Stauer’s 21 jewel automatic

Hi Gregew2, welcome to the Caliber Corner forum!

That looks like a caliber F-8171 (or F-8172).

The movement itself is about 28mm. The 45mm you found listed is referring to the watch case size.

Do you already have this watch or are you looking to buy one? What prompted your research?

Thanks so much, from this novice and modest watch collector. 

I'm attracted mostly by unusual movements and tasteful designs, and also as high quality I can afford at low or reasonable costs, and so this watch drew my attention. I try to avoid Chinese products (I have for decades, beginning with shoes back in the '80s, favoring made in USA, then England or Europe, and in the case of watches, Japan), and so when there's an unique (to me) design, and a highly-discounted watch like this one ($89 plus shipping and tax after a discount coupon!), I strongly consider buying it. I suspected it was Chinese but wanted to confirm it before I decided whether to forego my avoidance protocol.

I began collecting only a couple years ago after I retired, but since childhood, when my dad bought me a Hamilton (when they made inexpensive models and we lived near Lancaster, PA seventy years ago), I always had this admiration for their complex miniature technology.  I have no idea when or how I lost that watch -- maybe this collecting is to me like Rosebud was to Citizen Kane?

Maybe it was the watch  made with Microsoft (a Casio? Does model 150 ring a bell?) that has an electric eye that uploads data from a CRT television via flashing lines created by its program that my father-in-law gifted me sometime in the '80s also contributed to my interest. (I still have the watch and the computer program and an old black-and-white monitor, but no computer with the old operating system that supports the program!)

A few years ago I stumbled upon the Invicta line and experimented with them, full well knowing that it's a brand to be careful about. Then later Stauer -- same cautions -- but I found with care I could get some watches -- even with Japanese or Swiss components -- that kept pretty good time, met my criteria and were automatic. (This is my preference, although I have several that are awaiting battery-changing, using tools I bought a couple years ago, but also waiting to be used. This is not for lack of interest -- I'm very much engaged with civic and non-profit affairs in my community and will soon back away enough to have more time to spend on my various hobbies, including watches.) 

But I'm always on the outlook for deals (I found two beautiful and well-made Tommy Bahama brand watches priced less than $150 each on UnclaimedBaggage.com!), and for example when I saw an eco-drive Citizen at Costco, I searched online and found one for half the price.

This is not to say that I pass by luxury watch stores in Washington, DC, New York, Montreal, Palm Beach, etc as a tourist.  I don't!  "I love to watch," so to speak, but don't have near enough money to enter into the top name brands.  In fact, I went out of my way to visit an horological trade show in NYC where I got 'this close' to the Vacheron Constantin 57260.  My career was in filmmaking, and still own a 1967 Swiss-built professional reel-to-reel Nagra tape recorder, and hope someday to visit Switzerland to visit the Kudelski Nagra plant and do a watch-making tour as well.

Thanks for reading my little life narrative here -- I don't know anyone with whom I can share my mini-obsession, and registering just yesterday with Caliber Corner and posting my first query has been fun.  I hope I can glean more knowledge here, and someday, in some small way, contribute back to conversations.

Thanks again for the spot-on ID of this watch's movement, and I'm eager to hear any thoughts you might have about things I've raised in this posting.

Best,

Greg

Thank you for sharing your story. Nice Citizen Kane reference!

Happy to help ID the movement. Looking forward to seeing you around the site 🙂