Obsession with Vintage Alarm Wristwatches

kingsrider

@Archer, are movements like the Memomatic more difficult to work on?

CajunTiger

I also collect cameras...and recently I bought a vintage Leica Lens that was truly NOS. This was a lens that I wanted to use, not put on the shelf...but it was brand new untouched and double sealed. The outer box had the original seal with the Leitz branding stamped throughout, and unknown to me at the time the lens inside the box was also sealed up and stayed with the serial number.

Once the lens arrived, I just couldn't break the seals. I pulled it out at least a dozen times to open it up, but ultimately couldn't do it and put it back on the shelf. Finally after some 6 months of staring at the box in my office I just did it... I opened it up and excitedly mounted it on my camera ready to take some macro watch shots.

The lens was completely frozen up...focus and iris locked tight. All the oil had completely dried up inside the lens.
I had to send it off to my favorite camera tech to tear it apart and repack it. It now works and looks like new...but its no longer NOS 🙁

But most of the images I have been posting are shot with this vintage lens.

Deafboy

My 1947 Vulcain Cricket says Hi!
Mine too!

Edward53

I bought this Swiss Emperor 2977 W3 many years ago at a car boot sale for a few pounds and forgot about it until recently. The case and glass are a bit marked but the dial is almost perfect. A bit of searching shows it isn't quite the garbage I thought, but it's gunged up and not running for more than a few seconds. I've replaced the extremely nasty bracelet it was on and now I'm wondering whether it's worth getting it serviced.

Selbo

I forgot there were so many variations of alarm watches. Good thread idea to see them all in one place. Mine are all JLC Memovoxes. Nothing approaching NOS but that just means I can wear them!