I'm new to your forum, so I hope it isn't presumptuous to start this thread. I'm sure many of you are familiar with the Japanese world view of Wabi sabi. In their culture, it is a very important concept and way of viewing things. It has been called the art of imperfection, and I like to apply it to objects that have gained patina or wear from daily use, etc. Of course watch collectors appreciate the scars and flaws watches gather as they age. (In many cases, anyway.) So maybe a thread dedicated to imperfection as beauty would be pleasing. I spent some time in Japan many years ago and learned to respect their culture very much. I also have a thing for collecting stories along with watches and other items. Whenever I buy a watch from an original owner, I ask for the seller to write a brief history of his watch and include it. My husband got me started doing this because he loves history, and now we both collect stories along with watches and other pieces from the past. I'll start the photos with an old Elgin watch that shows some age but is still very beautiful. Note: I don't think the case and dial are correct together. I'll post some better Wabi sabi examples later. I hope others will contribute their beautifully imperfect watch photos. And I'll add a story, too, soon. My latest Speedmaster came with a nice NASA-related story. Have a nice Sunday.

 

Sorry my photos aren't so good, but here's an example of mild Speedmaster Wabi.

 

Hmmm...How about sharing your NASA story?

 

It's not MY NASA story. I'll give the basics. I recently bought a 105.012 from a gentleman who had run a carbide tool business in Chicago for many years. He bought the Speedmaster new in 1965 and told me that his coworkers razzed him endlessly because it was large and expensive. He was young and not making a ton of money at the time, it seems. The NASA connection was simply that his company supplied many of the tools used by NASA to make many of the unique parts for Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and shuttle missions. He gave a few more details, but that was really the gist of it. He didn't fly any missions, but he did get to visit some NASA facilities during that time, and he said he was always wearing the watch. It was a very well-worn watch.

 

Very interesting...Thanks for sharing!

 

I don't recall telling this here, before. I hope I haven't but here goes.

I bought this vanilla looking Waltham Crescent Street, a number of years ago. My intention was to fix it up and flip it. The further I got into it, the more I found out about it.

In 1915, a teenager commenced employment as an engine wiper with Canadian Pacific Railway. My late father was also a CP engine wiper, in 1916, working the night shift for $0.07 (yes, 7 cents) per hour. By 1916, this fellow had become an apprentice fireman, so he needed a railroad standard watch. He chose this one, and CPR bought it. He paid them back on the payroll deduction plan. He carried this watch through his years as a fireman, becoming an engineer in 1938. He carried this watch until his retirement circa 1965.

The repair numbers in the case back told a story. There are 33 repair numbers from one watch inspector, and two from someone else. I recognized the 33 repair numbers as being from a railroad watch inspector of whom I knew, but had never met. Fast forward, and I found a copy of the repair records for the watchmaker, and I have a complete listing of what was done to it, and when. I also met some of the members of the original owner's family, and they provided me with a wealth of material of him, as well as a newspaper clipping with a picture of him, taken on the day he retired.

The dial is laced with hairlines, but the movement looks an runs like new, in spite of it being a century old. It has been repaired 36 times, most recently by me. Who fixes anything 36 times nowadays? So many watches, so many stories!

 

That is a perfect story WITH Wabi sabi. Pocket watch movements can be so very beautiful, and they are a joy to watch at work. That dial is also wonderfully imperfect, yes? Thanks for sharing and for an excellent example of what I had in mind. My examples weren't so great.

 

I don't think any street Joe can walk in NASA and says "hey, I wanna fly your next mission"...!!!

 

Some mil-spec wabi sabi...

 

Great group of watches. I love that first Longines.

 

I guess one man's rusting, bubbling dial is another man's wabi. The associated tale is rather lengthy, so I'll link to it instead of copy/paste: https://omegaforums.net/threads/your-most-sentimental-watch-and-why.48632/page-2#post-581837

 

My father's watch is the best example I have of this. My mom bought it for him when they got engaged, and he used it every day for the following three decades, from his shifts in the hospital as a nurse to working in the car shop or chopping wood (until I was old enough to take on that duty) and it carries all the scars of its full life.

Now I have it because he decided he prefers to wear the citizen his coworkers gave him on retirement.

 

That's a great piece of history to have and keep. And it has a very cool name.

 

I absolutely love those Stingray chronos. Is that the original NSA bracelet? Been looking for one, but given your personal connection to yours, I'm not even gonna call dibs

 

'Wabi sabi'???... "art of imperfection" "wear from daily use"??? ..... Sounds like an excuse to not look after stuff to me!
Not really a sustainable way of going about things in a place like Japan???... where the walls in the houses are made of paper!

Anyway. Nice thread so I'll enter into the spirit of it. I've worn this old sekonda while laying bricks near a London Karate Dojo??? It's taken a right old beating!

Also a bit of Wabi sabi speedy.

 

I'm not sure algae or ear wax or whatever that stuff is qualifies as Wabi sabi.

 

Yeah, that's the original bracelet and it's not going anywhere

 

Great story..the watch says it all. Hard work in a demanding environment has definitely put a layer of "wabi" on this watch..love it!

 

Here's one of my favorite examples of Wabi sabi on an old Elgin USN Buships canteen. I only wish I knew the story that goes along with this piece of history.

 

According to some members whatever happened to this watch was an excuse not to take care of it...