Admittedly, I’m a complete dilettante when it comes to vintage watches and until two hours ago, I knew nothing about Ball watches. When OF member @No Mercy posted this beauty for sale, something told me to buy it! I’ve been wanting an Omega Railmaster for the longest time, but they’re crazy expensive and then this one came along!

You see, my Great Grandad was a railroad man for 35 years. He worked for the Soo Line starting in the Great Depression and retired during the early 60s. They gave him a nice automatic watch that he wore for a long time, according to my Dad, whom my Great Grandad raised. At some point, that watch conked out and it was consigned to a drawer and forgotten for a couple decades. [Spoiler: this isn’t his watch!]

My dad came into possession of that watch after Grandpa died and he too held onto it until the 2000s. Something inspired him to try to get it running and he took it to a local jeweler in Northern Wisconsin who commented on how nice it was. A month or so later, Dad went back to collect it and the jeweler said he couldn’t find it. He gave Dad his pick of anything in his junk box. My Dad threw the ticket at the deceitful creep and walked out of the shop!

While Great Grandpa Claude’s actual retirement watch is surely adorning someone else’s wrist, I now have this Trainmaster to remember him by! I grew up next door to the good old guy and still miss him terribly! Here’s to you, Grandpa!