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WatchProSite|Market|Digest

Horological Meandering

Comments:

Why pedigree matters....

By: Baron - Mr Red : November 8th, 2013-02:33

....I have discussed this issue before on the JLC forum, but its a general theme too. The JLC in the picture was bought by my father in the early1960s. It was missing a second hand when he bought it. The watch became mine in 1979. Last year, i let my 85yr old mother use the watch. I didn't pay close enough attention to how it was treated. She has been used to a modern watch....and so when she wore this vintage piece, she did so in the shower.....whilst doing the gardening..... shopping....sleeping......24hrs per day...every day. After about 6 months (LoL...how did it last so long), she told me that it was no longer working. I looked at the watch and saw that the plexi had lifted...there was dirt/grit/soil/etc etc on the dial. the winder would not even turn......the dial was stained brown and...err...blue. The watch was in a shocking condition.

I sent it to JLC and it came back looking like this....

Now, I am not saying it was cheap to have it restored, but I am saying that JLC could actually do the job very very well. And this is my point...what i truly love about JLC (and some other manufacturers) is that when one buys a watch from them, one knows not only that they can service the watch perfectly well (and given the ongoing complications that are coming with modern watches, that is reassuring), but importantly that they can continue to service and renovate a watch well into the future. Yes, I appreciate that there are some wonderful independents out there, but in 50 years time, will they be able to do what JLC just did for me?

Rather than put a negative spin on this, however, I just want to say isn't it fantastic that JLC can take a watch that was born in 1957 and looked like it had been made in 1057, and turn it into the above! Fantastic job....

Just wonderful

By: nikolaj : November 8th, 2013-03:03

So happy for you that you have this piece of your family histore back in such marvelous condition - and even with a seconds hand

I guess you are lucky that this happened to a JLC watch. I don't think that all brands - even of similar standing as JLC back in the day of the watch purchase by your father would have been able to do this renovation with similar result . My point being that it is not always easy to predict the future performance of companies ( imagine if your father had gone for e.g. UG, Movado or.... ). I do get your point about independents but like you I don't want to open that can

Only one thing missing in this feel good post: a "before" photo

Enjoy your heirloom Baron

All the best

Nikolaj

I wished...

By: Baron - Mr Red : November 8th, 2013-03:06

....that i had taken a photograph of what it looked like beforehand. However, to have done so would have been to tempt fate. I had no idea IF JLC would be able to make it right...so taking a "before" shot was being a little presumptuous maybe... I am just delighted it came back looking like this!!

Superstitious ehh ?

By: nikolaj : November 8th, 2013-03:13

Just saw that you also posted it on this weeks Lucky Charm WS

yep...

By: Baron - Mr Red : November 8th, 2013-03:19

.....i can't help but feel lucky when i wear this one

Very well said, my friend. This is one thing which most matters, to me. [nt]

By: amanico : November 8th, 2013-05:08

No message body

Love this post for several reasons

By: respo : November 8th, 2013-05:40

First, I am delighted that you got your watch back restored to a beautiful state. What a relief. Are you now keeping it away from your mother or have you returned it to her with strict wearing instructions? ;-)

Second, it is really great to know that JLC can and will do this kind of restoration, albeit I am sure at a cost. It gives me greater confidence to delve into the vintage JLC world.

Third, you raise an issue that I have often thought about with regard to the care and maintenance of our watches decades hence, whether it is still in our hands or on the wrists of our children. It is good for a novice collector like myself to get the more experienced thoughts of other collectors on this subject.

Thanks for posting this very interesting story that has a happy ending.

Best,

respo

Respo...

By: Baron - Mr Red : November 8th, 2013-06:00

she no longer uses the JLC....she is probably the only 85yr old grandmother that wears a Milgauss GV!!!

GV for Granny Vehemence!!!

By: nikolaj : November 8th, 2013-06:05

That's way cool!

LOL! Excellent! You are in great shape, my friend! [nt]

By: amanico : November 8th, 2013-06:08

No message body

A wonderful watch Baron

By: Ubik : November 8th, 2013-07:24

and as you say pedigree does make a difference.

To play devil's advocate, how does that make you feel about Rolex - who I believe won't service or release any information about their vintage watches?

Complex question...

By: Baron - Mr Red : November 8th, 2013-07:42

.....Rolex produce far less complicated watches so getting them serviced is not such an issue. However, how do i feel about the way that they won't pay much lip service to the vintage part of their brand.....

Very sad.

Would it be fair to say...

By: nikolaj : November 8th, 2013-08:23

That the sealed lips of Rolex (not their unwillingness to restore) adds to the mythical status of their vintage pieces?

Uhm...

By: Baron - Mr Red : November 8th, 2013-08:26

....i am not so sure.

I think in many cases the original knowledge just isn't available.... lost...gone. So as a result, finding out detailed specifics about a watch's history becomes more detective work and consensus of expert opinion. I suspect Rolex only has patchy data from its past

Now, THAT is the service I would like to expect from the watch brands...

By: KIH : November 8th, 2013-09:12

... and thank you for showing us that at least JLC is willing and capable of doing it. Very, very nice story, indeed!

Ken

PS: now I understand why you said in WS forum "it is now"

I thought you were talking about your own pedigree. :-)

By: Whirling : November 9th, 2013-06:50

On the one hand, your father demonstrated great taste in watches when he bought this beautiful watch. On the other hand, your grandmother made an unfortunate, but very understandable, mistake regarding the care and handling of a watch. You, or course, seem to take after your father more than your grandmother.

As for my horological pedigree, it is very mixed. One great grandfather purchased a rather nice gold-filled Waltham in about 1906, which I still have. A grandfather on the other side was partial to Longines, though I don't have any of his watches. My father used to wear a quarz titanium Breitling, but now wears a Casio G-Shock. My mother wears a quartz Omega Constellation.

Regards,

Jon

….

By: Baron - Mr Red : November 9th, 2013-07:59

my father's watch….and i lent it to my mother….not grandmother.

Interesting to see your history too…. i think any history of a watch can be fascinating but when you have it with your own family, then a rich experience.

My great-Grandfather . . .

By: Dr No : November 9th, 2013-13:18

. . . was a watchmaker. His son, my Grandfather, must've parted with the equivalent of months of wages to acquire a Zenith pocket watch to commemorate the birth of his first son. Needless to say, I'm completely absorbed.

Dad, on the other hand, couldn't give a rat's tail for watches. He's handed over his vintage Longines and Seikos to yours truly, switched to a quartz Seiko, and, when the bracelet fell apart, bought an even cheaper quartz no-name replacement.

There must be a recessive gene somewhere ;-) . . .

Maybe it's a virus.

By: Whirling : November 10th, 2013-06:35

We know genetics make us more or less susceptible to particular viruses. There are theories that significant illnesses, such as schizophrenia, may arise when a person with a certain genotype is infected with a virus at a specific stage of development. This could also explain the variable penetrance of watch obsession in our family.

Or, it could all have to do with how we were potty trained: "Young man, you have exactly one minute to go or you're going to be in trouble. Look at my watch, God help you if you haven't gone by the time this hand goes all the way around again..."

Regards,

Jon