Watch Collectors/Fanatics

[mr50bmg]

Not much to show here, just my Omega Speedmaster (manual wind), a Seiko Diver, and TAG Heuer 2000 Chronograph.

I love the orange dial on the Seiko. It uses the caliber 7S26 movement, which, although it's roughly finished and looks like pot-metal, it is very rugged and accurate. It's also very efficient in that the rotor winds in both directions. Interestingly, this is the only automatic movement I know of that cannot be hand wound from the stem: it has to be wound by motion of the watch only.

-Dave

[DVR]

My watches are :

Rolex Submariner date SS

Rolex Turn-o-graph WG/SS

Rolex Yachtmaster PL/SS

Rolex Daytona SS Black face

Rolex Explorer II White face

Jaeger Le Coultre Master Compressor Geographic

Sold :

Breitling Chronomat Blue Angels

Breitling Chronomat GMT

AP Royal Oak Off Shore

[fmxa]

Funny, I recall at the 2005 "Christmas Fishup" nearly everyone there was wearing an Omega of one sort or another!

[Sunbeam Fanatic]

Funny, I recall at the 2005 "Christmas Fishup" nearly everyone there was wearing an Omega of one sort or another!

What on earth was the "Christmas Fishup"????????

Cheers,

S.

p.s. Yaaaay, just bought a TAG Monaco!

[fmxa]

See http://www.glcforum.com/esprit/forums/inde...?showtopic=1938 for details!!!

What on earth was the "Christmas Fishup"????????

Cheers,

S.

p.s. Yaaaay, just bought a TAG Monaco!

[spoonito]

Wow... That's quite a collection. What attracted you to Rolex if you don't mind me asking? Me, I would't say I'm brand loyal. I find something that I like and research it. If it can keep me interested then I'll most likely pick it up. I actually just picked up another watch by Kobold. I got the Spirit of America. It is actually commissioned for the 9-11 attacks.

"The watch was commissioned to pay tribute to the spirit of a country that has had to overcome great obstacles in its relatively short history. In observance of the 5th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Kobold auctioned off a number of celebrity-worn pre-production Spirit of America wristwatches worn by actors James Gandolfini and Gary Sinise, architect Daniel Libeskind, explorers Will Cross and Sir Ranulph Fiennes, and pop-artist Burton Morris. The proceeds benefited the United Service Organization of New York City."

Since I ordered it so late, I won't actually get it until March. So add this to my current collection:

Panerai - PAM183 Radiomir "Black Seal"

Kobold - Spirit of America

Tag Heuer - Carrera Chronograph

Gucci - 9040M (Don't remember the model name)

My watches are :

Rolex Submariner date SS

Rolex Turn-o-graph WG/SS

Rolex Yachtmaster PL/SS

Rolex Daytona SS Black face

Rolex Explorer II White face

Jaeger Le Coultre Master Compressor Geographic

Sold :

Breitling Chronomat Blue Angels

Breitling Chronomat GMT

AP Royal Oak Off Shore

Edited January 1, 2007 by spoonito

[Dan]

Chaps - I'm working on a much lesser budget for my time pieces, but I do like mechanical watches. I find quartz watches so dull, and far more appreciate having a ticking, clicking, springing machine in miniature on my wrist!

First up is my Poljot Aviator... I was oddly drawn to these as appearing to be the best of the Soviet mechanical watches; although that might not appear to be a great recommendation given other Soviet-era 'engineering'. Mine has however proven to be reliable and accurate to within about 5 seconds a week.

It appears that Poljot bought up a lot of old Swiss tooling in the 1940's and claim to have steadily developed from there. Mine has a glass back and although the mechanism is not overly ornate, it is fascinating to watch the innards at work.

I have to admit that I admired my friend's Rolex Submariner for ages, but couldn't contemplate one at the price. By chance I found a Seiko with very similar styling, and of course a mechanical automatic movement, and after a bit of price-comparison I ended up ordering one from Skywatch in Singapore, who provided a swift and professional service:

It's pleasingly chunky, and so easy to read the high-contrast face. It gains a couple of minutes a week but I've had it a while and it's due a service so I'll ask them to adjust it when it goes in for that.

My daily watch is an old Seiko Kinetic that I've had for 11 or 12 years now. Quartz with a mechanical power source, of course, and predictably accurate. It's nice, but not as interesting as the other two

Sorry if these are a bit pedestrian compared to the other stuff discussed before, but as I said I like mechanical watches but can't budget for the pricey ones!

