Does anyone here collect watches?

[Runner up]

Does anyone here collect watches? I am an avid collector of automatic and mechanical watches. It's so cool to open up the case of an automatic watch, and see all the gears moving and all the pieces turning. I currently have two watches, and am waiting on my next to come.

I found an awesome vintage Omega Seamaster. It's from 1961, automatic movement, acryllic crystal (modern watches use a mineral or sapphire crystal, but old watches used a domed acryllic), and he been completely refinished. Looks brand new. It's quite a collectible watch, and cost me an arm and a leg, but I can't wait for it to arrive.

Also, I will be inheriting several watches from my grandmother. One of them being a 1970's Corum 20 dollar gold coin watch. This watch is worth a lot of money (well over $5,000), and is absolutely beautiful. It's made from a 20 dollar gold coin (this particular one was minted in 1899) that has been split in half. Then, the center is hollowed, and a mechanical hand wound movement is placed inside. Holes are drilled for the hands and the crown, and a sapphire crystal is built into an extremely thin bezel. It is a gorgeous watch.

I'm a member of a watch forum that I frequent very often, but thought it would be cool if anyone here collected watches.

[Macky]

I would like to, mostly it's because I get to inherit a lot of them from my dad.

I currently use a Breitling Titanium Chrono Avenger. I think it retailed for about $3500. It's been replaced by the Seawolf Avenger iirc.

[DanF]

Does anyone here collect watches? I am an avid collector of automatic and mechanical watches. It's so cool to open up the case of an automatic watch, and see all the gears moving and all the pieces turning. I currently have two watches, and am waiting on my next to come.

I found an awesome vintage Omega Seamaster. It's from 1961, automatic movement, acryllic crystal (modern watches use a mineral or sapphire crystal, but old watches used a domed acryllic), and he been completely refinished. Looks brand new. It's quite a collectible watch, and cost me an arm and a leg, but I can't wait for it to arrive.

Also, I will be inheriting several watches from my grandmother. One of them being a 1970's Corum 20 dollar gold coin watch. This watch is worth a lot of money (well over $5,000), and is absolutely beautiful. It's made from a 20 dollar gold coin (this particular one was minted in 1899) that has been split in half. Then, the center is hollowed, and a mechanical hand wound movement is placed inside. Holes are drilled for the hands and the crown, and a sapphire crystal is built into an extremely thin bezel. It is a gorgeous watch.

I'm a member of a watch forum that I frequent very often, but thought it would be cool if anyone here collected watches.

Your nickname wouldn't happen to be Sylar, would it?

[AaronVR4]

This actually seems like a cool hobby. Time pieces from before most of us were born. very cool.

[gltasn]

ive had a few rolexes over the years. i used to be the only guy at the only rolex dealer in alaska for 10 years. i used to tell everyone, "if you need a rolex, im the only guy in alaska that can sell you a one." i didnt say i worked with all women. id love to collect watches and have had some nicer than rolex. ive owner a franck muller, 'crazy time' for a while but i kept comming back to my sub. cant seem to do anything without it. got rid of the rest and havent looked back. i dont get cost on them anymore and the ones i want are 100k+ by franck muller http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/clo...r/collections/, and daniel rothhttp://www.chrono24.com/en/danielroth/. i guess selling watches for 20-60k got me looking at higher end ones ill never get.

[Runner up]

ive had a few rolexes over the years. i used to be the only guy at the only rolex dealer in alaska for 10 years. i used to tell everyone, "if you need a rolex, im the only guy in alaska that can sell you a one." i didnt say i worked with all women. id love to collect watches and have had some nicer than rolex. ive owner a franck muller, 'crazy time' for a while but i kept comming back to my sub. cant seem to do anything without it. got rid of the rest and havent looked back. i dont get cost on them anymore and the ones i want are 100k+ by franck muller http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/clo...r/collections/, and daniel rothhttp://www.chrono24.com/en/danielroth/. i guess selling watches for 20-60k got me looking at higher end ones ill never get.

Hahaha. As much as I like the Sub, I can't justify the price. I can get a very nice homage (ie, knock-off) at 1/4th the price. Looks exactly the same, sapphire crystal, eta movement (could spring for one that's cosc), solid end links, 300m, diver's extension, all for under $800. That's hard to beat.

Always wanted a Franck Muller, very nice watches. I don't think I will ever spend more than ten grand on a watch, and even that's pushing it. I just can't justify it, there are so many other things I could spend my money on.

[Runner up]

I would like to, mostly it's because I get to inherit a lot of them from my dad.

I currently use a Breitling Titanium Chrono Avenger. I think it retailed for about $3500. It's been replaced by the Seawolf Avenger iirc.

Awesome! There was a time I was considering buying a vintage Breitling Navitimer Chronograph from the late 60's, but decided I should save my money. You are very lucky.

