Greetings from a new member

[NewToWatches]

Hello, folks. I write from snowy Vermont, USA.   I have a small collection of mechanical watches and am enjoying learning about them. It consists of a few newer Hamiltons, some Seikos and an assortment of mid-century automatics, for which I have a distinct weakness (Bulova, Benrus, Elgin, Clinton, Waltham etc.) I actually found my way here through Mark's on-line YouTube videos, which have been very educational and oddly calming.

 

I hope to get to the point where I can service my father's Omega Seamaster from the 1960's.  He wore it for many years, but then put it in a drawer when the cost of servicing it routinely became too great.  Ironically, he preferred Swatches and quartz Timex watches.  It wasn't that he was a watch-Philistine (quite the opposite); in his later years he was a quite serious painter.  And I don't think he wanted to put the Omega through a day in the studio.  At any rate it is early days for me in the world of watch repair/adjustment.  I have adjusted the timing on a Seiko, and that's about it so far, and goobered one up pretty well (screwdriver vs. balance spring - not pretty).    I don't know whether you all remember that far back, but today is actually the day that my first set of screwdrivers are arriving.  And typically, I find that I have ordered too cheap a set!  Ah, well.  I have a lot to learn before I actually unscrew my first screw, so there is plenty of time to get the right tools, the right lubricants, and enough courage for a first session on a practice watch.     In fact, if any of you all have recommendations for a good practice watch to start out on,  I'd be all ears.

For now, let me just say how happy I am to have found a group of folks who know more than I do about these matters.  It is re-assuring somehow, if for no other reason than to know that if was possible for many of you to get to a point where you felt confident in your skill set.

 

Best regards,

 

Ben

[watchweasol]

Hello Ben and welcome to the forum .   some reading for you  

1831920544_ToolsfortheHobbyist.pdf TZIllustratedGlossary.pdf

[Nucejoe]

Hi Ben, welcome.

 

 

[oldhippy]

Thank you for your introduction Ben and welcome to this friendly forum.

[NewToWatches]

Thanks,folks. The link-to docs above are super helpful. 

@watchweasol - many thanks!

Funny.  I am re-aligning how I think about money spent.  After all, if I am willing to spend $500 on a watch, or on five watches, shouldn't I be happy to spend only $200 on lubricants to keep them all in tip top shape for years to come?  And  I see from the equipment list that Esslinger's and Amazon are going to be my new best friends.  The kinds to whom I always owe money . . .