[esprit350]

I find it hard to understand why anyone would want to spend a fortune on a watch, Swatch make excellent time pieces for less than a full tank of fuel,,, I have one with a chip in it that will act as a ski pass in certain ski resorts, pay your money , program watch and then just hold near turnstile and it opens no fumbling for a swipe card...

[Paul C]

It appears that Poljot bought up a lot of old Swiss tooling in the 1940's and claim to have steadily developed from there. Mine has a glass back and although the mechanism is not overly ornate, it is fascinating to watch the innards at work.

Quite correct! The watch you picture has a russian made version of the world famous Valjoux 7734

manual wind movement. You will find the same movement in some 60's/70's Breitlings and Heuers

that sell for around

[Paul C]

I find it hard to understand why anyone would want to spend a fortune on a watch,

Swatch make excellent time pieces for less than a full tank of fuel...

See also: "I find it hard to understand why anyone would want to spend a fortune on a car..."

"A car just gets you from A-B, and anyway the limit is 70mph so whats the point in a 170mph car,

and the insurance costs more, and the tax costs more, and the parts cost more, and the etc..."

...is just as true as "A watch is just for telling the time".

I can't argue that at all. I refer now to one of my favorite

Oscar Wilde quotes (from the Preface of Dorian Gray).

We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it.

The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensly...

[Dan]

Quite correct! The watch you picture has a russian made version of the world famous Valjoux 7734

manual wind movement. You will find the same movement in some 60's/70's Breitlings and Heuers

that sell for around

[Paul C]

Off work stil and TBH i 'little' bit bored, Roads are wet and i'd not

waste the Esprit on daytime traffic anyway, the pub however is open

soon so i might venture outside, it's that or take down the tree...

Anyhow, here's some of my Omega Chronographs, Shrunk for easy

forum viewing from L-R going down they are (with Model, movement

type and make, and era):

Speedmaster Professional 'Moon' Watch, Manual wind Lemania, c 90's

Speedmaster Professional Mark II, Automatic wind lemania, c 70's

Speedmaster Professional Mark III, Automatic wind lemania, c 70's

Speedmaster Mark IV cased 1045, Automatic wind lemania, c 80's

Speedmaster TV dial cased 1045, Automatic wind lemania, c 80's

Seamaster Chronograph, Manual wind Lemania, c 70's

Seamaster Chronograph, Gold plate, Automatic wind lemania, c 70's

Seamaster Chronograph, Gold plate, Automatic wind lemania, c 70's

Seamaster Professional Chronograph, Automatic wind Valjoux, c 90's

Flightmaster Pilots GMT Chronograph, manual wind lemania, c 60's

I wound all of them and arranged the hands for best photos, never had

so many watches running before at one time, what a racket! one day i'll

wind all of them up to see what its like...

[mr50bmg]

Very nice watches here!

It's pleasingly chunky, and so easy to read the high-contrast face. It gains a couple of minutes a week but I've had it a while and it's due a service so I'll ask them to adjust it when it goes in for that.

When (if) you take it off at night, try placing it in a different position for a series of nights (e.g. crown up, crown down, face down, face up); that may affect the rate it gains or loses. Even so, a couple minutes a week is nothing to worry about. A watch that is consistent in its gain or loss is easier to regulate than one which is erratic.

-Dave

[Dan]

Very nice watches here!

When (if) you take it off at night, try placing it in a different position for a series of nights (e.g. crown up, crown down, face down, face up); that may affect the rate it gains or loses. Even so, a couple minutes a week is nothing to worry about. A watch that is consistent in its gain or loss is easier to regulate than one which is erratic.

-Dave

Cheers Dave - I'll try that as it normally sits face up when not in use...

[Oli]

Hmm watch fetishes, that explains the collection on my bedroom cupboard. I guess my favourite is a Tissot T-Touch that I just like the size and weight of. I picked up of of these recently, not worth a huge amount but are just very different: http://uk.gizmodo.com/2006/02/09/reveal_watch.html

I don't tend to wear nice stuff in case it gets scratched at work, so I tend to stick with either a titanium g-shock or an h3 traser which will probably survive me given they are pretty much bomb proof.

Edited January 9, 2007 by Oli_FoS

[chris]

wathch ya peeps, (sorry couldn't resist the pun)

I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise that there's alot of us who like watches as they like our cars are yet another Boy's Toy.

