Watch strap material

LOL Yes mate, but at least if you buy watches wisely and look after them you can sell on at a higher or similar price, they are good assets which can be liquidated relatively rapidly if need be. One of my other collecting 'addictions' is cologne and that's plain wasteful!

Nick

 

Thanks!

Sad indeed Vicky, I'm not even usually a fan of the brand but that's a fantastic piece IMO, you can't beat a nice example from the 50s/60s, they're absolute classics! You should wear it more often, a lovely piece like that should be regularly enjoyed. I can't get ready to go out and not wear a watch nowadays, it would be like going out naked!

Nick

 

I have never worn a watch, had one given as presents on my 18th and 21st but never took them out of the box. Not wearing a watch comes in handy, when the Mrs asks what time I will be home from the pub, I have an excuse. She has got wise to that now and makes me take my mobile phone, just need to find a pub now that has a poor mobile reception.

 

Or the biggest watch strap you've ever seen

I were looking at another watch in a shop and it were a Tissot , I was also looking at some Baume & Mericier with the blue hands just very expensive and not wear it. I'll not be getting another watch anytime soon with how much the garden costing me. I've got a couple of watches one I've had for years a Citizen calibre 8700 two toned with the diamond bezels. And a Hamilton open heart like this one Jazzmaster Open Heart Auto | H32565735

 

I was going to say that but I didn't want you to think I was insinuating you were on the larger size.

 

As a complete idiot regarding watches, are all these expensive ones traditional ones or are they battery ones these days.

 

That Jazzmaster's a really nice piece Perki, I love Hamilton watches although I don't have one, they are at the same level as Tissot, brilliant quality Swiss watches for the price. This is my grail watch for the time being if we're talking new rather than vintage, I would love one in a few years but it's the same problem again, would I feel comfortable wearing it? I'm not sure...

SBGA211 | COLLECTIONS | Grand Seiko

Nick

 

Generally enthusiasts have collections mainly consisting of automatic and manual wind which are mechanical and don't need a battery, but most have a couple of quartz watches. You also have watches like the Grand Seiko Spring Drive I just posted which are actually a combination of both! It's fascinating to me to actually look at how these things are created and improved over time, it's ingenious! Another watch I'd love to add to my collection is a Bulova Accutron Spaceview, it was a very accurate battery-powered technology that sort of preceded quartz. All other types of watch beat (many mechanical ones almost imperceptibly, depending on the frequency of the mechanical movement) but only the Accutron and all GS Spring Drive models have a perfectly smooth sweep.

Nick

 

Such a sad end to a life, I would have loved to have a long chat with a watchmaker like him. I would thoroughly recommend wristwatches and horology as an area of interest/study, not that I'm the most knowledgeable person out there, but a lot of watches and clocks are just so intelligently put together! Perhaps an achievable purchase for me in a couple of years is the JLC Atmos clock, (one can get extremely nice second-hand examples for around £2500-3000) one that runs on changes in atmospheric temperature!

Nick



The Value Proposition: The Amazing, Incredible, And Semi-Affordable Atmos Clock From Jaeger-LeCoultre

 

There are very clever people out there, must admit its all beyond me how they make these things.

 

I know, right? I think I'm of about average intelligence most of the time, then I watch a video or read about something like that and realise I'm clearly mildly retarded! (well, I sometimes even wonder about the "mildly" bit, to be honest )

Nick

 

Not sure if anyone watches the "Repair Shop" programme.
They are all pretty good at what they do, but I particularly like watching the bloke who repairs clocks etc.
Just amazing how he can take one all apart, clean it and then put it back together.
I'm sure I would end up with a few bits left over after reassembly.

 

Apparently it's quite easy once you've learned what everything inside is and does. I'd like to think I have the patience to disassemble and reassemble one, but in reality I'm pretty sure I'd chuck it against the wall after about 10 minutes!

Nick