So I am considering purchasing this Railmaster/Seamaster PAF and would like to know whether this piece is worth pursuing. It appears there may corrosion in the movement but I certainly will defer to the experts.

 

You got a good watchmaker ?

 

Wow, I don't know what to say...

I found it so extremely fascinating; a) that a watch can get so incredibly worn and b) still there are people around that actually are considering buying such a (IMO) piece of junk! I take it that we're talking about a considerable amount of money here, and not just some pocket change.

The PAF Railmaster is of course an highly collectible specimen, but a completely worn out piece like this is not collectible however rare it is. The only thing that IMO could change that fact, is if the watch had some special and interesting provenance that could be proven

 

For the same amount of money you could buy an outstanding example of a fine, albeit less fashionable vintage watch.

Think about it.

 

Really?
With a bit of TLC that watch could be made nice again.
New crown, case cleaned, hands and dial relumed.
The case corrosion is not ideal but these are not fashion watches after all.
It seems a bit short sighted to put it in the junk category.

 

Although there is obviously a good deal of subjectivity involved, there are many collectors who don't consider polished cases, relumed dials, nor scratched and/or corroded movements to be "nice". In other words, while it is true that a watch like this can be made to look better than its current, sorry state, whether or not the result would be desirable is very much up for debate.

 

Well put @Tony C.

Condition x3
Not
Repair x3

 

This watch could be very attractive with some work.

 

Well show me where you can buy a good condition one.

The decision is not between this one and a good condition one.

The decision is to own this one or none. (Until another comes - if it comes, and then it is likely to be in a similar condition).

What I would say is that there has been a little "seam" of these, with several on the market from what I postulate is one Pakistani dealer. I also postulate the best have gone already.

Vintage watches can be all about condition.

But it can also be about vintage appeal. Or patina, or wabi, or what ever you like to call it.

You either get it, or you dont. And its not a crime to not "get it"!

 

Even if that were true, which I doubt, I would never have an interest in buying a poor example of a watch, no matter how rare.

If a buyer of the subject watch is happy with it as is, then I say go for it! But the implication is quite different, and polishing and reluming have the same connection to patina as a woman with face lifts and breast implants has to natural beauty.

 

You are absolutely right of course. And I forgot to mention, or rather underline, the massive difference in value.

But for one thing....show me where you can buy one in a condition that would satisfy you.

I have not seen a good condition PAF Seamaster for sale for several years, if ever actually.

 

I like the dial colour on this one.
I wouldn't polish the case, I never do, but would look at the corrosion issue.
Condition 9 times out of 10 is not the best with these watches, who ever serviced these watches at the PAF would not have cared about future collectors mulling over condition, the people who wore these watches would have thought the same, banging around in a cockpit takes its toll on a watch.
I have owned around 10 of these watches and have seen quite a few more, all had some kind of condition issue, non of them were perfect specimens.
with military watches I am more forgiving if they look like they have been in a war, one thing that bothers me and a lot of military watches have this is missing lume in the hands or dial, again not ideal to add some but it makes the watch look nicer and is always reversible.
Cheers Michael

 

"polishing and reluming have the same connection to patina as a woman with face lifts and breast implants has to natural beauty".

Brilliant!

 

Obviously based on what I am seeing this is no pristine piece. Based on what you see, would this watch still be desirable to most with just a good cleaning by my watchmaker?

Also is that a tropical dial or water damage?
Does everything appear original including the caseback?

 

from the discussion, you should be able to discern (I would have guessed by your mad monk tag that you wouldnt require other eyes at all) that it is/will be desirable to some but not others (and perhaps most). I think there is merit in all the offered comments, though I would fall in the camp of mil watch lovers willing to overlook some obvious blemishes. Crown, as suggested, is not original.

 

This is an example of one on the low end. I would love to own and wear every day. It's a well used military instrument. Service movement, crystal, crown and second hand. I would put some crusty lume in the hands to match the dial simply for aesthetics (it's already gone anyway).

Can you tell us what the seller is asking?

 

Although it may well be true for "many" collectors at large, collectors of military time pieces are a slightly different breed, and a number of them like watches that show battle scars, so long as they are not complete wrecks.

I'm far from an expert but if it were me, I would not mind scratches anywhere, I'd leave the dial as is as reluming would indeed impact value, I'd have no problem with relumed hands if done by a true expert in proper ochre patina to match the dial without clashing-- and the true question IMHO is indeed whether the corrosion can be removed gently and sympathetically from
the movement and the case.

Obviously polishing the case is strictly verboten, and ultimately it all boils down to price...

Edit--now having seen someone post the price I agree 10k is way overblown even though I like the watch.

 

This seller had a questionable watch listed earlier that had the case back swapped out...now this.
Be careful something doesn't seem right.
https://omegaforums.net/threads/paf-ck2914-railmaster-seamaster-on-the-bay.36359/

 

Well, as stated, I expressed MY opinion. You are free to have yours. To me it's junk. Even if it was the last PAF Seamaster on earth, I wouldn't want it. Shortsighted? To you apparently. I don't agree. Each to their own in the collecting/ trading strategy

 

I realize the watch the OP is considering has a "Make Offer" but at 10k asking price- this is a much better value and is sold by a very reliable seller who is a member here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-OME...928553?hash=item3f5dd12a29:g:B0gAAOSwP~tW2giuPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network