My drawer of doom
This is the graveyard. This is the final destination. There is no afterlife for watches, just cold, dark pressed wood and pine surroundings. I occasionally don a black veil in mourning of what once was, but acceptance comes with time. Here's what populates the graveyard:
1. Bucherer Chronometer
This watch was bought as a non-runner. After much servicing and trouble with a mainspring that I broke, I came to the realisation that the mainspring was never the issue. The escape wheel was broken. I am in the process of finding a part, but shipping will cost a small fortune, so I'm doing the order through my cousin, which means I can only order parts in March or so, and I'll get them by December. Low risk, cheaper shipping, but patience is a virtue I don't always posses. The watch also looks a lot bigger on me than I thought, so it's likely going to be sold once it starts ticking.
2. Tissot PR 516 Quartz Pepsi
I hate to send this one to the drawer, but Rodico has stopped holding the broken stepper motor together. I'll follow the same strategy as the Bucherer escape wheel for finding a replacement. It's not the prettiest and the condition is overall rough, but the rarity and cool factor is just and I mean just enough to give it a third chance at life.
3. Edox Delfin
It runs several hours slow a day. One half of the brass shock protection spring is broken, so prayers alone are keeping the cap-jewel seated. The hairspring isn't attached to the regulating arm anymore, which is something I will speak to the watchmaker about before trying my luck. How exactly the hairspring came loose, no one knows, but for now, she's resting.
I hope my drawer has no plans on expanding, as there's plenty of junk there already. Does anyone need an IWC calibre 8541 with a bent hairspring? One is available. Otherwise, the rest of the drawer stock watchmaking and jewellery tools as well as my Seiko 5 and Casio Edifice chronograph, which stay warm and still run in their original boxes.
Do any of you have drawers of doom? Let's mourn on this fine Sunday.
A famous Dutch saying: “𝘕𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘣 𝘫𝘦, 𝘫𝘢 𝘬𝘶𝘯 𝘫𝘦 𝘬𝘳𝘪𝘫𝘨𝘦𝘯.”
😀 Love the concept of "The Drawer of Doom", the watch enthusiasts equivalent of the Elephant's Graveyard.
BTW, I also run several hours slow a day & I'm not as aesthetically pleasing on the eye as I once was either. My personal Drawer of Doom can't be far away now. In the UK I believe they're also known as Bowling Clubs.
😀 Love the concept of "The Drawer of Doom", the watch enthusiasts equivalent of the Elephant's Graveyard.
BTW, I also run several hours slow a day & I'm not as aesthetically pleasing on the eye as I once was either. My personal Drawer of Doom can't be far away now. In the UK I believe they're also known as Bowling Clubs.
There's a bowling club in my town too. I've always wondered what goes on there.
Don't worry, I run many hours slow a day as a result of manufacturing defects in my patella tendons, and I'm not even 20 yet. I'm surprised my parents didn't return me under warranty.
Can you swap the movement in the Tissot? I’m guessing it would cost a lot, but might work.
There's a bowling club in my town too. I've always wondered what goes on there.
Don't worry, I run many hours slow a day as a result of manufacturing defects in my patella tendons, and I'm not even 20 yet. I'm surprised my parents didn't return me under warranty.
I'd love to tell you what kind of cheeky capers & tricks goes on in the lives of the bowling club community when I get there. Unfortunately I'm sure early onset dementia will have kicked in by then, so I'm not making any promises.
Can you swap the movement in the Tissot? I’m guessing it would cost a lot, but might work.
I would be able to if the original movement wasn't scarce as Hell. I have heard that some or other Miyota movement can work, but I love the idea of a full-metal four-jewel early quartz movement. It will be a lot more expensive than buying a stepper motor, because these movements were basically only featured in old Tissot F1s, which, while not crazy expensive, are decent watches and look really stylish. I wouldn't want to sentence a working, well-kept and cherished watch to death to bring something that sat in a box as a donor for forty years back to life.
It's a predicament...
I'd love to tell you what kind of cheeky capers & tricks goes on in the lives of the bowling club community when I get there. Unfortunately I'm sure early onset dementia will have kicked in by then, so I'm not making any promises.
