Watch of Today

[Galilea]

51 minutes ago, KarlvonKoln said:

I just snapped up this Wittnaur today, for all of $75 and change.  (A bit high for the 404 Club.) It was dirty and sluggish, but I had all of Sunday off, and cleaning watches keeps me out of trouble.  It came with no strap so I fitted it with an oxblood-colored leather one.  It runs smooth now.

Begs the question I will not ask...  What other trouble?  Doh! Nice watch, highly collected and prized by me. I do not have that one, hmm. But what is protocol on this forum? Is it bad manners for me to go grab a favorite Wittnauer and post it here since yours reminds me of one? I would think so.

Edited August 28, 2023 by Galilea

[KarlvonKoln]

Go for it!  Wear it.  Post it.  Wittnauers are pretty.

[rossjackson01]

My repair for the day, and wearing it.

Sekonda. Slava movement 2427 automatic.

Edited August 28, 2023 by rossjackson01
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[rossjackson01]

On my wrist. This was the first  watch on which a managed to do a full service. 

It was advertised as a 'Sekonda'. On arrival the dial displayed 'Quest'. The indexes were damaged. Non runner. The case is from the 'Quest'. The Slava 2427 movement is from the 'Quest'. The dial is as you can see, is from an automatic Sekonda.

This is my 'wear most days watch'.

 

Edited August 29, 2023 by rossjackson01
Spelling, Grammar

[Waggy]

You are on a roll, no stopping you now! Soon be bringing dumpster Rolex back to mint condition with car polish and an old toothbrush! 

[RichardHarris123]

Well done, next you'll be good at sourcing crowns!!! Hehe. 

[rossjackson01]

5 hours ago, RichardHarris123 said:

Well done, next you'll be good at sourcing crowns!!! Hehe. 

Nope. I'm still a dope. Still not had any luck on my Seiko 6199a 8140 crown search.

[diveboy]

Elgin Briar from 1954

Edited August 30, 2023 by diveboy

[Razz]

I picked up this 033 75 Timex automatic at an antiques fair this morning in a lot with 2 other watches. This one is completely original and other than the broken strap, in great condition. Some DNA that took about 20 minutes to clean up with rodico including a quick crystal  touch up with polywatcn. It seems like it was worn for a bit and when the strap broke it was put in a drawer. Put a temp rubber strap on and for £8 can't really beat it. Runs OK on the timegraoher but probably can be adjusted...

[JerseyMo]

here is the catalog reference

 

  

[steve1811uk]

Tressa Automatic 1970s ETA 2788

Running at 0 to +0.5 SPD in wear.

Replaced crystal, crown (original crown worn and too small to wind effectively) and day wheel (plastic had gone very crumbly on the underside). Also badly chipped jewel on train wheel bridge (replaced entire bridge as easier than changing the jewel).

Very good movement running at over 300 degrees DU/DD. All positions 0 SPD except PR, PU +2 SPD.

Edited September 5, 2023 by steve1811uk
Extra pics

[rossjackson01]

Just for the day

Seiko 6119 6000

 

Edited September 5, 2023 by rossjackson01
Spelling, Grammar, more information

[AndyHull]

I haven't worn this for a few months, so I figured it was time to give it an airing.

A Felsa 790 series "Orfilux" 25 Rubis Automatic from around 1955, in a "Hermetica Garantie" case. 

RWAG is most likely the case maker Rodi & Wienenberger AG, Pforzheim Germany. (Translated link).
Sadly RWAG appears to have ceased trading around 2019.

I can find nothing on line regarding the "Orfilux" brand, but I suspect it may have been a German company, using Swiss movements.
If anyone else knows anything about "Orfilux" I would be keen to hear.
 

I cleaned and serviced this on November 30th 2019 and it is still going strong, though I suspect that is more a testament to the quality of the caliber than it is to my amateur servicing efforts. It also probably helps that this is not a "daily driver", and that thus far I have resisted the urge to pull it all apart again and "fix" the hands, a process that might be fraught with possible pitfalls.

The "patina" (some might call it rust) on the hands, isn't obvious unless you shoot a macro shot of it and post it on line, so when I'm wearing it, I can live with it. I should really sort it out by polishing and reluming the hands, but I'm happy enough to leave well alone for the time being.  Maybe next time it needs a service, the I will be unable to resist the urge.

Edited September 10, 2023 by AndyHull

[mikepilk]

Today I've been wearing my newly serviced "Services" with the Smiths Cal 627. I new nothing about the Smiths factory at Ystradgynlais making "cheap" watch movements until I got this.
This is a rare(ish) 17J and runs better than I ever imagined it would. 

After running overnight, I've warn it all day, including a round of golf (a challenge for any watch) and after 24h it's +2s. Amazing for such a cheap watch.

I wrote about it here 

 

 

 

[GuyMontag]

1974 Bulova on the original bracelet.

 

[Waggy]

18 hours ago, mikepilk said:

including a round of golf (a challenge for any watch)

I know this all too well, I gave my brother in law a Seiko and he went out the next day and plaid a round if golf, one of the chapter markers came loose and wedged under  the minuet hand. Tube of super glue to the rescue! 

