Harking back to around 2007, and not the years way before then which some of the other guys are talking about and which sounds very interesting, and really does mirror the Joni Mitchell song, "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot" although not sure it was paradise back then.

Anyway off track – – so back onto it, whilst I was in Phuket town having lunch with my daughter in Black Canyon in Lotus's I came across a figure from those early days of mine, in the form of "Eric" of Soi Eric who was at the same place having lunch with his wife. So I stopped and chatted briefly and we reminisced about those good old days and he said he was pleased he was out of it now and that "they" have spoilt what was once a good Soi and it seemed like he didn't know that they were planning a nightclub/conglomeration in what was once Soi Eric!!

I know time moves on, but IMO Bangla life was a lot happier back in the early days of Soi Eric et al. or maybe I'm just getting old!?

Change, can’t stop it !

For good or bad…

It was either Soi Eric or Crocodile 2001 or so, I'm in the toilets in back having a wiz when a guy with LB comes in and he/she pull up the urinal next to me. LB extracts his unit he's having a pee, they are laughing when under my breath I say "ladyboy", make a clearing my throat noise and say it again as the guy looks at me and eyes sort of open.

Later, punter had hightailed it, I was sitting on a stool rapping with friend bar owner, LB walks by and gives me a solid kidney punch. Lucky I wasn't stabbed, shoulda kept my mouth shut, not my business......Bangla lessons learned.

One good thing about Patong at the moment is the fact that the traffic is easing up somewhat most times of the day, although there are still a few idiots on big bikes who are putting other people's lives at risk by speedily riding in and out of the traffic, and they usually are shirtless and helmet-less and I would say they range from French Africans to Arabs. That excludes the witless Chinese who decide to drive the wrong way up the roads, usually with both feet dangling a couple of inches off the ground, so I gingerly steer round these idiots.

On the subject of motorbikes, I noticed a very large open back truck parked alongside a "shop" in Soi Nanai taking back the motorbikes which were on show at this place, but by all accounts that had no success with rentals although some other places had – – but that is the name of the game.

A friend of mine who used to have a bar here but relocated back to the UK when he ran out of money, has just revisited Patong for a couple of weeks to catch up with friends and he told me that "Patong is just not the same anymore" and I would have to agree with him, as do many others who have been here for more than a decade. He says the atmosphere in Bangla is nowhere near what it was (not sure how you measure that) and he believes that quite a few bars will go bust in these coming months, especially as the bar owners (not the renters) are increasing the rents quite substantially? Time will tell in these coming months.

I met up with the ex-wife of a friend who had come back to visit her friends and we enjoyed a meal in the Wine Connection, well I say "enjoyed" because after we had sat down, in traipsed eight or 10 Russians, complete with baby in pushchair and they were fairly noisy. The "lead woman" was huge in all departments and not unlike a female version of "giant haystacks" and some, and they must have been from some distant tribe in Russia because they were all huge in stature, not necessarily fat, although a couple were, and they rather spoilt the evening for me.

On the way home I looked into the South American restaurant El Gaucho and there were about 12 people dining there and because it's quite a big restaurant, it looked fairly empty. Compare that to my favourite South American restaurant nearby, Churrasco, and that had around 26 diners in it, and I waved at the wait staff as I passed and got a good smile as I always do.

I met up with my daughter again yesterday at Lotus's in Phuket town and enjoyed a good lunch with her, and we chatted at length about the teaching aids which she is putting together in order to be the mainstay of her business in the future, and I may be biased, but the diagram of the human heart which she had put together on her iPad was absolutely brilliant, and I was blown away by it. She is a very talented young woman and am so very proud of her and what she has done so far.

One thing I forgot to do whilst I was in Phuket town was to visit a jeweller (Ratsada) to see if he could put a value on my Eterna quartz 18 carat gold wristwatch, which is in good working order and I bought it in 1982 in Jersey, so that probably makes it a "vintage" watch, but no one I have contacted so far (including Eterna in Switzerland who do not answer my email requests) has been able to identify the model or put a value on it. It is an unusual shape, but I don't wear it any more as I am worried about damaging it if I fall off my motorbike, and whilst it's water resistant, it's not waterproof and getting caught in the rain here is a fairly frequent occurrence.

Having said all of that it is a waste of a very attractive watch just sitting in my desk drawer, so if someone could put it to good use (for a fair price) then I would gladly sell it, but not easy.......

Songkran is looming, so that means three days locked away in my condo or only going out in my car, so that I can escape the madness of this event. So I will spend a few days searching out some movies to help me through it!

PS. If anyone knows the model name of this watch then I would be most grateful if they would tell me!!

