Who Watches the Watchmen (Our Chit Chat Thread)

banie01

Lorddrakul wrote: »

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Looks very like the original Accutron Astronaut 'coffin link' bracelet: here

Lovely.

I've got one of those
It really is a surprisingly comfortable bracelet and I don't know why, I can never put my finger on exactly what it is but, very eye-catching when worn.
My son loves it, and says there's something snakelike about it

Still cannot believe how much the bracelets can change hands for tho!

I have mostly been wearing the new to me VC lately and even my wife thinks it's lovely! Phew! :eek:

Wibbs

banie01 wrote: »

Still cannot believe how much the bracelets can change hands for tho!

Though they tend to be thin on the ground on the mainstream watch sites, instagram and youtube, Accutrons have a strong following and are extremely collectable in the US and have been for a long time. The Astronaut is pretty much the top of the tree for collectors and their bracelet prices have reflected that. Even third party 60's bracelets that were often fitted to Accutrons back in the day tend to be pricey.

partyguinness

I am seriously thinking about pulling the trigger on this so need someone to push me off the fence or pull me back:

https://favre-leuba.com/watches/chief/sky-chief-chronograph/detail/watch/00.10202.08.10.48

893bet

partyguinness wrote: »

I am seriously thinking about pulling the trigger on this so need someone to push me off the fence or pull me back:

https://favre-leuba.com/watches/chief/sky-chief-chronograph/detail/watch/00.10202.08.10.48

Are you happy to never ever be able to sell it unless you are willing to accept 20 percent of what you paid?

Otherwise I think it’s an attractive looking watch but a lot of ££££.

griffin100

mailforkev wrote: »

Stumbled upon some Millionaire Pawnbroker show on Virgin last night. A woman was trying to flog a couple of Rolexes, a "Daytona" that she bought at a car boot sale for 25 quid and another old gold one that belonged to her grandad.

The 25 quid Daytona was obviously fake but of course, they dragged that out for 10 mins while the pawnbroker inspected it, even though he clearly would have known straight away.

The other watch was more interesting. It looked like muck, clearly a fake Rolex. However, it turned out to be solid gold. Yer man broke it up and gave her almost 3 grand for the gold. Why would anyone go to the bother of making a solid gold fake, the mind boggles.

There was a new programme on Channel 4 a couple of nights ago called Second Hand For 50 Grand.

Had a couple of good watch bits in between all the handbags. Worth a look if you can fast forward past the £100k handbags.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.thesun.ie/tv/6889978/second-hand-for-50-grand-six-figure-profit-rolex/amp/

partyguinness

893bet wrote: »

Are you happy to never ever be able to sell it unless you are willing to accept 20 percent of what you paid?

Otherwise I think it’s an attractive looking watch but a lot of ££££.

Well, on the site I am looking at it is reduced to £1620.00 from £2700.

I am not overly fussed about being able to sell it on. It is for my own use and benefit but are you saying there is zero interest in the second hand market?

I am not overly sold on the beige strap so would change it later on.

partyguinness

mailforkev wrote: »

The other watch was more interesting. It looked like muck, clearly a fake Rolex. However, it turned out to be solid gold. Yer man broke it up and gave her almost 3 grand for the gold. Why would anyone go to the bother of making a solid gold fake, the mind boggles.

Money laundering.

Fitz II

partyguinness wrote: »

I am seriously thinking about pulling the trigger on this so need someone to push me off the fence or pull me back:

https://favre-leuba.com/watches/chief/sky-chief-chronograph/detail/watch/00.10202.08.10.48

43mm is fairly big and its a 7753 movement so thick at 15.7mm....and unwieldy beast.

Its a microbrand that sits right there in danger money territory. Pretty expensive not all that good looking. Not a interesting movement, not a interesting and looks like they took over a old brand in 2012 so some stolen valour there.

Like its grand, but its a nothing watch really. The Tudor Chrono at 5k would be a much better buy and far cheaper in the long run. A second hand speedmaster is within touching distance certainly a reduced. A zenith chrono is well in that budget.

Buy what you like but dont settle, if you can be talked out of it then its not for you.

partyguinness

Fitz II wrote: »

43mm is fairly big and its a 7753 movement so thick at 15.7mm....and unwieldy beast.

