I've bought a few on ebay a while ago and was very disappointed. All three felt very hacked together. I hope your experience is different!
Watch Out or Watch on? Pt 2.
- Thread starter didimauw
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An example of why never to buy a fine watch online except from a trusted seller:
Guess the price?
It comes in four dial colors, delivered.
The cost of the raw materials alone of any watch that’s not solid gold is next to nothing.
A watch costs what the skill and labor of the maker provides, plus a profit margin.
Guess the price?
It comes in four dial colors, delivered.
The cost of the raw materials alone of any watch that’s not solid gold is next to nothing.
A watch costs what the skill and labor of the maker provides, plus a profit margin.
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They vary from $6 to $8 depending on dial color, postpaid.
You can see they have the oyster case,
Waltham likely made the first really accurate-more so than many standard Swiss mechanical wrist watches today-15 jewel watch in 1883.
Rolex came out with the oyster case in the twenties.
Hamilton made the Elvinar mainspring in the early thirties.
The Swiss came up with the Incablock protection system in the thirties and Rolex and other Swiss makers perfected automatic wind in the fifties.
And if only accuracy is the concern, for almost fifty years now a quartz movement is dirt cheap, and lasts almost forever, a lifetime and then some.
With watches the more you pay the better you get,,,,if you truly get what you pay for.
But a good quartz watch is $10 and a good automatic starts at $100. The extra goodie for the extra dollar is extremely expensive.
A really nice overview of the Seiko line
teddybaldassarre.com
The 60 Best Seiko Watches - A Complete Guide for 2024
Seiko is considered among the most well-regarded and value-driven watch brands in the world and has developed a massive and passionate customer base. Further, the Japanese watchmaking powerhouse has also long served as one of the gateway brands into watch collecting. Here is our curated list of...
teddybaldassarre.com
Which is why the watch hobby is so affordable. You don't need to spend big bucks.
A good mechanical watch is a testament to a man craving a little toy he can carry around with him to admire, for centuries.
For a century or two they were so imprecise they didn’t have an minute hand.
Then in 1857 Waltham made the first industrialized watch, which sold for a hundred dollars.
In 1883 Waltham improved their movement, and made 5.4 million 1883 model watches over the next 37 years.
adjustingvintagewatches.com
I own a 15 jewel Crescent Street grade 1883 Waltham made in 1892 in a Hunter case, that’s been keeping railroad time for over 130 years.
But it’s hardly worth anything, because it’s a railroad grade movement in a Hunter cased watch.
I own another 1903 Waltham 1892 model 23 jewel Vanguard in a Hunter case that has a lot more cool factor, but is not worth much more nor does it keep better time. Once you get about two seconds a day or less, it’s hard to improve accuracy.
Those old high grade watches would cost a fortune today, if duplicated.
We are all quite happy with the Swiss 2824 or any of the legion of Japanese or even Chinese clones or homage movements that average about 15 seconds a day.
One advantage of the Seiko, Citizen, and Orient automatic movements is they beat six times a second instead of eight.
More beats per second has more accuracy potential, no argument.
But I own two Seiko automatics that have kept good time for over twenty five years without service. The tiny improvement in accuracy potential of a high bear watch requires more frequent cleaning, oiling and adjusting which today is usually more than a replacement new watch.
For a century or two they were so imprecise they didn’t have an minute hand.
Then in 1857 Waltham made the first industrialized watch, which sold for a hundred dollars.
In 1883 Waltham improved their movement, and made 5.4 million 1883 model watches over the next 37 years.
Adjusting a 1912 Waltham 1883 18s Pocket Watch to 3 Positions • Adjusting Vintage Watches
This post describes the cleaning and adjusting of a Waltham 1883 (Grade 825) 18s pocket watch to 3 positions.
adjustingvintagewatches.com
I own a 15 jewel Crescent Street grade 1883 Waltham made in 1892 in a Hunter case, that’s been keeping railroad time for over 130 years.
But it’s hardly worth anything, because it’s a railroad grade movement in a Hunter cased watch.
I own another 1903 Waltham 1892 model 23 jewel Vanguard in a Hunter case that has a lot more cool factor, but is not worth much more nor does it keep better time. Once you get about two seconds a day or less, it’s hard to improve accuracy.
Those old high grade watches would cost a fortune today, if duplicated.
We are all quite happy with the Swiss 2824 or any of the legion of Japanese or even Chinese clones or homage movements that average about 15 seconds a day.
One advantage of the Seiko, Citizen, and Orient automatic movements is they beat six times a second instead of eight.
More beats per second has more accuracy potential, no argument.
But I own two Seiko automatics that have kept good time for over twenty five years without service. The tiny improvement in accuracy potential of a high bear watch requires more frequent cleaning, oiling and adjusting which today is usually more than a replacement new watch.
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A new one runs 500-700 depending. I just got mine back from repair after sea water got in it.