On 3/26/2026 at 6:53 AM, xylophone said:

One good thing about Patong at the moment is the fact that the traffic is easing up somewhat most times of the day, although there are still a few idiots on big bikes who are putting other people's lives at risk by speedily riding in and out of the traffic, and they usually are shirtless and helmet-less and I would say they range from French Africans to Arabs. That excludes the witless Chinese who decide to drive the wrong way up the roads, usually with both feet dangling a couple of inches off the ground, so I gingerly steer round these idiots.

On the subject of motorbikes, I noticed a very large open back truck parked alongside a "shop" in Soi Nanai taking back the motorbikes which were on show at this place, but by all accounts that had no success with rentals although some other places had – – but that is the name of the game.

A friend of mine who used to have a bar here but relocated back to the UK when he ran out of money, has just revisited Patong for a couple of weeks to catch up with friends and he told me that "Patong is just not the same anymore" and I would have to agree with him, as do many others who have been here for more than a decade. He says the atmosphere in Bangla is nowhere near what it was (not sure how you measure that) and he believes that quite a few bars will go bust in these coming months, especially as the bar owners (not the renters) are increasing the rents quite substantially? Time will tell in these coming months.

I met up with the ex-wife of a friend who had come back to visit her friends and we enjoyed a meal in the Wine Connection, well I say "enjoyed" because after we had sat down, in traipsed eight or 10 Russians, complete with baby in pushchair and they were fairly noisy. The "lead woman" was huge in all departments and not unlike a female version of "giant haystacks" and some, and they must have been from some distant tribe in Russia because they were all huge in stature, not necessarily fat, although a couple were, and they rather spoilt the evening for me.

On the way home I looked into the South American restaurant El Gaucho and there were about 12 people dining there and because it's quite a big restaurant, it looked fairly empty. Compare that to my favourite South American restaurant nearby, Churrasco, and that had around 26 diners in it, and I waved at the wait staff as I passed and got a good smile as I always do.

I met up with my daughter again yesterday at Lotus's in Phuket town and enjoyed a good lunch with her, and we chatted at length about the teaching aids which she is putting together in order to be the mainstay of her business in the future, and I may be biased, but the diagram of the human heart which she had put together on her iPad was absolutely brilliant, and I was blown away by it. She is a very talented young woman and am so very proud of her and what she has done so far.

One thing I forgot to do whilst I was in Phuket town was to visit a jeweller (Ratsada) to see if he could put a value on my Eterna quartz 18 carat gold wristwatch, which is in good working order and I bought it in 1982 in Jersey, so that probably makes it a "vintage" watch, but no one I have contacted so far (including Eterna in Switzerland who do not answer my email requests) has been able to identify the model or put a value on it. It is an unusual shape, but I don't wear it any more as I am worried about damaging it if I fall off my motorbike, and whilst it's water resistant, it's not waterproof and getting caught in the rain here is a fairly frequent occurrence.

Having said all of that it is a waste of a very attractive watch just sitting in my desk drawer, so if someone could put it to good use (for a fair price) then I would gladly sell it, but not easy.......

Songkran is looming, so that means three days locked away in my condo or only going out in my car, so that I can escape the madness of this event. So I will spend a few days searching out some movies to help me through it!

PS. If anyone knows the model name of this watch then I would be most grateful if they would tell me!!

Where you cannot find details for quality Swiss watches, a friend of mine who deals in all types of time pieces, suggested you find a trusted dealer/seller there, ask them to remove the back and check for a reference number. Note it down and either Google the number or contact ETERNA directly with the query and reference number. From the case and dial design, the 80’s decade seems about right for a 900 series but you’ll have to do your own Sherlock on it. Worth a try.

Embrace the madness that is Songkran. Trunks, sandals t-shirt, hat, water gun. Gauntlet down Bangla, to the the left at the bottom, pull up a zone on the beach road,

9 hours ago, billythehat said:

Where you cannot find details for quality Swiss watches, a friend of mine who deals in all types of time pieces, suggested you find a trusted dealer/seller there, ask them to remove the back and check for a reference number. Note it down and either Google the number or contact ETERNA directly with the query and reference number. From the case and dial design, the 80’s decade seems about right for a 900 series but you’ll have to do your own Sherlock on it. Worth a try.

Great to hear from you BTH and I hope you are well, and also thank you for the information which I will go into shortly.

Firstly I have contacted ETERNA in Switzerland, via email, but after three attempts, I have had no reply (great customer service!!!!) And I've also contacted a few other Eterna agencies around the place, but again no reply!

I've also contacted Chrono24 on a couple of occasions, but their very helpful answer was: "take it to an Eterna dealer", which of course is not really feasible here in Phuket as there are none, although I do know of a watchmaker/seller/repairer in Phuket town, so he will be my next port of call.

