What's your oldest (personal) watch?
I was filling in the Q&A section of my profile and it reminded me of the oldest watch I own, this model 5M43-0C80 Seiko Kinetic from the mid-'90's, a 16th birthday present from my folks and the only watch I wore for probably more than 5 years before starting on a humble collection around 2002. As you can see, it's been put through its paces over the years but interesting it's still a design I like, with that deep blue sunray dial and the red, yellow and blue squares making up the power indicator around the right hand side of the dial (the idea is you wait till the seconds hand is at 12 and use the button at 2 o'clock to check the reserve - if it jumps ahead 5, 10 or 30 seconds that tells you the approximate power reserve).
Lots of watches have come, gone, been lost, damaged or otherwise gone astray, but this has always been kicking around in a bedroom drawer and I imagine always will be. Its ability to store power is somewhat diminished (stop moving for 5 mins and it stops ticking) and I doubt I'll be getting it repaired any time soon, but somehow comforting to still have it and channel the history it represents.
So, discounting heirlooms and vintage acquisitions what's the oldest personal watch still in your collection?
Watch obsessive who believes smaller and cleaner trumps bigger and flashier. Much first hand love for Tudor, Grand Seiko, Longines, Oris, Hamilton, etc. while pining from afar for Rolex, Patek, VC, et...
Here’s the oldie. A gift back in 1995:
I never wear it anymore, but I think I’m gonna grab a strap and pop it back into the rotation.
Now, just for laughs given the watch in the OP, here’s one I just bought YESTERDAY:
The oldest watch in my collection is a pocket watch from 1899, but the oldest "personal" watch in my collection is a Seiko Memory Bank Calendar watch given to me by my wife in 1980 shortly after we got engaged. At the time, digital watches were all the rage, and I considered this to be head and shoulders above the cheap watches I had been wearing at the time. Although I didn't start collecting until about 4 years ago, I kept this watch, and it still keeps great time, although I never really wear it.
Parents gave me a Seiko for my graduation from university in 1981.
SEIKO | A939-5009
Loving these vintage digital Seiko’s… Lots of retro charm. And surprisingly well-preserved, at least based on these pictures.
Oldest one I've still got is in need of a new battery, but it's a tough solar radio sync G shock. Will have to post a pic when I get the battery in!
This Seiko 7002-7000 (SDS-001). First watch I bought with my own money. 😊
1966 Bulova Accutron, as pictured now and in 1969 when my grandfather was holding me while wearing it