[mikepilk]

28 minutes ago, Waggy said:

I know this all too well, I gave my brother in law a Seiko and he went out the next day and plaid a round if golf, one of the chapter markers came loose and wedged under  the minuet hand. Tube of super glue to the rescue! 

I've heard that if the regulator pins do not have a boot, a golf swing can cause the hairspring to slip out of the pins. 

I think a round of golf is a good test when I've serviced a watch. I wouldn't do it with anything too expensive  

[AndyHull]

The two jewel ISA 1198 based " Montine of Switzerland" "Swiss Quartz" arrived, and It looks completely unworn.

However the original battery had destroyed the lower battery contact. Bizarrely it hadn't corroded, in a conventional manner, but rather it had split into a number of thin strips. I fabricated a replacement (from a 10K ohm resistor leg, flattened in the vice), and now it is running perfectly. 

[Waggy]

Another 404 in the bag! See link below:

 

[Razz]

I have a real choice to make. I have a big work anniversary coming up and have an opportunity to purchase my own gift up to $1,000US commemorating the occasion. My company won't do cash (for a couple of reasons including tax purposes) and I am not sure if I can pitch in additional funds for over the amount. This is for real and I will be getting a new or vintage watch for my collection. It will be a wristwatch. I have some ideas but I thought I would put it to the community as a question of what would you choose and why? I save some ideas but thought this could give me some additional ideas.

This won't get me a Rolex (i don't think) or an AP or Patek, but my interests lately have been in dive watches so maybe a Captain Willard or new Seiko, Tissot, or some other in the dive watch category. I have a few dress watches and some everyday wearers, but my other thought was a field watch because earlier in my career I spent a lot of time outdoors in the "field as part of my job duties". Those are my "whys" what are yours for criteria for purchasing your next item for your collection? My other criteria is that it has to be mechanical and automatic but I could be persuaded into a manual wind if the piece fits my collection. I also need to be wowed a bit by the dial...

Edited September 22, 2023 by Razz

[RichardHarris123]

I'm biased because I love Omega , (hate Swatch). They have produced some very average watches in the past but anyway.  Not sure you can get what you want for the price. 

[rehajm]

2 hours ago, Razz said:

Those are my "whys" what are yours for criteria for purchasing your next item for your collection

Well, for me tomorrow’s Watch of Today might be a Seiko diver. I found a cheap franken I’m fixing for a nephew- there’s pics here somewhere. Researching how coherent I could make it I took a liking to some of the new and homage pieces from Seiko….….and the military/field watches are my thing. The Timor DD reproduction comes in just about on your budget…

[Neverenoughwatches]

9 hours ago, Razz said:

I have a real choice to make. I have a big work anniversary coming up and have an opportunity to purchase my own gift up to $1,000US commemorating the occasion. My company won't do cash (for a couple of reasons including tax purposes) and I am not sure if I can pitch in additional funds for over the amount. This is for real and I will be getting a new or vintage watch for my collection. It will be a wristwatch. I have some ideas but I thought I would put it to the community as a question of what would you choose and why? I save some ideas but thought this could give me some additional ideas.

This won't get me a Rolex (i don't think) or an AP or Patek, but my interests lately have been in dive watches so maybe a Captain Willard or new Seiko, Tissot, or some other in the dive watch category. I have a few dress watches and some everyday wearers, but my other thought was a field watch because earlier in my career I spent a lot of time outdoors in the "field as part of my job duties". Those are my "whys" what are yours for criteria for purchasing your next item for your collection? My other criteria is that it has to be mechanical and automatic but I could be persuaded into a manual wind if the piece fits my collection. I also need to be wowed a bit by the dial...

Personally i like to collect old iconic watches, so many made famous by films etc. Or unusual designs.That doesn't especially make them a great watch just a theme of collecting. You've mentioned the Willard, how about a genuine A 11 military watch.  Another iconic Seiko would be the Pogue space watch.  A Citizen bullhead ?.  A grand might even get you a Dirty Dozen, i dont know the availability of these in the US though, an A 11 is more appropriate for your country. Pre Swatch Omega Tissot or Longines , like Richard I'm not a fan of Swatch.

[rehajm]

You won’t find an original willard or a decent dd in the US for under $1k. I think the willard repros are scarce now, too. A good A-11 can still be had for $300 a good A-17 for 500- get one of those yourself and make sure the company treats you! One of the hard shell militaries, Benrus et al will be a good choice, too…

…and sorry to continue to veer ot but since the pics have been light here this week and if we’re talking tomorrow’s watch of today and something a bit more military, some visuals for one I hoped to have been posting by now…

…got it to here yesterday, still much to be done…I’ll write it up in the more appropriate place…but what do y’all make of that dial?

Edited September 23, 2023 by rehajm

[Waggy]

Working on a Rocar (Ebauches Bettlach Cal. 8135) which is really putting my Padawan skills to the test - "I am no Jedi yet".

However I think I may have spotted 2 issues, the first being a mangled hairspring:

 

Usually I would have walked away from this, but decided to 'give it a go' and it ended up like this:

Quite proud of myself

Here is issue number 2.... can you spot it:

Replaced the jewel using my jewelling tool (another first!)

Lets hope those were the last of the surprises!

Edited September 23, 2023 by Waggy