Not Had A Natter About Watches For A While

[Chris L 2,304]

I went to buy a watch, and the man in the shop said, 'Analogue.' I said, 'No, just a watch.'

[Guest Dolb]

Oris chronograph limited edition, rose gold and black rubber strap

Rado diastar la couple

[Guest dundeedavie]

[Chris L 2,304]

Very N I C E...................

[Chris L 2,304]

Original thread in archives so can't post on it. Just sold this for a friend.

What about this bewt....hhmmm.....donuts...........

[Chris L 2,304]

After a few years of trying to get a decent example managed to at last buy this Rotary watch, it's exactly the same as I got for my 21st birthday. I think I binned that one sometime in the early eighties

And here she is..............................

Me wearing it in July 1975

Also just bought this probably for resale, looks better than pic...........

[Dylan 588]

Down to one again an enzo mecana very pleased with it

[Chris L 2,304]

I have a Citizen automatic watch, it's about + - 15 years old and now sticks, works now and then but not 100%. Can you get these types of watches serviced at a reasonable price ? I scoured the internet but only found places that asked £150.00, I can buy a new one cheaper. Anybody got any experience ?

[Steve S 60 8,370]

I swear by Citizen Eco-Drives.  Got three at the moment.  Paid between £100 and £150 for each.  Keep good time, don't need winding up or have batteries that need changing regularly.  Just need a bit of light.

[Mr Smithy 455]

I do.
I bought a Mickey Mouse wind up for $8 in Times Square when I got here 30 odd years ago
and kept it going til about 5 years ago, probably paid 20 x that in repairs over the years.
Now I have a Timex wind up about 40 yrs old up that keeps banging away.

It's tricky to find someone to fix them now. Watchmaking schools are a thing of the past, so all that are left are a few old guys working from their living rooms. 10 years from now they'll all be gone, except the few high end places that sneer at you and only want to work on top o the liners and charge a mint for it.
When it goes, if I don't first, you can pick up one at yard estate sales for nowt and even if they aren't going
a squirt of oil and a shake usually does it and away you go. I'd like to think you could just go and get it fixed but it is non cost effective now. Shame, another lost art.
 

[Sweeney 285]

Given the amount of time it takes to disassemble, clean, lubricate, fault find (if needed) source new parts, add new parts, reassemble and test to a acceptable timekeeping specification and give a decent warranty I'd say £150 is a good deal. 

Edited March 25, 2015 by sweeney

[John Reed 837]

It costs about £500 to get a Rolex serviced and they recommend you get it done every 5/7 years.

[Zoomsoulblue 695]

It costs about £500 to get a Rolex serviced and they recommend you get it done every 5/7 years.

It also takes anywhere up to 4 months to get a Rolex serviced

[Zoomsoulblue 695]

It costs about £500 to get a Rolex serviced and they recommend you get it done every 5/7 years.

It also takes anywhere up to 4 months to get a Rolex serviced

[Sweeney 285]

It costs about £500 to get a Rolex serviced and they recommend you get it done every 5/7 years.

 

I recently asked an Omega Service Centre about a service for my 1958 Seamaster. Because it's considered a very old calibre they want £620 before they start. On top of that there's no guarantee that they have all the parts to fix it if it needs spares. A more recent Speedmaster Professional will cost me a mere £440 + parts by comparison.

 

Omega/The Swatch Group are also about to stop supplying spare parts of any type to non-accredited repairers meaning that if you've bought an Omega of any description in the last 150 years or so it more or less has to be sent back to Omega or one of their agents to be serviced or repaired at a rather inflated cost.

[MrsWoodsrules 2,423]

The high end market will always survive because it's a targeted luxury brand, but when you start talking about watches for a couple of hundred or less, I suspect that smart watches from the likes if Apple will kill em off in a decade or two, if they apply the technology ways that people, young people especially require, same thing applies to newspapers, these midrange to low end watches will be a thing of the past, or a least irrelevant in the not too distant future.

Edited March 25, 2015 by MrsWoodsrules

[Steve S 60 8,370]

I recently asked an Omega Service Centre about a service for my 1958 Seamaster. Because it's considered a very old calibre they want £620 before they start. On top of that there's no guarantee that they have all the parts to fix it if it needs spares. A more recent Speedmaster Professional will cost me a mere £440 + parts by comparison.

