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Talking about some of the rarest - Catena Spacesonic Chrono

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cybr

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Talking about some of the rarest - Catena Spacesonic Chrono

Post16 Aug 2015, 02:03

As many other much more famous collectors (1,2) or less famous collectors, I was attracted to the watch collection - some years ago - by the Catena Spaceman Audacieuse watches.
Their Swiss architect Andre Le Marquand 1970 based design, was [b]bold enough and rare enough to highly rise my interest as many others collectors...[/b]
{1} http://watchismo.blogspot.ro/2008/11/sp ... ceman.html
{2} http://www.crazywatches.pl/spaceman-aud ... quand-1974

So, after I bought my first two Spaceman Audacieuse watches (1. a rare Jupiter Leather-faced dial - Day-Date -Spaceman Audacieuse and 2. an Omax Spaceman Audacieuse Day-Date), I was tempted to buy a very rare Catena Spacesonic watch, in either basic or the Chronograph variant, as one can see in the Pieter Doensen’s book: WATCH. History of the modern wrist watch,
http://doensen.home.xs4all.nl/fotos/c16b.jpg
But, at the beginning, I was discouraged by many fakes that was reported/sold related to both of them, as You may see below:
https://70swatchesgallery.wordpress.com ... pacesonic/
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2833
http://forum.pocketcalculatorshow.com/t ... onics-fake
etc etc
After an extensive documentation, I was fully aware how to choose the proper Spacesonic watch, how to test it properly for being genuine and where to buy it - regarding its scarcity (only in the ring of the collectors to be sure 100%).
Also, I was fully aware about how many variants one may find (including ones labeled Carena, not Catena!), thanks to my friend and high level watch collector Ronny
https://70swatchesgallery.wordpress.com ... pacesonic/
and to other related and highly trusted sources, such as:
Magic Digitals website
http://www.digitalwatches.de/Archiv/C_A ... esign2.htm
or even this forum:
viewtopic.php?f=58&t=7099

But a big question still remains: no one seems to really have/sell/own a watch related to the CATENA (not Carena!) labeled Spacesonic Chronograph, as the one reported in the Pieter Doensen’s book: WATCH. History of the modern wrist watch,
http://doensen.home.xs4all.nl/fotos/c16b.jpg


So I was quite surprised when such a watch became available for selling!!!
I had verified it and finally I bought it.

So here it is my latest acquisition - the only one GENUINE CATENA front labeled Spacesonic chronograph - with the genuine ESA 942 711 module - as the one presented in the Pieter Doensen’s book: WATCH. History of the modern wrist watch, reported until now on the watch online market:

The watch on my hand:

http://s827.photobucket.com/user/cybr/m ... q.jpg.html

the genuine Catena 390-118 back case label

http://s827.photobucket.com/user/cybr/m ... p.jpg.html

So, I really challenge You to show us a similar Catena Spacesonic Chronograph, since I am really interested if there are more similar/identic CATENA front-labeled Spacesonic Chrono available somewhere or are only some very limited prototypes, front labeled either Carena (as on my above links) or even Catena - as in my rare/unique example following the Doensen's book approach.

With many thanks and regards,

spc1.JPG
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Last edited by cybr on 13 Dec 2015, 17:46, edited 1 time in total.
Every watch should have its own story...consequently, a watch collector has to be a good storyteller :)
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cybr

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Re: Talking about some of the rarest - Catena Spacesonic Chr

Post19 Aug 2015, 02:33

To demonstrate that I'm not joking about my above kindly request for the collectors on this forum, after and extensive research I have found only one another front-labeled CATENA Spacesonic Chronograph available, in the collection of a famous Japanese digital watch collector, which seems to have it since 1999! :)
http://utdesign.syuriken.jp/watch/catena.html
or if you want the English Google based translation of the webpage:
https://translate.google.ro/translate?h ... rev=search
But surprisingly, while it is front labeled CATENA (not Carena!) and it has that specific/unique 8 facets crystal, it's dial labels DO NOT match completely the design presented in the Pieter Doensen's 1994 book - as my watch does!
So can we talk about another prototype, as the above presented two, labeled wrong as Carena, not CATENA and available in the collections of Mr. Wenzig and of our fellow member Mr. Quietman?

viewtopic.php?f=58&t=7099

Anyway, it seems that are only 3 (three) CATENA front-labeled Spacesonic Chronos available/reported until now - all over the Internet:
1. The one presented in the Pieter Doensen's book, published in 1994 (and maybe we will never know who's the owner of that specific watch, if not Mr. Doensen!)
2. The one in the collection of that outstanding Japanese collector (by the way, he has an exceptional collection of digital watches - please take a look at his Google translated website, if You have some time to spare!)
3. My own watch, recently acquired and the only watch that is a complete match to the OFFICIAL Catena labeled model, presented in the 1994 Doensen's book


So, I'm looking forward to see another one of these watches reported from the collectors side, because it's hard to believe that the Swiss Catena Watch factories have produced only 2 CARENA labeled pieces + 3 pieces/(prototypes?) of this Spacesonic Chronograph, correctly front labeled with their own brand - CATENA - especially because the Spacesonic model was the latest one - 1977 - from their famous Spaceman line of watches!

Regards,
Every watch should have its own story...consequently, a watch collector has to be a good storyteller :)
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grenchat

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Re: Talking about some of the rarest - Catena Spacesonic Chr

Post19 Aug 2015, 05:32

It was enlightening to learn that companies other than Omax produced all these beautiful Spaceman watches.
Also, the rare specimens with the ovular dials were a vintage 70’s sight to behold!

:secret: We Are Not Alone.

Jason
"We are showroom dummies"- Kraftwerk

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