- Posts
- 5,989
- Likes
- 28,667
Do you remember when you were REALLY hooked?
- Posts
- 13,698
- Likes
- 53,498
Larry S
··Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.I had no “moment”. Always had a watch. Usually a Bulova or Seiko, later Victorinox, because as an outdoor enthusiast, I liked their knives. Watches were a wear part for me. Disposable. I became a fan of Mont Blanc pens and had several. My Victorinox Maverick dual time battery ran out on a Middle East business trip. Sick of batteries, I bought a MB Timewalker GMT. It was a piece of shit but the automatic bug was there. A Victorinox Diver, 2 JLCs, my GMT Master and my RGM 801 followed. The vintage bug hit me in a Paris shop when I saw a Tri Compax for the first time and bought a rough but attractive 2998-6.
- Posts
- 13,201
- Likes
- 22,957
Davidt
·Being around 12 and seeing a Speedmaster mk2 on my step dads wrist and him telling me the story of how the Speedmaster had been to the moon etc.
I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever heard.
As soon as I got a grown up job and had some cash I bought a vintage Speedmaster which brought me here.
Noidea what happened to his mk2, they were antique dealers and he repaired old clocks so it must’ve been sold along the way. Happily my brother and I bought him a -68 transitional for his 70th and it’s one of the only times I’ve seen a tear in his eye.
I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever heard.
As soon as I got a grown up job and had some cash I bought a vintage Speedmaster which brought me here.
Noidea what happened to his mk2, they were antique dealers and he repaired old clocks so it must’ve been sold along the way. Happily my brother and I bought him a -68 transitional for his 70th and it’s one of the only times I’ve seen a tear in his eye.
- Posts
- 5,562
- Likes
- 54,024
Jones in LA
··Not in LA anymore.Ummm…are we just gonna breeze past this one?
This particular assignment had a James Bond-y flavour to it, but the explanation is fairly simple. I made several stops at remote sites near the Colombia/Venezuela border to collect mineral samples and reports from geologists on the ground. Site-to-site travel was by helicopter and small fixed-wing aircraft, and when I was on the ground I was accompanied by armed security personnel carrying automatic weapons. This was when the conflict between the Colombian government and several leftist/populist guerilla groups was at its most intense level. Near one mineral prospect, we drove past a blown-up passenger bus that was still smoldering inside a large crater after an attack the day before (fortunately, the passengers were allowed to get off the bus before it was destroyed). The company that I was doing the work for is based in Zug.
An interesting side-note. I'm presently learning how to fly helicopters, and sometimes ATC asks me to delay landing while other aircraft complete their approach and landing; I can delay my arrival by circling in a small loop or "orbit". Every time I do this it reminds me of some of the helicopter landings I made in Colombia, which were done in fast, tight spirals in order to present the most difficult target to shoot at from the ground.
- Posts
- 16,307
- Likes
- 44,994
JwRosenthal
·This particular assignment had a James Bond-y flavour to it, but the explanation is fairly simple. I made several stops at remote sites near the Colombia/Venezuela border to collect mineral samples and reports from geologists on the ground. Site-to-site travel was by helicopter and small fixed-wing aircraft, and when I was on the ground I was accompanied by armed security personnel carrying automatic weapons. This was when the conflict between the Colombian government and several leftist/populist guerilla groups was at its most intense level. Near one mineral prospect, we drove past a blown-up passenger bus that was still smoldering inside a large crater after an attack the day before (fortunately, the passengers were allowed to get off the bus before it was destroyed). The company that I was doing the work for is based in Zug.
An interesting side-note. I'm presently learning how to fly helicopters, and sometimes ATC asks me to delay landing while other aircraft complete their approach and landing; I can delay my arrival by circling in a small loop or "orbit". Every time I do this it reminds me of some of the helicopter landings I made in Colombia, which were done in fast, tight spirals in order to present the most difficult target to shoot at from the ground.
