Watches

[shrink]

well.... you think some of you have it bad.... i was at my mates house tonight, and he showed me for the first time, his watch collection.

he has a wooden cased, two tiered watch case, that holds 24 watches. This case is totally full... but not with any old junk:

-omega speedmaster (original metal backed moonwatch)
-rolex sea dweller
-longines moonphase
-dunhill square faced watch
-two jaeger lecoultre reverso watches
-omega seamaster
-several other longines, and vinatge omegas. even a vintage beluga

truly jaw dropping stuff... easilly over £100k sitting in that watch box. I was taken aback by some of them. I tried on the omega speedmaster... i want one!

 

[Slick]

Holy watch cows batman!!!

 

[N_Architect]

When I was in South Korea, I had a Greek colleague (and friend) who has about 50 vintage watches (Omega, Rolex, Patek, etc.)
He is a collector and buys from 2nd hand dealers worldwide that he selects carefully and visits on a kind of regular basis, work permitting.

As we were talking on the subject one day, the Rolex Daytona (simple steel version, white or black dial) issue came up as I was particularly interested to get this watch but was beginning to find out that (a) it was hardly available in Asian dealers, and (b) it was outrageously expensive, for buying a normal high quality and recognized brand watch.

I did manage to find a steel Daytona, at wholesalers Alan Furman & Co. in Washington DC, they'll get you one in one or two weeks easily, though I didn't buy at the end.

My friend told me two things:
1) The steel Daytona, and only that, is a pretty rare watch. Collectors advise that if you find one used, buy it immediately; if you happen to find two, buy both. :shock:
2) In Japan the particular model is a status symbol. There is a magazine only for Daytona watches (!) and these models retail in authorized dealers at approximately three times the price you can find them anywhere else (of course in Japan prices in general are pretty high up compared to the rest of the world, Norway excluded perhaps...)

Last thing: he always open a watch and checks the mechanism before buying second hand, whether from a dealer or from another source.

 

[Swivel]

The wife bought me a nice Tag watch about 5 years ago, think it was around the £800 pound mark, i liked it because it had a leather strap.

My dog decided he liked the strap as well and decided to eat it, luckily just the strap.

Ahh Bless!!

 

[Rev-O]

There is absolutely no danger of me becoming a watch collector. But there is a possiblity I might just treat myself to a special one.

I popped into a shop recently and asked a guy to convince me to spend £10,000 on a watch. He did his best. Then I asked him about guarantees. Two years, he said. I told him that if were to spend £10,000 I'd expect a minimum of 5 years. And left it at that.

Now I wouldn't go as far as 10k but I might be tempted to spend just a few K, but I need something to get me excited.

I just turned this up.

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24 Rolex watches in 29 years. I wonder how many brushes he has!

Fido, these are just his sports Rolexes (the military, dress, vintage and pocket watches form other collections).

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[antdad]

Whenever I see someone wearing a massive chrono I think you're making up for something there buddy.

 

[quattrojames]

G-Shocks do get a good press, seems there are lots of versions about? Is it is a line that's been going a while and/or has many models?

I do like the idea of lots of functions all completely reliable and accurate but . . . all that black plastic. It's like the 1980's.
But I am tempted by the G-String thing. Which one is best? Are any of them rare or collectible?* I feel another obsession brewing.

The G-Shock bug bit me totally out of the blue about two years ago, and there is a lot of (recent) history to them. They came out in the early 80's and they're have been thousands of different variants and editions. When you look into them a bit more you'll realise they're more "black plastic"....

There are lots of rare and collectible models, the Frogman as previously mentioned is a good place to start. Vinny's DW-5600 is generally regarded as the 'default' G-Shock watch.

If you 'are' interested, check out this section of the watch forum:

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Beware though, it can make shaving look positively cheap! But then compared to Rolex's and Omega's they're a veritable bargain!

 

[jonboy]

Don't get me started!!!!!!
Jonboy get that seiko compass boys watch!!
Cheers
Tim.

Tim

You read my PM then! :mrgreen:

I think watches are my wallets achilles heel (along with cars which I seem to park in the money pit), although it isn't fat enough to afford my 2 grail watches at the moment - Omega Speedy Pro and Rolex Seadweller.

In the mean time I have about a dozen at the mo:

Tag 4000 auto dating from 1996 which was a gift from my parents for my 18th. I am about to send this off to Ryte Time for a service, keeping perfect time but the thread has gone on the crown.

My daily is a Seiko Black Monster - tough divers watch, inhouse movement too.

Outdoors watch is a G-shock GW6900 - looks a bit oversized in this pic

For going to the pub/casual watch, an Aeromatic A1229

For more formal occasions an Aeromatic A1091 - while the Tag is out of action

I also have a tauchmeister diver for when I am working on the car, a couple of Swatchs, a Vostok, a Parnis - needs repairing, and a vintage 50's rolex dress watch in the bank which used to belong to my Gandad.

