14 Comments

1. Speedmaster
   Posted August 8, 2008 at 5:52 am | Permalink

   I’m a dreamer/small collector. Down to three watches at the moment: Omega Speedmaster Pro, Seiko automatic diver (skx-173), and Hamilton 38mm Khaki manual wind. The Speedy is my favorite. 😉

2. Kyle
   Posted August 8, 2008 at 8:39 pm | Permalink

   Thanks for the contest. Love your blog, have been reading for last several months. Definitely a dreamer (for now!)! I own three beauties, though – Tag Heuer, Seiko Sportsmatic and a vintage 1954 Omega Seamaster (definitely my favorite)

3. MikeTheWatchGuy
   Posted August 8, 2008 at 11:44 pm | Permalink

   Stumbled by your blog and now look forward to getting the steady stream of emails.

   I started as a casual collector/wearer of World War 2 era watches. I bought mostly to wear, not collect. I’ve got maybe 20 watches in my collection right now. Some modern (Jacob Jansen, Accutron), others 1940’s & 1950s.

   Over the past year, I’ve started restoring wristwatches. I get them from eBay, restore them to a working condition and then sell them on eBay, typically making next to nothing for my time and expenses. But, I get the enjoyment of taking a watch that would be thrown away and getting it into someone’s hands that wants to wear it.

   I’ve built up quite the backlog and am slowly getting them restored. Even my main collection needs cleaning and thining out a bit.

   Thanks for the contest!

4. Sheldon
   Posted August 9, 2008 at 10:06 am | Permalink

   I own two Rolex GMT II’s but in the last five years, I have flipped five Rolex watches (Sub, SD, TOG, GMT, DateJust) and have now pretty much settled on my two GMTII (16710 and 116710).

   I have been following watches closely since 2000, but have always been fascinated with watches since my teens. I am an NAWCC and AWCI member and have bebuilt about 1/2 dozen watches after completing TimeZone’s online courses.

   I did (re-)discover the first Swiss watch in space in a traveling Smithsonian exhibit that the manufacturer did not even knew existed.

   I appreciate every tidbit of information and insight posted on this blog. Keep up the good work.

   -Sheldon

5. Jud Leech
   Posted August 10, 2008 at 8:55 am | Permalink

   I have about 40 watches. My first high grade is a Hamilton Clinton(747 movemnt)wrist watch which I bought with almost all my life savings in March 1950 for $49.50. Two weeks later I discovered a jeweler selling Hamilton 4992B Army surplus Navigation watches new in the box with the factory seal intact for $5. I spent the remainder of my life savings on these two watches. I still have both of these watches. Since that time I have bought and traded many watches including Patek, IWC, Audemars, Omega, etc. My oldest watch in an 1870 Longines PW in a sterling silve hunting case. The next oldest is an 1874 Patek PW in a heavey 18 kt hunting case. My favorite ia a Jaeger-LeCoutre master control wrist watch with perpetual calendar in an 18 kt rose gold case. As I am typing this I am wearing a SS Hamilton Railroad Special Electric wrist watch,with a 505 movement. It was recently serviced by Rene Rondeau, who is the only person that I know who has the new old stock genuine Hamilton contact points, the weak point in this watch, to make this type of watch run properly.

   I love watches and enjoy very much this site. I always enjoy learning about watches. I belong to the NAWCC and out local chapter.
   I appreciate very much the time and effort that you put into this site. I hope that you can continue the good work. Thank you, Jud

6. Dave
   Posted August 11, 2008 at 8:08 am | Permalink

   Thanks for the kind offer! I enjoy reading your posts and found it via the minus4plus6 site. I own a brand new Rolex GMT-II-C (less than a month old and I love it!) and a 30-year old Two Tone Datejust (was my Dad’s). My first nice watch was an Omega Seamaster in the mid ’90’s, that made way for a Rolex no-date Sub 14060, that I sold in 2005 to get a new black GMT II 16710, that I traded in on my GMT-II-C.

   On the other end of the spectrum I have a variety of Timex Ironman digitals for beater use.

