DD's recent thread on his search for a stopwatch holder got me thinking, and once the coal smoke had cleared, I found myself looking (predictably) on eBay. There sure are a lot of vintage stopwatches for sale! My problem (or at least the most salient) is that I don't know the first thing about these mechanical marvels.

What should I look for, what should I avoid, what would be a good example for a cyclist to have as part of his training kit?

PM me and I can give you a list of names/models to look out for that cover the cost spectrum. And you might look around in your local antique shops for them - you can get them for a song at some of those places.

I picked up a lovely Minerva in a shop in Snohomish for $5.00. That's seriously low, but just illustrates the deals one can find.

DD

Were these Minerva's army issue in the US of A? Over here they were, so they pop up a lot on Marktplaats.

Army/Navy issue was Marathon for a long, long time. However, Tudor supplied the first-generations of SEALs graduating from UDT.

DD

ah, ok. BTW, I think my grandfather has one of these navy issue stopwatches, he has a case full of navy equipment passed down from his father (enlisted as onboard electrician) and grandfather (navy gunner).

Hanharts were popular and very common. compare to a vintage (or new)Hanhart wristwatch.

Huer stopwatches were all the rage in sports car racing, not Tag-Huer. They are going to be on the pricy side.

Found this 1962 VDO chronometer on Ebay almost 10 years ago. A perfect match for my 1962 Continental I thought. It fits on the stem quill bolt head.

Well, yeah. But... what should I look for? I mean, as far as case, features, movement, jewels (is more better or worse?), hand style, whatever? I really know nothing about these except that I want one and I want a good one that works.

You could do a lot worse than to get a Minerva - and any decent stopwatch movement will have 7 jewels. They are fairly straightforward movements - I mean, you only have a seconds-hand and minute-counter sub-dial.

Looks like there are some very nice Minervas up on Ebay right now, and if you look at Completed Listings you'll see what some did not sell for, to get an idea what to pay. A nice one - don't worry about a box - in good working order with good cosmetics should be had for $40-$100 depending on added complications/dial features.

DD