Pocket watch advice

[Clockwork John]

I've been wanting to get a pocket watch for a while, and I'm really fond of the skeleton/see through mechanisms. I know many of you own some very high quality time pieces, so I thought I'd ask for suggestions before making a purchase. I'm on a budget of about $100 for this purchase, and I want to make sure I get a high quality watch that will last for years.

Here's a few possiblilties I've found, but I'm open to suggestions, too.

http://www.amazon.com/Avalon-17-jewe..._sbs_jw_img_18

http://www.gunthergifts.com/devskelpocwa.html

http://www.airwatches.com/item_detail.php?item_id=3798

Which of these is the best quality/is the best value for the price? If any of you can think of a watch in my price range that would be a better value, let me know.

[auld argonian]

It's a pretty sure probability that the actual movements in all of the watches that you listed are either exactly the same or so similar that the difference is negligible. I used to work in a building here in Chicago that housed a high concentration of jewelers and had a lot of conversations with them. It became clear that, in their eyes, there were so very few differences in the quality of recently made movements (versus the good old stuff that they saw only once in a while) that it was all the cosmetics of the watch and not the works. Bear in mind that this was about twenty odd years ago and a little bit before the time that China became a major player in stuff like this so the "dynamics" may have changed somewhat.

There have been a couple of pocket watch threads before and the opinions ranged from fanatical devotion to very fine, very expensive timepieces to arguments that economy and disposability are actually a virtue in this regard.

I side with the economy and disposability camp. Having spoken to so many of those watchmakers, I've heard them express the opinion that it was generally more cost effective to completely swap out a broken movement for a new one rather than repair an old one. To me, this makes the value of owning a "fine timepiece" rather dubious...I'm happy to just have a watch that runs dependably and keeps time to within a couple of seconds a month and getting something fixed is usually more costly than it's worth.

Not to say that an inexpensive watch is going to be disposable. I've heard plenty of stories from Old Timers, including my own father, about the "cheap" watch that they bought that outlasted and outperformed the expensive "good" watch that they bought thinking that it was going to be durable and precise.

Thus, I say that all three of those alternatives look acceptable. I'd just look into the warrantee/return policy aspect of the transaction...figger that anything that is going to go wrong will go wrong within the first year. Personally, I like the looks of that one from Amazon...really classic.

Best

AA

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Looks-wise I agree with Auld Argonian: the Amazon watch looks nice. From a durability standpoint the Colibri will probably be a better bet due to it's full hunter case. I like a watch that is reliable, durable, and easy to read. As nice as the skeleton watches are, they are not the most easy to read.

If you don't mind my asking, are you looking at this watch strictly as a tool, or will it become a family heirloom? If you are thinking "heirloom", then search around for a decent pocket watch with a 17 jewel movement from the 1930s. These can be found in antique shops, at gun shows, and on-line. There are also pocket watch collectors out there who will steer you in the right direction. You should also check out your local "mom & pop" jewelery store-- avoid the mass market guys at the mall-- and tell them what you are looking for. You'd be suprised what lurks in the back room at most of these places.

Anyhow, good luck finding that classic time piece!

[Nick]

I actually have that Colibri 500 in the third link, though I see that price is less than what I paid for it! So I can tell you a bit about that one. It's an very fine watch, it keeps very good time. I'm also personally fond of watches with covers, but I think that's as much a personal taste thing as anything. It's broken on me twice, though. Sorcererdale might be able to give you a better impression of it, since I sent it to him to be fixed the first time. (Never got around to getting it repaired the second time, but I will in time). The first time something happened with the stem and I couldn't set the time. Now there's something wrong with the mainspring, after a few turns it immediately unwinds itself.

I don't know if all that's because it's a Colibri, or if it's just me (wearing it every day and getting knocked about or just bad luck).

If I was coming cold at all three, I might still get the Colibri because of the case, but that Avalon is one heck of a deal! It's also one of the only modern watches I've seen with the small second hand, a detail I love on old watches but is almost nonexistant on new ones.

Just my two bits.

[Coemgen]

I've been looking into getting a Molnija. What do y'all think of these?:

Orthodox Icon
Troitse-Sergieva Larva
St. Petersburg
Moscow

[Clockwork John]

I like the look of the one from Amazonmost. I'm thinking a watch without a cover might actually be better for me, because I'm really good a breaking things with covers/that flip open.

[QUOTE=MacMillan of Rathdown;468739]
If you don't mind my asking, are you looking at this watch strictly as a tool, or will it become a family heirloom? QUOTE]

I'm looking at it the same way I look at kilts: it's for daily use, but if I can pass it on, even better.

I've been looking into getting a Molnija. What do y'all think of these?:

Orthodox Icon
Troitse-Sergieva Larva
St. Petersburg
Moscow

Those are nice. I particulary like the enamel work on the last two.

[graham_s]

personally I prefer a full or half hunter. I wear one myself if it's not in the waistcoat of my BPC it's tucked into the waistband of my kilt

[Mr. MacDougall]

I've had a couple of Colibri watches over the last couple of decades, and in general, they're good watches. I did get one that lost three minutes a day, which was a big disappointment, because it was a present from my mother, and she'd had it engraved on the cover with my initials.