Off your butt, Greeks

Every dealer has his own little secrets and I certainly have a good share of my own.  However, with half the Greek population of Sydney, and probably three-quarters of Melbourne, visiting “the old country” I would feel bad not sharing this secret with you. 

It’s called Σ.Π.Α.Π.  SPAP stands for Siderodromi Pireos Athinon Peloponisou, the Greek rail company founded in 1882.  The first rail line between Piraeus, Athen and Elefsis was completed in 1884. It extended to Corinth and Patras not long after.   

This SPAP Railway watch is one of the most prized pieces in my small Railroad collection.  Actually it’s so rare that I have only ever seen one in my entire life.   

To my Greek subscribers: how many souvlakis, kleftiko and baklava can you have before the holiday boredom kicks in? Off your butt, and start roaming the markets, antique shops and eBay for Σ.Π.Α.Π.  

For the rest of us: once again, we turn our focus to railway engravings on the case back. And look how beautifully and cleverly the letter “S” (Σ) is engraved – a little zig zag railway, down to sleepers!

Technical Details:

Movado Σ.Π.Α.Π Railways Pocket watch
Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railway

Σιδηρόδρομοι Πειραιώς-Αθηνών-Πελοποννήσου or Σ.Π.Α.Π. -  Siderodromi Pireos Athinon Peloponisou" S.P.A.P. 

Movado means "always in motion" in Esperanto. Around the 1900’s, Movado was a major Swiss brand and had won 3 major "Universelle Grand Prix" medals: Paris 1900, Liege 1905 and Brussels 1910. By the way, the World Exhibition has a long tradition itself, with the next Expo scheduled for Dubai in 2020.