- Posts
- 9,737
- Likes
- 54,454
gbesq
·For me it was the first time that I saw my stepfather's 105.012. My older stepbrother has that watch now and never wears it. 🫨 Anyway, I coveted that watch for years and my parents eventually surprised me with a 145.022-76 for my high school graduation. That started me down a path from which there has been no return. 😀 And I was hooked again when I saw this scene from Casino Royale …
Edited:
- Posts
- 826
- Likes
- 2,146
fiberguy
·My first real watch was a Tag 2000 quartz diver, at the time really wanted a Rolex but could not justify paying 2x the price of the Tag for the Rolex ( hindsight LoL). I wore that watch for 30+ years, all the while lusting after the next watch, but just could not see spending "big money" when I had kids, mortgage etc. My Tag died last year and I finally decided enough.. I am going to buy something, new and mechanical. I looked at various Tudor models but what I really wanted was a blue Omega 300m, on a whim one day I stopped at the local AD, put it on and knew that was the watch for me. I will never have a large watch collection, but I do plan on adding a Speedy in the near future.
- Posts
- 2,074
- Likes
- 4,231
RevZMan123
·Me saying I didn't have a moment realized I did have one lol
I remember my dad always wearing a watch but not knowing anything but I do remember that in High School back in 1989 I wanted what every other kid did, the Timex Ironman and sure enough my parents bought it for me. Of course, like I said, every kid wanted it, and some loser wanted it more than me, so it was stolen from my gym locker soon thereafter.
I don't even remember wearing a watch between then and 2008 but I'm sure I did once in a while. However, when I bought my house, we went to the local Kohl's and I walked out with this lovely Columbia watch for $45 and it was loved for 12 or 13 years, just changing batteries and straps.
Then in 2018 my dad passed away and I was given his 16713 which I put away in a box after wearing it 1 or 2 times around the house. It needed work to the bracelet and a full service, (which it would finally get at Rolliworks just a few months ago.). Then mom passed away in march of 2021 and I was going through things in the attic where I came across a jewelry box containing a 1913 hamilton pocket watch, a few of my dad's junkers, 1 or 2 cool pieces from his dad, and a couple of fake rolexes that were disposed of destructively. Then I went in the garage and found yet another box, this time from my mom's parents, and inside was a bunch of mostly quartz junkers but 3 or 4 cool mechanicals like a benrus that didn't fit me and other things which I let go. My mom had also worn a 28mm DJ and my wife wasn't into it, but it needed a lot of work to make it right, so I traded it in for a Cartier Roadster that is my forever memory watch for her.
After that, I found kickstarter, youtube videos, facebook groups, and then a vintage omega at my local watchmaker brought me here.
I remember my dad always wearing a watch but not knowing anything but I do remember that in High School back in 1989 I wanted what every other kid did, the Timex Ironman and sure enough my parents bought it for me. Of course, like I said, every kid wanted it, and some loser wanted it more than me, so it was stolen from my gym locker soon thereafter.
I don't even remember wearing a watch between then and 2008 but I'm sure I did once in a while. However, when I bought my house, we went to the local Kohl's and I walked out with this lovely Columbia watch for $45 and it was loved for 12 or 13 years, just changing batteries and straps.
Then in 2018 my dad passed away and I was given his 16713 which I put away in a box after wearing it 1 or 2 times around the house. It needed work to the bracelet and a full service, (which it would finally get at Rolliworks just a few months ago.). Then mom passed away in march of 2021 and I was going through things in the attic where I came across a jewelry box containing a 1913 hamilton pocket watch, a few of my dad's junkers, 1 or 2 cool pieces from his dad, and a couple of fake rolexes that were disposed of destructively. Then I went in the garage and found yet another box, this time from my mom's parents, and inside was a bunch of mostly quartz junkers but 3 or 4 cool mechanicals like a benrus that didn't fit me and other things which I let go. My mom had also worn a 28mm DJ and my wife wasn't into it, but it needed a lot of work to make it right, so I traded it in for a Cartier Roadster that is my forever memory watch for her.
After that, I found kickstarter, youtube videos, facebook groups, and then a vintage omega at my local watchmaker brought me here.
