Show us your sub-high end watches

Hurling_Fruitmig · September 2023

Penn said:

The trick is to have a box of various old watches you don’t wear.

I must start a box of my own. I love the orange Oris, it's a sort of understated statement.

Penn · September 2023

Hurling_Fruitmig said:

Penn said:

The trick is to have a box of various old watches you don’t wear.

I must start a box of my own. I love the orange Oris, it's a sort of understated statement.

It’s so understated it doesn’t work. The funny thing about that watch is it probably came from India. There was a trade in “restoring” watches there. Basically they painted the dials so they looked ok and posted them out to Western Europe.

The worst bit is I’ve only posted about a quarter of the watches I have.

Edit: the orange Oris runs. Just not very well.

beed84 · September 2023

Penn said:

Hurling_Fruitmig said:

Penn said:

The trick is to have a box of various old watches you don’t wear.

I must start a box of my own. I love the orange Oris, it's a sort of understated statement.

It’s so understated it doesn’t work. The funny thing about that watch is it probably came from India. There was a trade in “restoring” watches there. Basically they painted the dials so they looked ok and posted them out to Western Europe.

The worst bit is I’ve only posted about a quarter of the watches I have.

Edit: the orange Oris runs. Just not very well.

I dread to see what else you have and actually wear. That's a lovely collection of watches you've posted!

Penn · September 2023

beed84 said:

Penn said:

Hurling_Fruitmig said:

Penn said:

The trick is to have a box of various old watches you don’t wear.

I must start a box of my own. I love the orange Oris, it's a sort of understated statement.

It’s so understated it doesn’t work. The funny thing about that watch is it probably came from India. There was a trade in “restoring” watches there. Basically they painted the dials so they looked ok and posted them out to Western Europe.

The worst bit is I’ve only posted about a quarter of the watches I have.

Edit: the orange Oris runs. Just not very well.

I dread to see what else you have and actually wear. That's a lovely collection of watches you've posted!

Honestly wear a 4/5 year old Apple Watch mostly. Not worried if it’s gets lost and keeps perfect time.

beed84 · September 2023

Penn said:

beed84 said:

Penn said:

Hurling_Fruitmig said:

Penn said:

The trick is to have a box of various old watches you don’t wear.

I must start a box of my own. I love the orange Oris, it's a sort of understated statement.

It’s so understated it doesn’t work. The funny thing about that watch is it probably came from India. There was a trade in “restoring” watches there. Basically they painted the dials so they looked ok and posted them out to Western Europe.

The worst bit is I’ve only posted about a quarter of the watches I have.

Edit: the orange Oris runs. Just not very well.

I dread to see what else you have and actually wear. That's a lovely collection of watches you've posted!

Honestly wear a 4/5 year old Apple Watch mostly. Not worried if it’s gets lost and keeps perfect time.

Well blow me sideways, that's horological sacrilege

Though they are pretty nifty devices all round do keep perfect time as you say If you're willing to part ways with any of the mechanical ones you have, please do let me know.

Penn · September 2023

beed84 said:

Penn said:

beed84 said:

Penn said:

Hurling_Fruitmig said:

Penn said:

The trick is to have a box of various old watches you don’t wear.

I must start a box of my own. I love the orange Oris, it's a sort of understated statement.

It’s so understated it doesn’t work. The funny thing about that watch is it probably came from India. There was a trade in “restoring” watches there. Basically they painted the dials so they looked ok and posted them out to Western Europe.

The worst bit is I’ve only posted about a quarter of the watches I have.

Edit: the orange Oris runs. Just not very well.

I dread to see what else you have and actually wear. That's a lovely collection of watches you've posted!

Honestly wear a 4/5 year old Apple Watch mostly. Not worried if it’s gets lost and keeps perfect time.

Well blow me sideways, that's horological sacrilege Though they are pretty nifty devices all round do keep perfect time as you say If you're willing to part ways with any of the mechanical ones you have, please do let me know.

What and not leave a pile of crap for the Mrs to sort when I die?

Those were in my desk drawer to.

beed84 · September 2023

@Penn when you put it like that, then I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Seriously, I wish I could find a couple of Omega's knocking about in my desk draw!

thebreeze · September 2023

stickyfiddle said:

I have a 40mm Hamilton Khaki Field that I still really enjoy despite having others that cost far more.

It rarely gets any chat on watch forums but it has the perfect proportions compared to the 38 & 42mm versions.

Where's the packet of Rothman's?

