I'm a newcomer to this forum and full of curiosity and wonder. I'm curious about the commercial motivations and psychology behind the builders of "Frankens" (I apologize if this is off topic or a really naive question). Is it just unscrupulous jewelers wanting to unload legacy parts inventory? Or home-brew enthusiasts just needing to make a buck? Are unauthorized service centers swapping out cheaper substandard parts? Or is something else going on? I can understand where there are genuinely no parts left in circulation and you have to improvise but surely this can't account for all the Frankens out there in the wild (I own two genuinely pretty examples). I can only guess at the hours and patience necessary to acquire and assemble the necessary parts to build a Franken. Even if you have some lying around, is there really a market and margin to justify the effort? I'm wondering if anyone can share some insight - Have you built one? Serviced one? Sold one? Trade them? If so, why? Thanks for sharing...
A lot of "Frankens" are badly refinished dials with wrong hands on... Often the movement and the case are a match... Often these are watches from the less desirable end of the product range. It's mostly a case of sellers trying to tart up crap and sell it as diamonds.
My view, in order of acceptability. 1. Owner concocted creations, e.g.: Panda dials, red sweeps, Broad Arrow hands, no problem with them as long as disclosure is made if sold. 2. Mumbai Specials - Watches built from parts of dead donors, Frankens made by people trying to earn a living. I can see why they do it. 3. Watches deliberately made to be what they aren't. Genèves to Seamasters, Seamasters to Rancheros. Done by unscrupulous bastards just for the money. They should be made to eat their work.
I think that a number of frankens are just old watches that have been regularly serviced and updated as old parts were worn down/damaged by the elements and the watchmaker didn't have the 100% correct item in stock and the owner didn't care/notice.
My view, in order of acceptability. 1. Owner concocted creations, e.g.: Panda dials, red sweeps, Broad Arrow hands, no problem with them as long as disclosure is made if sold. 2. Unintentional Frankens - just old watches that have been regularly serviced and updated as old parts were worn down/damaged by the elements and the watchmaker didn't have the 100% correct item in stock and the owner didn't care/notice. 3. Mumbai Specials - Watches built from parts of dead donors, Frankens made by people trying to earn a living. I can see why they do it. 4. Watches deliberately made to be what they aren't. Genèves to Seamasters, Seamasters to Rancheros. Done by unscrupulous bastards just for the money. They should be made to eat their work.
These are the ones that some of my friends display proudly and say things like "Man I love this purple/green/yellow/rainbow vomit colour, it's so of the time"... this promptly leads to a discussion around how much they paid the nice man on eBay, and whether they looked at any pictures of genuine watches before spending £400 on a south east asia tropicolour put together special...
Mumbai (and Estonia) have mouths to feed. Nothing wrong with making a buck refurbishing or "marrying" watches. I applaud their industry and ... uh... creativity. Obviously there is a market for such, though it is vanishingly small here on OF and elsewhere in the WIS community. As for the franken sellers jumbling together bits and parts with the intent to deceive... Job will do the job very nicely. 'He shall be punished for all that he did, and yet shall not be consumed: according to the multitude of his devices so also shall he suffer. . . he shall burn, and every sorrow shall fall upon him.
I have made some frankens for my own pleasure. "Project watches" - one watch made out of two or more watches. Always because some part of the original watch was not up to par. Or I have made a variaton on a theme I thought the original maker should have done. Full disclosure on different websites. When and if I sell them when I exit the whole thing in the far future - I will let the next owner know all. What that person does with it in his turn is out of my hands - but it does bother me. These watches will probably go to a fellow collector that enjoys them in the same manner I do - as good users. https://omegaforums.net/threads/black-to-be-168-005.24943/ https://omegaforums.net/threads/promising-seamaster-chronometre.7578/ https://omegaforums.net/threads/does-anyone-have-a-modded-omega.29375/page-2#post-347150 (Super Bleu sold to a guy who bought it because he liked it - as a franken) https://omegaforums.net/threads/rolex-too-bling.3467/#post-39682 Some healthy mutts I have bought - well knowing they were just that. Silver speedy traded to guy who liked the looks and knowing all of the mods.
I consider that there are different types of Franken : 1/ shit ones ; assembly of misceallanous parts that dosen't match 2/ watchco like : re assembly of matching service parts : matter of taste. I have one or two and prefer having that to some extents than a ruined vintage one 3/ Normal franken if I can say so : vintage watches, that have, trough time, had some parts changed rather logically, which in not very shocking We must remember that in before the late 70's putting some generic hand on an omega, or changing the crown by another one was not a crime and very often done. Watches were considered as a tool, and nobody cared about the the fact taht a changed crown had a logo or not, was a little bigger or smaller. almost every body was throwing away their boxes and papers. etc etc
I have exactly the same SM300 and I like it very much. I also have a genuine 1963 one. For the speedy, matter of taste, who cares if a watch is moded or not as long as you don't try to sell it as a legit one. I find the white dial rather cool.
My wife's manual wind DeVille is a franken - a completely correct one though. She digs it and calls it her Frankenstein Omega. https://omegaforums.net/threads/bride-of-frankenstein.1240/#post-12954
I've been curious why those in the know don't offer ready made frankens of popular models? This is common in the automotive world where a limited edition classic car is replicated with similar version donor cars plus aftermarket parts (think "Eleanor" Mustang Fastbacks). I understand that most serious watch collectors appreciate having a true authentic and all-original non-modified vintage piece, but some or many people might be just as happy with frankens built from quality donors? For example, since Speedy LE Pandas command such a healthy premium, why aren't there people who sell modified versions for those who love the look and want to wear one daily even if it's not the authentic original? I would love to have an Apollo XI LE 3569.31 to wear daily. Most decent versions I see are >~$5000 and yet it seems a similar looking version can be put together for ~$3200. I don't have the knowledge and skills many of you have, so if one of you made and sold with full disclosure such a piece, I would think you could sell quite a few and make a 10% profit with relatively little trouble. Am I completely wrong? Is my suggestion bordering on heresy and considered sacrilege? (Please don't burn me at the stake as I'm allergic to fire..)
No you're not really wrong. Watch geeks are rather fanatics concerning authenticity. But after all if one wants to wear a frnaken new speedy. I have nothing against it. I can even help you do yours! This said I don't know if the panda dial is still available
you do see that the fair bit with the panda dials and racing dials.. sometimes disclosed, sometimes not.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-3569-31...084307?hash=item464c232c93:g:Tj8AAOSw3ydVltvUPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network OMG
Parts resellers are certainly not afraid of gouging people...your link is just another example, and even the "legit" distributors do it...