Your points are well taken. I enjoy the hunt. While I could spend more on top notch pieces, I enjoy rehabbing stuff…I’ve spent an adult lifetime doing so with antiques for my home, including building my home with antique architectural details that date back more that a century.
I measure “worth” by the smile it brings me. Heck I’m in the process of servicing a 1958 bumper that will cost more that the watch would be sellable for…but I’m not selling and I’m happy with my decision. That I’m stingy on some things means that I’m admittedly drawn to the lower end pieces. I could put a 2k watch on my wrist tomorrow if I desired. But it wouldn’t necessarily bring me as much enjoyment. I may change my tactic in the future, but for now, I’m content and smiling as I travel my newly found watch obsession. Thanks for the replies.
You didn’t mention that you service your own stuff, in your original post. That changes things! I am a bottom feeder. I buy stuff all the time that many might consider to be basket cases. I have a huge accumulation of obsolete donor watches, and a 50+ year accumulation of NOS genuine parts, a complete kit of tools, and I too do my own work. But I am not an average collector, and by that token, what works for me doesn’t work for the average collector. I can make a pig’s ear into a silk purse with several hours worth of work and a few parts from my inventory. So a lot of my stuff might well have been deemed to be not worth repair by an average collector, before I performed my magic! If I had to pay someone to service my stuff, I’d have to look at collecting watches differently!
Let me re-phrase…I’m paying to have that bumper serviced. That said, I have toyed with the idea of spending watch money on appropriate watch tools and equipment. I have an ability to fix things. I’m a Glock armorer (not exactly the scale of a watch), but understanding how things work and am meticulous in how I approach things. Parts availability would certainly present an obvious obstacle…but like the idea and love a challenge.
I think every watch is worth saving. I’m not a professional watchmaker, just a hobbyist, I usually buy beat up old Seiko and restore them the best I can. They usually turn out nice, easy to work on and their movement run extremely well too.
Horrible pics but here they are.
Some are worth fixing up. This is my most recent purchase, it was actually an eBay auction, which is rare for me these days. It will probably need a new crystal, but it's clean where it matters. The 6105-8000 is the Asian market model, and it is engraved with the name of the original owner, a Vietnam vet who purchased it in 1968.