This actually seems like a cool hobby. Time pieces from before most of us were born. very cool.

It is a very interesting hobby. Once you get into the very complicated automatic/mechanical watches, it becomes even more fun.

This is the 1962 Omega Seamaster Deville I will be acquiring.

This is 1970's the Corum 20 Dollar gold coin watch that I'm inheriting from my Grandmother. (Generic photo)

[bluemax_1]

I've always been a watch afficionado, but I guess I wouldn't call myself a collector as collectors tend to accumulate items. I, on the other hand have been on the quest for my 'ultimate watch'. The one watch that I won't ever feel the need to replace.

As far as watches I've owned (or borrowed from my Dad), my first ever watch had to be an authentic Donald Duck watch that my parents got me when I was... 4? Don't know what happened to it. Those darned things had problems with the damned hands falling off after a while. Moved on to a Timex. Had a Casio G-Shock for a while, used to borrow my Dad's antique Hamilton. Collector's item that I kind of screwed up. Drowned my Dad's old Solvil et Titus when I forgot to take it off before jumping in a swimming pool and from thereon, vowed that any watch I wore had to be waterproof (water resistant). Had a Seiko Kinetic for a while till I discovered that the stupid capacitor is like a battery, it dies permanently after a few years.

Owned (at various times and then sold) a JLC Master Compressor, an IWC Pilot's Watch, a Rolex Sea Dweller (without a doubt THE most waterproof watch I've ever owned at a 1220 meter/4000 feet rating) and am currently wearing (and have been for the past ~9 years) a Tiatanium Omega Seamaster Pro with rubber strap. This last watch has had almost all the qualities I've been looking for in a watch (so did the Sea Dweller, but I sold that one for financial reasons) with one exception.

The Seamaster Pro's qualities that I prize:
- Waterproof to at least 100M, preferably 200M or more
- Accurate automatic movement (would eventually forget to wind a watch that needed it and don't like bothering with batteries even if they are only needed every few years)
- Easily legible dial at night
- Not too ostentatious. I love the fact that especially with the rubber strap, no one except for other watch nuts knows what it is or has a clue as to how much it costs.
- Fairly tough/durable
- Sapphire crystal

The one thing that I discovered I wanted to add to the list, which has now narrowed my search, some form of 24 hour indication. Discovered this one Fall morning. I went to bed at about 4a.m., not having to be anywhere or do anything till 7 p.m. the next day. I woke up, looked at my watch (yep, I'm one of those nuts that wears their wristwatch while sleeping) and saw 6:30p.m.! (dark gray skies didn't help). Thought I was going to be late (had to be somewhere at 7p.m.) so I rushed to get ready, got there and discovered that I was 12 hours early. It was actually 7 a.m. I'd only been asleep for 3.5 hours.

So eventually the plan is to get a GMT.


Max

[colt45 gto]

Hahaha. As much as I like the Sub, I can't justify the price. I can get a very nice homage (ie, knock-off) at 1/4th the price. Looks exactly the same, sapphire crystal, eta movement (could spring for one that's cosc), solid end links, 300m, diver's extension, all for under $800. That's hard to beat.

Always wanted a Franck Muller, very nice watches. I don't think I will ever spend more than ten grand on a watch, and even that's pushing it. I just can't justify it, there are so many other things I could spend my money on.

i love Rolex but would never afford a real one. i've had many generics that have the ETA movement etc. some last a while some simply break on my wrist. i'd rather pay 100 and break one than pay 20k to have one break. lets face it they are made to be worn, i had a president for 4 years, never off my wrist, went thru hell and back. one day it let water in and that was the end of that. not bad going for an £80 copy

[blackrob]

I dabble a little in it. I don't really collect them like going out looking for old watches. I just buy new ones that I like. LOL. My first big purchase was a Maurice Lacroix that I picked up in Germany. I was going to get this bad ass one that had the days of the week, but it was in German so I would have never known what day it was on. Then a couple years later I picked up an Omega Speedmaster chrono. I bought it in Singapore because the exchange rate was phenomenal at the time. I haven't bought anything since then because I'm a broke college student with a money pit in the garage. As soon as I get a real job again I'm sure it will be on the top of my priority list. I have been eyeing an IWC and an Ulysses Nardin for a long while. I'm sure that one of those will be my next purchase.

IMO, I don't really like Rolex's. There are a ton of fakes out there so only a few people will know what you have only if they know how to spot a fake. Also, they are just played out. That's just my opinion though.

I can't wear a Breitling because I have skinny wrist and I feel like Flava Flav when I try them on. Damn skinny wrist, they ruin a lot of watches for me.

Has anyone found a good watch winder that doesn't cost as much as the watch I'm putting in there? I found one, but it doesn't do a very good job on keeping it wound. My Omega dies after about 4 or 5 days of being in there.