I love it because I have any strap color under the rainbow to throw on it.
But I also love my moon watch..
Mechanical Movements are the pinnacle of 19th century technology. Taken as far as can be perfected. -2 to +2 seconds accuracy in 24 hours, for a mass produced machine is that shining achievement. It’s Astounding.A good mechanical watch is a testament to a man craving a little toy he can carry around with him to admire, for centuries.
Both my Tudor and Rolex are - 0 +. It amazes me. The Omega does just as it claims, Metas. +0 - 5 seconds in 24 hours but it’s never slow. My example gains +5 in 24 hours. Luck of the draw with time pieces.
I know it’s a small study, but from it I make the premature inference that the Rolex brand in house movements are truly amazing time keepers.
I’ve read about Rolex movements.
I own a 1894 production Hamilton 935.
As you said, plus or minus two seconds was an every day, run of the mill Hamilton, and the others hit that standard as well.
But there was a lot of hand regulation to achieve that. The parts were not as consistent.
Since then there’s been a few advances, the one that helps accuracy the most is the Elvinar mainspring.
The machines Rolex uses to make watch parts are much better. Their standard is +1/-1 and they likely hit close to zero all day long. They have to do some hand regulation.
What fascinates me is anything the Swiss can do the Japanese can duplicate and do it cheaper. And eventually the Chinese will do that to the Japanese.
My Orient Star Classic looks like it cost a zillion dollars, it’s beyond beautiful. Basically it’s a fifties pie pan Omega with a bubble dome, all stainless.
For almost a year now it is exactly, every day, 14 seconds fast.
To send it away to be timed would likely cost about the $340 I paid for it.
Orient has some well trained robot assemblers.
The Chinese sell a three hand 1/10 second chronograph with four working dials, GMT and tachymeter, for $14, postpaid. They claim a Japanese movement.
Accurate to 20 seconds a month.
The leather band may cost the most to produce.The most miraculous time to ever live is today.
Which is not going to be as miraculous as tomorrow, or the day after that.
Haha stupid auto correct - and my lack of proof reading of course.Thanks Mike, I hope it's a trouble free watch, not too sure about it being a trouble free pipe though.
$39/USD
$75 in 2000 and $100 in 1940
The Seiko replacement in 2024 is $112
The $100 solid 14K Brock 1940 Hamilton was 19 jewels and adjusted and would just cost something entirely stupid new today, far more than inflation.
You can buy them all day for $500
Brand New NATO on my Seiko every day beater. Strap change can refresh a watch.
I have more old shotguns and pipes and pens than watches, but not by a whole lot.
But a fairly close replica of one of the world’s most desired watches, the Rolex Daytona, is only $62 for an Invicta Speedway.
It has an $18 Japanese stopwatch and GMT hour hand movement
Guaranteed for three years, 30 day returns, sold by Jomashop.
Paul Neuman paid $210 for his, that sold a few years ago for 17.5 million.
www.bobswatches.com
My new bauble is in in the mail.
Buying Japanese movement quartz replicas of famous watches doesn’t cost much, you know?
No it’s not a Rolex, but it has the innards of a Seiko, and I have a 45 year old Seiko quartz still ticking away.
My two other Invicta watches are replicas of a Speedmaster and a Grand Diver, with Seiko NH35 A automatic movements and solid link bracelets.
To re band one with an Invicta brand bracelet might cost more than to replace the entire watch. A brand new NH35A movement costs $35.
I don’t see how these things are are cheap as they are new.
But a fairly close replica of one of the world’s most desired watches, the Rolex Daytona, is only $62 for an Invicta Speedway.
It has an $18 Japanese stopwatch and GMT hour hand movement
Guaranteed for three years, 30 day returns, sold by Jomashop.
Paul Neuman paid $210 for his, that sold a few years ago for 17.5 million.
Rolex Daytona Paul Newman Prices & History | Bob's Watches
Learn the prices & history of the Rolex Daytona Paul Newman, reference 6239, 6241, 6262, 6263, 6264 or 6265. You can buy & sell Paul Newman Daytona's too.
www.bobswatches.com
My new bauble is in in the mail.
Buying Japanese movement quartz replicas of famous watches doesn’t cost much, you know?
No it’s not a Rolex, but it has the innards of a Seiko, and I have a 45 year old Seiko quartz still ticking away.
My two other Invicta watches are replicas of a Speedmaster and a Grand Diver, with Seiko NH35 A automatic movements and solid link bracelets.
To re band one with an Invicta brand bracelet might cost more than to replace the entire watch. A brand new NH35A movement costs $35.
I don’t see how these things are are cheap as they are new.
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It’s a $18 rebuilt Citizen, on a slow boat I suppose from India. Still in transit,
It has a full return guarantee.
When you feel blue, think about having to buy and rebuild a watch and sell it on the other side of the world guaranteed for $18.
Or course, the shipping to India might be more than $18.
