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Let's See Your Watches! The Vintage Watch Thread.

Cufflinks_Carl

Suspended
Messages
60
Location
France
MagistrateChris said:
A friend and I disagree on an issue I'll bring here for your considered opinions. The topic is the wristwatch. I believe that a watch is dressy based upon the apperance of the watch, its design, rather than its materials. My friend, on the other hand, argues that a metal band is meant for durability, not apperance, and that a leather band is far more "dressy" than a metal band. Our own "dress" watches reflect this. I have a fine Tissot and a Seiko, both with stainless bands with gold trim. He wears either a Wittenauer or a Citizen, gold case with leather bands. The bet right now is a bottle of the other's breferred spirit, depending upon what the majority here blieves to be correct.

Any thoughts are appreciated...

A bracelet is not dressy.

A leather strap can be a sport strap.

The shape and size of the case is also important : a Tank of Cartier with a steel bracelet is dressied than a Panerai with leather strap.
 

Cufflinks_Carl

Suspended
Messages
60
Location
France
metal dressy

Bulova-96P15.bmp

This watch is all but dressy.
 

Moby

Familiar Face
Messages
60
Location
Orlando, Fla.
Jeep, Thanks for your compliments. Here's a pic some might find interesting. This is what a Hampden 18 size, 23 jewel, "Railway" pocket watch looks like just before being put back together. What you don't see are the 23 jewels already in place on the plates and balance bridge and the mainspring coiled up inside the barrel.

hampden.jpg
 

Mr. K.L.Bowers

One of the Regulars
Here are my two favorite wrist watches. The one on the left with the round black face is a UI brand which I know nothing about. It is my everyday work watch. It gains about 10 min a day, so I am never late. The Bulova is my all time favorite. I believe it is from the late 30s or early 40’s. The face needs a cleaning, but it keeps perfect time. I only use it for my WW II Home Front reenacting

watch.jpg
 

Moby

Familiar Face
Messages
60
Location
Orlando, Fla.
Yes, Feraud, I do watch repair as a hobby. I find old broken watches, pocket and wrist, although I prefer pocket watches, at flea markets or antique shows or shops. Eventually I either keep what I repair or sell them in an antique mall or sometimes on Ebay. I've been doing watch repair for about 15 years.

Here's a picture of a very old Elgin wrist watch. The serial number has a manufacture date of 1917. Surely one of the earlier wrist watches. I believe the dial contains radium.

elgin.jpg
 

JEEP

Practically Family
Messages
704
Location
Horsens, Denmark
Moby: Interesting pic of the dissasembled pocketwatch, thank's for sharing. Is that 1917 elgin yours?

Mr. K.L.Bowers: Beautiful watches, especially the bulova (I have been looking for something like this for quite some time). I would say that you dating is correct, though these watches was made untill the mid 50s. The dial could do with a carefull cleaning, but make sure to pick a watchrepairman who knows what he is doing - the dial is in really good shape, it would be a shame to ruin it :)


Regards.

Jakob
 

Moby

Familiar Face
Messages
60
Location
Orlando, Fla.
Yes, Jeep. The 1917 Elgin is mine. I bought it at a flea market for 2 Dollars. It needed a cleaning, new mainspring and a crystal.
 

Warbaby

One Too Many
Messages
1,549
Location
The Wilds of Vancouver Island
This is my everyday watch, a Girard-Perregeaux autowind:

girard-p.jpg


And for dressier occasions, an Elgin - not particularly rare or unusual, but the band is really elegant:

elgingold6.jpg


elgingold7.jpg


This is the pocketwatch I carry on pocketwatch occasions - it was my grandfather's:

HamiltonPW.jpg



So was this Waltham, but I only carry it on really special occasions (of which we have a serious dearth up here in the land of plaid shirts and chainsaws).

walthamP4.jpg


walthamP1.jpg
 

Cufflinks_Carl

Suspended
Messages
60
Location
France
I most of time wear a Seiko diver 200

Despite the fact I own many much more expensive watches, this is my favorite for a daily use partly because of its tunring bezel I use as a chronometer to know how much time I have to wait untill I arrive when I go somewhere which is at 20 min from my home for exemple.
 

JEEP

Practically Family
Messages
704
Location
Horsens, Denmark
Nice ones Warbaby, the Girard-Perregeaux looks to be in excellent condition - and the band on the Elgin sure is quite elegant.


/Jakob
 

Warbaby

One Too Many
Messages
1,549
Location
The Wilds of Vancouver Island
JEEP said:
Nice ones Warbaby, the Girard-Perregeaux looks to be in excellent condition - and the band on the Elgin sure is quite elegant.


/Jakob

Yep, the G-P is in great condition and keeps very good time. I got it at a local auction in Petaluma, CA about 5 years ago for 25 bucks. It ran perfectly when I picked it up and haven't had to do anything to it since. BTW - the winding knob doesn't actually stick out like that - I set it at watchmaker's time for the photo and forgot to push it back in.

I've never seen another band like the one on the Elgin. It doesn't expand but it's very soft and flexible - thin gold ribs hinged on a stainless steel mesh. Once it's on for a few minutes you can hardly feel the watch on your wrist. This was one of my better eBay scores - $6.75 for the watch and band. I had to have the winding stem replaced, but I found an old semi-retired watchmaker here who did the job and cleaned and oiled it for only $45, so it's still a smokin' deal.
 

JEEP

Practically Family
Messages
704
Location
Horsens, Denmark
Thanks, it's a 36 mm btw - I have another one on the way; a Swedish MK I army contract Omega 31 mm "officer" from 1939, also with an original black dial (lesser known and much rarer than the 40s two colour dial version):


PICT1876.jpg


PICT1877.jpg


PICT1879.jpg


PICT1882.jpg



I should have it sometime next week - I almost can't wait :)


/Jakob

Disclaimer: All my watches are kept in a safe (not that I suspect anyone here - but unfortunally a few danish watch-collectors have been burglarized after posting pictures of their collection on the Internet).
 

carebear

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,220
Location
Anchorage, AK
If I could get to Denmark, the safe would be an afterthought.

Mad skills, I have them.

I will content myself with admiring from afar. :D
 

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