Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

At The Back => The Dressing Room => Topic started by: ToneMonkey on May 27, 2009, 12:58:47 PM

Title: Old Watches
Post by: ToneMonkey on May 27, 2009, 12:58:47 PM
The wife, being as fantastic as she is, has set up a new account and is putting money in there every month to get me a watch.  I'm going to be 30 in a few months and she knows that I've been after a decent watch for about half that time.

Does anyone here know about watches?  I've kind of narrowed down my search to old military watches (WW1 onwards) or something from the 60's.  Old Omega's and Jager one's look really good for the money.  Do you think that most of these are for collectors (especially the WW1 one's) or do you think that they'll stand up to daily use?

I rekon that I might have around £500 to spend, so if anyone has any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.  I'm not after anything flashy, it just has to be a beautiful watch.  Ideally a chronograph would be nice as I really like the look.
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: indysmith on May 27, 2009, 01:27:45 PM
(http://www.casio.co.uk/Controls/thumbnail.aspx?size=250&FileId=R9qSU5P3O9g%3d)
Solid, reliable, classic, beautiful, 10+ year battery, alarm functions.
Should cost about a tenner.
Leaves yu with £490 to spend on BKPs and other fun stuff. :lol:
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: ToneMonkey on May 27, 2009, 01:35:56 PM
I remeber them when they first came out.  My mate had one and I was really jellous.  :lol:

Can't spend it on guitars, only a watch.  It's the first time Mr's TM has let me have any of my own money beofre spending it on handbags  :lol:

Did I mention that I sold my old car this morning so the money from that is going in there too, that's the only reason I have the £500, I'm not rich or anything  :lol:
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: _tom_ on May 27, 2009, 01:38:01 PM
haha those old casio ones were awesome.
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: Andrew W on May 27, 2009, 02:02:12 PM
I bought a watch from this guy about 4 years ago and am still very happy:

http://www.70s-watches.com/a_to_m/index.html

Some of his prices for the more collectable pieces are on the high side but there are some beauties there for not so insane money.

Personally I'm hankering a little after one of these though:

http://www.phosphorwatches.com/phosphorwatches/watches.html

but that's just because I want something with E Ink in it.
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: WezV on May 27, 2009, 04:40:35 PM
those 70's watches are great i really like jump watches and these driving wacthes
http://www.70s-watches.com/n_to_z/aagp.html
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: WezV on May 27, 2009, 04:46:50 PM
my main watch is actually a 60's timex but i need to get the strap fixed

its just like this
http://members.tripod.com/~watchdoc/yellow-snoopy.jpg

Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: Bradock PI on May 27, 2009, 06:13:50 PM
Depends if you want a battery or analogue movement, if you want analogue have to be careful with older watches if anything goes wrong they can easily cost several hundred to repair.  Years of winding or automatic watches that sit unwound for long periods become unreliable. In the present climate I would buy a swiss one from auction all bar a few makes will go very cheap comapred with their price new. If you want a list of swiss and others let me know.

There are some very nice russian makes that are in your price range if you want a new one.

For example Poljot here http://www.russia4u.co.uk/categories.php?cat=8

If you get a good swiss case quartz watch and keep the price around £400 ish then you can get a brand new movement fitted for around £100. Almost all the swiss makers use ETA movements although some will custom spec them.
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: Stevepage on May 27, 2009, 06:42:25 PM
These guys seem to have quite a lot in

http://www.antiquewatchcouk.com/forsale1.htm


Would really like one of those Omega Military watches.

I have one of these

http://oakley.com/pd/3676/11867

But with a black rubber strap. Love it, saphire crystal so it never scratches. Got mine last year in America
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: martinw on May 27, 2009, 07:35:39 PM
I can recommend this guy:
http://www.timefactors.com/index.html (http://www.timefactors.com/index.html)
Also there's a good forum on that site you might find useful.
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: ailean on May 27, 2009, 10:42:10 PM
(http://www.casio.co.uk/Controls/thumbnail.aspx?size=250&FileId=R9qSU5P3O9g%3d)
Solid, reliable, classic, beautiful, 10+ year battery, alarm functions.
Should cost about a tenner.
Leaves yu with £490 to spend on BKPs and other fun stuff. :lol:

I've been wearing that since I was a teenager, must have bought half a dozen of them by now, the last one just a few weeks ago :) Quality watch.
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: ToneMonkey on May 27, 2009, 10:49:13 PM
This is why I love this place.  Cheers guys. PDT_015
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: indysmith on May 28, 2009, 12:51:13 AM
(http://www.casio.co.uk/Controls/thumbnail.aspx?size=250&FileId=R9qSU5P3O9g%3d)
Solid, reliable, classic, beautiful, 10+ year battery, alarm functions.
Should cost about a tenner.
Leaves yu with £490 to spend on BKPs and other fun stuff. :lol:

I've been wearing that since I was a teenager, must have bought half a dozen of them by now, the last one just a few weeks ago :) Quality watch.
+1 :D except I'm on my first, and have been for many years now!
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: Bradock PI on May 28, 2009, 10:26:37 PM
I wear a Breitling B2 (previous model) which I got as a gift from my wife for my 40th birthday. They are great watches but I suspect the only way you would get one in your price range is at auction. Look for government auction (customs/police)) or lost luggage auctions.

