Post pics of your watches ***Please NO QUOTING PHOTOS***

Ionised

A couple of late Christmas presents to myself...

Seiko Presage Starlight SRPC01



Updated my SKX007 with custom bezel and insert plus Strapcode bracelet

funkyouup

Wibbs

Now that's a brand you don't see often enough. Nice. Very 70's.

porker36

and then along comes two

furiousox

I have an Omega Speedy which I like to keep for evening and weekend wear.

I'm thinking of adding a Tissot for day to day use but don't know a lot about Tissot as a brand tbh, is it well regarded?

I like the look of both of these two, may go for one or both?

The PRC always stood out to me in a jewellers window.
The XL has a look of IWC about it?

What's the verdict? All advice welcome


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tissot-T17158652-PRC200-Chronograph-Quartz/dp/B000L3CHC0


https://www.tissotwatches.com/en-gb/shop/t1166171605700.html

oxocube

The SKX011J1 just back from its natural habitat

Eoin

furiousox wrote: »

I'm thinking of adding a Tissot for day to day use but don't know a lot about Tissot as a brand tbh, is it well regarded?

I like the look of both of these two, may go for one or both?

I had a prc200 years ago, they’re great for the price. I found it wore a little small, but I was into bigger watches than I am now.

Tissot are a good brand - part of the swatch family (so Hamilton, Omega etc). I think they’d generally be regarded as an entry level, mainstream Swiss watch brand.

Wibbs

To join the party, a very dirty phone pic of my early 30's Zenith.

2shea

Wibbs does the crown shoot out like a James bond watch ?

Wibbs

*Takes aim at 2Shea* It's a pilots watch and at the time many aircraft had open cockpits and bugger all had heated cockpits so pilots wore gloves and the big crown made it easier for them to wind and adjust things wearing gloves. It was an absolutely massive watch for the period. 42mm across minus crown when most men's watches were under 30mm, for reasons of legibility for pilots(and a bigger balance wheel was more accurate). It had one piece lugs to attach a longer strap when needed as they were often worn outside on the jacket or gloves, sometimes on the leg. Here's a modern reenactment as it were*.



They also had compasses for the wrist. Again worn on the outside of flight suits/gloves. Here's one of those, a matching pair. The Zenith would originally have had a riveted on leather strap too.



The Zenith was mad radioactive in the past, the compass is slightly radioactive. So that's pretty James Bond I suppose.



*EDIT, that's a terrible reconstruction pic at the top. He's wearing the watch on the right wrist which he wouldn't even if he was left handed as the throttles are on the left and his right hand would be on the joystick, the left wrist being more visible and stable. Plus even if he was left handed and a contortionist with the skillz of an Indian Fakir he couldn't wind nor adjust the time without taking the watch off.

What do you mean was mad radioactive?

emo72

Deleted User wrote: »

What do you mean was mad radioactive?

the lume that was used is radioactive i guess. applied liberally and wasnt the safe stuff like they have nowadays. but i could be wrong, wibbs knows best about this stuff.

scotchy

Deleted User wrote: »

What do you mean was mad radioactive?

.

o1s1n

Wibbs wrote: »

To join the party, a very dirty phone pic of my early 30's Zenith.

Jaysus, there's enough radium lume on that to call in a hazardous waste removal team

Ever run it passed a Geiger counter?

Absolutely gorgeous watch, love the massive crown.

Wibbs

Good point and question MG.

Well the basic gist was back in the 90's someone I knew was in college(can't recall the degree(, but she was doing some investigations into sources of radiation in the home and general environment. Radon and that sorta thing. She looked at things like smoke detectors, antique glass, older electronics and the like and watches came up. Knowing I had a few old watches including this family "heirloom" she asked me for any that had luminous dials. Coolaboola. A few days later I get a phonecall with her telling me that that particular dial was very "hot". I can't remember the numbers, but I do remember terms like; "low level nuclear waste", "dangerous" and so on. The dial was pretty ropey then. Radium lume is very hygroscopic, it sucks up moisture in the air to beat the band, so had partially rotted the dial. The radiation had impacted the dial too. Here's another example of a similar watch where the radiation burned into the acrylic crystal.



