Watches

A lovely timepiece, George. Very rare too, I should imagine.

MDS

You need glasses ,Steve Js Omega tops its.

Mista H

I've got zero interest in watches really; as long as they work reliably, tell the correct time & feel comfortable to wear that'll do me nicely. My current Seiko Kinetic fits the bill perfectly. It never needs winding or having a new battery fitted, it tells the correct time, and it's never stopped in the twelve years or so I've worn it. I smashed the glass once but that was replaced pretty quickly & cheaply.

I do, however, own a Blancpain watch inherited from my dad. It's sixty-odd years old & I only wear it on family occasions. I notice the same model's still being sold (and it's outrageously expensive in my opinion) It really needs a new face as the old one's discoloured and I should get it serviced at some stage :-

Forgot about my vintage Roy King. Now worn by my partner.

Hi Count.d

To be honest I don't like the bloody thing.

I bought a Rolex 39mm Explorer in January and it turned me into a Rolex fan, so I bought a Submariner for the sheer hell of it and instantly regretted it.  The Explorer is more discreet and just looks nicer.

I wear the Sub when in Spain but I may well sell it later in the year.  

Regards

Mick

Yeah, you're right. Mine's a mechanical movement - no battery. My band started out "two-tone" with the centre strip polished and the edge strips etched, but through use it all pretty much looks the same now.

Dear MDS,

Thanks for your comment. 

I love this old watch. It is one of two that I have but unfortunately my 1904 Eterna [military, but unissued, in a tough nickel case] has worn out, and the balance now only swings when it is on its back. 

But the old Besnon keeps chugging along! I am not sure that it is rare, or valuable really. But it is unusual in that is still running like new. Many had tough lives, and the glasses are often replaced, and as a friend of mine who is retired but used to sell such watches said, "Most are clapped out beyond being worth repairing."

I keep this one by my bed and get annoyed with myself when I forget to wind it up, as it does keep such good time for a mechanical watch. Unusually this one has a completely plain case without any milling pattern and luckily no engraving on either, so that it really is mine in a way that a watch with someone else's initials on never could be!

I bought it about five years ago [maybe even longer] for £180, and it has not been serviced since, though it goes out so rarely that it does not get into the wars! Or dirty. Though it is a Silver case, it keeps from tarnishing nicely, and has the patinated look that I prefer to shiny things, though inside it is as clean as whistle!

Yes, I really do like that old watch. I should get a Silver double [Albert] chain for it, but the nickel one [single Albert] is very strong and so reduces the risk of dropping the watch, which in something as old would certainly destroy the movement.

Thanks for your comment. 

ATB from George

PS: On the movement is engraved the number in the low thousands [of the English made movement type], which helps indicate that is of its date, which co-ordinates with the Silver marking for the year, and some wonderfully understated comments like, Best London Make. By Warrant to Queen Victoria. JW Benson, Ludgate Hill, London

Thanks Graeme.  Looks quite similar. Face a slightly different style and a different colour. I can see why mine reminded you of your father's.  

He's had it about two months now and reckons it's lost a minute in that time. Not bad for a 1947 timepiece I'd say.

G