Raquel Welch in 'Fathom' as an aside, 1967):


As there is a Gruen thread here somewhere it's maybe worth mentioning that there was also an 806 with Gruen co-marked on the dial. Very rare though apparently:

Edited by andy_s on Friday 1st October 19:26

[andy_s]

NeMiSiS said:

They keep getting nicer, this one is very Jupitor Pilot. I like rotating bezels and chrono's, I am begining to enjoy looking at these old watches, which is going to lead to some trouble.

Yup, don't go there, the cat's not dead 'til you open the box.



ETA
I like the co-pilot as it's got a thin navigator bezel (as opposed to the more normal diving type) and has a quirky 15 min totaliser rather than the more common 30min/45min ones.
I like the French attitude towards vintage stuff - they aren't that bothered by condition and see fair wear as being what makes an older watch different to a new one. The one pictured is a good example, the missing bezel paint looks as if it's been worn away by decades of brushing against the cuff of a shirt, very cool I think.

Edited by andy_s on Saturday 2nd October 12:53