 

Omega/The Swatch Group are also about to stop supplying spare parts of any type to non-accredited repairers meaning that if you've bought an Omega of any description in the last 150 years or so it more or less has to be sent back to Omega or one of their agents to be serviced or repaired at a rather inflated cost.

 

That's interesting.  I've got a Seamaster Quartz that I bought back in 1982, tucked away in a drawer.  I believe it's in working order, just needs a new battery.  I think the last time I had the battery changed it cost me a quid on a market stall.

[Hornet 393]

I swear by Citizen Eco-Drives.  Got three at the moment.  Paid between £100 and £150 for each.  Keep good time, don't need winding up or have batteries that need changing regularly.  Just need a bit of light.

Bit heavy & bulky 4 my skinny wrists ! 

[Russoul1 536]

I also have a 1951 omega seamaster calendar with a black face, been thinking of selling it on as I don't wear it

and as above just stored in a drawer, but after hearing servicing costs I think that's made my mind up

 

anyone interested? open to trade for records lol

 

 

[Steve Lane 3,612]

I bought my Submariner 18 years ago in Amsterdam for 1800 Euros and it`s never been serviced. I can get it done for free when I get round to it, a nephews gf  offered to do it. I have an Eco-Drive, they`re brilliant.....and a few other auto watches.

I prefer the automatics....nice and chunky on the wrist.

[Dave Ward 594]

Discerning people will always want a mechanical watch, it's like owning a classic car or a white demo record, Rolex and Omega bought new, are so overpriced due to the overheads of plush jewellers shops, sponsorship of Wimbledon, F1 etc. I must admit, I love Swiss mechanical watches and can spot another watchophile from across the public bar, and a fake more easily. Christopher Ward (London) makes and sells fantastic watches with the same Swiss movements as the big boys, Well worth a look on-line if you want a real Swiss mechanical watch. This ain't an advert, just personal experience.

[Simon T 460]

Take the strap off, if not a metal one.  Get a suitable container i.e. glass or porcelain,  and put a little measure of paraffin in it. Take the back off the watch and suspend it a few centimetres above the container. Leave over night in a warm place. Put the watch somewhere warm and well ventilated to remove the excess paraffin residual. It will now be cleaner and lubricated.

[Chris L 2,304]

Take the strap off, if not a metal one.  Get a suitable container i.e. glass or porcelain,  and put a little measure of paraffin in it. Take the back off the watch and suspend it a few centimetres above the container. Leave over night in a warm place. Put the watch somewhere warm and well ventilated to remove the excess paraffin residual. It will now be cleaner and lubricated.

 

Thanks, good idea, need somehow to get the screw back off...........

[Chris L 2,304]

I recently asked an Omega Service Centre about a service for my 1958 Seamaster. Because it's considered a very old calibre they want £620 before they start. On top of that there's no guarantee that they have all the parts to fix it if it needs spares. A more recent Speedmaster Professional will cost me a mere £440 + parts by comparison. Omega/The Swatch Group are also about to stop supplying spare parts of any type to non-accredited repairers meaning that if you've bought an Omega of any description in the last 150 years or so it more or less has to be sent back to Omega or one of their agents to be serviced or repaired at a rather inflated cost.

 

I used to have an Omega Seamaster automatic, late 70s model, gave perfect time then one day it stopped and nothing I could do could get it started so I put it away and after 6 months took it out gave it a shake and it started working again perfectly. So I sold it

Edited March 25, 2015 by Chris L

[Chris L 2,304]

This is another one that didn't work properly then one day it just did, my current "top end watch" a super Pagol V30.

[Simon T 460]

Thanks, good idea, need somehow to get the screw back off...........

It's a years old technique , my father told me about it, and he was taught it 80 years ago!

Edited March 25, 2015 by simon t

[Chris L 2,304]

I know you can get mechanical watches repaired cheaply in India but you do need someone you can trust to do it for you. Someone from our factory who went there for 3 weeks got 2 watches repaired for about £15.00, it only took 2 days.

[Dave Ward 594]

If you are really into mech. watches, there are lots of forums on the internet. Most make Soul Source appear light-hearted by comparison, these guys live for dates, originality and price. They even post photo's of the watch they are wearing today.  It's worth a look, you may not be as anally retentive as you thought as you discussed the ink colour on the label of a Demo !

[Steve Lane 3,612]

It's a years old technique , my father told me about it, and he was taught it 80 years ago!

And? 

