OT-What are you buying right now?

BGEChicago

Those are beauties for sure , since were talking watches, I'm partial to these guys;

I have a Navitimer and an Emergency, but I'd like to get a pocket watch, my grandfather always had one..

st¡ke

Complications are always sweet

An interesting factoid about wristies though (and I don't have any good ones) is that the truly rare and expensive ones don't look expensive. 

Most Rollies scream "I'm a Rolex!"

But a Patek tourbillion looks like a simple wristwatch. 

If someone knows what they're looking at, they can tell. But a mugger would be more interested in their iPhone. 

st¡ke

I know a guy that dropped out on an auction for a fairly famous watch when it went over a million. 

He said he "couldn't afford it"

I was out of the bidding at $100

some people just have cash. I do not. 

SGH

st¡ke said:

Have a 1910 14k Hamilton in the original box if you want it. HMU

You have my undivided attention my friend. I would love to lay eyes on it. Any chance that you would post, PM, email or text a pic of it?

SGH

st¡ke said:

The balance wheel on the desperado is solid. Non starter. 

Is that ^^^^^^^ good or bad? I know nothing about pocket watches other than I am fascinated with them.  

Legume

Crap.  Now we’re all going to be buying watches.

SGH

Legume said:

Now we’re all going to be buying watches.

Some of my money has definitely been drifting in that direction. I have really became fond of old Hamilton, Illinois and Elgin Rail Road pocket watches. Seems like I get a new addition every month or so. For a second, I considered selling a vintage R41 to help fund a Hamilton. However the thought was very short lived. 

st¡ke

SGH said:

st¡ke said:

The balance wheel on the desperado is solid. Non starter. 

Is that ^^^^^^^ good or bad? I know nothing about pocket watches other than I am fascinated with them.  

Ah. I would be willing to sell. But I wouldn't talk anyone into anything. 

it is just like razors. There are incredibly esoteric differences that mean a whole lot. 

And not in the way it looks, but how it performs

it's like a Mercedes. Some of them look like they cost $120k, but they are leased models starting at bargain prices

meanwhile the $250k model doesn't turn heads. But it has a *lot* of sh!t going on under the hood. 

Pocket watches have lost a lot of value, one because everybody today already has a pocket watch (phone), and two, most watch collectors are people who want to let everone know they own an expensive watch

pocket watch collectors appreciate watches tho. 

Fun fact. The swiss watch industry got started because they copied and made cheap versions of American railroad watches. Still the finest watches ever made

when i was collecting, a Ball 21j railroad grade pocket watch would run $5k

now?

maybe $500

no appreciation 

but that watch would outperform any rolex today. Except it's running 125 years too slow. ...to the second 

Legume

I know nothing of watches Scottie, except that my wife gifted me a Hamilton once when she worked the watch counter at Nordstrom.  That was almost 25 years ago and I loved that watch right up until I fished the pieces of it out of the clothes dryer after forgetting it was in my pants pocket.  That wasn’t a good day for me.

st¡ke

Legume said:

I know nothing of watches Scottie, except that my wife gifted me a Hamilton once when she worked the watch counter at Nordstrom.  That was almost 25 years ago and I loved that watch right up until I fished the pieces of it out of the clothes dryer after forgetting it was in my pants pocket.  That wasn’t a good day for me.

Ow ow ow

SGH

st¡ke said:

Collected watches for many years. Pockets. 

With the above said, I have a question that you may can answer. I have been trying to acquire a Hamilton 992 for months. However the pricing is all over the board from a few hundred bucks to several thousand dollars. The watches are all the 992 model. What makes some worth hundreds and some worth thousands? I know that condition plays a big part, but most all of the watches are listed in “good” to “excellent” condition. Why the big price difference in the same model? Any info is greatly appreciated. 

st¡ke

The 992 is a very famous (rightly so) model. 

Sometimes it can be a case (no pun intended) of the case itself being valuable.

