Hello all, I missed seeing this Great Big Introductions Thread when I first joined OF in mid-January of 2019. In addition to formally saying hello to you all, I realized that I also recently celebrated my 200 post-iversary. Auto-correct wanted to change post-iversary to “overstay”, oh man, I hope that isn’t the case.
Growing up (for arguments sake let’s just assume that I accomplished that), watches were not much of a “thing” in my world. I had a Timex Explorer that I quite enjoyed in my 20’s. I particularly enjoyed the Indiglo function until it burned out. A second Explorer also lost Indiglo early in life, but the watch, as they say...keeps on ticking. Fast forward a bunch of years, cell phones are ubiquitous. I didn’t have a dress watch, and one day it dawns on me just how poor the optics are of me checking my iPhone for the time during a meeting. My wife then bought me a handsome, bauhaus-inspired Perry Ellis quartz. I enjoyed (still do) wearing it. But as I came to learn, for me, and I imagine a lot of you, a quartz fashion watch doesn’t have the same soul as a mechanical watch, or an in-house made or designed quartz.
I met my first watchmaker when I decided to surprise my wife with getting her late-father’s service watch repaired. Those who have visited a watchmaker, such magical places, may know what it is like to see a watchmaker become animated when s/he welcomes you into their world and tries to explain what is going on in a watch, and what work might need to be performed. “No charge unless I can repair it, and when it is repaired I offer a 1-yr warranty” - what?! What is this passionate enclave where people repair, tune and enjoy these fabulous old machines? As perhaps you were, I was also blown away by my first look into a mechanical watch.
About a year later I came across a 50’s/‘60’s-looking watch at a thrift shop. It turned out to be a 25 jewel Relide. The hook was set when I realized that it was an automatic. Cool! I remember hearing about automatics once, but hadn’t held one before. I was mesmerized. Reflecting back, it is hysterical that I hummed and hawed whether $25 was too much to pay - a bit more has been spent since.
Getting started in this hobby I made a few decisions that I now call forgivable errors. I passed on a thrift shop find of a Hamilton (never heard of the brand), passed on a thrift shop find of an automatic Mickey Mouse watch (aren’t they all cheap? Editor’s note, no, not all of them). The flea market wants $175 CDN for a mechanical alarm watch? That’s got to be too much (probably wasn’t!). I now know so much more, and importantly, I know what I don’t know. This knowledge payed off handsomely when the splendid OF community guided me in purchasing a barber shop find of a Accutron Spaceview (true story). I can’t thank them enough! Noob tax paid to date is $10 CDN for a maybe real Speedmaster (it wasn’t). Noob tax is low, due to the wisdoms gleaned here.
My wife is now bitten by the vintage watch bug, and that is a tremendous amount of fun for us to share. Here’s a tip, buy your special someone a watch every so often. Especially before you make a big purchase.
If you just joined, please read everything in OF, you will get a world class education that will guide you on what to pick up, what to pass on, and what to recommend to others. You will, I believe, also be entertained (and sometimes confused) by the banter.
In vintage watches I am now the caretaker of a ‘61 Seamaster, that Relied, a manual Laufik, a ‘50 Gruen (I’ll post about that soon), and that handsome accutron that should soon be back from service. I’m saving up now for what I hope will be a fat arrow SS Constellation CK2852, A disco-‘70’s sports watch or 1st gen Omega Dynamic, and of course, that alarm watch. Oh, and anything with sub-seconds!!! I love sub-seconds!!!
Seamaster 14765-25c, love the Roman numerals!
Well, that was my Great Big Introduction! I hope that I haven’t “overstayed”. You all have my appreciation (esp the mods!!!) for creating this incredible community and welcoming me into it. I hope I can give back at least some of what I take from OF.
With gratitude,
Dave
(Vancouver, BC)