[Tattoodave 4,044]

I'm currently wearing a Jaeger LeCoultre Master Quartz as I had my Bulgari one stolen from the studio.  Usually wear a Timex water resistant automatic that I bought at a car boot still in it box for £2 or a gold Waltham International from the early 1950's.  I have a Russian chronograph watch too and a few others tucked away in drawers that haven't seen the light of day for years.

[Chris L 2,304]

I'm currently wearing a Jaeger LeCoultre Master Quartz as I had my Bulgari one stolen from the studio.  Usually wear a Timex water resistant automatic that I bought at a car boot still in it box for £2 or a gold Waltham International from the early 1950's.  I have a Russian chronograph watch too and a few others tucked away in drawers that haven't seen the light of day for years.

 

I used to have a Waltham but I couldn't resist selling it. I do have a couple of modern quartz Sekondas they work well, best quartz I have is a Sector, they are Swiss watches built in the far east. Most nice

[Dirk Tiggler 138]

For people who own automatics I really recommend keeping them on a watch winder when nor being worn. Never bothered with a service for my watch in 18 years and it still keeps good time. I put it down to the winder. Ade

[Chris L 2,304]

For people who own automatics I really recommend keeping them on a watch winder when nor being worn. Never bothered with a service for my watch in 18 years and it still keeps good time. I put it down to the winder. Ade

 

Could you post a picture of a "watch winder" never heard of one before ? Thanks

[Wicked 113]

Could you post a picture of a "watch winder" never heard of one before ? Thanks

I think Amazon sell them

[Chris L 2,304]

I think Amazon sell them

 

I just looked around the net, never knew they existed will get me one pronto

Edited March 26, 2015 by Chris L

[Mr Smithy 455]

Watch Winder?
I don't see what the big deal is to spending 2 mins with some wrist action every morning while you're listening to the news or something.
Almost the same as going to the gym.

[Steve Lane 3,612]

Could you post a picture of a "watch winder" never heard of one before ? Thanks

[Dirk Tiggler 138]

Could you post a picture of a "watch winder" never heard of one before ? Thanks

 

 

There she goes in the afternoon sunshine. If you don't wear the watch everyday, it's a worthwhile investment. Ade

[Dirk Tiggler 138]

Watch Winder?

I don't see what the big deal is to spending 2 mins with some wrist action every morning while you're listening to the news or something.

Almost the same as going to the gym.

 

Or watching 'Baywatch' or similar..    Ade

[Mr Smithy 455]

Or watching 'Baywatch' or similar..    Ade

[Chris L 2,304]

Picture.jpeg

 

 

There she goes in the afternoon sunshine. If you don't wear the watch everyday, it's a worthwhile investment. Ade

 Works on solar batteries or somesuchlike ?

[Dirk Tiggler 138]

 Works on solar batteries or somesuchlike ?

 

No just the mains electrics. Turns off and on for a series of variable cycles.

[Codfromderby 411]

ive got a seiko kinetic that winds up from the movement of your wrist, forgot to take it off one night and wore it to bed, when i looked at it in the morning it was 4 hours fast,

sorry couldnt resist !

[Mark B 243]

I have two an Oris and a tag monza luckily the lad who works with me his father in law is a watchmaker so all repairs servicing go to him at family rates. He serviced My wife's omega £25.00 can't complain before I knew him had my other tag serviced and new battery £225.00 total rip off. As it was sent to my mates father in law as he works for most of the manchester high end jewellers. Love the automatic watches but don't wear them enough.

Edited March 28, 2015 by mark b

[Chris L 2,304]

Probably the most reliable and intriguing watch I've ever owned is this one. A Competition II, US assembled from some Swiss parts, can't find any history on it or the manufacturer. Rumour says made by either Benrus or Waltham and given by Ford to good customers at races. I'm guessing late 70s or early 80s.

[Chris L 2,304]

I may regret this (if it needs any work or servicing, costs a bomb) but I really wanted to go get another Seamaster 

[Spook 256]

Omega Seamaster in Watch Winder ! 

Works on Battery or mains and has random cycles

[Chris L 2,304]

Just got me one of these crackers.................bullet, indestructible. Made in the Soviet Union days from old Swiss machinery, 30 jewels, ticking away quite nicely thank you...........

[Russoul1 536]

Quote

 

1951 omega seamaster with calendar

[Spook 256]

Bought my wife a new Rolex (date just 31) a month ago.

Worst thing was no Bl**dy discount just a free watch winder (£150)