Possibilities

[CBM1590]

I was weeding through old emails and found an inquiry to a watchmaker from September 13th of last year regarding my new found heirloom and its potential for restoration. He didn’t respond very favorably. I didn’t listen. Where he saw nothing special, I saw the potential. You folks help me greatly and helped me understand the possibilities. And for that, I am grateful. This family piece now gets worn each evening and it keeps better time than many newer watches. Thanks for helping me see it for what it could be instead of for what it was.

 

[wagudc]

That watch is quite nice even without the sentimental value.

 

[Pascal S]

I fully agree. It has a very nice dial, and its patina gives it extra personality. It would have been a shame to give up on this watch.

 

[Waltesefalcon]

I find that no matter what the endevour may be, there will always be naysayers. It came out terrifically, wear it in good health.

 

[gbesq]

Well worth saving, Rick. I have a similar watch in my collection, although I prefer the Breguet numerals on yours.

 

[Canuck]

This is one of mine. Circa early 1950s, calibre 351, bumper automatic. Acquired in a “barter” deal. As you see it, the dial and the case aren’t original to the watch. Too far gone to try to salvage. But the movement had survived quite nicely. After conditioning, mainspring, crystal, generic crown, replacement Omega case and better dial (both from my stash), and replacement hour hand, this watch is maybe an example of a “survivor”. It has proven to be an excellent performer! This watch might have ended up in a “parts only” drawer in the eyes of many. But with a bit of sweat equity, I get a lot of pleasure out of it. (Sorry, I don’t have a “before” photo).

 

[Watch my Whisky]

Life is full of possibilities.

And wonder.

 

[Fallout Boy]

Nice!
Another watch, that did not die by over-polishing , redialing or reluming

 

[Pascal S]

Sometimes, minimal work can turn an ugly duckling into a magnificent swan.

Back when events forced me to sell almost all my watches, I still made one acquisition on my birthday by winning an eBay auction for an old Lemania watch. Based on the pictures that accompanied the listing, this timepiece looked like it was in terrible condition, but a closer look led me to believe that most of what I saw was dirt, made worse by the poor quality of the photos. Besides, for just over €70, I felt it was a chance worth taking.

When I received the watch, I was partly confirmed in my suspicions. A good basic cleaning made it look leagues better than on the pictures and the original crown was intact, but there were still issues to be fixed. The crystal was warped and needed replacement, and part of a spring bar had got stuck in one of the lugs.

The watch was therefore sent to a friend of mine, a semi-retired watchmaker, who agreed to have a look at my watch and give it a proper service. Well, it took a while (long story) but I eventually got this beauty back in full adult swan mode and frankly it looks near NOS now.

Edited: May 18, 2024