Old mechanical watches
Discussion
When I last ordered some watch tools from a german watch tool site, they arrived when I was at work and my elderly next door neighbour signed for them (this happens a lot!). When I popped in to see him and collect the box he asked what it was, and I told him they were watch tools and it's a bit of a hobby for me.
On saying that, he said that he had a few old watches in the back of a drawer somewhere that he doesn't use any more and I could use them to practice servicing etc. I think he wants them back, he is a bit of a car boot sale bloke and wouldn't be foolish enough to give away something that obviously is of value to a collector - he sees these people arrive at car boot sales really early and whizz around trying to buy underpriced old watches.
Anyway his watches are in appallingly poor exterior condition - crystals scratched all over, gold plating (if it was gold) worn off, the metal is in bad shape. One is a quartz job that I'm not going to touch, it's not worth anything and 'repair' would involve me buying a battery for it - no interest in that.
However two watches are interesting. One is marked 'Sekonda' and has a manual wind movement, but is marked USSR at the bottom - a bit of research found that these were Poljot watches sold over here, quite common and I've found an identical example in very good condition for a tenner on eBay, so it's not worth anything. The movement still works, it's a pretty slow-beat movement and I haven't timed it yet to see what sort of state it's in. I'll lubricate the movement and maybe polish the acrylic crystal, it'll then be of use (though not worth much money).
The other is branded 'Newmark' and doesn't run. It has a stainless screwdown back, so I haven't had the chance to look at the movement yet. All I can find is that Newmark was a 50s British watch manufacturer. I'm sure I can get it running, but I was wondering if anyone on here knows anything about these watches? It's in poor cosmetic condition and worth sod-all, there are a couple of Newmark watches on eBay for £10-20, but not an exact example like I've found for sale with the Sekonda.
Does anyone know whether Newmark made their own movements or where they came from? Once I've taken it apart I'll see if it's broken or just needs a service (I suspect the latter). If it's quite rare then I may offer to buy it from him, since I'd like to have a British-made mechanical movement watch in my collection, regardless of value.
Anyone here an expert on 50s era cheap mechanical watches? This was just before the quartz revolution wiped out most mechanical brands, and it interests me. Having found that most mechanical watches these days contain ETA movements apart from the ultra-expensive manufacture sector, having something a little bit different (even if cheap) would be interesting...
I suppose I could go to a few car boot sales and look for interesting items but I doubt that many people will be giving away Pateks etc. without knowing their value - and those few will get picked up by professional antiques vultures anyway
I'm not looking to make money out of this (indeed there appears to be no collector's interest in these old watches that aren't well known Swiss brands) but I'd only bother buying it off my neighbour if they're quite rare, since if they're not rare then I could pick one up from eBay in MUCH better cosmetic condition - his watches are truly very tatty!
On saying that, he said that he had a few old watches in the back of a drawer somewhere that he doesn't use any more and I could use them to practice servicing etc. I think he wants them back, he is a bit of a car boot sale bloke and wouldn't be foolish enough to give away something that obviously is of value to a collector - he sees these people arrive at car boot sales really early and whizz around trying to buy underpriced old watches.
Anyway his watches are in appallingly poor exterior condition - crystals scratched all over, gold plating (if it was gold) worn off, the metal is in bad shape. One is a quartz job that I'm not going to touch, it's not worth anything and 'repair' would involve me buying a battery for it - no interest in that.
However two watches are interesting. One is marked 'Sekonda' and has a manual wind movement, but is marked USSR at the bottom - a bit of research found that these were Poljot watches sold over here, quite common and I've found an identical example in very good condition for a tenner on eBay, so it's not worth anything. The movement still works, it's a pretty slow-beat movement and I haven't timed it yet to see what sort of state it's in. I'll lubricate the movement and maybe polish the acrylic crystal, it'll then be of use (though not worth much money).
The other is branded 'Newmark' and doesn't run. It has a stainless screwdown back, so I haven't had the chance to look at the movement yet. All I can find is that Newmark was a 50s British watch manufacturer. I'm sure I can get it running, but I was wondering if anyone on here knows anything about these watches? It's in poor cosmetic condition and worth sod-all, there are a couple of Newmark watches on eBay for £10-20, but not an exact example like I've found for sale with the Sekonda.
Does anyone know whether Newmark made their own movements or where they came from? Once I've taken it apart I'll see if it's broken or just needs a service (I suspect the latter). If it's quite rare then I may offer to buy it from him, since I'd like to have a British-made mechanical movement watch in my collection, regardless of value.
Anyone here an expert on 50s era cheap mechanical watches? This was just before the quartz revolution wiped out most mechanical brands, and it interests me. Having found that most mechanical watches these days contain ETA movements apart from the ultra-expensive manufacture sector, having something a little bit different (even if cheap) would be interesting...
I suppose I could go to a few car boot sales and look for interesting items but I doubt that many people will be giving away Pateks etc. without knowing their value - and those few will get picked up by professional antiques vultures anyway
I'm not looking to make money out of this (indeed there appears to be no collector's interest in these old watches that aren't well known Swiss brands) but I'd only bother buying it off my neighbour if they're quite rare, since if they're not rare then I could pick one up from eBay in MUCH better cosmetic condition - his watches are truly very tatty!I bought a great swiss mechanical wrist watch for £1 at a car boot sale, a jolas antimagnetic 17 jewel swiss movement, great expanding stainless steel strap, really nice condition.
and it works, loudest ticking watch ever, which is nice.
it gains + 3 seconds ........................................a minute.
thats only + 72 mins a day.
and it works, loudest ticking watch ever, which is nice.
it gains + 3 seconds ........................................a minute.
thats only + 72 mins a day.
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