Most get worn at least once a week, not that I go to formal occaisions on a weekly basis :mrgreen: but I like to stretch their legs on a regular basis.

I have had a couple of Daytona's pass through my hands some years ago, but they were bought purely for investment purposes and never worn - but that was back when they cost half of what they do now and have become vastly overpriced IMHO.

My shopping list for this year consists of a few long time wants - a Seiko mini monster, a Tissot PRC 200 chrono and a Precista PRS-3......... Oh and the Seiko compass watch - THANK YOU VERY MUCH Tim! :twisted:

 

[Sunburyboy93]

Now i'm not into watches at all, but i did get one bought for me at christmas by my aunt and uncle, it is a Casio Super Illuminator, it is still in it's box, it comes with a resin/rubber strap, don't like that at all, but i would like to put a brown leather strap on it, is this easy to do, and looks ok with a leather strap doesn't it.....for a cheap watch i mean...?

 

[Ids]

How do you rate the aeromatics I've had my eye on a couple of the 1912 range.

 

[moodymick]

Now i'm not into watches at all, but i did get one bought for me at christmas by my aunt and uncle, it is a Casio Super Illuminator, it is still in it's box, it comes with a resin/rubber strap, don't like that at all, but i would like to put a brown leather strap on it, is this easy to do, and looks ok with a leather strap doesn't it.....for a cheap watch i mean...?

There's nothing wrong with that watch at all, in fact it is quite restrained and tasteful compared to some on this thread :?

 

[jonboy]

How do you rate the aeromatics I've had my eye on a couple of the 1912 range.

I have had the A1229 for over 2 years now and it has been worn a LOT, it is probaly my favourite looking watch. It has a Miyota (citizen) movement and aside from drunkenly scratching the crystal on a wall last summer I have had no issues with it at all. I put a Timefactors Aviator strap on it as the original straps feel a bit cheap but otherwise a great watch. That said they are not tough watches, I bought a friend of mine one and he dropped it on a marble floor and smashed the crystal and damaged the second hand - binned!

The Tauchmeister (same company) diver which I use when working on the car gets scraped against alsorts when dragged through the engine bay and aside from a scratched cyclopse (date bubble) and lots of swirlies, it has stood up very well. That one is Swiss Ronda quartz movement.

The 2 autos I have have lead a very sheltered life, but feel sturdy enough to wear more often.

I have read reports of the red dye running out of the leather strap, but the straps do feel a bit cheap - easily fixed.

There are plenty of mixed reviews about them, but I am in the positive camp from my experiences. Which one/ones are you interested in?

 

[jonboy]

Now i'm not into watches at all, but i did get one bought for me at christmas by my aunt and uncle, it is a Casio Super Illuminator, it is still in it's box, it comes with a resin/rubber strap, don't like that at all, but i would like to put a brown leather strap on it, is this easy to do, and looks ok with a leather strap doesn't it.....for a cheap watch i mean...?

I like that what model is it? Is it available with a steel bracelet?

I also like diver style watches on Nato straps, just seem to work for me

 

[Rev-O]

In the mean time I have about a dozen at the mo:

Tag 4000 auto dating from 1996 which was a gift from my parents for my 18th. I am about to send this off to Ryte Time for a service, keeping perfect time but the thread has gone on the crown.

Ryte Time - that's where my Smiths W10 is at the moment. Steve Burrage is a top guy. If any of you have any watch repair issues he's da man.

 

[Rev-O]

Whenever I see someone wearing a massive chrono I think you're making up for something there buddy.

+1

Also, every subdial is an extra platform in the movement, more to go wrong, more to need servicing (cleaning, lubricating, regulating).

Besides, who needs stopwatches and chronos? Anything really that needs split-second precision timing should be left to digital not cogs and wheels.

Bling and hassle? No thanks. If I'd wanted that I'd have married my wife's sister.

Too many things are over-engineered these days (mums on the school run in German 4x4 SUV; multiblade razors; etc etc.) and too few things are really well-built, beautiful, simple and useful. Like my wife.

 

[jonboy]

In the mean time I have about a dozen at the mo:

Tag 4000 auto dating from 1996 which was a gift from my parents for my 18th. I am about to send this off to Ryte Time for a service, keeping perfect time but the thread has gone on the crown.

Ryte Time - that's where my Smiths W10 is at the moment. Steve Burrage is a top guy. If any of you have any watch repair issues he's da man.

I have heard good reports about him and his communication so far has been great. Also a lot faster and cheaper than sending the watch away to Tag at a cost of £200+, the last time I had it serviced by Tag it took over 6 weeks! :shock: :evil: