For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
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By defcribed
#1719520
Fancy watches I can take or leave. I always wear a watch, a fairly understated black Skagen is the incumbent, but I don't like the idea of carrying a serious amount of money on my wrist where it can be easily damaged.

I do like clocks though, and my dining hall(!!!)* is home to a lovely longcase clock from the 1750s. It keeps time to about 15 seconds a week, and the movement is a work of art. My house wouldn't feel right without the reassuring tick-tock.

*I use this term legitimately because, modest though my house is, the room does function as both hallway and dining room.
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By Sooty25
#1719543
When I was 16/17, Swatch plastic watches had just hit the market and were hugely fashionable, 1,000's of colours and designs. I bought a job lot blind from a mail order catalogue company, all their returns and unsold stock. If you'd seen the colours and styles you'd understand why they were returns or unsold! I managed to flog them on one at a time and made a tidy profit. Kept the best one for myself which I promptly stuck to my arm with superglue when a tube ruptured on me! It was knackered by the time I'd managed to get it off!

Shortly after, I declared "I'll have a Rolex before I'm 21 and a Ferrari by 23".

And shortly after that I helped fix a 308 GT4, I promptly scrubbed the Ferrari off the list! At 21 I started working offshore with divers, a lot of whom wore Submariners. As a number of them were brash idiots with egos, I scrapped the Rolex idea even though I could then afford one!

I did ask one of the brighter divers why he wore a Submariner for work. His response was, "it works and it's an air fare home from anywhere in the world". I had no argument to that.

I've done the chunky TAG's and Tissot's, and nearly bought a matching pair of Breitlings, but glad I didn't after my mate told me how much hassle and expense his had been.

The longest worn and favourite is the Hamilton I still wear. A simple, self winder with a glass back. Came to the conclusion that a watch should be what you want to see on your wrist and not what you want others see, but I still can't walk past a jewellers with having a little look!
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By akg1486
#1719553
Bill Haddow wrote:You motivated me to dig out my 1908 model Waltham (vintage c1931) which has been languishing in a drawer for yonks; I've set the time and wound it up, so we'll see. Easy to adjust the Fast / Slow lever.

Glad to hear it! Now take it apart, learn how it works, clean all the little pieces and put it back together. :D
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By The Other Ian
#1719604
If you’re talking ugly, here’s a couple.

The first was bought in 2012, when London Olympic fever was at its highest. Lots of things were sold featuring the Union Flag. Although this wasn’t official London 2012 merchandise, I still bought it. I’ve never worn it (in public).

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The second contender is also a ‘Sports’ watch bearing the Slazenger logo. I’ve since found out that the brand was pretty much defunct, and bought by Sports Diect. Not only is the face difficult to read in most light conditions but the rubber strap looks and feels like it was cut from a discarded retread from a truck tyre blowout. Completely unwearable unless you fancy a wrist laceration.

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By OCB
#1719917
This one I love- 1972 Spaceman (New Old Stock)

As a kid of the 70s, it ticks almost every box:
Is fugly
Is 70s colours
Is 70s use of non-conventional materials
Is 70s “design over functionality”
Is now looked back on as a “wtf???”by most.
The only thing it isn’t is 70s “analog digital”, like my old “digital alarm clock” woz :)

Some background:
https://coolhunting.com/tech/the-spaceman-wa/
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By JAFO
#1719918
Talking of the 70s and space reminded me of the fact that today is the day in 1999 when a huge nuclear explosion tore the moon out of earth's orbit. As a child of the 70s I thought that you might appreciate this.

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By OCB
#1719922
@JAFO
Wow - we really are Tomorrow’s World.

Moment of reflection- I seriously doubted I’d get this far!

If the cloud cover wasn’t there tonight, I’d drag my telescope into the garden and take a video to mark the occasion :thumleft:
By MikeE
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1720021
I love old watches and have always considered them to be investments that can be worn and enjoyed, though that pleasure is now denied given the increase in number of muggings in London targeting watches. I had always promised myself a Mickey Mouse watch and had often perused the Disney Store offerings, but didn't expect to get one of these....

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Best wishes

Mike
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1720090
rf3flyer wrote:
Paul_Sengupta wrote:13:43 into the video, a clock...

How the heck did you get as far as 13:43?


I didn't really, I just randomly clicked through it and happened to see the clock! ;-)