Did it help? Yes, I suppose so ... but not enough for me to actually buy one, not yet. It has been an off-again-on-again plan of mine for over a decade that keeps getting pushed to the back burner...
Did it help? Yes, I suppose so ... but not enough for me to actually buy one, not yet. It has been an off-again-on-again plan of mine for over a decade that keeps getting pushed to the back burner of Life. But I'll come back around to it one of these days.
:) maybe you can go to a thrift store or a garage sale and just pick up hunk-a-junks to fiddle with. You know, in the olden days when young people learn this trade, they begin with wind up clocks:...
:) maybe you can go to a thrift store or a garage sale and just pick up hunk-a-junks to fiddle with. You know, in the olden days when young people learn this trade, they begin with wind up clocks: parts are huge, far less delicate, and very low precision required to still function. And they practice on these wind up beasts until the system make sense to them. Then they assist the other watch makers with easier tasks with the cheaper watches.
I would strongly encourage you to pick up a hundred dollar Seiko automatic mechanical, and maybe a key to open the back and just look at the pendulum open backed without taking anything else apart.
I have an automatic watch and for some reason the YouTube algorithm started suggesting videos from this dude who does watch repair. Pretty cool, specialized stuff. The thing that tripped me out...
I have an automatic watch and for some reason the YouTube algorithm started suggesting videos from this dude who does watch repair. Pretty cool, specialized stuff. The thing that tripped me out was how casually the guy would pull all these Intricate little bits and bops and doodads, only to them pop them back in like he was putting batteries in the remote!
I really dig the explanation animations you linked. Makes watch the videos a little easier to digest!
That reminds me of a little story. I once had a mechanical piece opened in front of me, with every part explained. I was given instructions on how to place which part (which way up even!) exactly...
That reminds me of a little story. I once had a mechanical piece opened in front of me, with every part explained. I was given instructions on how to place which part (which way up even!) exactly when.
I couldn't manage to put the pallet fork back into its slot. I just couldn't. It wasn't even that my hand wasnt still enough: the tolerances involved were just SO MINUTE that I just couldn't do it. You know how babies struggle to hold a spoon and toddlers have trouble with the block and slot toys? It's like that. I know exactly what I need to do but I lack the manual dexterity to be able to do it.
The balance wheel was no go either LoL
If it helps, by the time you're familiar with the pieces, each part really does look extremely unique and you don't get them confused easily. But it also helps that they develop a system: this part in this tray and that one over there etc, like how we would sort puzzle pieces.
That's cool. So you partake in this hobby too? I have a couple watches but most of them are way too expensive for me to start opening up and messing with !
That's cool. So you partake in this hobby too? I have a couple watches but most of them are way too expensive for me to start opening up and messing with !
Sort of, in the same way that putting together model cars is the same hobby as collecting actual luxury cars :) I'd want to be able to mess around with them, but I don't have the skills so...
Sort of, in the same way that putting together model cars is the same hobby as collecting actual luxury cars :) I'd want to be able to mess around with them, but I don't have the skills so strictly limited to the as cheap as possible end of things.
What do you look for in a piece and what drew you to the ones you have ? :)
My watches came to me from pure luck. My father left me a submariner that I am deathly afraid of wearing . So it only comes out on special occasions. I also have a "who's dares wins" automatic...
My watches came to me from pure luck. My father left me a submariner that I am deathly afraid of wearing . So it only comes out on special occasions. I also have a "who's dares wins" automatic that my wife found at the beach. Which retails for a bunch of money but for all my research is not especially well regarded. My impression is that they are a smaller boutique watch maker that makes watches with off the shelf parts. I don't know much about them other than, whoever they are marketing to is not me. Ha!
Very low entry price point is exactly my kind of watch too, no way!! I guess you'll just have to wait for the right watch to come your way ;) But yeah your father's submariner is a gorgeous model...
Very low entry price point is exactly my kind of watch too, no way!! I guess you'll just have to wait for the right watch to come your way ;)
But yeah your father's submariner is a gorgeous model and obviously the sentimental value is astronomical. :) These days most of the older independent watch makers are retired......I'm sure you could send it in to Rolex though, for maintenance and repairs.
