love for wrist watches old and new
I have probably since I was about 18 or so loved watches. My dad is an avid collector of vintage timepieces. I got my first watch from him a Cortebert WWII officers watch. I still have it and it is still running with help from a talented overseas watchmaker. This old watch tics and tocs and makes as much noise as an old tractor. I guess that is what I like about the old timepieces. Hearing the ticking of the movement and knowing all those tiny little pieces are wurring wit such precision. I have added several items to my collection since then. Not anything really al that earth shattering to people that collect high end vintage pieces, however I enjoy the ones i have acquired over the years. My First one after the gift of the Cortebert my dad gave me was a 1970's model Omega Constellation which I found in a local pawn shop. I was in nice shape. Some aging on the dial but no spots or any real blemishes. I think I paid $200 for it and then another $75 to get it cleaned. I have had that one for 10 years now and used to wear it all the time. It has been a great watch. I then found that hunting on the net for vintage watches was easier then locally trying to find stuff. I bought another Omega. I must admit the new Omega's don’t do much for me but the older watches they made are just so classic looking that they always draw my attention. Anyways this time I got a Omega Seamaster from the mid 50's or so its not gold plated but capped. This one currently needs a cleaning it hasn’t been keeping proper time. I guess that’s why everyone wear quartz or why they became so popular, $5 and you have the battery replace and your good to go where a cleaning for a wrist watches with mechanical movements will run you $50 and up.
My next piece was a watch my dad once again passed on to me it is a Dreffa chronograph made from 18K rode gold. made around WWII this has become one of my favorites. It a Swiss movement chrono and keeps accurate time. I think I have had this watch for 7 years now and never had it cleaned and it is still going strong and keeps accurate time. I like the black dial on this watch which is in perfect shape. One of the things I would like to get my hands on is an old Rolex I have seen some from the 1920's made from silver and man do I want one of those babies bad. Maybe one day I will have the cash to acquire one of those. Anyways there are just so many nice ones out there and there are more and more vintage watch sites on the web that have a great selection and most are reasonable. One watch that has fascinated me for sometime that I do not currently have is the old Bulova accutron space view. It is such a nice historical piece from the mechanical watches to the more modern quartz movement. This one was not a quartz however it had a tuning fork movement and was battery powered. I think last time I looked those went for around $300-$500 for one in good shape. I want a stainless steel version of that model. I was lucky enough to get the new version of this timepiece. Bulova a few years ago decided to come out with the Spaceview II which was a modern oscillating type movement that was self powered no need for battery changes and has a clear face so you can see its guts. this one is still in the box and I don’t think I will ever wear. It s a nice item that did not have a high production. But still the old spaceview is still on the wish list. I also actually got a nice Jaeger LeCoultre a few years back from a client. It was her husbands and hasn’t worked in years. He is an older gentleman in his 90's and she never had it fixed because she told me he cant remember to wind it. That one I got for free and It was not working at the time. I took it and had it repaired fro around $75 it needed a new spring. I found it interesting that the watchmaker I took it too told me that it had a high-grade movement in it and was worth $700 or so. This is a really understated plain looking watch so I wouldn’t have thought it. I guess that one is a sleeper. I have herd of this with old pocket watches where the person couldn’t afford a real fancy case but would spring for a precision movement. I guess same thing happened here. This is a small faced wrist watch from around 1930. Ok tha does it for now. I will try and make some pictures of my collection so anyone visiting this blog can see them
My next piece was a watch my dad once again passed on to me it is a Dreffa chronograph made from 18K rode gold. made around WWII this has become one of my favorites. It a Swiss movement chrono and keeps accurate time. I think I have had this watch for 7 years now and never had it cleaned and it is still going strong and keeps accurate time. I like the black dial on this watch which is in perfect shape. One of the things I would like to get my hands on is an old Rolex I have seen some from the 1920's made from silver and man do I want one of those babies bad. Maybe one day I will have the cash to acquire one of those. Anyways there are just so many nice ones out there and there are more and more vintage watch sites on the web that have a great selection and most are reasonable. One watch that has fascinated me for sometime that I do not currently have is the old Bulova accutron space view. It is such a nice historical piece from the mechanical watches to the more modern quartz movement. This one was not a quartz however it had a tuning fork movement and was battery powered. I think last time I looked those went for around $300-$500 for one in good shape. I want a stainless steel version of that model. I was lucky enough to get the new version of this timepiece. Bulova a few years ago decided to come out with the Spaceview II which was a modern oscillating type movement that was self powered no need for battery changes and has a clear face so you can see its guts. this one is still in the box and I don’t think I will ever wear. It s a nice item that did not have a high production. But still the old spaceview is still on the wish list. I also actually got a nice Jaeger LeCoultre a few years back from a client. It was her husbands and hasn’t worked in years. He is an older gentleman in his 90's and she never had it fixed because she told me he cant remember to wind it. That one I got for free and It was not working at the time. I took it and had it repaired fro around $75 it needed a new spring. I found it interesting that the watchmaker I took it too told me that it had a high-grade movement in it and was worth $700 or so. This is a really understated plain looking watch so I wouldn’t have thought it. I guess that one is a sleeper. I have herd of this with old pocket watches where the person couldn’t afford a real fancy case but would spring for a precision movement. I guess same thing happened here. This is a small faced wrist watch from around 1930. Ok tha does it for now. I will try and make some pictures of my collection so anyone visiting this blog can see them
posted by Father Time at 5:20 AM
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