Which Watch Have You Got Coming In The Mail ? Show Us !!!

[SpringMangler]

These three arrived today. The Oris and Rotary are running quite well with good amplitude and beat error, the Sekonda alarm watch not quite as well but hopefully a good clean and oil will sort it out.

The Oris has a pin pallet 712 movement which is handy as I've just serviced a 7 jewel 715, the Rotary has a ST 1686 and the Sekonda is an unsigned 18 jewel movement. 

 

Edit - It's Poljot 2612. Looks pretty straightforward. Famous last words.

Edited February 11, 2023 by SpringMangler

[RichardHarris123]

These, they qualify for the 404 club.  I have about 35 to post on the 404 club when I get around to working on. Them. 

[AndyHull]

 

A 17 jewel USSR era gold plated (Au 5) Seconda in a rather scruffy condition for a few pennies. Its almost certainly a Poljot cal. 2614.2H
It obviously needs a crystal, and the dial and hands look suspiciously oxidised, so it may well have rust in the keyless works.
These do have the potential to polish up rather nicely, so lets see if I can resurrect it and make it look smart once more.
If not I have another Poljot cal. 2614.2H watch in need of some hairspring work, so I may use the balance on that instead.

That hair puller band will probably go in the scrap box.

Edited February 12, 2023 by AndyHull

[Neverenoughwatches]

19 hours ago, RichardHarris123 said:

These, they qualify for the 404 club.  I have about 35 to post on the 404 club when I get around to working on. Them. 

The middle one is nice. More  recent and looks better quality. I like the pumpkin crown, the hairspring seems like its in good condition and well shaped . Hope removing the rachet wheel wont be a problem for you, finding a tool that fits it well will be key in avoiding damage.

[RichardHarris123]

54 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

The middle one is nice. More  recent and looks better quality. I like the pumpkin crown, the hairspring seems like its in good condition and well shaped . Hope removing the rachet wheel wont be a problem for you, finding a tool that fits it well will be key in avoiding damage.

I use an old pair of tweezers, never had any issues. 

[Endeavor]

Just bought this 0.900 silver cased Art Deco Pocket watch, a ZentRa-Tavannes. I had never heard of Zentra-Tavannes before, but Tavannes seems to have a rich history. The movement could be a Cortebert and looks pretty untouched. Need to find a matching silver ring/hook.

I just love these Art Deco styles;

 

The seller assured me, there is no a dent in the back-lid, it's just the photo. Fingers crossed

 

 

[RichardHarris123]

18 minutes ago, Endeavor said:

Just bought this 0.900 silver cased Art Deco Pocket watch, a ZentRa-Tavannes. I had never heard of Zentra-Tavannes before, but Tavannes seems to have a rich history. The movement could be a Cortebert and looks pretty untouched. Need to find a matching silver ring/hook.

I just love these Art Deco styles;

 

The seller assured me, there is no a dent in the back-lid, it's just the photo. Fingers crossed

 

 

Looks in good condition, does it run?

[Endeavor]

1 hour ago, RichardHarris123 said:

Looks in good condition, does it run?

Yes, it should do ....... in the sellers text (translated from German); "Movement can be wound up, the movement starts up in a short-term test". For sure, if a balance pivot was shot, I would have left it.

Probably need a full service first That's the fun and that's why we are here for ....

BTW, the black spot on the dial, above the center-wheel, should be a dust particle behind the glass. The dial should be a "Tadelloses Zifferblatt" (Impeccable dial)

 

Edited February 17, 2023 by Endeavor

[KarlvonKoln]

I ran across this on Ebay, and figured it was a safe bet.  It's a vintage Elgin driver's watch, meant to be worn on the side of the wrist to tell time without taking your hand off the wheel.  This one is a non-runner but, being an Elgin, service will not be a problem and spare parts are easy enough to get.  I will be starting a new job soon and that will have me spending a lot of time on the road.  This will be a cool watch to have for that.

[RichardHarris123]

33 minutes ago, KarlvonKoln said:

I ran across this on Ebay, and figured it was a safe bet.  It's a vintage Elgin driver's watch, meant to be worn on the side of the wrist to tell time without taking your hand off the wheel.  This one is a non-runner but, being an Elgin, service will not be a problem and spare parts are easy enough to get.  I will be starting a new job soon and that will have me spending a lot of time on the road.  This will be a cool watch to have for that.

A drivers watch to drive with.  Cool. Post pictures when it's finished. 

[KarlvonKoln]

8 minutes ago, RichardHarris123 said:

A drivers watch to drive with.  Cool. Post pictures when it's finished. 

Certainly.  I plan to locate a light-brown lizard skin band for it.   The lugs are hinged brackets which have holes for spring bars halfway down each side.  The way the bracket/lugs overlap the band when worn sideways adds to the coolness factor.  I may see if I can find a perforated band too.  That would be even cooler!

[AndyHull]

I was up in Mussoorie yesterday and spotted a rather ordinary looking but highly polished key wind cylinder escapement, no name (Swiss probably) pocket watch in the antique shop. It sort of ran, for a short period, however setting the hands suggested that the hour wheel was perhaps missing a tooth or two as only the minute hand moved. 

How much? I asked. After much thought, and including "foreign tourist tax", he plucked the figure of 8,000 INR from the air (around eighty pounds). I politely declined.