Its a microbrand that sits right there in danger money territory. Pretty expensive not all that good looking. Not a interesting movement, not a interesting and looks like they took over a old brand in 2012 so some stolen valour there.

Like its grand, but its a nothing watch really. The Tudor Chrono at 5k would be a much better buy and far cheaper in the long run. A second hand speedmaster is within touching distance certainly a reduced. A zenith chrono is well in that budget.

Buy what you like but dont settle, if you can be talked out of it then its not for you.

Cheers. I guess I want to stay under £2k and figured this might hit the spot and a bit left of field.

TBH if I had a £5k budget I wouldnt even look at it and would sniff around a IWC and perhaps a Seamaster or Planet Ocean.

I am not 100% sold on it and not overly keen on the batons- very mid 80s vibe. But I thought it might be worth a left of centre punt and unusual.

Wibbs

Yeah I'd echo the others PG, even at the reduced price(which itself speaks volumes) it would be one to avoid for all sorts of reasons. Size alone would be an issue. 43mm and 16mm thick is pretty massive.

partyguinness

Wibbs wrote: »

Yeah I'd echo the others PG, even at the reduced price(which itself speaks volumes) it would be one to avoid for all sorts of reasons. Size alone would be an issue. 43mm and 16mm thick is pretty massive.

Cheers. Favre...what now..??

Another important factor is keeping the brand understated but with all the bells and whistles..I am trying to get my fix without the wife knowing it. Obviously rocking up with a Rolex or Omega would give the game away. She knows damn well I would never touch a fake if I dared try pull that crap on her.

I have known her 14 years and only in the last month she revealed for the first time that an ex of hers was a fanatical watch collector...NOW YOU TELL ME.

Fitz II

Second hand Omega Aqua Terra flies under the radar. Tudor Black Bay 58 second hand something like that, the few extra euros are worth it cause you can flick it on later to upgrade. Have to day I would be thinking Omega MOTM older one and config should still see one for 3k with a deal. I am very fond of the new Tudor prince date but its flashy enough, excellent value.

Cienciano

partyguinness wrote: »

Cheers. Favre...what now..??

Another important factor is keeping the brand understated but with all the bells and whistles..I am trying to get my fix without the wife knowing it. Obviously rocking up with a Rolex or Omega would give the game away. She knows damn well I would never touch a fake if I dared try pull that crap on her.

I have known her 14 years and only in the last month she revealed for the first time that an ex of hers was a fanatical watch collector...NOW YOU TELL ME.

Just get the omega (AT is really nice and understated as fitz said), tell her it was broken or something, you got it on etsy seller in Bangkok or some shíte and you paid for a cheap movement to go into it. It looks like a real omega but it's actually fairly worthless from a collectors point of view which is why you got it cheap. In fact, it was so cheap and the fact you bought it in Thailand, you think there's a chance it's a good fake but that doesn't bother you. You know, bullshít her.

But for love of god, don't buy a €2k microbrand, unless it's a minute repeater! If you need to come up with an excuse, between the lot of us, we can come up with something, you can use my one if you like

Thirdfox

In terms of expensive microbrands I do hear a lot of good things for Monta/Formex and the likes - and for some people something like Ming is a "microbrand" that people are happy to pay more than 2k for too.

If I could get a minute repeater for 2k from a Chinese factory on Aliexpress I'd jump on that! It would probably turn out to be a wind up alarm clock or something like $60 "tourbillon" (open-heart) watches you find on AliX.

Cienciano

Thirdfox wrote: »

In terms of expensive microbrands I do hear a lot of good things for Monta/Formex and the likes - and for some people something like Ming is a "microbrand" that people are happy to pay more than 2k for too.

If I could get a minute repeater for 2k from a Chinese factory on Aliexpress I'd jump on that! It would probably turn out to be a wind up alarm clock or something like $60 "tourbillon" (open-heart) watches you find on AliX.

The €2k minute repeater was a caveat for your brand! Wishful thinking on my part with the price.

banie01

Not microbrand related
Unfortunately!

I've been on the look out for a nice leather strap for the VC.
Turns out there is no OEM strap and very little to be found anywhere that will fit it without a bit of butchering.

Found a Vietnamese leather guy who seems well recommended on Reddit and WUS.
Ziczac leather, anyway some chat, some measurements with my calipers and a "yes I can do that" from Vietnam!