The amount of watchmakers/dealers/second-hand sellers I have contacted is immense, and I can only assume that this watch is so rare that nobody knows about it, or that it's not very valuable at all! Having said that, I have been told that it is solid 18 carat gold, so it's got to be worth something. It also keeps precise time.

One other angle is that I have two potential "serial numbers" to play with, because on the back of the watch is the number: 1226155 62 S and in the guarantee booklet that came with the watch when I bought it, is a "reference" number: 729411862, so not sure which one to use although I will Google both of them after your message.

Once again BTH thanks for your very helpful email and it has given me new hope in finding out what model it is and if it's worth anything. I stopped wearing it a few years ago now, mainly because I was worried about falling off my motorbike and damaging it, and it's such a beautiful watch (IMO) that I didn't want to damage it so it's been sitting in my desk drawer all that time. I've now come to the conclusion that it is such a lovely watch that it needs to be worn by someone who is proud of it, hence my investigation on it and its value.

I will let you know how it goes BTH and when you are next in Patong, make sure to look me up because I will shout you a lovely meal and a great bottle of wine.

Take care old friend and stay in touch from time to time as it's always good to hear from you.

1 hour ago, Priorexpat said:

Embrace the madness that is Songkran. Trunks, sandals t-shirt, hat, water gun. Gauntlet down Bangla, to the the left at the bottom, pull up a zone on the beach road,

Fortunately those years have long gone for me and walking around in a T-shirt and shorts, getting soaked by idiots with very large water guns, very often filled with bacteria laden water, is not my idea of fun.

My madness days are well in the past and did include making bombs, travelling to Libya at the end of the Gadhafi revolution (which was madness in itself) and after that, working in Nigeria at the end of the Biafran war, and getting shot at. Oh, and I forgot to mention having a pistol pressed against my head by an angry Libyan soldier and then being lined up against a wall with a few other expats and having rifles pointed at us, which I truly thought was the end of my life at that time.

There are many other "mad" exploits I have undertaken and I now leave that to other idiots, and whilst they are "embracing the madness that is Songkran", I shall be sitting comfortably at home having a nice evening meal with a lovely bottle of red wine, and then watching a good movie, whilst the madness goes on outside – – ah, heaven!

Geez @xylophone I’ll love to pop in for some nosh and vino on my next trip, thanks mate…

😁😁

5 hours ago, xylophone said:

Great to hear from you BTH and I hope you are well, and also thank you for the information which I will go into shortly.

Firstly I have contacted ETERNA in Switzerland, via email, but after three attempts, I have had no reply (great customer service!!!!) And I've also contacted a few other Eterna agencies around the place, but again no reply!

I've also contacted Chrono24 on a couple of occasions, but their very helpful answer was: "take it to an Eterna dealer", which of course is not really feasible here in Phuket as there are none, although I do know of a watchmaker/seller/repairer in Phuket town, so he will be my next port of call.

The amount of watchmakers/dealers/second-hand sellers I have contacted is immense, and I can only assume that this watch is so rare that nobody knows about it, or that it's not very valuable at all! Having said that, I have been told that it is solid 18 carat gold, so it's got to be worth something. It also keeps precise time.

One other angle is that I have two potential "serial numbers" to play with, because on the back of the watch is the number: 1226155 62 S and in the guarantee booklet that came with the watch when I bought it, is a "reference" number: 729411862, so not sure which one to use although I will Google both of them after your message.

Once again BTH thanks for your very helpful email and it has given me new hope in finding out what model it is and if it's worth anything. I stopped wearing it a few years ago now, mainly because I was worried about falling off my motorbike and damaging it, and it's such a beautiful watch (IMO) that I didn't want to damage it so it's been sitting in my desk drawer all that time. I've now come to the conclusion that it is such a lovely watch that it needs to be worn by someone who is proud of it, hence my investigation on it and its value.

I will let you know how it goes BTH and when you are next in Patong, make sure to look me up because I will shout you a lovely meal and a great bottle of wine.

Take care old friend and stay in touch from time to time as it's always good to hear from you.

Useful link here regarding reference numbers on ETERNA watches which may help you.

https://watchlords.com/viewtopic.php?t=39764

From the chart provided, 7 = 18k solid gold case. The letter S denotes Sapphire Crystal {presumably the glass}

Nothing about model description though. Perhaps ETERNA or other web sources can help with your search with reference numbers/charts.

Currently laid up here with a broken hip after a heavy fall.

1 hour ago, billythehat said:

Useful link here regarding reference numbers on ETERNA watches which may help you.

https://watchlords.com/viewtopic.php?t=39764

From the chart provided, 7 = 18k solid gold case. The letter S denotes Sapphire Crystal {presumably the glass}

Nothing about model description though. Perhaps ETERNA or other web sources can help with your search with reference numbers/charts.