- Posts
- 3,535
- Likes
- 8,863
MRC
·After years of relying on the computer screen or dashboard clock in my car I was only working part-time and cycling or taking the bus to get there. Everyone who uses rural buses needs a reliable watch and my daily Seiko had run out of battery power. So I looked in the watch drawer (aka kitchen table... *) and saw my 1960's Heuer, which was manual wind of course, long since retired from actively getting a beating. In the same drawer was my Seamaster Quartz which had got very unreliable. Why should I not use these? So I strapped on the Carrera and went round local watch dealers to find how I could get the Seamaster returned to running condition. Everywhere I went I was complimented on the Carrera -- the Seamaster got no such admiration. One dealer even said that the Carrera was worth a few hundred pounds. Well, I thought, if you want it for a few hundred I wonder what it is really worth?
The answer after some Guurgling turned out to be ten times that! So after a bit more keyboard bashing I found OnTheDash which was the prime source of information on old Heuers. There I saw that there are more lovely watches than I ever knew existed and after seeing photos of the Carrera 3647S I was in love. It only took a couple of months before a really nice example at a very fair price and located not far away came up for sale. Shaking hands on that was the moment I was hooked.
The Carrera went to Rich Askham, the Seamaster to Bienne and down the slope I went.
* Note to burglars: No longer kept there 😁
The answer after some Guurgling turned out to be ten times that! So after a bit more keyboard bashing I found OnTheDash which was the prime source of information on old Heuers. There I saw that there are more lovely watches than I ever knew existed and after seeing photos of the Carrera 3647S I was in love. It only took a couple of months before a really nice example at a very fair price and located not far away came up for sale. Shaking hands on that was the moment I was hooked.
The Carrera went to Rich Askham, the Seamaster to Bienne and down the slope I went.
* Note to burglars: No longer kept there 😁
Edited:
- Posts
- 572
- Likes
- 616
Albe100
·Thanks to the OP for starting this interesting thread.
I was 12...I would go spend my summer in Europe quite regularly with my grandparents when I was a child to spend time with my family there.
I remember seeing watches in the store windows of the numerous jewelers located on the main pedestrian street. Eventually I had some money from my confirmation, and fell in love with a Sector Chronograph with a burgundy dial and gold subdials. I was so smitten, spent 600,000 lira on that thing at 12 years of age
. I still have it needs a service. Every few summers after that, I would buy another watch at one of the local stores.
Eventually, my first mechanical watch was the PAM104, not sure what exactly drew me to it but I bought it. Then came the Heuer obsession, F1 fan since the age of 7, I think this progression was only natural, went from 2 different modern Monacos to eventually the original, and 5 other vintage Heuer models.
BUT my first vintage purchase was a pre-moom caseback Omega Speedmaster 145.022-69. I think I lucked out, I had no idea what I was doing.
I was 12...I would go spend my summer in Europe quite regularly with my grandparents when I was a child to spend time with my family there.
I remember seeing watches in the store windows of the numerous jewelers located on the main pedestrian street. Eventually I had some money from my confirmation, and fell in love with a Sector Chronograph with a burgundy dial and gold subdials. I was so smitten, spent 600,000 lira on that thing at 12 years of age
. I still have it needs a service. Every few summers after that, I would buy another watch at one of the local stores.Eventually, my first mechanical watch was the PAM104, not sure what exactly drew me to it but I bought it. Then came the Heuer obsession, F1 fan since the age of 7, I think this progression was only natural, went from 2 different modern Monacos to eventually the original, and 5 other vintage Heuer models.
BUT my first vintage purchase was a pre-moom caseback Omega Speedmaster 145.022-69. I think I lucked out, I had no idea what I was doing.
- Posts
- 2,842
- Likes
- 4,537
sheepdoll
·I think I became hooked in the Lemania factory. That was a perfect day.
When I got back to the silicon valley. No one cared about watches (this was in the early 1990s.) Mechanical watches were cheap. When I went back a few years later. I was wearing multiple watches on each wrist. Did not take long to find my Grail Speedmaster professional pre moon. (made in 1970 though, but one can not have everything. SN dates it to 1970 and may have been made on my 10th birthday.) But such things are never enough. Before that I found a Tissot T12 completely disassembled. Did not even know it was the same movement.
