Dr No[Moderator Omega - Wristscan]
34913
The pitfalls of restoring a vintage watch are getting deeper by the day, Nicolas. Only a few years ago, external parts . . .
Oct 15, 2019,10:43 AM
. . . for Flightmasters like hands and crowns could be had from a variety of vendors. Now, they're practically unobtainable.
More than ever, we should be valuing condition as a primary consideration. A bit of patina and a few scratches or dings are one thing, but the days of buying watches with known problems are over for me. There are several in my collection that I acquired knowing a hand or crown was incorrect, but I always had confidence that correct replacements could be found.
No more. And even then, there's the lesson of Abel's Flightmaster, which was completely original but couldn't withstand the rigors of movement servicing, both physical (the chrono seconds hand) and a lapse in watchmaker judgement (bezel crown). Even with the best efforts, unforeseen problems can occur.
Warily,
Art