One Submariner rescued. Two went into the garbage!

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Duracuir1

·Jun 26, 2021·Never Used A Kodak

The original owner sold his house and found the missing links. He bought this watch as a teenager and had links removed. I had the watch serviced in December and the jeweller already gave me a matching link. It’s still nice to reunite all the original pieces.

 

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amcclell

·Jun 26, 2021

Great story and an amazing find. Well done!

 

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ghce

·Jun 27, 2021

Reminds me of a recent discussion at a Charity shop here in my city that deals with lots of deceased estates etc, I asked what they did with the old watches that they routinely receive, the answer was if it was a battery watch they changed the battery and then sold it but what about old mechanical watches, the reply was if it goes we sell it if it doesn't we bin it!! How many omegas and potentially Rolex's or other fine vintage brands have gone to land fill, beggars belief.

 

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Sheshagiri

·Jun 27, 2021

I found an old omega pocket watch my grandfather used. Wasn't working - so took it to a watchmaker who told me that he needs time to get it working. 30 years now - he never called me and I moved cities. Can only pray it didn't reach a landfill but adorns some collectors watch box.

 

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Duracuir1

·Nov 11, 2021·Never Used A Kodak

My colleague who sold me this watch brought his WW2 era motorcycle to work today, November 11th. I SUBsidized that bike!

Edited: Nov 11, 2021

 

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cvalue13

·Nov 11, 2021

Thanks for the update to this wonderful watch find story.

By the way, you mention a ‘73 manufacture, while the paperwork suggests a ‘77 sale; those happen to be the years my parents were married (‘73) and the year their fist and only son was borne (‘77).

So: dibs!

 

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sleepyastronaut

·Nov 11, 2021

rkman11

Amazing find!!!

But... but... garbage? Rolex??? I mean, even if you’re not a watch person everyone surely knows there is value in Rolex.

There wasn't always value in Rolex.

The Rolex professional models were tool watches, especially prior to advertising campaigns in the 1980s. When the tool broke, you had the choice of having it repaired (expensive) or buying one of the new (at the time) Quartz watches, which didn't require expensive regular maintenance. At the time, it was a no-brainer. No one could have known what investors would be buying 50 years in the future.

Have you heard the stories of dealers giving away Rolex Cosmographs to sweeten the deal on buying a DateJust?

No one knows what the future holds. Only thing you can say with any certainty about future collectables is that the things we value now could possibly be worth very little in 50 years, and the most valuable collectables will be something currently undervalued, unwanted, something you and I and everyone else throw in the trash without a second thought.

 

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Walrus

·Nov 11, 2021

Duracuir1

My colleague who sold me this watch brought his WW2 era motorcycle to work today, November 11th. I SUBsidized that bike!

See that worked out well. You both ended up with something you will enjoy.

 

E

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eldiano84

·Nov 12, 2021

Congrats on that amazing find!!!

I can sympathize with the trash though my stepmom threw away my Omega boxes 20 years ago, what’s crazy is that the boxes for rolex watches are pretty expensive on themselves!!!

 

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JwRosenthal

·Nov 12, 2021

E eldiano84

Congrats on that amazing find!!!

I can sympathize with the trash though my stepmom threw away my Omega boxes 20 years ago, what’s crazy is that the boxes for rolex watches are pretty expensive on themselves!!!

I have a pretty decent collection of vintage McIntosh audio gear- many pieces I got with original boxes, packing material and manuals. I kept the empty boxes on shelves in my basement.
My ex called me and said she wanted to pack up some books to take to the charity shop and asked if I had any boxes. I said sure, I keep a stash of broken down cardboard boxes in the basement for shipping, help yourself.
I few days later I went down to the basement and noticed my shelves were half empty, and the stack of broken down cardboard boxes was still there 🤦

 

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cvalue13

·Nov 12, 2021

^^^need a dislike button^^^

 

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Duracuir1

·Nov 12, 2021·Never Used A Kodak

cvalue13

^^^need a dislike button^^^

Hard to dislike Jay Dub! But hard to Like the fate of his boxes.

 

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JwRosenthal

·Nov 12, 2021

Duracuir1

Hard to dislike Jay Dub! But hard to Like the fate of his boxes.

Oh no, he can dislike my ex-wife all he wants.

 

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cvalue13

·Nov 12, 2021

JwRosenthal

Oh no, he can dislike my ex-wife all he wants.

Was she your ex before, or just shortly after, this box incident?

 

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CajunTiger

·Nov 13, 2021

what a great find...bezel was replaced, but its not hard to find the correct one.