Currently laid up here with a broken hip after a heavy fall.

Thanks for the info BTH and so sorry to hear about your broken hip, I just hope that it mends soon? What is the outlook for you re this??

All the best, Xylo.

11 hours ago, Priorexpat said:

Embrace the madness that is Songkran. Trunks, sandals t-shirt, hat, water gun. Gauntlet down Bangla, to the the left at the bottom, pull up a zone on the beach road,

One year, 2007 or 8, I'm on beach road with a pal and some Thai guys, staff from Banana Disco I think, had a large trash bin with a block of ice in it. The water we were drawing out of there, freezing. As the pickups went by, we hit those water sprayers with freezing water and to see them jump was just hilarious.

I kept everyone in bier Changs, great time, wet t-shirt girls by the dozens.

3 hours ago, xylophone said:

Thanks for the info BTH and so sorry to hear about your broken hip, I just hope that it mends soon? What is the outlook for you re this??

All the best, Xylo.

I'll send you a private message about this tomorrow. I've only just been discharged from hospital.

Do any older Patong expats remember Scruffy Murphys the Irish bar Top end of Bangla beach rd ? I used to go in there reguler, they had a Resi band the lead singer come Guitarist used to play the Violin he was from Wigan they were brilliant around 2009. On a few occasions i'd get up and sing with them any song you liked they could play. One night it was full of Aussies so i got up and sang Down Under by Men at work had them eating out of my hands, never bought a drink for the rest of the night good days b4 the russians and indians spoiled it.

On 3/26/2026 at 7:53 AM, xylophone said:

One good thing about Patong at the moment is the fact that the traffic is easing up somewhat most times of the day, although there are still a few idiots on big bikes who are putting other people's lives at risk by speedily riding in and out of the traffic, and they usually are shirtless and helmet-less and I would say they range from French Africans to Arabs. That excludes the witless Chinese who decide to drive the wrong way up the roads, usually with both feet dangling a couple of inches off the ground, so I gingerly steer round these idiots.

On the subject of motorbikes, I noticed a very large open back truck parked alongside a "shop" in Soi Nanai taking back the motorbikes which were on show at this place, but by all accounts that had no success with rentals although some other places had – – but that is the name of the game.

A friend of mine who used to have a bar here but relocated back to the UK when he ran out of money, has just revisited Patong for a couple of weeks to catch up with friends and he told me that "Patong is just not the same anymore" and I would have to agree with him, as do many others who have been here for more than a decade. He says the atmosphere in Bangla is nowhere near what it was (not sure how you measure that) and he believes that quite a few bars will go bust in these coming months, especially as the bar owners (not the renters) are increasing the rents quite substantially? Time will tell in these coming months.

I met up with the ex-wife of a friend who had come back to visit her friends and we enjoyed a meal in the Wine Connection, well I say "enjoyed" because after we had sat down, in traipsed eight or 10 Russians, complete with baby in pushchair and they were fairly noisy. The "lead woman" was huge in all departments and not unlike a female version of "giant haystacks" and some, and they must have been from some distant tribe in Russia because they were all huge in stature, not necessarily fat, although a couple were, and they rather spoilt the evening for me.

On the way home I looked into the South American restaurant El Gaucho and there were about 12 people dining there and because it's quite a big restaurant, it looked fairly empty. Compare that to my favourite South American restaurant nearby, Churrasco, and that had around 26 diners in it, and I waved at the wait staff as I passed and got a good smile as I always do.

I met up with my daughter again yesterday at Lotus's in Phuket town and enjoyed a good lunch with her, and we chatted at length about the teaching aids which she is putting together in order to be the mainstay of her business in the future, and I may be biased, but the diagram of the human heart which she had put together on her iPad was absolutely brilliant, and I was blown away by it. She is a very talented young woman and am so very proud of her and what she has done so far.

One thing I forgot to do whilst I was in Phuket town was to visit a jeweller (Ratsada) to see if he could put a value on my Eterna quartz 18 carat gold wristwatch, which is in good working order and I bought it in 1982 in Jersey, so that probably makes it a "vintage" watch, but no one I have contacted so far (including Eterna in Switzerland who do not answer my email requests) has been able to identify the model or put a value on it. It is an unusual shape, but I don't wear it any more as I am worried about damaging it if I fall off my motorbike, and whilst it's water resistant, it's not waterproof and getting caught in the rain here is a fairly frequent occurrence.

Having said all of that it is a waste of a very attractive watch just sitting in my desk drawer, so if someone could put it to good use (for a fair price) then I would gladly sell it, but not easy.......

