got a question regarding wristwatches

[yamahonkawazuki]

i picked these up on ebay to resell. hte one without hte pin on it is a 1963 model, hte one with pin is a 64. now in the shop when i had units like these. id use a black band on stainless watches, and a brown band ( leather) on gold cases. see my predicament?, thiswatch has a SS body but a gold tone face. i put a brown band out of one of my other watches on it to wear and test for a few days, but it looks odd. so if this was you what would you do? if i go with a leather band. i was thinking black band BUT swapping out the SS buckles for gold tone ones. OR if i can find one at  a decent price, a stainless polished band with gold inserts. opinions?

[yamahonkawazuki]

kicking myself in the ass as well over somethign that happened over a year back. was offered a rolex submariner ( real) minus the crown. for 500 i had the money at the time. i should have jumped on it. he put it on ebay. it brought 1600 as the saying goes, " c'est la vie " 

[bill14224]

Yama, wristwatches are obsolete like the 8-track tape.  I haven't worn a watch since Reagan was president.  Almost everything I own tells me what time it is, especially my cell phone.  Re-think your business options.  Not trying to tick you off, (no pun intended) I'm trying to stop a friend from wasting money.  I suggest you dump whatever you have right now for whatever you can get before the stragglers wise-up.

I can relate.  Although I didn't buy them to make money later, I have a substantial collection of very well-made Japanese 35mm cameras.  They are mechanical works of art, but they are almost worthless.  Wristwatches are now in the same category.

[yamahonkawazuki]

still a substantial market for wristwatches though. not everyone carries a phone

[spc]

The 'low' end watch market has taken a beating.  Seiko and Citizen come to mind, both are struggling right now and both offer the majority of watches in the sub $500 range.

OTOH, mid and high end watches are still doing quite nicely.  Sinn comes to mind, they're a solid mid-range watch with used models as low as $600-700, but new models up to several thousand $ and their sales are booming.  Rolex sales are fairly steady, but they've had fairly steady sales for a very long time (decades). 

Watches are still very relevant, but mostly as a symbol of status. I prefer mine to be unique rather than flashy.  I recently sold my datejust and have since been wearing my 1942 Rolex Oyster Essex fairly regularly.  Most watch shop have never even seen one, it's a neat little watch that gets attention despite it's plain appearance.

ATS, I suspect there's a Sinn U2 in my near future if I can stop spending $$ on Scotch, Art and Guns...

[yamahonkawazuki]

The 'low' end watch market has taken a beating.  Seiko and Citizen come to mind, both are struggling right now and both offer the majority of watches in the sub $500 range.

OTOH, mid and high end watches are still doing quite nicely.  Sinn comes to mind, they're a solid mid-range watch with used models as low as $600-700, but new models up to several thousand $ and their sales are booming.  Rolex sales are fairly steady, but they've had fairly steady sales for a very long time (decades). 

Watches are still very relevant, but mostly as a symbol of status. I prefer mine to be unique rather than flashy.  I recently sold my datejust and have since been wearing my 1942 Rolex Oyster Essex fairly regularly.  Most watch shop have never even seen one, it's a neat little watch that gets attention despite it's plain appearance.

ATS, I suspect there's a Sinn U2 in my near future if I can stop spending $$ on Scotch, Art and Guns...

saw a rolex silver case on ebay as a project, i wanted it. but money is tight. i passed on a breitling chronograph, 18k gold case which sold for 299 signed movt and all. i have the training as a jeweler. to repair the crack on teh case. , but alas, money again lol. so i grabbed the 10.89 cent stash from israel. had 1.58 tied up in each one. sold a seiko out of the batch for 10,sold the swatch irony chronograph. for 42 plus shipping. which funded this purchase. yes i agree watches as NEEDED tools are pretty much done. now htey are mostly status symbols. but thats ok. those ppl ar ethe ones i make  most of my money from.

