Community Stories

Birth year nonsense.

sheepdoll
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Normally a lady never tells her age.

I never really gave much trend to such things. Seems to be a GenX thing or something from the 1980s.

I noticed in this often reproduced graphic my year is not listed:

main253.png

I was curious though to see if I might actually have one. I took apart 18611255 which claims to be a SC 14750 61. That might be close. Probably cased and shipped the following year.

The other more likely candidates are:

SC 14704 3 591 17431400 1959 seamaster turler
14713-61 268 18446775 1961 Stripped dial

In my ignorance I stripped all the paint off of 18446775's dial.

I guess it does make for a sense of entertainment while waiting for part to arrive. I think things are now more anticipation. The focus seems to be more on the would it not be nice if I had ...

I started to look at 18611255 which is a 600 movement. Feels weird having a watch, what I do not need to source parts for. Well I do want to make a nice leather strap for it ...

18446775 was the first watch I ever serviced. Probably due for another one. My mentor at the time had me clean the dial. I also sort of remember using the buffing wheel.

I spent the next 7 or more years taking jewlry classes to see if I could 'fix' the dial. I am still researching that process ...
 
UncleBuck
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Dan S Dan S
Here is a pretty good chart.

x725135-4a9bb8a23f96279f27680e0541b16105.jpg.pagespeed.ic.5g1i28aC3t.png
Quadrophenic-Schizophrenia (marker)
 
dootcho
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May i interject and ask a Gen X'er question?

I also had questions as to why my birthyear was not showing in the most known table, in my case it's 1983. I just saw this thread and came to know that there's a more detailed one and again, no sight of my birthyear 🙁.

Looking at the numbers there is no linear formula, at a very high level during the last 2 decades of the table there was ~1Mln serials output per year with some variance, and 1Mln output in total between '82-'83.

My question is: If i was hunting for a birthyear, should I be looking for a serial higher than 45.5Mln (I assume serials left factory in an increasing serial number order)?
 
Dan S
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dootcho dootcho
May i interject and ask a Gen X'er question?

I also had questions as to why my birthyear was not showing in the most known table, in my case it's 1983. I just saw this thread and came to know that there's a more detailed one and again, no sight of my birthyear 🙁.

Looking at the numbers there is no linear formula, at a very high level during the last 2 decades of the table there was ~1Mln serials output per year with some variance, and 1Mln output in total between '82-'83.

My question is: If i was hunting for a birthyear, should I be looking for a serial higher than 45.5Mln (I assume serials left factory in an increasing serial number order)?
Just interpolate between the nearest years, while recognizing that it's only an estimate anyway.
 
reverbtime
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I picked a bad year to be born (1987). That year is skipped on charts.

Would love a birthyear Speedy, but that year it's called Holy Grail and they sell over 20k. Other options would be a 1987 Art Collection quartz, but not my cup of tea.

Any other options for a 1987 Omega?
 
Dan S
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reverbtime reverbtime
I picked a bad year to be born (1987). That year is skipped on charts.

Would love a birthyear Speedy, but that year it's called Holy Grail and they sell over 20k. Other options would be a 1987 Art Collection quartz, but not my cup of tea.

Any other options for a 1987 Omega?
I'm pretty sure that ordinary Speedmaster Professionals were made in 1987. Charts are just estimates. You will need an Extract to know when a watch was delivered, or original paperwork to know when it was sold. Better yet, get over the birth year nonsense.
 
Evitzee
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I'm not sure when the birthyear fetish began, but it runs strong in some people. For some it HAS to be the year they were born or it's just not acceptable. It's a quirky hobby with equally quirky people.
 
Aroxx
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Although there have been a bunch of people looking for 80s birth year Speedies the past week or so, I feel like I’ve consistently seen more folks looking for 60s and 70s birth year watches on the forum. I personally don’t identify much with my birth year. I only made it into 1986 by one day so I kind of consider myself more of a ‘87 kid.
 
Dan S
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Aroxx Aroxx
Although there have been a bunch of people looking for 80s birth year Speedies the past week or so, I feel like I’ve consistently seen more folks looking for 60s and 70s birth year watches on the forum. I personally don’t identify much with my birth year. I only made it into 1986 by one day so I kind of consider myself more of a ‘87 kid.
The interest of millennials in mechanical watches is a good sign for the future of our hobby.
 
sathomasga
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I happened to see a Railmaster CK 2914 offered for sale with an extract. The date from the extract is not just my birth year, it's my actual birth day. As much as I would love to own a Railmaster (my grandfather worked for Seaboard Air Line / Seaboard Cost Line his entire life), the price is way out of my league. I'll have to make do with my considerably more modest 135.003-62-SC.

rs=w-1064,h-1064.jpeg
Edited:
 
STANDY
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You can’t even buy a watch until your about 10, so can’t work out the “birth year” thing 🙄

I have just bought heaps of watches and in the process have a few birth year watches…but they are no special compared to ones a year or 10 before or after.
 
speedb
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You know it's significant when there's a website specifically for "birth year watches"
 
reverbtime
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Birth year watches, dial damage (typo sorry, patina), tropical dials, unpolished cases, COSC spec, multiple OCD details...this hobby is not rational for sure.
 
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