If you choose to participate in this thread, please don't just post pictures. Tell us about your watch, its history and why its among your most sentimental!

My thread, so I'll start.

My Karl Zimmerman late 19th Century English freesprung keyless reverse fusee lever with subsidiaries for seconds & power reserve in open face case (ca. 1886). Original gold case lost to the mandates of the great depression. The silver replacement case was able to be custom fabricated by hand to match the original made by Benson Brothers owned by James Eastham (mark JE) of Liverpool. This watch was owned by my great, great grandfather and handed down to me when I was 12 years old by my great grandmother. She saved the case-less watch including the crystal, stem & crown in a box in her dresser since the 1930’s. It remained in that state until 2011 when I was fortunate to work with a fine watchmaker (& friend) and case craftsman on this very sentimental family piece to return to this state.

 

I went to a Watch fair a few monthes ago.
I was just there to browse and see if I can look at some nice watches and also to meet some good friends of mine.
One of them is the admin of a french watch forum (Montres pour tous).
Anyway, as soon as I arrived there, she told me that a friend of her had a Speedy for sale.
Ok then, let's have a look !
Well, it was a 145-022 68ST that sat in a drawer for the last 30 years.
I was BORN in 1968 !
As soon as I asked the seller for the price, I knew it would be mine (3K€).
No need to say that I'm more than happy to wear it (even if I should have had it overhauled)...



Now, I know that my daughter will have something from me (and that she'll remember my birthyear)

 

Aqua Terra 2504.80 present at the birth of my daughter

 

Now that is funny !

I was wearing a 2502.33 when my daughter came to life.
It will of course (and also) never be sold.

 

I AM a sentimental guy...

Written about it before:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/not-an-uncles-watch-but.38384/#post-443146



https://omegaforums.net/threads/the-roman-greco-wrestling-watch.29775/



Probably my cheapest watches monetary wise. Priceless otherwise.

 

Same here - my grandfather's Bulova from the 40's is probably the lowest value watch as far a money goes. Won't go anywhere except to one of my nephews one day. Found the matching lady's version several years later.



Since my wife paid for half of my Breitling, it isn't going anywhere either.

 

I enjoy reading the posts from a member that share a watch they inherited. I am talking about those that are asking for feedback on how they can restore the watch in memory of a loved one, and then come back and update the thread to share what was done to restore the watch. It is so great to see those before and after pics of those family heirlooms.

I do not own an heirloom watch, but given how cool I think those threads are, it very much motivated me to pass down watches with special meaning to my boys. At this point, I have a birth year speedy for my youngest, it also happens to be my first Omega. I will also pass down my Gemini4 watch, this one because it's flat out awesome, my most favorite of all. And then my CK2998, which is (and will be) the only watch I ever buy new.

At this point, these are 3 of the 4 I plan to pass down. I am thinking about another birth year speedy for my oldest.

The other Omega watches get sold. The Ed White goes once they start selling for $25k.




FOR SALE $25,000. Firm. Check back with me in the year 2030.

 

Bought a few years back in Paris ... there on a business trip for a few weeks staying in the 7th. The wife tagged along and we had a great fall holiday after business was done. She even let me buy this!

 

€3K!? Killer, and great birth year watch!

 

Funny part : when I bought it, I thought it was head only.
I was (very) happily surprised to see a complete and almost untouched 1039 coming with the watch

 

What is it with you guys and "head only"? No wonder there aren't many women Speedmaster fans.

 

This one



For this reason https://omegaforums.net/threads/fathers-watch-es.25540/

 

The fun is in the hunt, of course this one

https://omegaforums.net/threads/105-003-vintage-speedmaster-newbie-inquiry.45876/

However I still remmebered how long it took for me to decide on my first serious watch, the GMT

 

JLC tdmp's are so cock!

Bought this new in '72 to celebrate coming home from overseas and it will only leave me as a legacy.

 

This is the cheapest watch in my collection but the oldest one I bought about 36 years ago. Why is this the most sentimental watch?
Well, it has not only been worn by me more often than any other watches I own, but this is also the watch I was wearing when I first met my girl friend in college before we started dating. She told me that I had a nice watch at that time, so I guess it helped me impress her.

Today my wife still thinks it is a nice watch and talks about the day we first met in college. She is also a fan of Omega watches with a SMP and Aqua Terra in her collection.

 

Don't get me started... that is a pet peeve of mine.

One of many, no one will be surprised to hear.

 

Probably my 52-year old Accutrons 214 which I've had since 1964. Still looks and runs like new (albeit with lots of work to keep it going). Wore it on our wedding day in 1966, 50 1/2 years ago. The picture of our wedding day on the left shows the Accutrons on my left wrist.

 

My most sentimental watch is my Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 8500. I purchased in 2011 and was my only watch up until last year. It accompanied me on many trips around the world, the first trips with my wife (before we were married). It was with me on many many suba diving adventures (there is even a large scratch on the steel outer edge of the bezel from a piece of a ship I clipped while diving a wreck). I got married in 2013 while wearing that watch. And finally this year it was the watch I wore when my son was born.
It's was a new watch when purchased and it has lived quite a life. I love every scratch and dent on the watch and take pride that these battle scars were created only by me. There is something to be said about vintage watches and he history that comes with them. For me you can not under estimate the purity of a watch that turns vintage through the adventures/moments of your own personal life.
I'll never sell it. It was my only watch once and could easily be my only watch again. The problem is I keep hanging out on this site and all you watch fanatics and have been doing nothing but building my collection!
One day when my watch is old and vintage I will pass it along to my son. From there who knows but it excites me to think of the memories that have passed and will pass with the watch between now and then.

 

My father died unexpectedly 10 years ago this month. I bought a Rolex SD with some money he left me.

Diving in the Med' a few years ago:

 

My 1st watch given to me by my parents when I was 4 or 5 & my only watch until I was 15 ! Then I lost it & cried for days on endNow I'm going to reclaim " The Lost Years"[emoji41] I love the vintage Mickey but SmartMickey is mighty tempting[emoji14] too......