Songkran is looming, so that means three days locked away in my condo or only going out in my car, so that I can escape the madness of this event. So I will spend a few days searching out some movies to help me through it!

PS. If anyone knows the model name of this watch then I would be most grateful if they would tell me!!

Via Grok analysis…

“- Case back engraving: 1226155 62 S

The number 1226155 is the case serial number. According to Eterna serial number charts, this places the watch in the early-to-mid 1960s (around 1962–1965, with "62" likely indicating the year of manufacture or a batch code). The "**S**" at the end commonly stands for Steel (even if the case appears gold-toned — many Eterna watches from this era had gold-plated or gold-filled cases over a stainless steel base).

- Guarantee booklet reference: 729411862

This is the full reference number (often written as 7294-11862 or similar in Eterna catalogs). The "7294" prefix is typical for Eterna's dress/watch models from the 1960s, often part of the Eterna-Matic automatic line with a date complication.

Overall model: This is a vintage Eterna-Matic (automatic) dress watch from circa 1962–1965, featuring a cushion-shaped (square with rounded corners) gold-plated/gold-filled case, champagne dial with Roman numerals at 12 and 6, baton markers, and a date window at 3 o'clock. It matches the classic elegant style Eterna produced before the quartz crisis.

The movement is almost certainly an Eterna-Matic automatic caliber (common ones in this period include variants of the 1400 or 1410 series family — reliable Swiss movements known for being relatively thin and accurate for the era).

### Value Update:

With confirmed 1960s production, gold-toned cushion case, date function, original guarantee booklet, and the serial/reference matching the era:

- Current market value (in good working condition): $250 – $450 USD on secondary markets (eBay, Chrono24, Etsy, or vintage watch forums).

- Lower end (~$250–350) if there is visible wear on the plating, crystal scratches, or if it needs servicing.

- Higher end (~$400–450) if it runs accurately, the dial is clean, and it still has the original strap/buckle.

- Solid 18K gold versions of similar Eterna cushion models from the same period sell for significantly more ($1,500+), but the "S" marking and typical construction for this reference strongly indicate it's gold-plated over steel, not solid gold.

Factors that could increase value:

- If the movement is in original, unpolished condition and keeps good time.

- Original box (even if not mentioned).

- No major dial damage or refinishing.

Recommendation:

Take it to a reputable watchmaker for a quick service/inspection (they can confirm the exact caliber by opening the case and check if the gold plating is wearing thin). Also photograph the case back clearly (including any hallmarks) and the movement if possible — that would allow even more precise identification.

If you'd like, share any other markings (e.g., inside the case back or on the movement) or the condition details (does it keep time well? Any visible damage?), and I can refine the estimate further. It's a nice, understated vintage Swiss piece with good heritage!”

On 3/26/2026 at 7:53 AM, xylophone said:

One good thing about Patong at the moment is the fact that the traffic is easing up somewhat most times of the day, although there are still a few idiots on big bikes who are putting other people's lives at risk by speedily riding in and out of the traffic, and they usually are shirtless and helmet-less and I would say they range from French Africans to Arabs. That excludes the witless Chinese who decide to drive the wrong way up the roads, usually with both feet dangling a couple of inches off the ground, so I gingerly steer round these idiots.

On the subject of motorbikes, I noticed a very large open back truck parked alongside a "shop" in Soi Nanai taking back the motorbikes which were on show at this place, but by all accounts that had no success with rentals although some other places had – – but that is the name of the game.

A friend of mine who used to have a bar here but relocated back to the UK when he ran out of money, has just revisited Patong for a couple of weeks to catch up with friends and he told me that "Patong is just not the same anymore" and I would have to agree with him, as do many others who have been here for more than a decade. He says the atmosphere in Bangla is nowhere near what it was (not sure how you measure that) and he believes that quite a few bars will go bust in these coming months, especially as the bar owners (not the renters) are increasing the rents quite substantially? Time will tell in these coming months.

I met up with the ex-wife of a friend who had come back to visit her friends and we enjoyed a meal in the Wine Connection, well I say "enjoyed" because after we had sat down, in traipsed eight or 10 Russians, complete with baby in pushchair and they were fairly noisy. The "lead woman" was huge in all departments and not unlike a female version of "giant haystacks" and some, and they must have been from some distant tribe in Russia because they were all huge in stature, not necessarily fat, although a couple were, and they rather spoilt the evening for me.

On the way home I looked into the South American restaurant El Gaucho and there were about 12 people dining there and because it's quite a big restaurant, it looked fairly empty. Compare that to my favourite South American restaurant nearby, Churrasco, and that had around 26 diners in it, and I waved at the wait staff as I passed and got a good smile as I always do.

