Comments:
Did you ever buy a Frankenstein watch?
Back in 2014 as I was in the early stage of my journey with watches; I broke a horological shibboleth and traded for a marriage watch. It was an Omega -of reasonable size, 42 or 43mm -if you don’t count the ridiculous crown and stem. The fit and workmanship was actually pretty good. I was able to track the movement to 1911. ( yes, in those days I wasn’t cleaning the watch before photography) The power reserve was about 12 hours and it was a bear to wind and set. Anyone else delve into this forbidden part of the hobby?
I don't like the concept, but why not, as long as it is not a copy of a good one, but a certain idea of what you would like to have. [nt]
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I've never owned one but I don't see anything wrong with making a useable watch from an old pocket watch movement.
A lot of watches had their gold or silver cases sold for scrap during wars etc. The quality varies a lot but the nice ones can be decent quality watches.
I think FrankenWatches come in all sorts of guises
In general, I believe the term is primarily applied to watches that have been cobbled together from bits in the watchmaker's bench.
Putting an entire vintage pocketwatch movement into a modern steel wrist watch case, TO ME, is not a sin. Most of those cases are melted down for whatever gold value they have, and it is better to toss the movements and have nothing? I have a drawer full of them, just waiting to be revived.
The problem comes when (for example) an "Omega" frankenwatch is created with a certain case, a different movement, a reworked dial, incorrect hands and a generic crown, BUT PASSED OFF as a legitimate Omega watch to an unsuspecting or uneducated buyer.
Now that's something to be afraid of.
Cazalea
Guilty pleasure
I actually like to create one-off watches, and have created a few. Here is a Hamilton 923 - one of the great movements ever. I "curated" the creation of a watch, just for me, not for resale. I love wearing it and don't much care about others thoughts or opinions. I also have a large number of excellent, high-grade, legit watches (Rolex, U. Nardin, Minerva, Longines, Panerai, etc.). But I have great enjoyment creating a watch from elements. I have a dial maker in the UK who does amazing custom work, and here it is:
Perhaps
I just couldn't let that spectacular movement sit in a drawer. RGM uses the Hamilton 921 and 923 movements in some of their limited edition pieces. The 923 is FAR more rare than the 921. My watchmaker said it's as good or better than anything from Switzerland or Germany.
No experience
I never bought it.
Or, i can say i bought ones a watch which have made me quest like it have Frankenstein ways.
The lugs are odd, and some kind of the sandwich case is not for any purpose than a show how they can do make something.
To use the alarm, no alarm.
No power in the battery, the watch not stop ticking.
A ghost must be in it i guess.
Or, i can say i bought ones a watch which have made me quest like it have Frankenstein ways.
The lugs are odd, and some kind of the sandwich case is not for any purpose than a show how they can do make something.
To use the alarm, no alarm.
No power in the battery, the watch not stop ticking.
A ghost must be in it i guess.
No, haven't bought a franken, but . . .
. . . have acquired several vintage Omegas with issues knowing they had to be corrected.
This '56 Seamaster ref 2846 . . .
. . . acquired at low cost a few years ago had an incorrect crown and seconds hand. I knew that going in, but no idea how difficult it would prove to remediate. My assumption was that it would be fairly easy.
As it turned out, replacement seconds hands are impossible to source. I had to acquire a dial and movement from another '56 with a gilt seconds hand. My watchmaker had to remove the gold plating with abrasives.
And when I called the largest Omega parts supplier in America to order a clover crown, the salesman that took my call said, "We have one left."
Since then, I've bought three different Omega crowns from the same supplier. They've all disappeared from their website.
Bottom line: it pays when collecting vintage to get perfect specimens. Correcting issues isn't only expensive, it's getting to be next to impossible.
Art