DrCornelius · September 2023

@Penn - that second Seamaster is absolutely gorgeous. You should take a leaf out of @Kittyfrisk's book and send it to me :-)

Penn · September 2023

beed84 said:

@Penn when you put it like that, then I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Seriously, I wish I could find a couple of Omega's knocking about in my desk draw!

DrCornelius said:

@Penn - that second Seamaster is absolutely gorgeous. You should take a leaf out of @Kittyfrisk's book and send it to me :-)

The 007? Father-in-law gave me that. Hate to tell you this but it’s a) huge b) not entirely what you think it is. You think the world of vintage fenders is bad

beed84 · September 2023

^ Is it me, or is that 007 the first one made?

Penn · September 2023

beed84 said:

^ Is it me, or is that 007 the first one made?

I’ll sell you it for half the cheapest price you can find on the internet.

crosstownvamp · September 2023

Some fab watches on this thread. Kittyfrisk's very old Timex is great.

There's something about watches - graphic design and product design meet engineering in a tiny object.

Here's some Russian watches I bought when working in SE Asia. Russian sailors would sell them to little shops for beer money.

My kids got me a Fitbit so I wear that now.

I must see if these still work.

Image: https://i.ibb.co/q9bdTqC/watches1-1.jpg

Neil · September 2023

Penn said:

beed84 said:

Penn said:

beed84 said:

Penn said:

Hurling_Fruitmig said:

Penn said:

The trick is to have a box of various old watches you don’t wear.

I must start a box of my own. I love the orange Oris, it's a sort of understated statement.

It’s so understated it doesn’t work. The funny thing about that watch is it probably came from India. There was a trade in “restoring” watches there. Basically they painted the dials so they looked ok and posted them out to Western Europe.

The worst bit is I’ve only posted about a quarter of the watches I have.

Edit: the orange Oris runs. Just not very well.

I dread to see what else you have and actually wear. That's a lovely collection of watches you've posted!

Honestly wear a 4/5 year old Apple Watch mostly. Not worried if it’s gets lost and keeps perfect time.

Well blow me sideways, that's horological sacrilege Though they are pretty nifty devices all round do keep perfect time as you say If you're willing to part ways with any of the mechanical ones you have, please do let me know.

What and not leave a pile of crap for the Mrs to sort when I die?

Those were in my desk drawer to.

You obviously know that both the "Omegas" are fakes.

Kittyfrisk · September 2023

the_jaffa said:

I really like the idea of getting some older classic watches but due to having 8.25” wrists anything less than about 40mm diameter looks a bit lost on me. I have an original Tag Heuer F1 that I bought in about 1991 or so but at 35mm it looks ridiculous on me. Even the 38mm F1 Chrono I had looked a bit too small.

Sounds like you might need a 55mm (made from frying pans with movements fitted...).
https://b-uhr.com/en/collection/big-pilot-55.html

Penn · September 2023

^ What really? Do you think this serial number 0001 strat I have is suspect to?

Neil · September 2023

Penn said:

^ What really? Do you think this serial number 0001 strat I have is suspect to?

Oh you are a card!

Great stuff!

Penn · September 2023

crosstownvamp said:

Some fab watches on this thread. Kittyfrisk's very old Timex is great.
There's something about watches - graphic design and product design meet engineering in a tiny object.

Here's some Russian watches I bought when working in SE Asia. Russian sailors would sell them to little shops for beer money.
My kids got me a Fitbit so I wear that now.
I must see if these still work.

Some of those look brilliant. Funny how the Russians saw watchmaking as an important state industry. It was similar here and in the USA until the 60s. I always think it’s a pity they you can’t buy affordable U.K. made watches now.

Neil said:
Penn said:
^ What really? Do you think this serial number 0001 strat I have is suspect to?
Oh you are a card!

Great stuff!

I’ve been called worse. I believe they were purchased some years ago from a reputable watch dealer in the Middle East.

beed84 · September 2023

Neil said:

Penn said:

beed84 said:

Penn said:

beed84 said:

Penn said:

Hurling_Fruitmig said:

Penn said:

The trick is to have a box of various old watches you don’t wear.

I must start a box of my own. I love the orange Oris, it's a sort of understated statement.

It’s so understated it doesn’t work. The funny thing about that watch is it probably came from India. There was a trade in “restoring” watches there. Basically they painted the dials so they looked ok and posted them out to Western Europe.

The worst bit is I’ve only posted about a quarter of the watches I have.

Edit: the orange Oris runs. Just not very well.

I dread to see what else you have and actually wear. That's a lovely collection of watches you've posted!