I noticed that in the 4 or 5 months I have been back. I picked up where I left off. Main difference is that I am not finding those 65 to 120USD gents Omegas. I am still however finding the ladies watches still in that range. I also find I still go for those 25 to 35 USD 'bargans.' Then there are the Landeron chronographs and parts. One can still get a decent landeron for under 80USD.
Yeah, I still have the addiction. Why is there always one part or example that fits into the collection. I can wait. Then it gets away. So I grab the next one that comes along. Then there might be another cheap junk watch or two this evening ...
When I got back to the silicon valley. No one cared about watches (this was in the early 1990s.) Mechanical watches were cheap. When I went back a few years later. I was wearing multiple watches on each wrist. Did not take long to find my Grail Speedmaster professional pre moon. (made in 1970 though, but one can not have everything. SN dates it to 1970 and may have been made on my 10th birthday.) But such things are never enough. Before that I found a Tissot T12 completely disassembled. Did not even know it was the same movement.
I noticed that in the 4 or 5 months I have been back. I picked up where I left off. Main difference is that I am not finding those 65 to 120USD gents Omegas. I am still however finding the ladies watches still in that range. I also find I still go for those 25 to 35 USD 'bargans.' Then there are the Landeron chronographs and parts. One can still get a decent landeron for under 80USD.
Yeah, I still have the addiction. Why is there always one part or example that fits into the collection. I can wait. Then it gets away. So I grab the next one that comes along. Then there might be another cheap junk watch or two this evening ...
- Posts
- 1,699
- Likes
- 1,654
kkt
·“Mineral samples”….uh-huh. Geologist….how non-threatening a cover. I totally understand, if you tell us, you would have to kill us.
If I remember right, in Dr. No, one of Dr. No's henchmen was a geologist...
- Posts
- 3,535
- Likes
- 8,863
- Posts
- 4,877
- Likes
- 31,864
Taddyangle
·Since high school I was always a fan of watches. The Swatch was my first watch. Then for whatever reason I lost interest and went many years without a watch.
About 12-13 years ago I decided that I would buy a real watch. So I bought an Invicta for 75% off retail. I think all in for $78. Then I discovered Invicta wasn't a real watch.
Shortly thereafter, I decided to try again and buy a real watch. I did some internet research and discovered Archie Luxury. Based on his videos I decided to look at the Speedmaster. If I recall, his comment was that the Omega Speedmaster was the best priced option for entry into the luxury watch market.
Still own this 3572.50.
After buying the Speedmaster I was hooked. I then started buying all kinds of watches....trying to figure out what I like best. At one point I was buying a watch every 4-6 weeks. Insanity. Of course all the enablers here we so happy to feed the obsession.
After a few years, and cycling through various watches and watch brands, it became more evident that the Speedmaster was the one. So I then decided I would create the Speedmaster Decades (SDC) Collection. This is a speedy from every decade one lives. There are a few members here that have the coveted SDC. I hope more follow.
About 12-13 years ago I decided that I would buy a real watch. So I bought an Invicta for 75% off retail. I think all in for $78. Then I discovered Invicta wasn't a real watch.
Shortly thereafter, I decided to try again and buy a real watch. I did some internet research and discovered Archie Luxury. Based on his videos I decided to look at the Speedmaster. If I recall, his comment was that the Omega Speedmaster was the best priced option for entry into the luxury watch market.
Still own this 3572.50.
After buying the Speedmaster I was hooked. I then started buying all kinds of watches....trying to figure out what I like best. At one point I was buying a watch every 4-6 weeks. Insanity. Of course all the enablers here we so happy to feed the obsession.
After a few years, and cycling through various watches and watch brands, it became more evident that the Speedmaster was the one. So I then decided I would create the Speedmaster Decades (SDC) Collection. This is a speedy from every decade one lives. There are a few members here that have the coveted SDC. I hope more follow.