I met up with my daughter again yesterday at Lotus's in Phuket town and enjoyed a good lunch with her, and we chatted at length about the teaching aids which she is putting together in order to be the mainstay of her business in the future, and I may be biased, but the diagram of the human heart which she had put together on her iPad was absolutely brilliant, and I was blown away by it. She is a very talented young woman and am so very proud of her and what she has done so far.

One thing I forgot to do whilst I was in Phuket town was to visit a jeweller (Ratsada) to see if he could put a value on my Eterna quartz 18 carat gold wristwatch, which is in good working order and I bought it in 1982 in Jersey, so that probably makes it a "vintage" watch, but no one I have contacted so far (including Eterna in Switzerland who do not answer my email requests) has been able to identify the model or put a value on it. It is an unusual shape, but I don't wear it any more as I am worried about damaging it if I fall off my motorbike, and whilst it's water resistant, it's not waterproof and getting caught in the rain here is a fairly frequent occurrence.

Having said all of that it is a waste of a very attractive watch just sitting in my desk drawer, so if someone could put it to good use (for a fair price) then I would gladly sell it, but not easy.......

Songkran is looming, so that means three days locked away in my condo or only going out in my car, so that I can escape the madness of this event. So I will spend a few days searching out some movies to help me through it!

PS. If anyone knows the model name of this watch then I would be most grateful if they would tell me!!

10 hours ago, BarraMarra said:

Do any older Patong expats remember Scruffy Murphys the Irish bar Top end of Bangla beach rd ? I used to go in there reguler, they had a Resi band the lead singer come Guitarist used to play the Violin he was from Wigan they were brilliant around 2009. On a few occasions i'd get up and sing with them any song you liked they could play. One night it was full of Aussies so i got up and sang Down Under by Men at work had them eating out of my hands, never bought a drink for the rest of the night good days b4 the russians and indians spoiled it.

Yep, sold them cheap wine as a salesman there, manager went beachside. Can't remember his name, but often talked of a silver voice bloke that sang Men at Work tunes

10 hours ago, ChasingTheSun said:

Via Grok analysis…

“- Case back engraving: 1226155 62 S

The number 1226155 is the case serial number. According to Eterna serial number charts, this places the watch in the early-to-mid 1960s (around 1962–1965, with "62" likely indicating the year of manufacture or a batch code). The "**S**" at the end commonly stands for Steel (even if the case appears gold-toned — many Eterna watches from this era had gold-plated or gold-filled cases over a stainless steel base).

- Guarantee booklet reference: 729411862

This is the full reference number (often written as 7294-11862 or similar in Eterna catalogs). The "7294" prefix is typical for Eterna's dress/watch models from the 1960s, often part of the Eterna-Matic automatic line with a date complication.

Overall model: This is a vintage Eterna-Matic (automatic) dress watch from circa 1962–1965, featuring a cushion-shaped (square with rounded corners) gold-plated/gold-filled case, champagne dial with Roman numerals at 12 and 6, baton markers, and a date window at 3 o'clock. It matches the classic elegant style Eterna produced before the quartz crisis.

The movement is almost certainly an Eterna-Matic automatic caliber (common ones in this period include variants of the 1400 or 1410 series family — reliable Swiss movements known for being relatively thin and accurate for the era).

### Value Update:

With confirmed 1960s production, gold-toned cushion case, date function, original guarantee booklet, and the serial/reference matching the era:

- Current market value (in good working condition): $250 – $450 USD on secondary markets (eBay, Chrono24, Etsy, or vintage watch forums).

- Lower end (~$250–350) if there is visible wear on the plating, crystal scratches, or if it needs servicing.

- Higher end (~$400–450) if it runs accurately, the dial is clean, and it still has the original strap/buckle.

- Solid 18K gold versions of similar Eterna cushion models from the same period sell for significantly more ($1,500+), but the "S" marking and typical construction for this reference strongly indicate it's gold-plated over steel, not solid gold.

Factors that could increase value:

- If the movement is in original, unpolished condition and keeps good time.

- Original box (even if not mentioned).

- No major dial damage or refinishing.

Recommendation:

Take it to a reputable watchmaker for a quick service/inspection (they can confirm the exact caliber by opening the case and check if the gold plating is wearing thin). Also photograph the case back clearly (including any hallmarks) and the movement if possible — that would allow even more precise identification.

If you'd like, share any other markings (e.g., inside the case back or on the movement) or the condition details (does it keep time well? Any visible damage?), and I can refine the estimate further. It's a nice, understated vintage Swiss piece with good heritage!”

Many, many thanks for your analysis and information on my watch, it is much appreciated and thank you for taking the time to do some research for me.

