No, not a Trump-bashing thread, just wanted to share a current auction item with you.

I present to you - a patinated C-case Constellation:






…With this case back:



http://www.lauritz.com/da/auktion/vintage-omega-constellation-automatic-staal/i4000027/#


Honestly, what were they thinking?

 

Looks like grave robbers lifted that off a mummified corpse.

 

Looks like algae. Must have been in their aquarium.

 

Wouldn't buy anything from Lauritz. They have been in selling fake watches and art and there are some doubtful pieces on their auctions every week. Some pieces are frankens, some pure replicas and some of the watches has been sold, and returned by the buyer for being a replica and Lauritz knowing about it, puts it up for sale again.. A dishonest auction house!

 

Laughed out loud at this.

 

On dear

 

Nope...

 

Christopher Walken explains:

 

Actually, the disgusting look of such a piece can also be a good thing. It sure tells you that there is a very good possibility that the watch is all original and untouched/ unaltered.

Got this one once from an antique-dealer







It did clean up quite nicely, with a wonderful patinaed dial







Even if I can see now, that I forgot to bath the crown!

 

oh wow Marturx, that cleaned up beautifully! Makes me wish I didn't pass on a particularly ratty looking vintage Speedmaster a few months ago for a good discount.

 

Nice job on the clean up, Mate.

 

haha de fuk

 

Ah, stock for watch soup!

 

It's very much a buyer beware place… Sometimes they have interesting stock, most of it is second or third rate litter, however. One of their specialities seems to be badly treated Omega Constellations, nearly none of the ones that have been for sale has been any good :/

 

I've seen and worked on much worse!

 

I love getting a watch covered in muck and grime, for the exact reasons Martin described above.

 

Out of respect to my outstanding watchmaker, I almost always bath my pieces before they go to him. He's very happy with this courtesy, let me tell you!

 

I wish more people would. I honestly can't understand how someone can strap a completely filthy watch to their wrists day after day. The waxy looking body cheese like in the pictures that started this thread are the worst.

I was having this same conversation with my sister this weekend (it was our Thanksgiving weekend) and she works in an eye doctor's office, doing the initial eye testing before you see the eye doc and also fitting/selecting glasses, etc.. She says some people come in and the nose pads are so covered that the little wire section between them and the frames can't even be seen - it's just a big clump of body cheese that people wear on their faces all day.

I'll be honest that the worst watches seem to be women's watches in my experience. Unlike men who tend to take pretty good care of their watches (although there are exceptions obviously), women tend to be quite hard on them. Between skin creams and such I sometimes get quartz watches in that are just packed with the body cheese.

Blech...

 

Quick question - I'd love to clean my watches myself, but how would a lay-person do this? Would I need to invest in an ultra-sonic cleaner or would a soft toothbrush work (as I've heard suggested before)?