So just a tad concerned by this I had the dial redone to the original design and had the movement throughly cleaned as the radium can turn to dust over time and permeate everything inside the case. It's clean now.

On radioactive dials on older watches, I would generally not be too worried about stuff from say the 50's on, even the 40's on as the mixes got more refined with much less radium. Tritium I'd worry about even less. The type of radiation it gives off is stopped by the case and crystal and even if it gets out, it'll be stopped by your skin(unless you breathe some in)The main concern with such watches would be to a watchmaker who opens the case.

Of older than 1940 stuff, I would be most concerned with World War One "Trench watches". They really lobbed the stuff on and didn't realise the dangers. They can be extremely hot and my advice there would be to get the dial, hands and movement cleaned. They usually had enamel dials which don't get burnt in and are have much more longevity than painted metal dials.

Joke is as a kid I used to sleep with that watch on the beside table, even sometimes under my pillow, because the ticking sent me off to sleep. :eek:

Me. Earlier.

More wrists for watches I say.

Wibbs

emo72 wrote: »

i could be wrong, wibbs knows best about this stuff.

Hahahahahhaahha.... oh wait... :eek: Oh god no, you're so wrong*.

o1s1n wrote: »

Absolutely gorgeous watch, love the massive crown.

Thanks O. It's defo my "my world is on fire which one do I take" watch.






*My studied field is Bullshite and I do have a Phd in that. Available for lectures and peer review boards.

blue5000

Something else about radiation I read on a forum somewhere; be careful about buying an old watchmaker's desk, where do you reckon all the old lume falls out when they take a watch apart?

I wonder do old watchmakers have higher than average cancer rates?

Ionised

blue5000 wrote:

I wonder do old watchmakers have higher than average cancer rates?

Old watchmakers don't die... They just shine brighter

First Seiko, first automatic. It starts...

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

First Seiko, first automatic. It starts...

Congrats, lovely watch.

As it is your first automatic, in case you are not aware: don't adjust the date when the time is between 9pm and 3am.

fat bloke

Deleted User wrote: »

Congrats, lovely watch.

As it is your first automatic, in case you are not aware: don't adjust the date when the time is between 9pm and 3am.

Because it will cause a paradox in the space-time continuum?

2shea

fat bloke wrote: »

Why's that?

Because it will cause a paradox in the space-time continuum.

TheRepentent

fat bloke wrote: »

Because it will cause a paradox in the space-time continuum?

ah I seen what you done there

mad m

First auto, slippery slope. God help you.

Time

Picked up this during the week. I was in an AD trying on a few different watches and tried this on and surprisingly loved it, whereas I hated the yacht master I was planning on getting

fulladapipes

That is one beauteous watch. Great purchase.

Time wrote: »

Picked up this during the week. I was in an AD trying on a few different watches and tried this on and surprisingly loved it, whereas I hated the yacht master I was planning on getting

SlowBlowin

20190119_224752.jpg

I am no watch collector, but I do like a plain and simple watch. I bought this 20 years ago, and its my only watch.

Its in desperate need to a clean/service but works great..

SB

Wibbs

:eek: As a Longines man, you have my vote. Mid/Late 40's? Classic dial, not a redial either. Niiiice. And you have a box for it too?

SlowBlowin

Wibbs wrote: »

:eek: As a Longines man, you have my vote. Mid/Late 40's? Classic dial, not a redial either. Niiiice. And you have a box for it too?

I seem to remember it was a World War 2 era pilot's dress watch, so you are spot on with the date. It seemed virtually unused with a pristine box.. the strap went about 10 years ago so I just replaced it myself with a strap from the local Woolworths. I really want to get it serviced and cleaned.

Will the box or watch have some indicator of actual date you can point me too ?

I cant think of ever parting with it as its just what I want, but I only really wear it on special occasions now as I don't want to damage it (not sure if it has much value but it would be hard to replace no doubt).

SB

Wibbs

To find another would be hard enough and would cost a fair few quid to do so. Particularly with it being so original.

Date wise there will be a serial number, usually on the inside of the case back and movement. That'll give you the year. The box may be later. I say that because the tag on the bottom left says Longines Wittnauer. Though they had a few connections before, Longines bought the Wittnauer company in 1950, so the tag anyway is likely post that.