   Cheers,

   Dave

7. Dave
   Posted August 11, 2008 at 8:17 am | Permalink

   One other thing I should have mentioned. I really respect the craftspeople who enter this profession. I know that I could never do it! I also am glad Rolex is planning for the future by supporting a new generation entering the trade. When I had my Dad’s 30-year-old Datejust overhauled to mechanical and visual perfection after I inherited it a few years back, the fine young professionals I dealt with (at Wixon’s in Bloomington, Minn) did more than just restore a treasured object . . . they restored a tangible link between me and my father. I admire and respect the skill and care that go into your line of work.

   Cheers,

   Dave

8. Mathew
   Posted August 12, 2008 at 8:17 am | Permalink

   Love the blog.

   I own a bunch of watches as many are practice watches while I get started in watchmaking. My pride and joy is a Speedmaster Automatic. I also have a nice Rado, an Accutron and an old Omega Deville. I also have two Omegas that don’t run.

   I’m currently using the timezone kit and school to get educated. I’

9. MikeTheWatchGuy
   Posted August 12, 2008 at 8:41 am | Permalink

   Sheldon…

   Can you please contact me as I would like to chat with you about your experience in rebuilding watches following you taking the TimeZone course.

   You can email me directly at FromForums@MikeTheWatchGuy.com

   I didn’t see a way of contacting you through this forum.

   -mike

10. Michael O
    Posted August 13, 2008 at 12:08 am | Permalink

    Hello J.Peter

    I find your blog entertaining and informative. Found it in a posting on TimeZome. It is high on my list of daily web visits, along with my favourite online watch dealers.

    I’ve taken the Level One TimeZone course and plan to take Level Two this winter. So I guess that makes me a (very) amateur watchmaker.

    I recently received several dozen watches when I purchased a “job lot” from a guy up here in Canada. They are mostly Caravelle-style 6 3/4 ligne, according to their labels. Which is cool because I was looking to get some experience with really small movements.

    I have no plans to do watch repair for a living since there are no watchmaking schools in Western Canada where I live. I really enjoy taking apart and assembling my practice watches on my own time and at my own pace.

    I own four antique pocket watches (three Waltham, one Omega) and four decent wrist watches (Speedmaster, Seamaster, Seiko 5 and a vintage Glycine Airman w/ 24 hour dial. Awesome.)
    Each watch gets a month at a time on the wrist, so my favorite is the one I’m wearing right now. That is, the Seiko 5.

    I am on the look out for a nice Longines Ultra-Chron, a late 60’s Omega Day-Date Constellation, a Rolex Sea-Dweller and an Omega DeVille Hour Vision.

    Love the blog. Keep up the good work.

11. Cameron
    Posted August 13, 2008 at 4:21 am | Permalink

    J. Peter,
    I became a watch “collector” when I got my first calculator watch in the mid 70’s. I am not the kind of collector that buys a watch and wears it once a year. I like to wear my watches a lot. I don’t like scratches, but I’m not afraid of scratching my watch either. My first mechanical watch was a Russian watch that my father brought back for me on one of his trips. It is packed away in one of the unopened boxes after our last move. My current watch is a Swiss Army Ambassador XL with full day window. I am very pleased with this watch. It keeps remarkably good time for a mechanical watch. It runs ahead about a minute and a half per week. I am currently trying to work out the logistics of going back to school. Watch making school actually.

12. J.Peter
    Posted August 14, 2008 at 6:37 am | Permalink

    Contest Closed

13. J.Peter
    Posted August 14, 2008 at 6:40 am | Permalink

    Congratulations Sheldon, you win!

14. rafael moros
    Posted August 31, 2008 at 11:59 am | Permalink

    I have 8 watches, 5 pocket watches, 1 clock, all mecanics all originals , no counterfaits.

    (I repaired the clock )

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1. By Tick Talk » Just one day left for the giveaway. on 12 Aug 2008 at 6:24 pm

   […] a reminder that you have just one more day to comment on the Lange & Sohne Giveaway post to be eligible to win the DVDs. This entry was written by J.Peter and posted on August 12, […]

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