Thread: What types of watches do you like?

Honestly, I thought the Shinola watch was a promo for Shinola, didn't realize it was a brand.....but it is a funny name for a watch, IMHO.

Originally Posted by AndrewJM

I love mechanical watches, but for practicality reasons I wear a Rado ceramic chronometer. It is scratchproof, accurate enough for my needs, and is of slim profile (doesnt look like a teenagers watch, nor like Im about to don a wetusit for diving). I have brushed it agains concrete and brick a number of times and is still flawless. I have had a tag and a few japanese watches in the past, but after a year or two they look worn, scratched etc. My rado is 6 years old and looks brand new. I know other watches are more exclusive, expensive, desirable etc, but my Rado suits me perfectly. Also, unlike Omega, Tag, Rolex etc, you dont see many fakes, and people dont assume you have just come back from Thailand.

My wife got me a Rado Ceramica Diastar for my birthday, many years ago. I can be under a car one minute, and in a power meeting with clients 2 hours later. So I just LEAVE it on. Looks GREAT with a suit, survives the driveway during a fuel tank dropping. Don't even bother taking it off to shower. Microfiber cloth rub, and a tux isn't overdressing that watch. LOVE it.

I see most of the posts in this thread are about wrist watches. Today I received a vintage Waltham pocket watch made in 1914 ( I ran the serial numbers through a data base) . This is my first pocket watch. I'm pretty happy about it.

We always say, if there are no pictures it doesn't exist. The modification to that is with pocket watches. In that case you must take a picture of the movement.

I've been collecting vintage pocket watches for over 30 years.

How does that baby run?

Here's a pic of the movement.......
So far so good....keeping time like a champ!

15 jewels was considered a fully jeweled watch in those days and then they went to 17. You should consider having it serviced. It would come back looking like new on the inside.

it's a quality watch for sure.

This is a Hamilton WWll piece made for the military.

Thanks, I'm glad you told me it was a good quality watch. I plan on getting it serviced. Servicing a vintage watch isn't cheap from I have read. We'll see what my finances are like down the road. I might take it to a local jeweller here in town and see what he says about it. The insides are pretty clean from what I can see. And then a gain, I really don't know a whole lot about vintage watches either..... But I'm learning.

Very nice watch you got there yourself. Your movement is a lot more complicated than mine. I see it has the temperature adjust and 22 jewels!!! .... All the bells and whistles.......Very nice!

It's really a 21 jewel model but it's modified for a center seconds which requires the extra jewel. Hamilton watches with serial numbers starting with 4 are military models. The actual model is a 992b which was their most advanced model. This particular one was never actually issued and is really pristine all around. Photos don't do it justice.

In general a watch repairer will charge around $130 to service that if parts are not required. The wrinkle is though parts can be had the average watch repairer doesn't have anything for vintage stuff though much can be ordered new from supply houses but other stuff has to be taken from a parts watch.

Wherever you go make sure the repairer isn't some ham handed quartz jockey trying to learn mechanical watches by practicing on your watch. True watch repairers are like hens teeth.

Your pocket watch is very nice. Pretty valuable too, I'm guessing.
I'll do my research on a proper watch service person, someone who studies Horology.

I have a ton of watches, but the one I'm currently using everyday is a very tough and reliable Casio G-Shock GD120MB.