On swiss watches Longines can be fantastic value as they tend to be a little cheaper and do not hold their value as well as some other swiss makes. I had a Tag 2000 midsize quartz before and I gave that to my sister as she always wanted it.
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: PhilKing on May 30, 2009, 08:18:04 AM
I still have a Craftsman Swiss 17 jewel incablock chronometer that my Grandmother bought me for my 11th birthday.  I don't wear it everyday and it was lost in boxes for about 20 years.  However when I found it again and wound it up there were no problems and it keeps great time.  I've been wearing it for the past couple of weeks constantly because I am traveling and the last thing I want is a battery to go in the watch I have with me.

I have no idea how much one would be to buy now, and I can't really remember how much it was then, but it is over 40 years old and was worth the money.  If you find a real swiss watch and don't mind winding it every day, then they are great.  They can also be repaired if they do go wrong.
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: HTH AMPS on June 04, 2009, 09:51:01 PM
this was the watch I would've killed for as an 8-year-old...

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Calculatorwatch.jpg)
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: Adam.M on June 04, 2009, 09:59:08 PM
(http://www.70s-watches.com/assets/watches/nixie1web.jpg)

WOW

I want that.
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: HTH AMPS on June 04, 2009, 10:06:46 PM
(http://www.70s-watches.com/assets/watches/nixie1web.jpg)

WOW

I want that.

ahh, nixie tubes - you could knock one up fairly cheap and easy.
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: Adam.M on June 04, 2009, 11:53:25 PM
(http://www.70s-watches.com/assets/watches/nixie1web.jpg)

WOW

I want that.

ahh, nixie tubes - you could knock one up fairly cheap and easy.

Tell me your nixie tube secrets!

Cheap huh? hmm... Might have a stab at it. Could make a whole shelf out of it, haha.
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: ToneMonkey on June 05, 2009, 11:46:40 AM
Those clocks are like school projects.  I like them too, but it must be the worlds most energy ineffecient clock.  Look bloody good next to an amp though.
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: mikeluke on June 05, 2009, 12:24:22 PM
I got one of these in the USA

http://www.omegawatches.com/index.php?id=286

It was dollars to pounds at the time....


Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: Gizmo on June 06, 2009, 09:07:45 PM
ive got an omega seamaster aswell. got it 10 years ago now so just before bond wore it. i havent had any probs. i love it
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: Bradock PI on June 06, 2009, 10:20:11 PM
I believe earlier bond wore Rolex !
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: HTH AMPS on June 08, 2009, 10:20:12 AM
(http://www.70s-watches.com/assets/watches/nixie1web.jpg)

WOW

I want that.

ahh, nixie tubes - you could knock one up fairly cheap and easy.

Tell me your nixie tube secrets!

Cheap huh? hmm... Might have a stab at it. Could make a whole shelf out of it, haha.

http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/nixiegallery.html
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: Bradock PI on June 10, 2009, 10:47:38 PM
Sorry meant to confirm this earlier

http://www.mi6.co.uk/sections/articles/qbranch_watches.php3?t=&s=articles
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: gwEm on June 11, 2009, 12:27:07 AM
the classic casio is funking wicked, but theres an 'illuminator' variant which has been out for a while - truly the ultimate rave watch. i have one, but i broke the strap 5 years ago. haven't touched it since that time - but it still works, and its only a few minutes out. amazing  8)
Title: Re: Old Watches
Post by: MDV on June 11, 2009, 10:23:30 AM
Its not old and its way underbudget, but for the 'good watch' part of the question - I've been rockin a Lorus Sports Kinetic for pretty much every day for 10 years now, and its still doing its job the same as when I first got it. Never had to have it fixed (and its been thrown round plenty), or even opened up, and I timed its accuracy a few years ago against a clock that I have thats set by radio from an atomic clock - it gains about 4 seconds every month, so its accurate as you like.

.....I think thats the first time I've ever made a watch recommendation! But it is a very good watch, if your main concern is functionality, its 4 seconds per month away from perfect (in all other regards I cant fault it).