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

[RockBottom]

The Old and the New

 

[Bama Mike]

Two great watches.

 

[David Conwill]

As this photo will painfully display, I have not yet mastered the macro settings on my camera:

The picture shows most of my vintage watch collection - a Helios "Precision"; an Aristo stopwatch; an unidentified French wristwatch; and a Bulova A-11. Everything but the stopwatch belonged to my grandfather in the '40s and '50s. The gold watch says "PACAF" on the front and has something about being the 1958 Senior Doubles Champions on the back.

Unfortunately, they're all a bit worse for the wear. The story of the Bulova has been related elsewhere. It's the closest to being repaired - so hopefully...

-Dave

 

[skyvue]

The wife and I spent a couple of chilly days down in Cape May, New Jersey, over the weekend and I picked up this watch at an antique store there. It's from 1930, white gold with black enamel accents and interesting etchings on the side, 17-jewel.

I like it a lot.

<BR>

 

[Feraud]

What an absolutely beautiful watch.

I am not sure if I have posted in this thread but here is one wrist and pocket watch.

This is my grandfather's Bulova.

A Waltham.

 

[Lucky Strike]

A modern one; I just ordered a custom version of this from http://www.mkiiwatches.com/

I love that the dials are "sterile", that is, logo-less. I'm slightly wary of the size, though, the "length" lug-to-lug is 48 and 50 mm respectively, which may be a lot on my puny wrist; the hands on mine will be orange (except the lume parts in the middle of them, and the seconds hand will have an orange tip). I also ordered a plain crown, without the line across the middle, and AR-coated glass.

It's an hommage to this US military diver:

 

[Lucky Strike]

What I wore today:

 

[bolthead]

Benrus.....

I have this "Benrus" that was given to me by my Grandfather before he passed away, He said it belonged to his Father. I have no idea how old it is, but it still keeps great time & has the original band yet. I love it & only wear it on special occasions.

Maybe some of the fellow loungers here can tell me more about it, that would be sweet.

 

[JEEP]

I have this "Benrus" that was given to me by my Grandfather before he passed away, He said it belonged to his Father. I have no idea how old it is, but it still keeps great time & has the original band yet. I love it & only wear it on special occasions.

Maybe some of the fellow loungers here can tell me more about it, that would be sweet.

Wow - that is true beauty in a watch! Something could be done to clean up the dial - but it may take away some of the charm and character of the watch. If you go to a watchmaker to have the dial cleaned up make sure to hit him hard if he starts using the word "re-dial"

I have these two Omegas on the way:

A 1938 gold watch; http://www.urforum.dk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5513 and a 1950 with original black dial (quite rare to see in such good condition); http://www.urforum.dk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4985


Regards.

Jakob

 

[bolthead]

If you go to a watchmaker to have the dial cleaned up make sure to hit him hard if he starts using the word "re-dial"

Jacob

What do you mean by this?

 

[MagistrateChris]

The right watch (settle a bet for us).

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...

 

[Josephine]

I agree with you. It's the treatment of the material of the band (and the watch itself) that makes it dressy or not. A metal band can be refined and dressy, or coarse and informal, and a leather band can be well tooled and dressy, or, again, coarse and informal.

Leather not dressy

metal dressy

 

[SamMarlowPI]

this is my everyday watch...casual and dress in my opinion:

 

[Tomasso]

The quintessential dress watch.

18k Yellow Gold on a Strap, White Dial with Black Roman Numerals, Hobnail Bezel, Diameter: 32mm, Thickness: 5.5mm.

The more size and features (seconds counter, date window, etc..)you add to a watch, the less dressy it becomes.

Generally speaking, straps are considered dressier than bracelets.

 

[Alon]

Oddly enough, this silver pocket watch is from the Soviet Union. It's in excellent condition and given that there are some plastic bits in the mechanism, I take it it's not very old.

The green is just a result of poor lighting. The design is of a rooster.

 

[CharlestonBows]

18k Yellow Gold on a Strap, White Dial with Black Roman Numerals, Hobnail Bezel, Diameter: 32mm, Thickness: 5.5mm.

The more size and features (seconds counter, date window, etc..)you add to a watch, the less dressy it becomes.

Generally speaking, straps are considered dressier than bracelets.

If you own that, Tomasso, I hate you forever. lol

Alligator or Crocodile straps?

 

[dakotanorth]

Watch of choice

I'm sticking with my Hamilton Ventura.
It has a LEATHER band too- a metal one would distract from the face and shape. Too many prominent features can cancel each other out.

 

[NonEntity]

The problem is that you have cast the issue in a win-lose form: One must be right and the other wrong for a satisfactory answer. I've noticed that many people in the legal field think that way.

First, there are various levels of dressy, and Tomasso's gorgeous Patek Philippe exemplifies the dressiest end of the spectrum. Second, there are many factors that, taken together, determine that level of dressiness, among them:

Bells & whistles, which Tomasso already mentioned; the fewer the dressier.

The composition of the case--synthetic, gold-tone pot metal, stainless steel, gold fill, gold and stainless, all gold, platinum.

The color of the face--black, blue, gold, white, etc.

The design and styling of the case--thin, medium-thick, chunky, conservative, modern, art deco, aviator, skin-diver, etc.

The style of numbers and/or markings on the face--hash marks, Roman numerals, etc.

The bezel--if it has some nomenclature and how prominent and how ornate.

The band--metal, animal hide, fabric, or synthetic material, and this category further broken down into

what kind (stainless, gold, calfskin, alligator-embossed leather, authentic alligator, linen, plastic, etc.)

How many different colors in it (gold only, gold & stainless, solid-color lizard, brown leather with tan stitching, etc.)

And how plain or ornate the band is.

Finally, prestige plays a role. Everything else being equal, a Patek Philippe would be dressier than your "fine Tissot."

You say, "I believe that a watch is dressy based upon the apperance (sic) of the watch, its design, rather than its materials," while your friend "argues that a metal band is meant for durability, not apperance (sic), and that a leather band is far more 'dressy' than a metal band." It's interesting that you've stated your position here in a rather broad, lot-of-wiggle-room way to in contrast to characterizing his standpoint as strictly either-or. That gives you an unfair advantage. I've noticed many people in the legal field do that.

Does it matter that the watch is reliable and keeps good time? I've noticed that people in the legal field often become so wrapped up in winning the argument that they lose sight of the big picture.

It's time for me to go to bed. Goodnight.

 

[JEEP]

If you go to a watchmaker to have the dial cleaned up make sure to hit him hard if he starts using the word "re-dial"

Jacob

What do you mean by this?

Re-dialing a watch means replacing the original dial with a new one (mostly a reproduction of the original). It is done on vintage watches with broken/damaged dials and sometimes, by not so honest watch repairmen, in order to make the watch seem in better shape than it is (thus making it more worth to collectors). It would be a great shame to ruin a beautiful vintage watch like yours by replacing the dial.


Regards.

Jakob

 

[dr greg]

for courses

I always thought a dress watch was one that was not robust enough to wear when brawling with villains on a speedboat or such like. My GP Gyromatic is such a watch, I would only wear it socially and never when any physical activity is possible. Just as one does not take a town car down a stony track in the desert.