[XLAR8]

Yama, wristwatches are obsolete like the 8-track tape.  I haven't worn a watch since Reagan was president.  Almost everything I own tells me what time it is, especially my cell phone.  Re-think your business options.  Not trying to tick you off, (no pun intended) I'm trying to stop a friend from wasting money.  I suggest you dump whatever you have right now for whatever you can get before the stragglers wise-up.

I can relate.  Although I didn't buy them to make money later, I have a substantial collection of very well-made Japanese 35mm cameras.  They are mechanical works of art, but they are almost worthless.  Wristwatches are now in the same category.

come Australia, everyone has a mobile fone and no one has a wristwatch.

my friends wife is a primary school teacher and at the school they did a mobile count of the students, every kid  had a fone.

[yamahonkawazuki]

Yama, wristwatches are obsolete like the 8-track tape.  I haven't worn a watch since Reagan was president.  Almost everything I own tells me what time it is, especially my cell phone.  Re-think your business options.  Not trying to tick you off, (no pun intended) I'm trying to stop a friend from wasting money.  I suggest you dump whatever you have right now for whatever you can get before the stragglers wise-up.

I can relate.  Although I didn't buy them to make money later, I have a substantial collection of very well-made Japanese 35mm cameras.  They are mechanical works of art, but they are almost worthless.  Wristwatches are now in the same category.

come Australia, everyone has a mobile fone and no one has a wristwatch.

my friends wife is a primary school teacher and at the school they did a mobile count of the students, every kid  had a fone.
[/quote the market for watches is still quite strong.  have no intention of stopping. even if people stop in heir entiretyl there are still collectors. not many of which can overhaul them if needed

[yamahonkawazuki]

still trying to id this thing. case is 14k. movt is mint. my book has some similar but not quite. and valued this roughly low end at 2k. am leery about sending it out for appraisal. . father needs to rasise funds. we all are. to finish paying probate lawyer off to get the homes sold and on with our lives. lol.  any idea where i can look for ideas?, terry you know of any watchmakers forums? i know youre into watches. as am i. and pablo you as well. can you recommend anyone?

[spc]

Not a lot, that I know of, in the way of watchmaker forums, just a bunch of brand specific collector forums.
Are there any markings on the movement?  Case maker is usually irrelevant with pocket watches as they're simple to make and early 20th century, everyone was making them.  Though any case marking might provide a clue  is it '14k' or the old euro standard 3 digit (guess it'd be 625 or so??) 

[yamahonkawazuki]

Not a lot, that I know of, in the way of watchmaker forums, just a bunch of brand specific collector forums.
Are there any markings on the movement?  Case maker is usually irrelevant with pocket watches as they're simple to make and early 20th century, everyone was making them.  Though any case marking might provide a clue  is it '14k' or the old euro standard 3 digit (guess it'd be 625 or so??) 

my GGF was a german national, who was an english sea captain. this was his watch. there are no markings on the movt at all. ive researched hte books and sites on pocket watch movts too. one was close. it was the 3 digit number regarding the gold content. after getting it runnign. it had been wound tight a few years back, i had got it running. i overhauled it. ( and had it inspected by a horologist colleague of mine. she has no idea on the movt either. but hte gold content sans crystal is an ounce and a half roughly. some sasy watch usage is dead. ill agree to that. BUT there are collectors out there. who will always need someone to work on them. and i can do this while my health mends. and persue SSI. if obama gets his hands out of my pockets lol. anyhoo i digress, best i can date it is EARLY 20th century. i remember my grandmother talking about this watch was wondering where it was. said her father. got it when he left the UK and came to NY. was expensive then. had it made. i found it in the vault in teh home. and got it running and cleaned. although really didnt need cleaning at all. realy not even a speck of dust. the lubrication was just a standard thign to do.

[cbrfxr67]

I know some guys that wear impressive watches, but I got about as much interest in Harleys: Zero.  To each his own though!

