The perils of vintage #239 - or… when Chronotriggered doesn’t follow his own advice

Glad it wasn’t the most expensive reminder.

Nope - but it should serve as a warning. Plus I thought I would share what was a cheap but reckless episode in vintage watch collecting.

Cheap and reckless??? Can those two combine to have happy endings? 🥳

If anything - this is just whimsy. Don’t try this at home kids, I’m a professional 😂

Spent the morning looking at similar watches on ebay. Shall your article turning up as the universe suggesting I don’t go for one. XD 

You can get a nice watch for not much, but then you need to consider the case and the movement. If it’s plate, maybe not, but if it s steel then it might be worth salvaging. Movement is then key - if it’s a decent ebauche, then it should be a decent fI , but only you can be the judge of that. I’ve found that regulating them keeps them going for a while. Anything major is definitely going down to the repairer.

The Mrs took an interest in getting WW2 issue watch, combination of history and style, so we started browsing. My watch repair abilities don’t go much beyond a clean and polish truth be told, so we were looking for cheap running ones. At the same time, we were a little worried about the radium if the Crystal was cracked etc.

It’s a possibility - I would suggest a modern piece from, say, Balthany or WMT instead if you want something that will not give you “issues”

I think part of the appeal is very much the history of the individual piece. Where it may have been, what it may have seen. Otherwise, Orient do a nice Type-b Flieger xD, and Timex are a thing.

Well yes - that’s pretty much why I do what I do. But… anything for an easy life

On that subject, any tips on how to open a twelve sided shallow sod of a caseback that’s probably not been opened since the Labour Government before last? Without hunting super specialised tools ideally? (Three prong case spanner isn’t having it.) 

I used a 3-prong, but maybe use an elastic band wrapped around the edge to really get some leverage?

Good idea. Didn’t think of using the elastic band. Do have a plastic sheet thing… think it may be only a ‘mil thick so band might be hard. Was gonna get a bergeon bouncy ball. (You know, the ones that look like exercise balls for action man and barbie) 

Think my Dad’s Oriosa chrono has jumped its yoke or something, it’s not winding. (Though it all started with some fogging, and frankly am worried it’s just seized up… service seems hard to find and maybe expensive.) We wanted to get the back off to try and regulate it at any rate. Back has other ideas.

You say "don't do this" when you mean "do this, it's fun".

Small gambles are fun. You can spend more on a middling bottle of wine. The bottle of wine will be gone tomorrow.

This should be back next week with a new crystal, ready to tackle all of my vintage field watch needs.

I take no responsibility for anyones misadventures into vintage - I have provided enough warnings.

You seem to be your own worst enemy when it comes to following your advice! Beautiful watch, and at £ 17 it sounds like a not too risky operation :-)