New member from Oxfordshire

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f1eng

·Oct 23, 2019

Hello everybody, I found trhis site when researching whether my 21st birthday present watch was rare, I hadn't thought it would be but it seems early Speedmaster Professional "racing" models are.
I love watches.
This birthday watch was the first quality watch I owned, in 1971.
I have quite a few now, being an engineer I tend to be much more interested (and impressed) by the movement than the styling, but that leads to very expensive since any realistically priced watch tends to have a standard(ish) movement.
I was delighted to see Omega adopt the co-axial movement which separates them from the "crowd" fo me.
cheers,
Frank

 

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neilfrancis

·Oct 23, 2019

Welcome to OF, Frank.

Show us the metal!

 

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Martin_F

·Oct 23, 2019

Welcome Frank!
Judging be your user name, you don't happen to to work for an F1 team?

 

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mickygee

·Oct 23, 2019

pics?

 

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Martin_J_N

·Oct 23, 2019

Welcome to OF Frank, looking forward to seeing the pictures of the watches.

Are you still working in F1 or has that time passed?

Hope you enjoy the forum, it can be a bit strange at times and threads do have a habit of heading off topic almost as quickly as an F1 car goes round corners.

 

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f1eng

·Oct 23, 2019

Martin_F

Welcome Frank!
Judging be your user name, you don't happen to to work for an F1 team?

Did for 35 years, retired now

 

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f1eng

·Oct 23, 2019

Picture of my 1971 21st present from my parents

 

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f1eng

·Oct 23, 2019

Over the years I have bought quite a few watches but that was the first good watch I got

 

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mickygee

·Oct 23, 2019

👍

 

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f1eng

·Oct 23, 2019

Wearing this just now my favourite current model

Edited: Oct 23, 2019

 

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Martin_J_N

·Oct 23, 2019

f1eng

Picture of my 1971 21st present from my parents

A very nice watch, very nice indeed. 👍

 

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Martin_F

·Oct 23, 2019

f1eng

Did for 35 years, retired now

Forgive me for prying, but that's super exciting for me...
Grove or Endstone?

 

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Martin_J_N

·Oct 23, 2019

f1eng

Did for 35 years, retired now

You will have seen huge changes in the sport over that time, what was the biggest from an engineers point of view?

I have been a massive F1 fan since 1979 and couldn't believe my luck when I got a job working for a Company that had the warehouse next-door to the Williams team in Didcot, great times those early 80's. I still support Williams today I know that they are working hard to turn things around and get back up the grid after a couple of disappointing seasons.

 

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f1eng

·Oct 23, 2019

Martin_F

Forgive me for prying, but that's super exciting for me...
Grove or Endstone?

Both at one time and another

 

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f1eng

·Oct 23, 2019

Martin_J_N

You will have seen huge changes in the sport over that time, what was the biggest from an engineers point of view?

The huge increase in the money being made available. Our season in 1977 cost £220,000 and there were 18 of us in the whole company, now teams spend 3 orders of magnitude more and have 700-1000 employees. Safety is much improved by it but not the racing.

 

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f1eng

·Oct 23, 2019

f1eng

Picture of my 1971 21st present from my parents

It cost around £100 then, the equivalent (based on engineers starting salary change over the period) to about £2000 today.

 

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WatchCor

·Oct 23, 2019

f1eng

Picture of my 1971 21st present from my parents

Oh wow, what a beauty 🥰.

Welcome to the forum. You'll fit right in.👍

 

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Martin_F

·Oct 23, 2019

f1eng

Both at one time and another

Nice! I grew up watching Damon in the 90s and that left a mark on me.
I've been supporting Williams ever since. Hope they get it turned around quickly, as mentioned above.
Big thanks to you (and obviously many others) for making this happen!
And great watch as well, something to be proud of with all the history behind it!

 

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DaveK

·Oct 23, 2019

A gif as your avatar?! The force is strong in you Jedi

 

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Nathan1967

·Oct 23, 2019

Hi Frank

Welcome to OF - I’m a fellow Oxfordshire resident, South Oxfordshire, so no doubt fairly close by.
Many of us will going giddy over your 21st Birthday present. A genuinely rare and beautiful piece.

Best

Nathan