The Gasworks Appreciation Society part 2!
It's been a little while since I posted on the subject of my good friend Gareth @GasWorks and his tremendous work around restoring vintage seikos and the occassional Citizen to the benefit of enthusiasts many of them here on watchcrunch.
Since my first post I have purchased two further seikos from the Welsh Wizard , namely a 76 Bellmatic
and a 69 Actus SS black dial
I may have the years wrong but Gareth will no doubt correct me!
The Bellmatic is really cool, on its original refurbished bracelet and has the alarm in full working order, although I don't rely on it to wake me up in the morning! It's an interesting piece of engineering ( more so than a smart watch!) Also keeps amazingly accurate time. My current favourite watch......till the next one!
My other recent acquisition is the Actus. I was unaware of this particular line until Gareth showed me one he was working on and of course then I had to have one! It's my first black dial watch and my first Actus. Gareth even lumed the indices unusually in a late sixties piece.
I know its not historically accurate but I put a number of my vintage seikos and citizens on natos. Some might disagree but for me the combination often looks really good?
So this isn't a review of these two watches, they are both old timers and I treat them as non waterproof dress watches but if you like an old seiko you will know what I mean and what makes them special!
Oh and just to keep bang up to date Gareth has just finished a green dial Actus for my wife which I shall be collecting from him when I get back to the UK ( to go with the blue dial Seiko she has permanently borrowed from me)
The following Crunchers either already own @GasWorks productions or have previously joined in the discussion...
@hakki501 @DeeperBlue @WatchBee @YourIntruder @angelos @Porthole @WatchesRock @Scooby @ChronoGuy @Magstime @Deanseiko876 @Whitesalmon @OldSnafu @Tinfoiled14 @NewbombTurk @TheSharperTheBetter @fwatch
As before if you have new pictures of your Gasworks rescue donkeys or recently acquired pieces from Gareth please share your pics and thoughts?
An enthusiast and collector for two and a half years. Got it worse now than when I fell down the rabbit hole! The more I learn the greater my affliction becomes... A particular interest in titanium di...
Blimey, what a superb restoration! Look like new.
😍👍🏻👍🏻
He has to love the work to put that kind of detail into those because the economics are not there. Outstanding work.
Thank you for your kind words my friend. ❤
The restoration of these little watches always has been - and continues to be - a labour of love.
It's hugely rewarding to see the watches I restore go to loving homes and get a new lease of life.
I believe some of the Seikos (and other Japanese watches) of the 60s and 70s are genuinely brilliant. The dials are often beautiful; the movements are quite simple but incredibly robust. They may not have cost the earth and they may never be worth £1000s but they have a value far greater than simply monetary. They have soul.
I'm very happy to know there are others here who recognise and appreciate that too.
I am genuinely grateful to all of you who have taken an interest and, of course, particularly to those of you who have trusted me enough to buy yourselves a little donkey.
❤
Blimey, what a superb restoration! Look like new.
😍👍🏻👍🏻
They certainly feel that way! Amazing for watches that are 40 or 50 plus years old. And he regulates them so that they only gain / lose a couple of seconds a day. Attention to detail!!
He has to love the work to put that kind of detail into those because the economics are not there. Outstanding work.
I think it's a true labour of love for Gareth. Any profit he spends on the kit he needs to make his life easier restoring!
No new @GasWorks customs (I’m afraid), but I will need a hand with some on my builds because I am useless at the moment.
Thank you for your kind words my friend. ❤
The restoration of these little watches always has been - and continues to be - a labour of love.
It's hugely rewarding to see the watches I restore go to loving homes and get a new lease of life.
I believe some of the Seikos (and other Japanese watches) of the 60s and 70s are genuinely brilliant. The dials are often beautiful; the movements are quite simple but incredibly robust. They may not have cost the earth and they may never be worth £1000s but they have a value far greater than simply monetary. They have soul.
I'm very happy to know there are others here who recognise and appreciate that too.
I am genuinely grateful to all of you who have taken an interest and, of course, particularly to those of you who have trusted me enough to buy yourselves a little donkey.
❤
Do you typically restore watches that people send you, or pick them up yourself, restore, then sell them? If the latter, how can we find out what you have available for sale?
He has to love the work to put that kind of detail into those because the economics are not there. Outstanding work.
The Bellmatic would have been about £3000 if I was doing it for anything other than love 🤣
No new @GasWorks customs (I’m afraid), but I will need a hand with some on my builds because I am useless at the moment.
I'm a receiver not a giver! Way beyond my patience and skill level!
Recent photos of my May 1970 Seiko DX 6106C-8240 that never ceases to captive me...
My one and only (for now) rescue donkey from Master @GasWorks
Ooff! Damn awesome job @GasWorks thank for including me too my friend! @Guvnor64 I haven't acquired any of these beauts as yet but I will, I promise myself I will.
Love that bell matic.... What does the pusher do?