[yamahonkawazuki]

I know some guys that wear impressive watches, but I got about as much interest in Harleys: Zero.  To each his own though!

ive got zero interest in many japanese bikes too. but ehh if hteyre out there, will need to be serviced. they will always be out there. relaly no practical need for them anymore like days past. but still being worn. some places i cant have a phone out. my watch does the job when needed

[spc]

I know some guys that wear impressive watches, but I got about as much interest in Harleys: Zero.  To each his own though!

It's funny, I have a friendly acquaintance who daily wears a ~$70k Patek Phillipe and he has absolutely no interest in a GS500!!!

I've railed on similar topics before so I'll just leave these parting words:
Mediocrity is the opiate of the masses.  Why are you content?

Yama:  there's a very good watchmaker on island (bulova purchased a movement design from him IIRC) whom I sure could shed some light on the origin of your watch.  Given that one could easily spot $1,000,000 in inventory upon arriving in his small shop, I'd expect him to be trustworthy with your watch and I believe he does consignment.  I'd be glad to dig up the info if you're interested, he's who I use to service my now slightly depleted collection (just the '42 Rolex and the Glycine   )

[The Buddha]

A watch is so much cooler than a cell phone not to mention more convenient for checking time. What do you do when you are on the bloody phone like the teenagers these days are.
BTW people who say watches are obsolete are the same people that say "Records (LP's) are so yesterday" They need to hear one on a system that lets you tell the difference between Madonna and megadeth, and they will go, Owwwww he says "the answer my friends is blowing in the wind ... Not "the ants are my friends blowing in the wind" aaaaah. It takes getting used to, but a nice watch is absolutely cool. Heck I am not even brand loyal or even insistent it has to be a mega buck swiss some or other. A good seiko like the one sen7ty7 gave me is fantastic.

Cool.
Buddha.

[yamahonkawazuki]

A watch is so much cooler than a cell phone not to mention more convenient for checking time. What do you do when you are on the bloody phone like the teenagers these days are.
BTW people who say watches are obsolete are the same people that say "Records (LP's) are so yesterday" They need to hear one on a system that lets you tell the difference between Madonna and megadeth, and they will go, Owwwww he says "the answer my friends is blowing in the wind ... Not "the ants are my friends blowing in the wind" aaaaah. It takes getting used to, but a nice watch is absolutely cool. Heck I am not even brand loyal or even insistent it has to be a mega buck swiss some or other. A good seiko like the one sen7ty7 gave me is fantastic.

Cool.
Buddha.

agreed buddha agreed. and terry yes. lmk via pm or whatnot. how i can get ahold of him

[jserio]

I tried on a watch the other day. Couln't tell you the maker. It was in a sports store and was a team logo watch so I can't imagine it being too fancy. Anyhow. It just looked gaudy on my wrist if that makes sense. I've got smallish wrists/hands so pretty much all mens watches look clownish on me it seems.  And of course, women's watches are, well, lady-like.

[yamahonkawazuki]

I tried on a watch the other day. Couln't tell you the maker. It was in a sports store and was a team logo watch so I can't imagine it being too fancy. Anyhow. It just looked gaudy on my wrist if that makes sense. I've got smallish wrists/hands so pretty much all mens watches look clownish on me it seems.  And of course, women's watches are, well, lady-like.

im rehabbing a gucci. labeled unisex. doesnt look lady or man like. wore my moms tag heuer alter ego. before lack of money forced its sale 

[yamahonkawazuki]

digging through my stash today:

need to service this one further. and that reactor vessel bearing is NOT radioactive lol
one on right was a fakebreitling. eventually i want a real one. but not that large. same size as OEM too large for me
one of hte two caravelles i have on ebay. this one is a 1963
perfect size although a bit smallish  on me. but close enough
the questionable gucci i have a legit one. but this one hte body is real, the movement is a miyota though. not a gucci ETA
those 2 invictas are my ideal size. around 36-38mm

[jserio]

A unisex watch eh? I would like to find a smaller sized watch that doesn't look girly you know? I have to say though, I'm not looking so spend in the $500 range. I'm thinking more along the lines of less than a single bill. Or close to it. And yet have something that will last me for a awhile. ( i know, cue the whole, you get what you pay for speech)