I've been down the mechanical watch hole. Along with creating a nice little collection of watches, I used to have a little amateur setup for dissembling and cleaning movements, built a couple of...
I've been down the mechanical watch hole. Along with creating a nice little collection of watches, I used to have a little amateur setup for dissembling and cleaning movements, built a couple of my own watches from parts, etc. Very fun and frustrating mechanical hobby.
If you all think mechanical watches are cool, you should look up seiko's spring drive, a hybrid mechanical/quartz beast that is nuts.
I bought a Omega Speedmaster without knowing what it was in the NEX (Naval Exchange, same thing as the PX in the Army) because it was the "coolest" looking watch in the case in 1994, fast forward...
I bought a Omega Speedmaster without knowing what it was in the NEX (Naval Exchange, same thing as the PX in the Army) because it was the "coolest" looking watch in the case in 1994, fast forward to my pebble time dying sometime in 2015, I was looking at my quartz/fitbit/smart watch collection and found the old speedmaster stilling in the bottom drawer, I took it in to get serviced and the watch repair person lost their mind, since then I have educated myself extensively and probably spent more money than I should have on other mechanicals . . . and the speedmaster I bought for $800 as a dumb kid flush full of "training" money is still sitting on my wrist (the real trick for me, was moving from a leather strap to a cloth one) as my daily driver.
You got it for a song and whistle holy cow great find!! Canvas or nylon or something else? I find them a little "itchy" when it is warm out. Do you like it over leather for weight or feel or easy...
You got it for a song and whistle holy cow great find!!
Canvas or nylon or something else? I find them a little "itchy" when it is warm out. Do you like it over leather for weight or feel or easy clean?
Well, it's just a Speedmaster Reduced so not as cool as having the moonwatch but I still love it (the reduced were only around a thousand back then so right in line with the 20% discount). But for...
Well, it's just a Speedmaster Reduced so not as cool as having the moonwatch but I still love it (the reduced were only around a thousand back then so right in line with the 20% discount).
But for the strap, it's actually "natural" canvas that I got at a bougie store in LA when I was visiting friends . . . umm, like 2018 (2 years before covid, it's terrible that is my reference for stuff now). I actually still have the original chain bracelet that I got restored when I had the watch serviced (which did in fact cost more than buying the watch did, I'm good about service now, but that first one, no service in 20 years plus sitting in a drawer for at least 15 . . . ooof, it was like $1200 all said and done) but I find it pinches my arm hair if I set it up comfortable for me. This canvas band is neat because it's a very tight weave with no external stitching, I have no idea other than black magic how they actually do that but it rides very well and I don't tend to notice it.
Bartoz's GPS post is the gold standard for interactive explanations, as far as I'm concerned
Previous discussion here.
Pinging @Eric_the_Cerise, did the last post help you buy a mechanical watch?
Did it help? Yes, I suppose so ... but not enough for me to actually buy one, not yet. It has been an off-again-on-again plan of mine for over a decade that keeps getting pushed to the back burner of Life. But I'll come back around to it one of these days.
:) maybe you can go to a thrift store or a garage sale and just pick up hunk-a-junks to fiddle with. You know, in the olden days when young people learn this trade, they begin with wind up clocks: parts are huge, far less delicate, and very low precision required to still function. And they practice on these wind up beasts until the system make sense to them. Then they assist the other watch makers with easier tasks with the cheaper watches.
I would strongly encourage you to pick up a hundred dollar Seiko automatic mechanical, and maybe a key to open the back and just look at the pendulum open backed without taking anything else apart.
I have an automatic watch and for some reason the YouTube algorithm started suggesting videos from this dude who does watch repair. Pretty cool, specialized stuff. The thing that tripped me out was how casually the guy would pull all these Intricate little bits and bops and doodads, only to them pop them back in like he was putting batteries in the remote!
I really dig the explanation animations you linked. Makes watch the videos a little easier to digest!
