# Vintage watches pet hate



## ZenArcade (Aug 17, 2016)

I have bought a number of vintage watches over the years and am yet to be disappointed with what I have got (touch wood!) But I do have one pet hate; no its not the seller and the over flowery advertising "No dear, the watch is not a WW1 trench watch given to your late grandfather by a French peasant girl, his wartime love who he rescued from a marauding German attack which you suddenly "discovered" in the attic" You picked it up at a car boot for a tenner and now you want to turn a profit. Yes, the watch probably does need a service if the crown is hanging off and you found it down the back of a sofa you bought at a second hand shop. What on earth does "For spares or repairs mean"? just say broken and please, stop trying to sell it at the price I can get a fully functioning watch for.

No its none of those above, its people who sell a filthy looking watch! I mean seriously, do people not think the watch has a better chance of selling if they take that tatty flea ridden strap off and giving the watch a quick clean and polish? The amount of times I have bought a watch in hope more than anything else only for it to arrive, remove strap, give good clean and there is an absolute diamond under all that dirt.

Does anyone else have a pet hate in their pursuit of vintage watches?

Apologies for the rant but just picked up another purchase of similar description.


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## PC-Magician (Apr 29, 2013)

Makes me laugh and angry at the same time when a seller says restored and it is dirty on arrival, so I send them back for a refund.


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## ZenArcade (Aug 17, 2016)

PC-Magician said:


> Makes me laugh and angry at the same time when a seller says restored and it is dirty on arrival, so I send them back for a refund.


 Vintage watch terminology

Restored = Gave it a shake and it started ticking so it must be ok

Serviced = Put a new strap on it

NOS = Unwanted gift found in attic


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## hughlle (Aug 23, 2015)

Keeping good time given its age - Doesn't keep time because hasn't been serviced.

Haven't checked for time keeping - Doesn't keep time because hasn't been serviced.

Working order - Doesn't keep time because hasn't been serviced.

Loses X a day, this is the norm for vintage - Doesn't keep time because hasn't been serviced.

I like this one "We guarantee that the watch is in perfect working order and it will not give a time difference of more then (+2 or -2)minutes in 24 hours" - Doesn't keep time because hasn't been serviced

In house spa - the guy owns a screwdriver


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Nice remarks there although I must say that I don't mind a grubby watch if the price reflects its condition. Indeed, I am amazed sometimes when what appears to be a relativel;y clean watch with a stainless steel bracelet comes home with me, only to pour out thick grey gunk from the bracelet when I give it a proper going over.

My pet hate at the moment, born of experiences recently, is when someone purports to be a bonafide experienced watch dealer yet puts watches in his cabinet that don't work properly or are otherwise faulty, with no indication on the label about the AF condition. If I buy stuff from charity shops or boot fairs, I know that it is caveat emptor, but when someone sets themselves up to fulfill the role of specialised watch seller and charges relatively high prices, then things are a bit different.


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## Mr Levity (Feb 24, 2013)

hughlle said:


> Keeping good time given its age - Doesn't keep time because hasn't been serviced.
> 
> Haven't checked for time keeping - Doesn't keep time because hasn't been serviced.
> 
> ...


 You forgot:" Tested and working on dispatch. Cannot guarantee future timekeeping" - shook it and it worked for a few seconds when I got it.

I hate getting a dirty watch, but it is nice to find a gem under the crud.

Another hate is the BS that some of the sellers come out with. Found one the other night (wish I'd saved it, but can't find it now). It wasn't actually a vintage watch, but a modernish Seiko 5.. Seller had grossly inflated the selling price (normal price about £75, his price the equivalent in $ to £200). He went on to sound quite knowledgeable about the reasons for the 5, then blew it by saying "except when it's a Seiko 4, which has the 7S25 movement".


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## SBryantgb (Jul 2, 2015)

Mr Levity said:


> You forgot:" Tested and working on dispatch. Cannot guarantee future timekeeping" - shook it and it worked for a few seconds when I got it.
> 
> I hate getting a dirty watch, but it is nice to find a gem under the crud.
> 
> Another hate is the BS that some of the sellers come out with. Found one the other night (wish I'd saved it, but can't find it now). It wasn't actually a vintage watch, but a modernish Seiko 5.. Seller had grossly inflated the selling price (normal price about £75, his price the equivalent in $ to £200). He went on to sound quite knowledgeable about the reasons for the 5, then blew it by saying "except when it's a Seiko 4, which has the 7S25 movement".


 Hey...... I love my Seiko 4


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

My particular hate is watches in dealers cabinets with wrong strap widths, and stainless watches with gold strap buckles and vice versa. And grossly overpriced stuff. Last weekend I saw two Bentima Stars in different locations, one with a rotten strap and scratched crystal for £275, and another as new with box, and working properly for £35.


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

Three websites which I won't identify - you may well recognise them.

1. Reasonable prices, has about 15 pages of watches, therefore about 300 items. Problem is, once you get beyond about watch number seven, they are all "SOLD". So remove them!

2. Large stock of interesting looking watches, long and very detailed descriptions, daft prices. Oh, and last updated August 2013.

3. Upmarket vintage website, very daft prices indeed, every ad begins with "just beautiful" or "simply stunning". Oh, and every purchase will turn out to be a very fine investment "if history is any judge".

Recognise any of them?


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## relaxer7 (Feb 18, 2016)

hughlle said:


> Keeping good time given its age - Doesn't keep time because hasn't been serviced.
> 
> Haven't checked for time keeping - Doesn't keep time because hasn't been serviced.
> 
> ...


 All of that ^^^ "totally normal to be within -2 or +2 mins a day. This is vintage after all (chortle)"^^^


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

"Keeping good vintage time" is a favorite of mine. Along with "worn twice". It's the "one lady owner" of the watch world. :Snore:


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## ZenArcade (Aug 17, 2016)

AVO said:


> Three websites which I won't identify - you may well recognise them.
> 
> 1. Reasonable prices, has about 15 pages of watches, therefore about 300 items. Problem is, once you get beyond about watch number seven, they are all "SOLD". So remove them!
> 
> ...


 I have to be honest, 1 and 2 sound like several watch sites I have viewed.

Spares and repairs seems to be the new NOS for eBay though as apparently I should buy someone's broken watch for top dollar then spend my own money to fix it because the seller couldn't be bothered.

Worse still the jeweller who cant be bothered to clean his watches and yes, the wrong strap on a watch!


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

rant on Grimly, "full speed ahead" i like the "PARTS WATCH" especially if the balance is in tact. vinn


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## Carlos Fandango (Sep 29, 2016)

vinn said:


> rant on Grimly, "full speed ahead" i like the "PARTS WATCH" especially if the balance is in tact. vinn


 I like get a watch that hasn't been touched as long as it's running. Really enjoy giving the crystal and case a clean and polish and seeing the transformation. Got to be a good price though. Can't believe some of the prices people want when they haven't even bothered to wipe it over with a rag!


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

my pet seller hate is " i just needs to be cleaned". if you counter with " its wound up tight" or " its broken", " just a good clean". SO if you buy it on the BAY, just live with what you get . PARTS. vinn


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## WRENCH (Jun 20, 2016)

Easy repair is another. Well if it's that easy, do it and then you'll get it sold (moron).


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## richy176 (Aug 7, 2013)

WRENCH said:


> Easy repair is another. Well if it's that easy, do it and then you'll get it sold (moron).


 That is one of my pet hates but not only with watches especially when the go further and say "the part costs about 50p and takes two minutes to change".

Another one is where they say `can't guarantee water resistance but don't say why. If they have owned it for 10 years without a service or pressure test then just say so.


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