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

[Vintage Betty]

I bought a vintage watch repair shop over the summer...what did you do?

Yes, I purchased the contents of a vintage watch repair shop over the summer!

I will have more pictures posted around the Lounge and will post links shortly. Here's the short story: I helped out that family with their house clearance, remember? Anyway, the father had a shop and used to repair watches and clocks. When I found this out, I said that I would like to buy any tools they were willing to sell me, as I'd like to learn watch repair for myself and also for a charity shop I volunteer at.

Watches top row, left to right: Westclox, with repair instruction tag; Etanche; Swank with incorrect band; Ultra-coll Lord Elgin with faux band that is really a 1960's strechy band; Middle row: Olivia with no band, Timex with ladies band; Hampden pocketwatch; Binson black leather band, NOS; unknown pocketwatch face with full gears; very cool Bulova, Westfield with missing second hand, and Longines, with a matching crystal and engraved faceplate ready to be installed (not shown).

After spending a week with the family, I was astounded at the generous offer I was given: two boxes with the contents of the shop, for the price of LESS than a single watch repair. So, I'm jazzed beyond belief. I hope to start studying watch repair next year. I'll post the tools and the cool deco clocks I received in another thread.

To see the ladies watches, click here and scroll down the page.

Here's the post of the tools, and additional photos to look at.

 

[John in Covina]

Best of luck with the watch repair studies!

 

[JEEP]

That looks like a great buy Betty.

These looks quite interesting;

Could you be persuaded into posting a bigger pic of them?

Work - and moving to another apartment - is killing me at the time being, but I just wanted to take the time to show my new early 40s Revue-Sport Royal, with original domed crystal:

Regards.

Jakob

 

[Vintage Betty]

Thank you John in Covina - I'm wondering if I bit off more than I can chew; as I've started looking over some parts manuals.

Wow - that's a gorgeous watch, Jakob. Thanks for the nice words!

Here's enlargements of the same photos. The second watch appears really cool, but I actually think it's a piece of junk. Will crack it open to see in the future.

 

[JEEP]

Nice Pieces. Are their movements still running?


Regards.

Jakob

 

[Vintage Betty]

Nice Pieces. Are their movements still running?


Regards.

Jakob

In general, no. None of the watches shown are working.

Vintage Betty

 

[Warbaby]

Yes, I purchased the contents of a vintage watch repair shop over the summer!

What a wonderful find! I think it's great that you're going to have a go at learning watch repair. Looks like a nice lot of tools and a good stock of watches to practice on. Big-time congrats!

Of course, now you're going to have to start haunting eBay for more tools and parts...

 

[JEEP]

I have just picked up two watches at my watch repairman, here is the first one:

A 1959/60 manual winding, cal. 610 movement, Omega Seamaster with a beautiful original "stardust" patinated black díal. This is one of the earlist 610's made.

Pics of the other watch soon (and I bet you will all love that one)


Regards.

Jakob

 

[JEEP]

Here's the second one; a 30's Art-Deco Elgin in gold-double, with original boz.

Here is how it looked when it arrived:

The crystal was cracked, and the band was absolutely horrible. I don't suspect is has been worn much. The cracked crystal and the patina on the dial suggests that is has been exposed to many many houers of direct sunlight, perhaps in a shop window. The sticker inside the box tells that the watch was originally bought from Vineburg Inc. in Englewood, New Jersey.

This is how the watch looks now, with a new crystal and a simple dark brown band:

The watch is, by modern standards, quite small; 25 mm. in diameter without crown. But with the right period attire it is absolutely wearable.


Regards.

Jakob

 

[Warbaby]

I've always preferred those smaller watches from the 20s and 30s because my wrists are fairly slim. My favorite from my collection is this Elgin - it's 23mm x 27mm, not counting the lugs.

 

[JEEP]

I've always preferred those smaller watches from the 20s and 30s because my wrists are fairly slim. My favorite from my collection is this Elgin - it's 23mm x 27mm, not counting the lugs.

Oooh - that is a beauty


Regards.

Jakob

 

[Warbaby]

Thanks, Jakob - that Elgin of yours is a real beauty as well! The band on mine came with it, and it's the most comfortable band I've ever worn - very smooth and flexible. It's made with gold-filled plates mounted on a fine stainless steel mesh with a very elegant clasp design. Here's a photo that shows the band a little more clearly:

I found this watch on eBay a couple of years ago. The photo was so badly out of focus that it was barely recognizable as a watch - but since it was an Elgin and the guy said it was running, I took a chance. Turned out that I was the only bidder and got it for his opening price - $5.99.

 

[Warbaby]

Here's another Elgin, even smaller - only 18mm x 23mm. It may have been originally intended as a ladies' watch, but the design is similar to men's watches of the time, so it could also have been a boy's watch. The band matches the watch's lugs so well that I think it may be the original band. Unfortunately, a couple of the springs in the band are weak or broken and I haven't found anyone who can repair it. I particularly like the blue crystal which I think may also be original.

 

[Talbot]

Very nice

Excellent watch. Glad your gamble paid off:eusa_clap

 

[JEEP]

That was some buy - sometimes one is just lucky. I have done the same thing with cufflinks and tiebars a few times, half of the times I got something really good.

I believe that the Elgin with the blue crystal is a ladies watch, not mainly because og the size (though that is a factor too), but because of the blue crystal - I have never seen a gents watch from that time with anything else than a clear crystal (maybe once a 40s watch with a orange crystal - but I believe that was a modern addition).


Regards.

Jakob

 

[Warbaby]

That was some buy - sometimes one is just lucky. I have done the same thing with cufflinks and tiebars a few times, half of the times I got something really good.

I believe that the Elgin with the blue crystal is a ladies watch, not mainly because og the size (though that is a factor too), but because of the blue crystal - I have never seen a gents watch from that time with anything else than a clear crystal (maybe once a 40s watch with a orange crystal - but I believe that was a modern addition).


Regards.

Jakob

I have fun taking chances on badly photographed or mis-described items on eBay if they go really cheap. I get lucky about half the times, too, maybe more.

You're probably right about the watch with the blue crystal. It was the first watch I ever saw with a colored crystal and I thought it was soo cool that I started buying colored watch crystals on eBay - but after acquiring several hundred without finding a single one that fit any of my watches I decided that I was not destined to become the King of Colored Crystals.

Anybody interested in some colored watch crystals...? [huh]

 

[Warbaby]

For Vintage Betty...

...and anyone else who might be interested.

There's a retired watch repairman in Tasmania that sells old watch parts, dials, movements and tools on eBay. Interesting stuff, usually at pretty good prices. He also sells vintage watches in various conditions, some running, some not, some just for parts. If you're into vintage watches, he's a resource worth watching. His eBay ID is berrymj6p0g.

 

[Talbot]

Thanks Warbaby

Good to know. This stuff can be hard to find when you need it, especially crystals for tank watches.

Couple of years back I was picking over a watch parts supplier. He had a large tray of NOS dials, 50's & 60's Omega's mostly. There would have been a hundred or so, wrapped in tissue and stacked in pill bottles. I asked him how much and he said he'd let me know.

I went back later in the day and they were gone. Someone had offered him $50

Still hurts

Talbot

 

[britishink]

1953 Longines :

Ventura copy : (I got it so cheap I couldn't say no, its new moc-croc band cost twice the price, and as I wear my watch on my right wrist the "point" of the case is in the right direction)

 

[Levallois]

My Hamilton "tank" -

My Speedmaster Moon ca. 1978 with Omega mesh bracelet -

I've got a late 1940s Rolex Oyster and Longines tank as well.