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  1. KCScott Dec 16, 2013

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  2. pitpro Likes the game. Dec 16, 2013

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    NO. I was chasing one of those once.
    How do you know it needs a new movement?
    Send it to Archer if it can be bought right
     
  3. ulackfocus Dec 16, 2013

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    I don't get what people see in these. Why would you want to get into a battery powered money pit? It's common knowledge that you're rolling the dice on longevity, and even if you luck out you might not get your money back when you go to sell it.
     
  4. pitpro Likes the game. Dec 16, 2013

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    I don't either.
    But there was a time when I did :)
    Why do some collectors only go for the old LED's?
    Because they do I guess
     
  5. Joe K. Curious about this text thingy below his avatar Dec 16, 2013

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    With a limited supply of spares and only a handful of specialist that can repair these I would get into these only if you are a patient person.
    I have several tuning forks and my experience has told me to only buy fully operational examples.
     
  6. KCScott Dec 16, 2013

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    I kinda knew the answer before I posted. I certainly love mechanical watches but developed more of an appreciation for battery watches after Archer posted a great write up on them some time ago. I do think his was dealing with modern quartz rather than the older ones. I was actually thinking I might get a cool watch to beat around in on the cheap. Get the watch cheap and a movement cheap and voila, a beat the heck out of watch that looks pretty cool. Sounds like it would be more of a money sink hole than a cheap watch. I'm not sure why but I'm intrigued by the old tuning forks. I don't really know much about them. I'm finding it fun to explore all kinds of different vintage watches. I'm sure as my experience is greater I'll narrow my focus down but hey I'm new to this and just looking at different and interesting things.
     
  7. Joe K. Curious about this text thingy below his avatar Dec 16, 2013

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    I can highly recommend the 198.005 or 198.0016 as a good start. These are chunky and quite substantial. I think they still can be picked up at a reasonable price and in working condition would make a nice daily watch.

    [​IMG]
     
  8. KCScott Dec 16, 2013

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    Thanks for the advise. I will check them out.
     
  9. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Dec 17, 2013

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    No, don't send it to me - I don't work on these.

    As noted the "hummers" of any kind are a specialized field of repair, and there are people out there that have the right equipment, and more importantly, the stashes of spare parts needed to work on these watches.

    Not anything I am even remotely interested in having in my shop thanks! ;)

    Cheers, Al
     
  10. Northernman Lemaniac Dec 17, 2013

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    Come on ;)! As every collector know there are many reasons why we get into collecting. The Speedsonic is one hell of a fine timer!
    The f300 is not a bad basis. Just look how many is still around! It does have issues with parts availability (so does many other old watches), however you can find any other f300 movement and use as spares for most all components that is ever likely to fail.
    As I have pointed out earlier, I have had several restored in the past, and parts have never been an issue.

    Many people takes the "Quartz attitude" towards the f300/720 movements. That is a grand mistake.
    These are mechanical marvels! The balance and mainspring may have been replaced by a magnetic circuit and a minute tuning fork, but the movement is mechanical, and the sweeping second hand is the smoothest ever to be witnessed.
    Send it to Paul at http://www.electric-watches.co.uk/ . He will bring it back to and long life!

    Happy Hunting!