That reminds me of a little story. I once had a mechanical piece opened in front of me, with every part explained. I was given instructions on how to place which part (which way up even!) exactly when.
I couldn't manage to put the pallet fork back into its slot. I just couldn't. It wasn't even that my hand wasnt still enough: the tolerances involved were just SO MINUTE that I just couldn't do it. You know how babies struggle to hold a spoon and toddlers have trouble with the block and slot toys? It's like that. I know exactly what I need to do but I lack the manual dexterity to be able to do it.
The balance wheel was no go either LoL
If it helps, by the time you're familiar with the pieces, each part really does look extremely unique and you don't get them confused easily. But it also helps that they develop a system: this part in this tray and that one over there etc, like how we would sort puzzle pieces.
That's cool. So you partake in this hobby too? I have a couple watches but most of them are way too expensive for me to start opening up and messing with !
Sort of, in the same way that putting together model cars is the same hobby as collecting actual luxury cars :) I'd want to be able to mess around with them, but I don't have the skills so strictly limited to the as cheap as possible end of things.
What do you look for in a piece and what drew you to the ones you have ? :)
My watches came to me from pure luck. My father left me a submariner that I am deathly afraid of wearing . So it only comes out on special occasions. I also have a "who's dares wins" automatic that my wife found at the beach. Which retails for a bunch of money but for all my research is not especially well regarded. My impression is that they are a smaller boutique watch maker that makes watches with off the shelf parts. I don't know much about them other than, whoever they are marketing to is not me. Ha!
This is the watch my wife found
This is the watch my dad left me
As you can see they are very different vibes. So,. I'm not sure what draws me to my watches other than classic styling and very low entry price point!
Very low entry price point is exactly my kind of watch too, no way!! I guess you'll just have to wait for the right watch to come your way ;)
But yeah your father's submariner is a gorgeous model and obviously the sentimental value is astronomical. :) These days most of the older independent watch makers are retired......I'm sure you could send it in to Rolex though, for maintenance and repairs.
I've been down the mechanical watch hole. Along with creating a nice little collection of watches, I used to have a little amateur setup for dissembling and cleaning movements, built a couple of my own watches from parts, etc. Very fun and frustrating mechanical hobby.
If you all think mechanical watches are cool, you should look up seiko's spring drive, a hybrid mechanical/quartz beast that is nuts.
what an incredibly presented post... so clearly written and visualized.
I bought a Omega Speedmaster without knowing what it was in the NEX (Naval Exchange, same thing as the PX in the Army) because it was the "coolest" looking watch in the case in 1994, fast forward to my pebble time dying sometime in 2015, I was looking at my quartz/fitbit/smart watch collection and found the old speedmaster stilling in the bottom drawer, I took it in to get serviced and the watch repair person lost their mind, since then I have educated myself extensively and probably spent more money than I should have on other mechanicals . . . and the speedmaster I bought for $800 as a dumb kid flush full of "training" money is still sitting on my wrist (the real trick for me, was moving from a leather strap to a cloth one) as my daily driver.
You got it for a song and whistle holy cow great find!!
Canvas or nylon or something else? I find them a little "itchy" when it is warm out. Do you like it over leather for weight or feel or easy clean?
Well, it's just a Speedmaster Reduced so not as cool as having the moonwatch but I still love it (the reduced were only around a thousand back then so right in line with the 20% discount).
But for the strap, it's actually "natural" canvas that I got at a bougie store in LA when I was visiting friends . . . umm, like 2018 (2 years before covid, it's terrible that is my reference for stuff now). I actually still have the original chain bracelet that I got restored when I had the watch serviced (which did in fact cost more than buying the watch did, I'm good about service now, but that first one, no service in 20 years plus sitting in a drawer for at least 15 . . . ooof, it was like $1200 all said and done) but I find it pinches my arm hair if I set it up comfortable for me. This canvas band is neat because it's a very tight weave with no external stitching, I have no idea other than black magic how they actually do that but it rides very well and I don't tend to notice it.