Has left me ordering a blue croc and a brown ostrich strap (893's ALS strap made my mind up on Ostrich)
All for the grand total of $130 :eek:

Probably be a couple of months before I see them, but will share the end result when I see them.
Now to track down a clasp

banie01

Cienciano wrote: »

In fact, it was so cheap and the fact you bought it in Thailand, you think there's a chance it's a good fake but that doesn't bother you. You know, bullshít her.

Where was this mendacity when I was trying to spin a spiel to my Mrs about the VC :pac:

Pablo_Flox

partyguinness wrote: »

Cheers. Favre...what now..??
I am trying to get my fix without the wife knowing it. Obviously rocking up with a Rolex or Omega would give the game away. She knows damn well I would never touch a fake if I dared try pull that crap on her.

Tell her that you won it on the Ye'Old Watch Give Away Thread!

eljono

1982 Explorer with papers and box, surely this isn't worth anywhere near €22k?

https://www.chrono24.co.uk/rolex/rolex-explorer-1016--id19234903.htm?SETLANG=en_GB&SETCURR=EUR

893bet

eljono wrote: »

1982 Explorer with papers and box, surely this isn't worth anywhere near €22k?

https://www.chrono24.co.uk/rolex/rolex-explorer-1016--id19234903.htm?SETLANG=en_GB&SETCURR=EUR

I have no idea anymore. The watch market is like Bitcoin at the moment.

banie01

893bet wrote: »

I have no idea anymore. The watch market is like Bitcoin at the moment.

But..
But...
Bitcoin fell this week

micks_address

A year is a long time in watch owning. This time last year I had a Tudor Ranger which i ordered a strap from Martu leather for. Nice black leather with some read subtle stitching.. of course the watch is long sold... the strap arrived today from Chile express post! Andrea of course had long refunded the order

22 wide at lugs 20 at buckle. Don’t have a watch to fit it

scwazrh

micks_address wrote: »

22 wide at lugs 20 at buckle. Don’t have a watch to fit it

That sounds like a perfect reason to go watch shopping .

Thirdfox

eljono wrote: »

I'm probably late to the party but I've just seen the new 4 face Reverso, the Hybris Mechanica, what a stunning piece of design and engineering! I've found my grail...



Perpetual calendar
Tourbillon
Minute Repeater
Indicates when there are rare lunar events and eclipses

I'm totally smitten by it I have to say. JLC have built a very good product page you can scroll on desktop and see how the various functions work, well worth a look: https://hybrismechanicacalibre185.jaeger-lecoultre.com/en

For Eljono (and most of us) - a 30+ minute on the JLC Reverso which goes through all of its functions:

WatchAdvisor make some very good watch videos - all positive about the brands but in return they get really amazing access to amazing pieces from the top tier brands.

For those who want to hear the minute repeater in action it's at the 11:30 mark

Let's compare it to the sound Lir makes in 6 (or so) years' time :pac:

eljono

Great, thanks TF, I'll look forward to watching that this evening!

Maestro84

Hi, I got a watch delivered today and I need to get it sized to my wrist. Does any one know if there is any jewellers open at the moment that could do that?

Lorddrakul

Maestro84 wrote: »

Hi, I got a watch delivered today and I need to get it sized to my wrist. Does any one know if there is any jewellers open at the moment that could do that?

Simple enough job with the right tools.

Where abouts are you?

Cyclingtourist

Maestro84 wrote: »

Hi, I got a watch delivered today and I need to get it sized to my wrist. Does any one know if there is any jewellers open at the moment that could do that?

If you don't feel confident enough to do it yourself try Damien Duggan at Duggan's Jewellers in Fairview Dublin. I got a watch bracelet sized by him a few weeks ago. Best to phone and/or email before calling. He seems to be open most days with the shutter partly down.
https://www.dugganjewellers.ie/

Wibbs

Following on from the other thread that mentioned TAG and promotional stuff in other areas, I completely forgot I had these, but dug them out.



Longines sunglasses of all things.



They have ickle Longines winged hourglass motifs in a few places on them. They're actually decent quality, made by Metzler of Germany. Polarised lenses and all that. These are early 90's jobs, though you can still get Longines specs today.

Maestro84

Lorddrakul wrote: »

Simple enough job with the right tools.

Where abouts are you?

Living in Meath