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

Talbot

One Too Many
Messages
1,855
Location
Melbourne Australia
/|\ said:
I still have my Timex automatic I got when I was about ten. Unfortunately, it no longer ticks. I took it to a jeweler and he said, 'This watch never run again!' I'll bet it could, if a watchmaker wanted to make it run. i believe it needs a new mainspring.

QUOTE]

A mate of mine with a non running early 50's Hamilton was told that. I took it my specialist watchmaker and he fixed it for $35!

T
 

HHISIII

One of the Regulars
Messages
196
Location
Hilton Head, SC
The place I've been checking out has a '52 Oyster Royal in stainless that is very sharp and within budget. They've got a couple of Oyster dates in my range as well...
 

Talbot

One Too Many
Messages
1,855
Location
Melbourne Australia
HHISIII said:
The place I've been checking out has a '52 Oyster Royal in stainless that is very sharp and within budget. They've got a couple of Oyster dates in my range as well...

Thats good news right there...

With or without bracelet? I have a leather strap on an early 50's Super Oyster which is my current favourite. Had a job finding a stainless Rolex buckle, however it finishes it off nicely. I have an Explorer I and a Datejust on bracelets. Leather straps are nice for the office sometimes.

If you have an independant watch guy, have him check anything out you get as well. There's lots of things to check for.
 

HHISIII

One of the Regulars
Messages
196
Location
Hilton Head, SC
Just a leather strap which is what I'm actually looking for anyway. I'm not sure if the buckle is Rolex or not. If not, I will have to find an authentic piece rather quickly.
 

Talbot

One Too Many
Messages
1,855
Location
Melbourne Australia
There are a few on ebay at the moment, so you shouldn't have too much trouble.

I'm not sure about dating and styles for the buckles over the years, howver all the ones I have seen look pretty similar.

T
 
/|\ said:
I still have my Timex automatic I got when I was about ten. Unfortunately, it no longer ticks. I took it to a jeweler and he said, 'This watch never run again!' I'll bet it could, if a watchmaker wanted to make it run. i believe it needs a new mainspring.


I think what the watchmaker meant was that the watch really isn't worth fixing when you consider how much the watch is worth. My friend brought one to a watchmaker and he told him the same thing as the quality of those watches was not even near high quality. They were meant to be throw away watches.[huh] They have no jewels and they get sloppy with age. My watchmaker could do it but he would not guarantee its accuracy because of this. Put that together with the fact that parts aren't exactly everywhere and he would have to take parts for another junker movement and it becomes more costly than it is worth.
Your best bet would be to simply find another running movement of the same type and size and switch them out. [huh]
 

/|\

One of the Regulars
Messages
169
Location
Birch Bay
He may have meant 'It isn't worth fixing', rather than 'It cannot be fixed'. His English is rather poor, and I don't speak Vietnamese (well, except for the food, of course! :D ). It was a cheap watch back in the '70s (who would buy an expensive watch for a ten-year-old?), but it was my first watch. I'd like to have it running just for nostalgia. Oh, and it never did keep good time.
 
/|\ said:
He may have meant 'It isn't worth fixing', rather than 'It cannot be fixed'. His English is rather poor, and I don't speak Vietnamese (well, except for the food, of course! :D ). It was a cheap watch back in the '70s (who would buy an expensive watch for a ten-year-old?), but it was my first watch. I'd like to have it running just for nostalgia. Oh, and it never did keep good time.

I have had a few that actually did keep decent time but those were some that actually had jewels in them. They made some women's watches with jewels that last a while--my wife has a few.
I still say find a running movement on eBay and swap them. They are pretty cheap to buy. I'll look through my stuff and see if I have one. I probably have one lying around here somewhere. [huh]
My son has my old Snoopy watch and it still runs. I am not sure who made it but the denium band wore out before it did. It keeps decent time as well. I never opened it to see who made it. As long as it runs---fine. ;) A new $9 leather band and it was ready for the next generation. lol
 

HHISIII

One of the Regulars
Messages
196
Location
Hilton Head, SC
Talbot said:
There are a few on ebay at the moment, so you shouldn't have too much trouble.

I'm not sure about dating and styles for the buckles over the years, howver all the ones I have seen look pretty similar.

T
I took a look at that right after posting last night. It looks like $20-30 is the going price in a few variations. I should be able to find something satisfactory if the watch doesn't have an authentic piece.
I need to fix my rover before I drop the cash, but I'm 99% sure that worst case on that is ~$400 so it shouldn't pose an issue.
 

HHISIII

One of the Regulars
Messages
196
Location
Hilton Head, SC
I went with something well inside my budget and it was also a watch that caught my eye from the start. It's a Rolex Oyster Essex, not sure of the production date, but it's certainly not from my lifetime. I'm sending my PMO off tomorrow.
rolex.jpg
 

HHISIII

One of the Regulars
Messages
196
Location
Hilton Head, SC
On top of it being a sharp little watch, I saved enough $$$ that I'm going to buy another pair of a. testoni's and another Dunhill with the savings :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 

randooch

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,869
Location
Ukiah, California
Can I get some advice?

I'm hoping you knowledgeable watch enthusiasts can help me out here. I have 2 watches that I'm considering trying to sell on Ebay, and I'd like to have an idea of their value before doing so. I can't find anything like either one to compare.

The Nike watch says "1500 Professional 200 Meters" on the face, and has "No. 2000" on the back. It has a glowing face after being in the sun. No idea of the age.

The Seiko Lasalle I bought for $400 back in the early 80's and wore very little. It has, I recall, what they called a "synthetic sapphire" crystal, and a two-toned gold on silver bezel.

Both have dead batteries.

So, any ideas? Thanks so much!

100_1647.jpg
 

HHISIII

One of the Regulars
Messages
196
Location
Hilton Head, SC
Well, I sent my payment for the Rolex off today via USPS express and he should have it tomorrow before noon. He says he'll ship same day if he gets it before noon, so I should have it when I go out this weekend.
 

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