Last night I spotted the watch in the pictures on ebay. It was just sixteen pence over the 404 club entry fee. A much better bargain I think.

I spotted this further up the road also in Mussoorie, and thought you might enjoy it.

 

Edited February 20, 2023 by AndyHull

[KarlvonKoln]

I remember reading an article about certain signs that are posted in areas where those big cats prowl.  The signs tell people to beware of falling carcasses.  The sign goes on to explain that leopards will haul their prey up into trees in order to dine in peace away from other predators, but they do not secure it there and the dead animals can often fall down upon the unwary.
Personally, I think I, like many others, would be much more worried about meeting the leopard him/herself than getting hit with the remains of a falling deer (although they can be heavy and doubtless cause much injury also).  But perhaps in that region leopards are well known and have a reputation which needs no introduction. 

[AndyHull]

Don't worry about meeting the leopard, unless you are on your own, at night. They tend to be wary of people and keep their distance, so they would probably not try to take a full grown adult male human. They can be tempted by children and women who are walking alone, particularly in the early morning or late evening.  
No doubt it will see you long before you see it, and (hopefully) will simply keep you and your friends under observation till you pass.

Here is one I spotted in Rajastan in Dec 2018.
Take your time. I'm sure you will find it, eventually.... before it gets you and hauls you up a nearby tree.

Here's a clue, just in case you are having trouble finding it.

Edited February 20, 2023 by AndyHull

[rehajm]

My first Breitling- the 178 movement, kind of working. There’s something about the older ones I’m fond of…

 

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by rehajm

[RichardHarris123]

2 hours ago, rehajm said:

My first Breitling- the 178 movement, kind of working. There’s something about the older ones I’m fond of…

 

 

I don't like the new ones, too flashy for my taste but that's really nice.  Each to their own of course. 

[AndyHull]

A two hander gents quartz possibly GP Junghans is on its way.

Billed a "Jungham's Mens Watch" and as not working, but the price reflected this.

 

[AndyHull]

A little bit of a mystery watch is on its way for the 404 club. Its a Westclox, but the dial appears to say movement Japan, so presumably not a Westclox Scotland pin lever. It may have been assembled in Scotland I guess, or Japan, or the USA, who knows. 

Westclox did use some Seiko movements, so there is a chance this is an A241 or similar. However it doesn't say 17 jewels, so perhaps it is something else. I guess I'll need to see what turns up in the post.

It obviously needs a crystal and was listed as "Gents Vintage Westclox Watch Untested Spares Or Repairs" so it may have issues.  It has a somewhat 1970s vibe about it. The large crown however makes size difficult to judge, so it may actually be a ladies watch.. All in all is certainly a mystery, but for 99 pence though, I couldn't resist.

Edited March 4, 2023 by AndyHull

[RichardHarris123]

14 minutes ago, AndyHull said:

A little bit of a mystery watch is on its way for the 404 club. Its a Westclox, but the dial appears to say movement Japan, so presumably not a Westclox Scotland pin lever. It may have been assembled in Scotland I guess, or Japan, or the USA, who knows. 

Westclox did use some Seiko movements, so there is a chance this is an A241 or similar. However it doesn't say 17 jewels, so perhaps it is something else. I guess I'll need to see what turns up in the post.

It obviously needs a crystal and was listed as "Gents Vintage Westclox Watch Untested Spares Or Repairs" so it may have issues.  It has a somewhat 1970s vibe about it. The large crown makes however makes size difficult to judge, so it may actually be a ladies watch.. All in all is certainly a mystery, but for 99 pence though, I couldn't resist.

Send pictures when you get the back off.

[AndyHull]

Will do. It might not be for a couple of weeks though.

 

[AndyHull]

An exact 404 bid secured this pin lever day date 17 jewel Swiss Ingersoll in quite good condition (well except for the missing crown and stem, and a few slight dings on the case obviously).

 

[AndyHull]

Here is a similar Ingersoll I picked up in 2019. It has a similar (but un-jewelled) Ronda 1217-21 pin lever movement, and somewhat similar styling.

[AndyHull]

Tip to ebay sellers. A badly shot, badly focussed picture will put most buyers off. This little Kienzle 404 club contender went for an uncontested 99p, whereas the other example (which I didn't bid on) went for north of twenty pounds. Both were spares or repair, and both are pretty much identical.

These are (oddly perhaps) somewhat collectable, and pretty popular, particularly in Germany. 

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

9 minutes ago, AndyHull said:

Tip to ebay sellers. A badly shot, badly focussed picture will put most buyers off. This little Kienzle 404 club contender went for an uncontested 99p, whereas the other example (which I didn't bid on) went for north of twenty pounds. Both were spares or repair, and both are pretty much identical.

These are (oddly perhaps) somewhat collectable, and pretty popular, particularly in Germany. 

 

Tbh i quite like these Andy, i have at least one hiding somewhere in my boxes to repair. I'm pretty sure i will have staffs for these and possibly  stems, so you know where to come if you need either. When it arrives post up the calibre, I'll be interested to see what you have. 

[AndyHull]

I like them too, but then again I'm not a fan of huge watches and these have a certain compact and simple elegance. I have a couple of similar Kienzles, including this rather nice 051 b 53 Markant.