Let's See Your Watches! The Vintage Watch Thread.

cooper · Jun 30, 2010

Here's one from the fifties to early sixties.

davestlouis · Jul 1, 2010

I have a similar Waltham, with rhinestones instead of numbers...it's the thinnest watch I own and it keeps good time. It was $19 at a local antique mall.

Guttersnipe · Jul 22, 2010

Right now this spiffy watch is on its way to me...

According to the seller, the serial number dates the the watch to 1948. I'm definitely going to get a nicer band right away.

(Happy end of my 20's to me)

jamespowers · Jul 22, 2010

I started wearing my old Roamer wristwatch and then decided to do some research on it. Darn if they aren't still around and answering customer questions about their watches. I sent them these two pictures for their research:

The face has seen better days but getting radium numbers put back on in today's world might be a little hard to find.

It needs a going over inside as well. It sort of keeps time but I keep resetting it to at least make it look like it is working well.

Talbot · Jul 22, 2010

Guttersnipe said:
According to the seller, the serial number dates the the watch to 1948. I'm definitely going to get a nicer band right away.

(Happy end of my 20's to me)

Veeeerry nice!

Vintage lover · Jul 28, 2010

I finally got my dream watch: The Hamilton Ventura. Not technically vintage, but made new from the original 50's design. I will post a pic of mine when I get my hands on a working camera. In the meantime, the same exact one...

Unlucky Berman · Jul 31, 2010

Nice Ventura still.

@rlk, wow amazing illinois in very good shape.

I am wearing this Endicott lately:

Babydoll · Aug 15, 2010

A little help, please? When my grandma died and my sisters and I divided her jewelry, I ended up with Grandma's daily watch. I don't know a thing about it other than the brand name on the watch says Caravelle, and West Germany. When was the watch made? It's a classic style, so I'm at a loss of when it could be from.

Also, the watch isn't running now. Not sure if it just needs a battery or more TLC. Is it worth taking in to have it looked at?

Shangas · Aug 16, 2010

"West Germany" indicates that it was probably made sometime between about 1946-1990. A watch of that age will be a MECHANICAL watch. This means you will need to take it to a watchmaker to get it fully serviced. These don't run on batteries, they run on a wound-up mainspring.

Women's wristwatches are traditionally quite small...I would guess this one is 1940s or 50s (when women's watches were usually this size), but I have nothing to back this up, just what I've seen on other forums.

Is it worth taking it to be serviced?

I hate reading this question, because what something is 'Worth' is different every second of the day.

Will it bring you a lot of money if you service it and resell it?

No.

Is it a particularly valuable or collectable watch?

No.

Is it a fine family heirloom which you might want to wear and use?

Yes.

On that last criterion, and on that one alone, should you ever spend money to get a mechanical watch serviced.

Babydoll · Aug 16, 2010

Oh, I don't want to sell it. It is very similar in size to a modern Timex watch I have. I didn't know if it would be expensive to fix (hence cost prohibitive/worth it), so that's why I asked. I really like the idea of being able to wear Grandma's watch. She's been gone 4 1/2 years, and in that time I've gotten married and had a baby. I miss her every day, and know that she would have adored my husband and wanted to spoil my daughter. Wearing her watch, and knowing that even though time goes on.... she's always with me..... well, that's a bit comforting to me.

I didn't know about the winding of the watch. I did, and it didn't start moving. I'll have to find a local shop to see if they can fix it.

DragonJade · Aug 16, 2010

Babydoll said:
I didn't know about the winding of the watch. I did, and it didn't start moving. I'll have to find a local shop to see if they can fix it.

You'd be better off taking it to a watchmaker directly as a regular shop would just pass it on to a watchmaker anyway. Depending on how much work the movement needs, you're probably looking at $100+ for it. If parts need replacing, and they're had to find, then you'll have to add extra.

Have a look at this site and check out the Vintage and Pocket Watches section. Some people there may be able to give you some more information about the watch.

http://forums.watchuseek.com/

Unlucky Berman · Aug 16, 2010

Caravelle was a brand of Bulova and maybe this one is a kind of "retro-style" of the early 1960s since the brand was used since then. But so far I have only seen Caravelle's for men with the same brand name and marking West Germany on it.

rlk · Aug 21, 2010

Elgin 1939

Feraud · Aug 21, 2010

^ Lovely Elgin.

Tomasso · Aug 21, 2010

That's an interesting bracelet. Sterling? Would you mind posting a photo of the clasp.

rlk · Aug 21, 2010

Tomasso said:
That's an interesting bracelet. Sterling? Would you mind posting a photo of the clasp.

Kreisler Gold....

Its about 1/2" short, any stray links around?

rlk · Aug 23, 2010

1920's Bulovas

"Norman" on the left

rlk · Aug 26, 2010

Dom Swiss Watch Day/Date/Moonphase

rlk · Aug 26, 2010

Elgin 1935

Looks much better in person as the hour markers are quite reflective and the dial gives a matte silver background. Case is 14K GF.

ScionPI2005 · Aug 27, 2010

RLK, those are gorgeous! I especially like the Bulovas and the Dom Swiss!

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