Other Watchy Bits: Watch Auction For Ukraine

On By calibre321In Other Watchy Bits

In the weeks since the onset of hostilities in Ukraine, more than 3 million citizens have been displaced. Europe has not seen the like since the Second World War. Support for the Ukrainian plight has been universal and steadfast. To maintain and uphold this solidarity, Calibre321 is hosting a watch auction from March 21st through March 25th. One hundred percent of all proceeds will be donated to the UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency).

Below you will find photographs of the 5 watches up for auction, as well as links to past reviews, pics, and specs. While they are being auctioned with the support of our microbrand partners, it should be noted that they come from our personal collection. They are lightly used, but in excellent shape and keeping good time. They do not come with warranties.

The auction will take place through our Instagram account.

If you are unable to bid, but wish to show support, please share our posts to your Instagram stories, or tag people you think might be interested in the comments section.

The Rules

  1. Payment must be made through PayPal within 24 hours of the auction’s close. The PayPal address will be provided to the winning bidder. Bids should be in USD. All sales are final.
  2. A donation in honour of the winning bidder will be made to the UNHCR. The winning bidder will receive a copy of the receipt as proof that the donation has been made.
  3. If for whatever reason, the winning bidder cannot pay, the next highest bidder will be offered the watch, and so on. In the case of two or more identical bids, the earliest bid will be considered first.
  4. There are no reserve bids. No amount is too small. Every dollar counts. Please bid what you can.
  5. Shipping charges will be handled by Calibre321; however, any duties or taxes incurred are the responsibility of the buyer.
  6. The auction is “silent.” All bids must be directed to Calibre321 through Instagram’s Direct Messenger. Do not make bids in the comments section of the post.
  7. Each auction will run from 6AM EST until 12AM EST on the same day it is posted. Bids before 6AM are not valid.
  8. We are not a watch dealer. We cannot accept returns. Please understand that this is a charitable endeavour.

Winning bidders, when consenting, will be announced in the next day’s story.

Please note that this auction is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with Instagram in any way.

The Watches

Monday, March 21st: The Vanbanner Parkingmaster V1

Microbrand Watch Auction for Ukraine and the UNHCR
Legend has it that the idea behind the Parkingmaster came to LV after watching a YouTube video where a woman mentioned that she used her bezel to time parking meters. Of course, the majority of dive watches sold today never do anything more adventurous than “desk diving,” so why not repurpose the appendix? While the Parkingmaster bezel appears, and functions, more-or-less like a traditional dive bezel, it does have a “red zone” indicating that you should return to your car and feed the meter. I think that this cheeky addition would also function nicely as a wily wink among other watch enthusiasts…(continue reading)

Tuesday, March 22nd: The Aevum Advance Carbon

Microbrand Watch Auction for Ukraine and the UNHCR
In 2019, after a successful Kickstarter campaign, Aevum released its second automotive-inspired watch, the Advance. The Carbon Limited is the latest in this new series and maintains all of the automotive references of the original Advance. Its name refers to ignition timing, or the moment a spark plug fires during its compression stroke to provide more power…(continue reading)

Wednesday, March 23rd: The Vanbanner Parkingmaster V2

Microbrand Watch Auction for Ukraine and the UNHCR
VanBanner Watches embodies the true spirit of the microbrand–a one-man operation producing watches out of a love for horology and an enthusiasm for design. While the brand has experienced both highs and lows since its inception, the Parkingmaster 2.0 represents a triumph. It is also a story of determination and perseverance through adversity. We have … (continue reading)

Thursday, March 24th: The TFP Windrose Ceramic Dark

Microbrand Watch Auction for Ukraine and the UNHCR
In some respects, The Windrose defies categorization. It is not a dive watch, in the traditional sense, though it enjoys 200 meters water resistance with a screw-down crown. With its dearth of legible numerals, it certainly isn’t a field or pilot’s watch. Its bezel does not have a tachymeter, diving increments, or a 24-hour GMT function. In fact, it’s fixed. But in a weird way, that’s what is so attractive about this piece. It’s not like anything else…(continue reading)

Friday, March 25th: The Dan Henry 1963 Pilot Chrono (40mm)

Microbrand Watch Auction for Ukraine and the UNHCR
Back in 2017, long-time collector, Dan Henry, provided the watch world with a lovely assemblage of vintage-inspired, limited edition, chronographs, and an equally handsome automatic diver. Rather than being direct homages to any one model, the Dan Henry collection take their style cues from various eras, and, as such, are named after the years which … (continue reading)

About the author

Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.

Other Watchy Bits include op-ed pieces and articles of general interest. We’d love to hear your opinion in the comments section below. The titular image was provided by Diana Vyshniakova. Follow her on Instagram.

8 thoughts on “Other Watchy Bits: Watch Auction For Ukraine”

  2. darrenstollings

    I wish I could have taken part. Much respect for doing such a great thing, many should take note of this kind deed and repeat it

    Like

    Reply

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