Vintage French LIP Mechanical Watch R566 Fully Serviced 1970s

A lovely vintage French LIP wristwatch from around the late 1960s or early 1970s, powered by a hand-wound mechanical movement, calibre R566.

This watch has already lived a long life, and I wanted to preserve as much of that history as possible.

The movement has been thoroughly serviced and is running beautifully. The case was carefully cleaned in an ultrasonic bath, but deliberately left unpolished. Its scratches, worn chrome and other signs of age remain exactly as they were. Nothing has been disguised or polished away.

The original acrylic crystal, however, received a different treatment. It was carefully polished to remove the marks accumulated over the decades, revealing the remarkably well-preserved dial beneath.

And what a lovely dial it is! Elegant applied hour markers, beautifully contrasting hands, a red sweeping seconds hand and a neatly framed date window. It is difficult to believe how well it has survived the passing years.

The movement is marked LIP R566, and the inside of the case back carries the corresponding calibre number.

Details:

French LIP vintage wristwatch, circa late 1960s–1970s

Mechanical movement, manual winding

LIP calibre R566

Date display at 3 o'clock

Case width approximately 34 mm, excluding crown

Original acrylic crystal, carefully polished

Case ultrasonically cleaned, with original signs of age preserved

Thoroughly serviced movement, running very well

Brand-new leather strap

This is not a restored-to-look-new watch. It is an old watch that has been carefully brought back into good working order while keeping the visible traces of its past.

After all, the little marks left by time are part of its story.

And now, after all these years, it is ready to carry on ticking on someone else's wrist.
Collection or registered insured postage available - e10 in Ireland