The Most Unbelievable Story

Things like this don’t happen, maybe once in a lifetime the stars align if you are lucky enough. Incredibly it happened to me, one of those moments where you have to pinch yourself to make sure you aren’t dreaming.

Where do I start? It’s been a bit of journey this year, and mainly it’s been watch related. I joined WC in October last year, I heard about about it when consuming watch related content online. My interest has been revitalised over the last few years, buying a few watches and getting a couple of older ones serviced.

Nothing too fancy, apart from my Seiko Naomi Uemura (I know not too fancy but fancy for me).

Last year I had become a bit obsessed with British military watches. I was taking in all the content I could find and was looking in to a number of the re-issues and reimaginings, trying to decide what I might get. The Hamilton Pilot Pioneer,Vertex M100a, CWC, CW Sandhurst were all floating my boat. I’d have to wait and see how things panned out and maybe this year, if funds allow I could add a field watch to my collection.

Then in January I’m looking round a small antique/bric-a-brac shop, something I like to do. I’ve bought anything from a trombone to a meat cleaver in these places. I’m looking at a wall clock and the guy comes to speak to me, we end up talking about watches and I casually mention I’m looking for a field watch. He says, I’ve got a box of military watches but none of them work. He goes to a cupboard and pulls out a small cardboard box, he opens it and pulls one out, just a watch head. I have a look but haven’t got my glasses so can’t even read the name on the watch. He takes it back, puts in the box and tucks the box back in the cupboard. He gets back to trying to sell me the clock. I leave, without buying the clock, but I can’t get this box of watches out of my head, the one I held looked like a real military watch. It can’t have been in my hand for more than 10 seconds, but it looked like the real deal.

Two days later I just have to go back and see what’s in that box.

Hi, remember that box of watches you showed me? Any chance I could have another look and maybe buy one or two if I like them?

He gets the box and gives it to me and says , sure have a look.

I open the small box, on the top layer, three watch heads, the second layer down which had just a piece of paper separating, three more watch heads. And two more layers of three watch heads under that. So 12 in total, well 12 and a half as there was one more but it had no case back.

Carefully I remove all the watch heads from the box. Hamilton x6, Record x4, Omega x1, Grana x1, Timor 1/2. All had the broad arrow. My hand might have slightly trembled at this point. I look on the back of the watches but all have a small sticker covering the case back.

I decide not to mess around with the stickers and holding a couple of them in my hand I turn round to the man and ask him how much he would sell these for? Thinking he would one by one give me a price on each watch, instead he just says, “if you take the whole lot you can have them for 20 each”.

I didn’t haggle.

I said I’d just need to pop to the bank and get the money.

It was like I’d forgotten how to walk, something made me want to run, but I didn’t run, but I also didn’t walk. Fuck knows what I did.

Returning to the shop, cash counted, box in my hands, and thanking the man kindly.

Time to do that stupid walk/run back to the car.

Box open, time to peel the stickers off the back of the watches.

Hamilton W10 x5 6bb x1

Records all marked WWW

Omega marked WWW

Grana marked WWW

WhhhaattttttTheeeeeeFuuuuuu!

Here they all are, or all were back in January.

A couple have gone since, the Grana the first to go sold at auction.

Sold one of the W10’s to a friend who’s a collector.

These are 3 of the Records and 4 of the Hamilton’s all now working and back on the wrist.

Still 1 omega and 1 Hamilton to get fixed.

So, there’s the unbelievable story. Either I’ve been saving up all my good luck since birth or I’m never going to have good luck again.

Now I just need to become obsessed with Patek and visit bric-a-Brackley shops, who knows it might work twice!!