Recent photos of my May 1970 Seiko DX 6106C-8240 that never ceases to captive me...
My one and only (for now) rescue donkey from Master @GasWorks
Looks fab on that bracelet!
Love that bell matic.... What does the pusher do?
The pusher rotates the inner bezel to set the alarm( to the nearest 5 minutes or so) You can wind the alarm so that it will ring for about 19 seconds or so. It's not loud but it's pleasing! There are lots of you tube videos on how to operate a bellmatic.
Interestingly there were lots of different models over about 15 years of production. My one is towards the end. Jewellery count came down in the movement over time I'm not sure why.
I believe only 4 or 5 manufacturers ever made a mechanical alarm watch so they are not common?
It's another rabbit hole to fall down when you have the time!🙄
The pusher rotates the inner bezel to set the alarm( to the nearest 5 minutes or so) You can wind the alarm so that it will ring for about 19 seconds or so. It's not loud but it's pleasing! There are lots of you tube videos on how to operate a bellmatic.
Interestingly there were lots of different models over about 15 years of production. My one is towards the end. Jewellery count came down in the movement over time I'm not sure why.
I believe only 4 or 5 manufacturers ever made a mechanical alarm watch so they are not common?
It's another rabbit hole to fall down when you have the time!🙄
10 seconds! Typo!!
Wow! 2 spectacular pieces! They look brand new! I’ve actually started following Gareth on the back of one of your previous posts. The workmanship is nothing short of brilliant. I’ll be keeping a close eye on any bits he may have coming up on the near future👍💯
Great post! Thankyou
A pleasure my friend! Welcome to the society!👍
Well, I guess this settles it: I've been wondering about whom
to send off my Seiko 6139 for restoring the lume (hands/indice pips/triangle on internal rotating bezel). Seiko did a lovely job servicing the movement, but couldn't do much more - not complaining since it was a big deal that they'd bother doing anything.
Well I'm def interested.....🤏🏻😅.
Also @Guvnor64 , love that single Pass in the Actus. Very classy imo.
Someday I think a properly restored Lorus or an Alba diver might be in order. Too many other things at the moment, but someday lol.
Someday I think a properly restored Lorus or an Alba diver might be in order. Too many other things at the moment, but someday lol.
I also think Gareth should move more into Orient? Another huge amount to choose from. He has a nice Ray 1 he's restored.
Well, I guess this settles it: I've been wondering about whom
to send off my Seiko 6139 for restoring the lume (hands/indice pips/triangle on internal rotating bezel). Seiko did a lovely job servicing the movement, but couldn't do much more - not complaining since it was a big deal that they'd bother doing anything.
I would message him direct, sounds like it's up his alley?
Well I'm def interested.....🤏🏻😅.
Also @Guvnor64 , love that single Pass in the Actus. Very classy imo.
I think the Actus in particular looks good on a nato. I'm keeping the bellmatic on the issue bracelet as it cleaned up well and doesn't feel flimsy despite its age!
More beautiful examples of the excellent work Gareth does 🥰👏👏👏
Once I have mine on it’s usually on for a few days straight… difficult to take off 😉
I will be looking for another special little donkey soon enough, I feel certain 😊
I also think Gareth should move more into Orient? Another huge amount to choose from. He has a nice Ray 1 he's restored.
I'm happy to look at and restore pretty much anything. Orient watches that need TLC are far rarer than the ubiquitous Seikos.
More beautiful examples of the excellent work Gareth does 🥰👏👏👏
Once I have mine on it’s usually on for a few days straight… difficult to take off 😉
I will be looking for another special little donkey soon enough, I feel certain 😊
It's such a pretty watch that. There are many examples on eBay but they invariably have significantly damaged dials. I think the case design didn't help. The dial on this one was spot on.
It looks good on that milanese/mesh bracelet.
It's such a pretty watch that. There are many examples on eBay but they invariably have significantly damaged dials. I think the case design didn't help. The dial on this one was spot on.
It looks good on that milanese/mesh bracelet.
I love it 🥰 The dial is in great shape as you say, and such a gorgeous design regards light play and colour variations depending on the lighting. I’m going to try and find an appropriate leather strap, but it’s going to be tough to improve on the way it goes with the mesh imho. Also leather isn’t really great for my job so it would limit me wearing it to work. At the moment if I have to lug stuff about I can quickly pop it off (deployant clasp) for a few minutes to avoid excessive risk. This watch has taken my collection in an exciting new direction and I continue to treasure it.
Thank You 🙏
Love the Actus! Those indeces! Indices? Indeci? Those knobby things that represent the hours!
The Bellmatic looks stunning. @GasWorks knows his stuff and you have great taste👍
Love the Actus! Those indeces! Indices? Indeci? Those knobby things that represent the hours!
Indices I thunk! With extra gasworks lume!
The Bellmatic looks stunning. @GasWorks knows his stuff and you have great taste👍
Thankyou Per!