Any Watch Collectors here?

[Darth_DMack]

I have my father's Omega watch, which I think he bought in the 50s. As a small child, I was fascinated by how it was able to wind itself by harnessing the energy of your arm's motion. I thought that was simply genius.

In recent years, I was surprised to learn that all the parts in the watch are still available, and they even offered the option to restore the face like it was brand new (I didn't do that).

The watch had stopped being waterproof decades ago, and there were a number of internal parts that were corroded. I spent about $600 on a watch that the jeweler said was worth about $100.

I enjoyed wearing it for several years, until I noticed water condensation inside the face again. I didn't send it out for repair again, and I decided to just have it as a keepsake.
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Have you had that watch appraised? I totally understand the sentimental / keep sake mindset... that's how I feel about my Dad's old Bulova. What a great memory piece you have there... I'd NEVER part with that one.

 

[drssg]

Have you had that watch appraised? I totally understand the sentimental / keep sake mindset... that's how I feel about my Dad's old Bulova. What a great memory piece you have there... I'd NEVER part with that one.

I haven't had it officially appraised, but it's kind of irrelevant. The jeweler gave some rather conflicting information. He verbally suggested that it could be worth about $600-$700, but when he sent it off for repair, he only insured it for $100. I suspect that it's not worth very much.

 

[dodge man]

Maybe you can help me understand an add I see on Facebook Marketplace over and over. They show a picture of what appears to be a Rolex but the middle part of the word Rolex seems to be scrubbed out. If you click on the ad it just takes you to some generic watch or jewelers sight. Are these factory seconds?

 

[drssg]

Maybe you can help me understand an add I see on Facebook Marketplace over and over. They show a picture of what appears to be a Rolex but the middle part of the word Rolex seems to be scrubbed out. If you click on the ad it just takes you to some generic watch or jewelers sight. Are these factory seconds?

I have never seen that ad. It sounds like clickbait to me. I have never heard of Rolex factory seconds. If the site actually sells Rolexes at all, they are likely $12K and up.

 

[dodge man]

Here is an example, I agree I think it’s click bait but I’m not sure.

 

[fishheadbob]

I never understood high end watches. I do have 2 real Omegas that are problematic and never kept good time, they're in a drawer somewhere. I have a $15 Patek Phillipe knockoff* that keeps perfect time; if it was real it goes for just under 80k. Never has anyone noticed what was on my wrist when I'm wearing a watch, and I probably haven't worn one in 5 or 10 years.
* classic. I bought the Patek from a guy on the street in Times Square. He was wearing a long coat with maybe 15 counterfeit timepieces inside his coat. Wanted $50 for a Rolex, $45 for the Patek. He sold it for $15 probably making $10 on the deal.

 

[Darth_DMack]

Here is an example, I agree I think it’s click bait but I’m not sure.
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That is definitely a replica, not a genuine Rolex. Be careful with those sites...

 

[drssg]

That is definitely a replica, not a genuine Rolex. Be careful with those sites...

Interesting. How can you tell that it's fake from the picture?

My dad also had a fake Rolex that he bought for $20 from some guy on the street in Japan. I wouldn't have been able to identify it as a fake on sight, but it was very light, and it ran on a battery, so the movement of the second hand was not correct. It probably kept better time than a real Rolex.

 

[John0829]

My uncle was a watchmaker, he always had some great watches. Usually wrist watches, in fact he kept all the family wearing nice watches. I have always been more into pocket watches, he had a Patek Phillipe pocket watch I was suppose to get that had belonged to this father, who also a watch maker, sadly it was stolen by a family member along with several of his collector firearms.

 

[Darth_DMack]

Interesting. How can you tell that it's fake from the picture?

My dad also had a fake Rolex that he bought for $20 from some guy on the street in Japan. I wouldn't have been able to identify it as a fake on sight, but it was very light, and it ran on a battery, so the movement of the second hand was not correct. It probably kept better time than a real Rolex.

Honestly, I don’t know if it’s a replica or not. But I found that if it’s too good to be true, it is. There are some VERY good replicas out there. I’ve seen some go for $1,000 or more… just be careful with the stuff that is out there. My feeds are FULL of watch ads now…