I noticed that when the house is real quiet. Usually late at night, and I pass by my four vintage watches. I can hear the faint sounds of the watches happily ticking away doing their thing. Seems like such a small thing, but isn't life about the little things. Thought I'd share one of the small pleasures of life and why we collect them. Sorry, pics not that good. Two vintage Omega's (one 1951 honeycomb dial bumber, one 1966 speedmaster companion). One vintage Wyler Incaflex Superior Dynawind and lastly a vintage Gubelin hand wind.

 

You can HEAR your wrist watches running! Lucky you! Many of us no longer are able to enjoy the sound of any watch other than a pocket watch.

 

Believe me. I have to listen carefully. Usually, when I am close to the dresser.

 

I have a display case my lovely wife had made for my pocket watches.

Once in a while I’ll wind them all up, it sounds like a box of grasshoppers.

 

Recently, 2 of us pooled our Accutrons for an exhibit. 34 of them, all running, an all but 3 running in the pitch of 360 hertz, or C natural. THAT bunch I could hear! And during the exhibit, when things were quiet, I could hear the 88 pocket watches, all set to time and running. But one watch? Uh uh!

 

That must have sounded really cool... sorta like a mosquito choir.

 

I leave my main watch on my nightstand next to my bed, and once everything is settled I can hear it tick away, very relaxing IMHO

 

Yeppers!

The two Elgin railroad machines pictured below [23j Veritas 376 and 23j B.W. Raymond 494] are by far my loudest watches...I can literally hear them banging away in the next room...and when I wear them to Church, I get funny looks from the Church people because they can hear them banging away in my pockets.

 

More like a swarm of bees. I had about 50 Accutron watches at the same time a few years ago and they lived in a large drawer together away from my other watches. It was a sound to behold when the drawer was open.

By far, my MegaSonic makes the most interesting hum of all the tuning fork watches

 

Oh, can you share a pic of the display case?

 

Maybe it's the Metallica t-shirt?

As for hearing my watches, nope. I have them stored in my office near the printer, router, PC and guitar amp. I also often have the ceiling fan running. At any rate, I don't hear them.

I do tend to wear a watch to bed, and I notice the distinct sound when I put my arm so that the watch touches the pillow. When it happens, I find myself focusing on the sound and wanting to check the time, so I move my hand so as not to hear it.

 

Well, I have a hummer I can hear just fine when the drawer is open. And sometimes just when it's very quiet.

 

Yea! I can still hear my watches on the table beside the bed in the night. Fascinating to follow the sound change during the minute the second hand make a turn.

 

I don't have access to the better pictures right now, but thats it to the right of the clock...

 

A Seth Thomas # 17 regulator, no less. What is your address, and when are you away on vacation?

 

I loved walking into my favorite watchmakers shop (who is sadly no longer with us), to hear the tic toc of all the clocks on his walls, the soft bonging of the chimes...to me it was heaven. I'd just sit around listening and chatting him up.

 

Not being used because Mrs S has 20:20 hearing (or the audiological equivalent) and says that it ticks TOO LOUDLY!

 

Cool, that’s a nice way to enjoy a stable of pocket watches

 

and there's almost always one with me.

 

Ex Canadian National (GTR in those days)... We have the other two clocks from that station as well!

I've gotta update these photos.... that case is full of railway watches now, nothing less gets a look in!