Having said that, there are a few things that don't "compute", inasmuch as the watch was for sale in 1982 (or thereabouts) and was new then, so doubt very much whether it was a 1962/65 model. Furthermore, my own research shows that it is certainly not a vintage Eterna Matic watch, especially as this one is a quartz movement.

It is however a "dress watch" style, as you quite rightly say and I have seen the back of the watch when it has been taken off to fit a new battery, and there is no evidence of steel therein, and a previous post from @billythehat has suggested that the watch has a solid gold case with the S denoting a sapphire crystal glass, and that would fit the bill because it has what looks to be a "hallmark" on the back casing and a watch repairer who gave it the once over said it was 18 carat gold!

So good information from both you and BTH and I need to follow that up with a reputable watch seller/repairer in Phuket town on my next visit there.

In addition to all this, it keeps excellent time, even when sitting in my desk drawer!

Once again I thank you for your detailed response and the research you undertook on my behalf, and I will keep you informed as to what my further research shows.

PS. I'm not sure that the mods will be too happy with me continuing this "watch saga" as it is not really about Patong per se, so I'll see what they say about this, and if necessary perhaps we can continue on a different/new thread??

Stuff the mods

😎

5 hours ago, HighPriority said:

Stuff the mods

😎

Easy Tiger 🤭

Back to Songkran, after 5 or 6 years of it, yes, it did get old (like me ☺️).

Sitting on a barstool in 32 degree heat and having a bargirl pour ice water down your back, well,,,,, sometimes not so fun.

At which point as I was working there and Songkran offered big holiday time, I started going to the Philippines during the time off and although the food does not come anywhere close to Thailand, the beaches, clubs, girls do.

On 3/28/2026 at 12:06 PM, xylophone said:

Great to hear from you BTH and I hope you are well, and also thank you for the information which I will go into shortly.

Firstly I have contacted ETERNA in Switzerland, via email, but after three attempts, I have had no reply (great customer service!!!!) And I've also contacted a few other Eterna agencies around the place, but again no reply!

I've also contacted Chrono24 on a couple of occasions, but their very helpful answer was: "take it to an Eterna dealer", which of course is not really feasible here in Phuket as there are none, although I do know of a watchmaker/seller/repairer in Phuket town, so he will be my next port of call.

The amount of watchmakers/dealers/second-hand sellers I have contacted is immense, and I can only assume that this watch is so rare that nobody knows about it, or that it's not very valuable at all! Having said that, I have been told that it is solid 18 carat gold, so it's got to be worth something. It also keeps precise time.

One other angle is that I have two potential "serial numbers" to play with, because on the back of the watch is the number: 1226155 62 S and in the guarantee booklet that came with the watch when I bought it, is a "reference" number: 729411862, so not sure which one to use although I will Google both of them after your message.

Once again BTH thanks for your very helpful email and it has given me new hope in finding out what model it is and if it's worth anything. I stopped wearing it a few years ago now, mainly because I was worried about falling off my motorbike and damaging it, and it's such a beautiful watch (IMO) that I didn't want to damage it so it's been sitting in my desk drawer all that time. I've now come to the conclusion that it is such a lovely watch that it needs to be worn by someone who is proud of it, hence my investigation on it and its value.

I will let you know how it goes BTH and when you are next in Patong, make sure to look me up because I will shout you a lovely meal and a great bottle of wine.

Take care old friend and stay in touch from time to time as it's always good to hear from you.

Why not give it to your daughter Xylo. For her it is sure a great present. Never mind gold or steal.

4 minutes ago, schlog said:

Why not give it to your daughter Xylo. For her it is sure a great present. Never mind gold or steal.

Thanks schlog and I have thought about that and did ask her if she wanted it.......and she said NO!!! She is a petite young woman and it is a bit big for her small wrists, and I gave her a lovely Norwegian watch (Skagen) a while back and she has never worn it!

Thanks again for the thought and I will be taking it to a good Jeweler/watch specialist in Phuket on Friday and my daughter will be coming with me so she will have another chance to accept it if she wants. I will let you know what transpires. 🙏

If it’s gold and rare she’ll want it… 😁

3 hours ago, HighPriority said:

If it’s gold and rare she’ll want it… 😁

I know her well and even if it is valuable she will want me to keep it 😇

well although F#@K all to do with phuket
thanks for the watch updates

55555

More on the watch, if that's permitted.

I copied the photo to an image search site and after adding the reference number 729411862 it mentioned among other things:

Based on the "62" suffix in the reference number, this typically denotes a gold-plated or gold-filled case. If it were solid 18k gold, the case back would usually feature distinct hallmarks (like a lady's head or a scale symbol).

When then adding that it had hallmarks it changed its tune and also its valuation to $800 to $1,800 USD.