Honestly wear a 4/5 year old Apple Watch mostly. Not worried if it’s gets lost and keeps perfect time.

Well blow me sideways, that's horological sacrilege Though they are pretty nifty devices all round do keep perfect time as you say If you're willing to part ways with any of the mechanical ones you have, please do let me know.

What and not leave a pile of crap for the Mrs to sort when I die?

Those were in my desk drawer to.

You obviously know that both the "Omegas" are fakes.

Clearly not, but I now know I wouldn't stand a chance as a tourist in Spain. Or as a member of a British guitar forum as it goes

Neil · September 2023

Penn said:
Some of those look brilliant. Funny how the Russians saw watchmaking as an important state industry. It was similar here and in the USA until the 60s. I always think it’s a pity they you can’t buy affordable U.K. made watches now.

Watchmaking brought very important foreign currency into Soviet Russia.

This is my late Great Uncle's original USSR Poljot (Flight) he bought when they first appeared over here in the '60's..

Offset · September 2023

thebreeze said:

stickyfiddle said:

I have a 40mm Hamilton Khaki Field that I still really enjoy despite having others that cost far more.

It rarely gets any chat on watch forums but it has the perfect proportions compared to the 38 & 42mm versions.

Where's the packet of Rothman's?

Brilliant!

Kittyfrisk · September 2023

^ @Neil ; Very true. They may not be very high end, but they produce some pretty good watches

Neil · September 2023

Kittyfrisk said:

^ Very true. They may not be very high end, but they produce some pretty good watches

Yep. The original Sekondas were Russian made and very good quality.

Much later I believe the brand was bought by China?

Penn · September 2023

Neil said:

Penn said:
Some of those look brilliant. Funny how the Russians saw watchmaking as an important state industry. It was similar here and in the USA until the 60s. I always think it’s a pity they you can’t buy affordable U.K. made watches now.

Watchmaking brought very important foreign currency into Soviet Russia.

This is my late Great Uncle's original USSR Poljot (Flight) he bought when they first appeared over here in the '60's..

That’s a nice old watch. Its nice to have things like that that have been in the family a long time to.

Yes re: the income from state owned industries but I think some of the reason for the industry was also strategic. You needed to be able to make mechanical stuff and have that skill set in the country for all sorts of military applications. Not just so you had pilots watches and watches for troops but for stuff like timers on detonators. It became less useful as we moved to electronic systems rather than mechanical. My old man is really into all this stuff. He’s a proper watch nerd.

Offset · September 2023

Image: https://tfb-user-images.eu-central-1.linodeobjects.com/5a9ef2048270aac6f716f109107a6449e8664dceaf5682bb8a

Kittyfrisk · September 2023

Neil said:

Kittyfrisk said:

^ Very true. They may not be very high end, but they produce some pretty good watches

Yep. The original Sekondas were Russian made and very good quality.

Much later I believe the brand was bought by China?

Sold in 1993 to Hong Kong apparently. Not sure of the age of the one in the pic as it was given to me by a friend.
He gave me two, but when he died I offered them back to his sons, but this one had no memories for them, the other did...

maltingsaudio · September 2023

Fancy a Kalashnikov ? Disappointed to see its Swiss made
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225710078514

Offset · September 2023

beed84 said:

Kittyfrisk said:

Offset said:

^^ I like that.

@Offset If you would like the Poljot Gothic , I'd be happy to send it to you?
Similarly @Neil if you would like the Seiko Skyliner (typo with the 'r' earlier), you can have it.
I have far too many watches that I don't wear & I have no-one to leave them to, so I'd far rather they went to someone that would appreciate them.
PM me if you have any interest, no catches

This thread keeps getting better. What an amazing gesture!

It most certainly is. The Poljot is right up my street and try as I might, I can't recompense @Kittyfrisk ;
in any manner whatsoever! I'll have to find another means to 'pay it back' :-)

beed84 · September 2023

^The Fretboard is a good place. I'm pleased others have prospered, even if it means on paper I'd be the one who'd end up with a fake. But then I wouldn't know anyway! Enjoy your new watches chaps, they're very nice indeed

Offset · September 2023

Offset said:

I was waiting to see who the first would be to twig this was a fake, but no-one has risen to the challenge!

Mate bought it back from Thailand and gave it to me. It's got a cheapo quartz movement that for some reason has stopped working - might just need a new battery but I genuinely can't be arsed to take it somewhere to find out.

I will therefore follow @Kittyfrisk 's lead - if someone wants it and can get it working, they're welcome to it gratis. It's just sitting on a shelf.

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