I have a Breitling Colt Ocean which for my sins I wear every day including when I'm working on the Esprit as well as a Cartier Santos which saphire crown(the more dressy one). Have recently bought a 60's Tissot antimagnetique on a bit of an ebay whim so will have to see if it works out. Should wear that instead of Breitling but I love my little Colt Ocean Sooooooooo much!!! lol.

[spoonito]

Guys, my brother is in the market to add to his watch collection... He is looking at either the Hublot Big Bang or the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore. If anyone has experience with either (both would be best) please let me know the pros and cons of both.

For starters some say that the Hublot BB is a "copy" of the AP ROO. Others think that is has enough of its own character to be considered completely different. The BB measures in at 44.5mm and the ROO is I believe 42 or 44 depending on the model. Also AP is more of a well known brand with a longer history. I also thikn its 1 of 2 (older) watch companies that is still owned by the family that started the company.

But that's all easy stuff to find. I need comparisons and reviews for both. Personal experience.

Thanks.

[Bibs]

I just wanted to add to this topic and state what great taste Lotus F1 drivers have in watches

[Paul C]

The trouble with self hosted images and ones taken from the web, is that a few years on the links are all dead.

I had a nice little website but orange 'updated' their software from the simple 'build your own like lego' to one i did not (or want to) understand, hence the link at the start is now dead. I sent them an Email of complaint actually calling them 'Clowns', they responded by saying as i'm one of the 'every twenty' people to contact customer services during some promotion or other, i had won an Ipod, which they then sent me.

Quite bizarre, so it took the Ipod, stopped moaning, and now have no website.

Watches are like cars to me, i'd love lots but can't afford lots. I currently have one Omega whereas i once had about sixteen, but i sell on at profit to buy other watches. Thats kinda stopped now Ebay is so bad for good sellers and plagued with bad ones, but i have thinned and created a collection of 'keepers', will take some photos over the weekend and post up.

[Paul C]

Here we go, this is how many Omegas i had for a while...

I sold quite a few when Ebay started turning bad for sellers, Some i sold to trade up, a couple gave me the extra funds that bought the Elise. I get to wear a watch for a few years and then make something on it and get something else (while aquiring a few 'keepers' on the way) it has enabled me to buy watches i would not have bought without making the funds on the 'bay, like this non date (eg Connery Bond) Submariner and well as the thicker cased and huge depth Sea Dweller:

Here's a huge Breitling Chrono avenger in Titanium, have had this a year or so now, Bibs is currently hunting for one:

To give you an idea how big this is, here's some shots next to a Submariner:

Tiny innit! This is not the smallest model either, the 'Super avenger' is about 4mm wider!!! (i could not carry that off, my hands are not big enough!).

Have found folk (especially us brits) are too scared to buy from HK or Japan. It means some stuff finishes low. This Breitling superocean cost about one third of what it would in the UK:

A pair of Breitling B2's. I sold a blue dial one about four years ago (for profit) and regretted it immediately, this is the only model watch i have sold and then bought again.

Here's one for any aviation fans, it's a navitimer but a limited edition, rather than polished and 'bling' it's a satin finish and is the 'Fighter' edition. The back has the 'Breitling Fighters' air display team logo, and is etched with world war two fighter aircraft.

Here's a recently aquired gem, it's a Movado/Zenith El primero chronograph from the mid 1970's. This movement was used in the Rolex daytona for years. It's so smooth and fast running (36000) it's unbelievable. And the design is pure 1970's right down to the pushers being one single chunk of stainless steel. This is a watch i bought soley as i wanted an example of that movement, to get this model was a real plus.

These are very hard to find (5000 made) and fetch too high prices for me to own. Here's one thats up for 3000 euro's: ONE FOR SALE

The seller of mine decided to list it looking like this, with bits of kack around the crown, bezel and pushers:

Enabling me to buy it at less that a third that price.

Just goes to show how much less an item is worth with a crap photo...

[rocket63]

Fabulous stuff PC

[matk]

Yep agree. I'd love to do what you do, but as the watch I wear was my Dad's, and its the only thing he left me, I can't bring myself to wear anything else on my wrist. That blue face Breitling is fabulous.

[Paul C]

I'd love to do what you do...

It's not without risk mate, i'm currently, just out of sheer interest, watching people bidding nearly

[Petrol feet driven]

I own one of these in Black, mines a little on the worse for wear as I have had it for years now.

[Kimbers]

I love my tag...but it rarely comes out of the box as if I see customers with it on they would think I make too much out of them. I just wear it for poker and Special occasions.