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Watch Ya Wearing

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
I'm going to go through all my watches tomorrow and see which ones need batteries! (Yes, unfortunately 90% of my watches are quartz, but I like them all for one reason or another!)
 
No, I don't.
From the 70ies on with the quartz revolution gaining momentum some Swiss manufactures thought up an additional line of marketing to promote their products not only as haute horlogerie but also as an material investment.

What they came up with - and this is quite funny in the context of this 18k Rolex - that they also made the hands and indices incl. the logo at 12h from solid gold and not the usual alloys - these dials were then marked with the lower case Sigma sign.

detailed Hodinkee article
 

Whilliam

First Class Citizen
I'm going to go through all my watches tomorrow and see which ones need batteries! (Yes, unfortunately 90% of my watches are quartz, but I like them all for one reason or another!)
Nothing wrong with quartz, my friend.

After selling off a 120+ mechanical watch collection a few years ago, the collecting bug bit again during the lockdown. But now that I'm older, my circumstances are more modest, and I have no one to leave a collection to. Hence, my interest in quartz watches. Shop carefully and you can acquire some beautiful dress watches, as well as some great tool watches without spending a fortune.

There's also the care and feeding issue. I like to wear the watches I own, and keeping 120 mechanical watches running was proving quite expensive. Time was (no pun intended) every town had a watchmaker; but now you have to really search for one who is worth your trust.

So go get those batteries changed (or better yet, learn how to change them yourself) and start enjoying those watches again!

B.
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Nothing wrong with quartz, my friend.

After selling off a 120+ mechanical watch collection a few years ago, the collecting bug bit again during the lockdown. But now that I'm older, my circumstances are more modest, and I have no one to leave a collection to. Hence, my interest in quartz watches. Shop carefully and you can acquire some beautiful dress watches, as well as some great tool watches without spending a fortune.

There's also the care and feeding issue. I like to wear the watches I own, and keeping 120 mechanical watches running was proving quite expensive. Time was (no pun intended) every town had a watchmaker; but now you have to really search for one who is worth your trust.

So go get those batteries changed (or better yet, learn how to change them yourself) and start enjoying those watches again!

B.
Will do, my friend! I'm hoping to find an old Timex? I believe it is. I am pretty sure I bought it at a department store for $5 on clearance, and it ALWAYS drew a reaction! Just a neat looking watch. I have two kinetics that I dropped that I need to see if I can get them fixed. I only have $60 ish in total into them, but I JUST HATE that my clumsiness caused them to not work. Argh!
 

Whilliam

First Class Citizen
From the 70ies on with the quartz revolution gaining momentum some Swiss manufactures thought up an additional line of marketing to promote their products not only as haute horlogerie but also as an material investment.

What they came up with - and this is quite funny in the context of this 18k Rolex - that they also made the hands and indices incl. the logo at 12h from solid gold and not the usual alloys - these dials were then marked with the lower case Sigma sign.

detailed Hodinkee article

Yes, I see the little "σ" characters near the six. It's nice to know your watch has extra melt value (blasphemy!).

The so-called "quartz crisis" really shattered the industry for a while. Back when they were introduced, for example, I would have bought a Rolex Oysterquartz had I not already purchased an Explorer II. Always like the looks of them. They were definitely Oysters, but a bit more angular and geometric--almost as if Gerald Genta had a hand in their design.

These days, one of my favorite watches is a quartz JLC, a late '80s reissue of their famous "Astronomic" moonphase of the post-war years. Interestingly, the original Astronomics only had gold filled cases (as far as I know); my reissue is cased in gold.

B.
 
Yes, I see the little "σ" characters near the six. It's nice to know your watch has extra melt value (blasphemy!).

The so-called "quartz crisis" really shattered the industry for a while. Back when they were introduced, for example, I would have bought a Rolex Oysterquartz had I not already purchased an Explorer II. Always like the looks of them. They were definitely Oysters, but a bit more angular and geometric--almost as if Gerald Genta had a hand in their design.

These days, one of my favorite watches is a quartz JLC, a late '80s reissue of their famous "Astronomic" moonphase of the post-war years. Interestingly, the original Astronomics only had gold filled cases (as far as I know); my reissue is cased in gold.

B.
I was too late getting a decent Oysterquartz, always liked the angular look of them. Most of the current offerings are, besides their asking price, over polished/rounded and with dubious straps, so not my thing.

Can you post a pic of JLC I think I never saw a quartz from them.
 
Not a great photo, but I finally grabbed one of these Steinhart aviators that I've been eyeballing for years. I love the blue hands, and I got it with a couple extra straps which is nice.
IMG_4447.jpg
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Here's one I found in my sock drawer today. I bought it for a dollar at a "Habitat for Humanity" store years ago. They said it was werkin' when it came in:
Darn. To be continued! Pics on my other phone. It's a Seiko Battery powered Chronograph with alarm. 3 sub dials. It had some numbers, 7T32, maybe that means something?
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Nothing wrong with quartz, my friend.

After selling off a 120+ mechanical watch collection a few years ago, the collecting bug bit again during the lockdown. But now that I'm older, my circumstances are more modest, and I have no one to leave a collection to. Hence, my interest in quartz watches. Shop carefully and you can acquire some beautiful dress watches, as well as some great tool watches without spending a fortune.

There's also the care and feeding issue. I like to wear the watches I own, and keeping 120 mechanical watches running was proving quite expensive. Time was (no pun intended) every town had a watchmaker; but now you have to really search for one who is worth your trust.

So go get those batteries changed (or better yet, learn how to change them yourself) and start enjoying those watches again!

B.
Here's (I think!) the shot I was trying to post just a bit ago, my one dollar watch. From the 90's?
IMG_20210401_180130339_HDR~2.jpg

Gotta figure out which battery it takes. I'd be tickled pink if it runs!
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Found several other, ULTRA cheap watches that have a place in my hoarders heart that I found today. All need batteries or repairs from drops on some automatic ones. But I place too much sentimental value on objects, and my son is not into coin collecting or watches or stamps, so I may pass some stuff on to "Time Capsules" for some young relatives.
 

Whilliam

First Class Citizen
Found several other, ULTRA cheap watches that have a place in my hoarders heart that I found today. All need batteries or repairs from drops on some automatic ones. But I place too much sentimental value on objects, and my son is not into coin collecting or watches or stamps, so I may pass some stuff on to "Time Capsules" for some young relatives.
When people suggest that I'm a hoarder, I simply tell them I'm being . . . thrifty.
 
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