Dementia runs in my family too, and my lifestyle isn't helping me. I'll probably see you by the time I hit my midlife crisis!
Dementia runs in my family too, and my lifestyle isn't helping me. I'll probably see you by the time I hit my midlife crisis!
I'll have a pint & a curly straw awaiting your arrival at the bar 👍
I’ve been toying with the idea of only showing the ones that are ‘put away for later ‘ - good post
When you have the bucherer ticking let me know 👍
I’ve been toying with the idea of only showing the ones that are ‘put away for later ‘ - good post
When you have the bucherer ticking let me know 👍
I'll let you know. You might have to wait a while, but I'll remember.
One member on here has previously described their “Shitter Box” - a box containing purchases which should never have been made, and is kept by him for periodic reminders of why not to make impulse buys.
It could sit alongside your drawer of doom in an horological house of horrors.
That Edox is a beauty
That Edox is a beauty
Thank you!
I've got boxes full of broken watches, dozens. Mostly worthless, mostly quartz.
No sentimental value, no intention of fixing them. Dunno why I keep 'em, guess I'm just a hoarder 🤣
Only three! Teach me your ways.
Only three! Teach me your ways.
Well, to start off, have a penchant for buying cheap vintage watches with problems. If you combine that with being too curious, your collection of paperweights will expand in no time!
Man. Those 3 are fire 🔥
I love the Tissot and Edox
Your post has motivated me to establish how many of my watch purchases over the last 5 years has been summarily dismissed to the "Drawer of Doom". Once they've made it to the drawer, they are then quietly, overnight, taken to the nearest eBay market & sold on for some magic beans.
It's proving quite a task. If nothing else it so far proves that I'm the watch equivalent of the Little Britain character "Andy Pipkin". "I want that one" should be engraved on my tombstone.
Nope, don't have a drawer of doom but I do have a box of watches that are either dead (battery) or are so cheap they aren't worth fixing. Like the funky Fossil I tried to wear the other day. Yup it still runs, the seconds indicator moves, but the hour and minute hand do not.
Agree its like a waiting room in a doctor's office😂 or the waiting room of a car service dept at a high end car dealership🤣 like this old Russian friend of mine, "Jean Jeanie" 😉. Served me well but is in "the drawer" for future service.
Agree its like a waiting room in a doctor's office😂 or the waiting room of a car service dept at a high end car dealership🤣 like this old Russian friend of mine, "Jean Jeanie" 😉. Served me well but is in "the drawer" for future service.
That's a very funky looking watch! Best of luck getting it serviced.
My drawer is called "The Drawer of Exciting Opportunities"
Watches there donate vital organs to those in need.
That's a very funky looking watch! Best of luck getting it serviced.
With many vintage watches, unless precious, its not worth the expense to repair. Nice collector piece though👊🏼
I have two Lorus Mickey Mouse watches in a box with old watch band buckles and spring bars and batteries and that kind of junk. One is the one I wore for twenty something years until the movement was deemed irreparable and irreplaceable, the other is a goldtone model from which the previous donor movement came. I think there is cheap quartz travel alarm clock sans case, because I broke it, lying around for no good reason.
I have two Lorus Mickey Mouse watches in a box with old watch band buckles and spring bars and batteries and that kind of junk. One is the one I wore for twenty something years until the movement was deemed irreparable and irreplaceable, the other is a goldtone model from which the previous donor movement came. I think there is cheap quartz travel alarm clock sans case, because I broke it, lying around for no good reason.
Yes love the Mickey u posted on WRUW! I'll see your two dead Mickey watches and raise you a Winnie the Pooh😂 These MM watches need a cleaning and a feshie (battery), too.
Nup if it’s old and broke I would ship it off to @GasWorks for Gareth to “ resurrect “ it for resale to someone to enjoy again :)
Nup if it’s old and broke I would ship it off to @GasWorks for Gareth to “ resurrect “ it for resale to someone to enjoy again :)
I plan on resurrecting them myself to wear again soon, although you have an excellent idea there. If I ever get a watch that totally defeats me, I'm sure Gareth can get some value out of it and find it a new home.