An open face (no cover) case, in 12k filled (basically plated) gold vs a 14k or 18k hunter (a case with a cover over the dial) can be a factor
of 10 or 20

But the 992 became a standard, and that means in the sense that others are judged by. 

They made the 992 in many grades. Over many years. Some collectors will pay a premium for the EARLIEST model, in the HIGHEST grade (lever set, 23+j, damascened [decorative] movement etc etc).  Some of these had faceted diamond end stones (think hubcaps) on the escape wheel bearings. Very showy. 

So the best thing if you want a 992 is to set a price and stick to it

My Q would be "why a 992"?  If your grandfather were a conductor (factoid: a conductor actually. Is in charge of and *runs* the train, an engineer merely makes it go), I'd ask if you knew what grade 992 he had.

if it's because you heard that it's the quintessential high grade American rail road pocket, i'd just ask you to set a budget. There's always one somewhere at your budget level 

funny thing is a TRUE railroad watch looks simple 

a conductor was required to own one. And they were equivalent to buying a car. So the best watch movements are often foubd in the cheapest case. 

No hunter cased watch (the big fancy covered watches) qualified as a railroad watch. 

Performance, not appearance

coincidentally, that was my motto in college 

HeavyG

Legume said:

Crap.  Now we’re all going to be buying watches.

No worries; I'll hook you up with my watch guy. Won't cost as much as you think...

SGH

A couple more wallets arrived today. 

HeavyG

Suddenly feeling inadequate as I have only had one wallet for the past 20 years.

SGH

HeavyG said:

Suddenly feeling inadequate as I have only had one wallet for the past 20 years.

Don’t feel inadequate brother Heavy. Until today I used this old wallet since 1990. I’m finally retiring it before it falls totally apart. It was a gift from my late grandmother. 

nolaegghead

SGH said:

A couple more wallets arrived today. 

Is that brass button where the chain attaches?

nolaegghead

SGH

nolaegghead said:

Is that brass button where the chain attaches?

No sir. No chain attaches to it. 

milesvdustin

I'm about to buy a new Subaru outback. Makes the most sense 

TEXASBGE2018

milesvdustin said:

I'm about to buy a new Subaru outback. Makes the most sense 

Great AWD system. That’s instead of the 4Runner right?

TN_Egger

lousubcap

@SGH- the truth is slowly coming forward-more wallets means more $$.  Your only way to the poor-house is to buy your Caribbean Island. 

SGH

lousubcap said:

@SGH- the truth is slowly coming forward-more wallets means more $$.  Your only way to the poor-house is to buy your Caribbean Island. 

Let me share the real truth brother Cap. I’m surrounding myself with empty wallets for a reason. I sit and stare at them endlessly fantasizing about what it would be like if they was full of money. I have been hanging out on this forum with all the millionaires for years. Just trying to experience what all these high rollers have. Even if it’s only in my mind
I know that I will never have their money. But it doesn’t hope to dream👍

milesvdustin

TEXASBGE2018 said:

milesvdustin said:

I'm about to buy a new Subaru outback. Makes the most sense 

Great AWD system. That’s instead of the 4Runner right?

Yes, instead of the Toyota. Really want it, doesn't make the most sense for us. Plus 0 percent right now with Subaru. 

st¡ke

TN_Egger said:

The fact that that thing is still technically a "putter" is ridiculous. 

Sam Snead is rolling over in his grave

Is that the Al Czervik model?

northGAcock

milesvdustin said:

I'm about to buy a new Subaru outback. Makes the most sense 

Got one myself. Love it!

tarheelmatt

nolaegghead said:

Boy does a little bit of that stuff go a long way.  Package said for every cup of liquid add 1/4 teaspoon, so I did.  My balsamic vinaigrette turned into balsamic gravy real quick.  

Legume

Makes perfect sense.  Scottie keeps his wallet 28 years and then replaces it with three wallets.

I think Carey might be trying to slow down the river or plug the sewer.

Legume

TN_Egger said:

Until I zoomed in and saw the name, I thought you were getting some new kind of floor polisher.