I limit my outdoor activities this time of year ( kinda warm) and turn to indoor activities, I decided to clean out some drawers. I am by no means a watch collector BUT have accumulated quite a few over the years some are just throw away Walmart specials, while most of them don't have any great $$ or collector value some are very interesting I do have one that is of moderate value and from what I have been able to glean is collectable (but not vintage ) by some seeking a quality moderately priced watch, a Bulova Gemini I received for 10 years of service at CNA. I also have my 25 years of service Lassale chronograph from Montgomery Ward,
So I said some were interesting, one is a Illinois watch, after some research I found I had to remove the back to obtain a model # I found through a data base that the model is called a New Yorker made in 1931considered to be a art deco watch very cool !!! I also found that the Illinois watch company was co - founded by one of Abe Lincolns old law partners !!
I was amazed when I took the back off the intricacies of the workings amazing !! the miniaturization is amazing
It wasn't until the 1920's that wrist watches became popular but to me the detail and workmanship is incredible.
I also have a Bulova Accutron tuning fork watch that was given to my Dad from my Mom 12-25-1973 (its engraved on the back) its been sitting in my drawer for years and years I ordered and am waiting for the correct battery to see if it operates, I also did some research on it and found them amazing, I'm going to include a short video on how they work very cool !! (check it out)
I really think if I had not become a mechanic I wold have liked to be a watch maker !!
Any watch collectors out there ? If you enjoy how things work watch the video its only 5.00 minutes long. P/S I also dug up a old Timex self winder and was able to determine its a Timex Viscount model from 1971 I set the time threw it on moved around a little to activate the self wind and its been running ever since !!!!! I will bet its been sitting 30 years.

 

I still have an Omega Speedmaster I purchased in 1969 after my first solo. The poor thing has been abused over the years and looks like it.

 

Well you could replace it !!
https://www.authenticwatches.com/ome...yABEgLFL_D_BwE
or just by another Oldsmobile!!

 

Different version than I have, mine is the classic one used by NASA, worth less than the one in the ad
They are awful proud of that one

 

The history behind many watches is pretty fascinating for me. Especially the racing chronographs like the Speedmaster and Daytona. Had a Rolex GMT II for many years, those have a great story too. Current every day watch is a JDM Seiko Alpinist. I would have more, but trying the less is more philosophy as I supposedly mature...

 

Yeah I found the Illinois watch co. History Fascinating and like early auto makers there was a lot of movement in ownership etc…

 

My dad was a jeweler/watchmaker in from 1947 to about 1985 - he earned his jeweler/watchmaker certificate from Bradley University in Peoria IL in 1947. For my high school graduation present in 1969, my parents also gave me a Bulova Accutron which I also still have. I'll have to get a battery for it as well - it was fun hearing the tuning fork hum and it was supposedly accurate to within a second over the course of 24 hours. When my dad passed away, I inherited his 15 pocket watches, all of which work and 10 of them are in 14k gold cases. One of the gold case pocket watches has a diamond mounted in the center of its cover - that one is my favorite. Watchmaking is a fast-fading occupation - that's why my parents closed their jewelry store at the end of 1970 and just worked out of the house for other jewelers in the area where they lived. Dad told me the inexpensive digital watch would eventually take over his watch business if he didn't move on.

And all that jewelry that I could have had at cost...I didn't like wearing jewelry (rings, chains, etc.) at all so I never took advantage of that!

Randy C.

 

It makes me sad that these craftsmen are fading away. I would have liked to have talked to someone like your dad about the movements and other aspects of pocket and wrist watches. I know even 5 years ago, there was limited places to do the scheduled maintenance on my GMT or at least it seemed that way to me.

I have my great grandfathers pocket watch and my great grandmothers wrist watch. Keep them in a display globe with the only black and white photo I have of them.

Cheers,

 

Unfortunately the battery did not work, I have found two places that will service Acutron tuning fork watches one in NY one in Cal. you send it to them they work up a est for repair and E-mail it to you. Both appear to be reputable.

 

Accutrons are popular in the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, along with other Bulova and Hamilton wrist timepieces.

There are three NAWCC Chapters in AZ, in Phoenix, Chandler and Tucson. Would you like me to send you their contact info, along with that of a certified Accutron technician in Tennessee?

I'm more into clocks meself. Keywinds, quartz, electromagnetic, like 'em all. Especially like Jefferson Golden Hour movements and Telechrons.

 

Tell me this ain't the coolest clock ever. Jefferson Golden Hour circa 1950. Right up there with an Atmos.

How the hell does it work?!🤪

 

yes !! thank you, you can PM the info if you would like, Thanks !!

 

PM sent.

 

Here's an older thread on a watch I should have bought.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-watch-142811/

I'm also fascinated by watches. Daily, I wear a Casio G-Shock GAS-100-1A (2020). It's a solar powered analog style watch. I also have 2 Seiko kinetic watches:
Seiko Arctura Kinetic Auto Relay SNG043 (2004)
Seiko Automatic Diver 6309-704X T (ca. 1978)

Unfortunately, the Seikos don't currently run. The newer one I got from my wife for our anniversary, the older one Oldsguy bought in the Philippines before I was born. I've taken them both to a jeweler and I get them back running but they quickly start to loose minutes and then hours a day. I think there's a capacitor in the movement that needs to be replaced.

Here's the forum you need to go to if you want to find information on a watch or clock. I'm a member but rarely post:

https://www.watchuseek.com/