Rather than copying all the image search report, you may like to try one for yourself.

2 minutes ago, treetops said:

More on the watch, if that's permitted.

I copied the photo to an image search site and after adding the reference number 729411862 it mentioned among other things:

When then adding that it had hallmarks it changed its tune and also its valuation to $800 to $1,800 USD.

Rather than copying all the image search report, you may like to try one for yourself.

Thanks for that info @treetops , and it does have what looks like a hallmark on the back case, but not that I can see it clearly with my eyesight or even my glasses, so that's why I'm taking it to the watch seller in Phuket town tomorrow. Having said that, a watchmaker who installed a new battery in it about a year ago did say that it was 18 carat gold after I asked him about it. HOWEVER, I will be seeking clarification on this tomorrow.

Many thanks for your input and I will let you know the outcome after my visit tomorrow.

4 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Thanks for that info @treetops , and it does have what looks like a hallmark on the back case, but not that I can see it clearly with my eyesight or even my glasses, so that's why I'm taking it to the watch seller in Phuket town tomorrow. Having said that, a watchmaker who installed a new battery in it about a year ago did say that it was 18 carat gold after I asked him about it. HOWEVER, I will be seeking clarification on this tomorrow.

Many thanks for your input and I will let you know the outcome after my visit tomorrow.

For those who follow the thread "Patong-the wake" I will be adding some news pertaining to the thread title after Fiday rather than the watch saga, or after some details on my watch!!

Well I do have an update on my watch, and it will be the last I post on it, unless someone wants to get in touch by private message or similar, and I took it to the jeweller/watch seller and he quickly dismantled it (amazing how they do that) and put his eyeglass on and looked around and verified that it was actually 9 karat gold, both the case and the back. No stainless steel involved, which I thought was the case.

He then got out his little machine and weighed it and said the gold price alone would be 15,000 baht if I wanted to take it to a shop down the road from him, where they would give me a price on the gold alone. Now IMO it is such a lovely watch that I would hate to see the whole thing dismantled and the movement thrown away, so that someone could melt down the case just to get at the gold!

I still haven't been able to find out the model, but I do know that my daughter doesn't want it because she has three watches at home and doesn't wear any of them, simply because she doesn't like anything on her wrist. So gold or not, she's not interested in it.

I have found something very similar to it on eBay, but it doesn't have a date window on it and I don't think it's solid gold like mine.

So to end this saga I would like to thank the following folk for offering their help in identifying my watch and I may well look at putting it for sale (offers considered) on somewhere like eBay or Chrono24. Thanks again to @billythehat @ChasingTheSun @HighPriority @schlog @treetops.

Back on to matters Patong......... on my visit to see my daughter in Phuket town today, I was surprised at the amount of demolition that has gone on in and around the north-east of Patong and the owner of the small garage where I take my car a motorbike to be taxed and serviced told me that several buildings had been cleared, no more than 60 m from him in readiness for the "tunnel"! He then said that this was part of the "project" for that very same thing, but he had no idea when work was going to begin and by the looks of things it won't be any time soon!

The same building clearing exercise is going on on the Kathu side of the Patong Hill, but I've no idea if that is also a "project" to accommodate the tunnel when it eventuates? Time will tell I suppose.

Just opposite the condo block where I stay is an open restaurant which could seat around 30 to 40 people I would suppose, and just a month or so ago it was almost full of an evening, but not so now, so it would appear that the "boom times" are over for this year for that particular restaurant and perhaps many others also. On that note, my massage parlour owner friends have said that the "high season" did not really eventuate for them and I've heard the same from other massage parlour owners.

I guy I know here was boasting to me a few months back how he had built a new massage parlour/shop/facility and that it employed about a dozen women and he was very pleased with himself, so I wonder how he's feeling now?

Following on from that theme, the last time I walked up Soi Sansabai I was quite amazed at the amount of new restaurants that had opened and also amazed at the size and number of massage shops, one in particular which had probably more than 20 women outside touting for business.

On the subject of restaurants, I will have to pay a visit to my favourite Churrasco restaurant, after my hospital visits tomorrow to get some blood tests done.

Jumping around a little, Nanai Road is experiencing some changes with "shops" being remodelled and changed and every time I go past the bar/restaurant called "The Rock Bar", I feel sorry for the owner who bought it because ever since it changed hands it has been a shadow of its former self with regards to patronage.

I must pay a visit to Bangla Road to see what's happening there, as I haven't been for quite a few months, and now that I don't drink beer or frequent bars (except on the odd occasion to catch up with a friend or two) Bangla is a rarity for me, however I'd like to see what is happening with the old Soi Freedom which was, and was supposedly being made into a disco/nightclub?