I drove down to Houston a couple of days ago for my step-dad's funeral yesterday, and then my mom and I selected her favorite step-grandson (on step-dad's side) to pass down his vintage Omega automatic from the 50’s (or very early 60’s). The grandson's first grandma (blood relative) had given it to my step-dad before he met my mom, so the sentimental value was greater on his side of the family.

The step-grandson is in his late 20’s and interested in watches. I talked with him about caring for it, and not letting a watchmaker or Omega over-polish it or swap hands and dials, no re painted dials, and just leaving the little marks that grandpa Bob put on it over the years, with a routine service every 5 years or so.

The watch is in excellent condition, including a pristine dial for 50-60 years old. The dial is missing the "Swiss made" but my mom knows nothing about the service history and if was a re-dial. The rest of the dial looks fine.

It appears to be all gold, not gold capped like mine, but we didn't see any solid gold hallmarks with the naked eye, so assuming it's gold plated? The case back was without any marks or logos, just smooth and clean like you'd see with a solid gold watch. I wasn't going to open it there in the kitchen and there's dog fur all over the house to get inside if we did. The band is just a gold plated stretchy band that is showing wear down to the steel.

i was wondering what you guys can tell us about the watch from just the one photo? Estimated age, possible movement, model, etc. It's the one on the left, which is sitting higher than my 1962 Seamaster that I wore with a black suit at the funeral.

The stretchy band makes his watch sit higher and closer to the camera than mine, so it looks bigger in the photo but may be 1-2mm smaller than mine.

Thanks!

 

Well, the watch is about to get on a plane to NYC in an hour, and I told them I would try to find out more information. He's had the watch forever, but no idea where it was last serviced or who may have refinished it. If they did a decent job on the dial why would they forget the swiss made. We are 99% sure his wife didn't buy a fake 50 years ago.

 

Last night my "evil step-brother" who never treated my mom like a part of his family shows up at my step-sister's and nephew's hotel room and demanded the watch, and basically stole the watch from the kid under duress and fear!

What kind of bastard intimidates his young nephew into fear and steals an inherited watch from him? My step-father wore that watch during the entire 26 year marriage to my mom, so my mom had every right to give it to her grandchild after his grandpa dies. But this A$$-)&*^@$ storms in and takes it away from him!

It's really not a particularly valuable or desirable watch, especially with a repainted dial, but certainly a sentimental one. It's not like the man needs another $500-$1000 watch. He's an anesthesiologist who showed up to the funeral wearing a Rolex Sub (and his wife with her two-tone Datejust).

My step-sister says my step-brother's got a drawer full of "dead people's watches" that he never wears and just pack rats them, and she'd rather have seen me get the watch than her brother (but my older brother and I both wanted her son to have it). This was a watch the boy would actually wear as a keepsake in memory of his grandpa.

I guess it's a good thing I wasn't there when it happened, because I would have called the police and then waited for him to touch me so I could go all apeshit on his ass for "assaulting" me. He would have been down before I needed to reach for my oxygen tank.

 

That's disgusting - what a @*#!

I don't know how the law works in the States but presumably any item not specifically mentioned in the will, automatically passes to the surviving spouse. So, as her property, your mother is free to do with it as she sees fit. Why not still report it to the police? I'm sure his neighbours will love it when the police car pulls up in front of his house.

 

We feel for you mate, as the old saying goes down here, you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your rellies (relations).

I'm of two thoughts,

either I hope it really is a fake and he gets caught with it (it doesn't matter to Bob, he just loved the watch for what it was and meant).

or

All eyes to the 'bay and if it turns up, bid furiously until it hits the stratosphere and then pull the pin.

I seriously don't condone move number two, but things just fly through your head when you see things like this).

 

Its always bad when someone dies and your trying to sort out their estate but you can assure an arse wipe relative makes things so much harder. Same thing has happened to me at a couple of family deaths. Take the moral high ground and out him as an asset stripper. These people cant value sentimental worth.

 

You think you have heard all the low life stories and then this one comes along and takes it to a new depth.
We can only hope that one day this rat will receive payback.

 

Let's say I wanted to buy my nephew an identical or similar watch as a token of love from our family to his, since I already have a similar bracelet on a 1969 Bulova Sea King that I could donate to the project, has anyone figured out what this watch is yet, like a model and movement number, and materials, etc? The response here is not promising, especially if gatorcpa hasn't seen a case like that before.

I wish I could post the a$$hat's name and work address (as a doctor), without having to fight a libel or slander lawsuit. What I posted was true but could be considered hearsay - I was told by my step-sister that he came to their hotel room and adamantly demanded the watch repeatedly after being told no more than once, until my nephew was finally afraid enough to hand it over - I'm not saying he was in fear of bodily harm, but the whole incident was frightening and it was handed over under duress.

 

Emotions do run high during estate settlements. When people show you who they are...believe them!

I think I'd find a similar or better watch and put it on the nephew's arm. You've got the right idea, something to help remember his grandpa.

 

Our laws are 99% based on your laws and your supposition is correct. You can't lawfully write your living spouse out of a will. If he passed intestate then property passes to the surviving spouse.

There's very little new under the sun and probate.