Antique RR watch

[Merc]

You spent the equivalent of $1650 in today’s dollars for that Rolex in 1965. They were selling for a lot more than your purchase price in the civilian world. Figure on getting half of it’s current retail value if you ever decide to sell it. That’s still a sweet return on your investment. Rolex watches are expensive to get serviced and aren’t really known for their performance. I believe they’re sealed with dry nitrogen so opening the case to adjust the regulator exposes the movement to the elements.

[Art]

I bought a Rolex GMT Master for $210.00 from the Howard AFB BX in the mid ‘60’s. It is currently being resold at various jewelers for between 7 and 10000. I was never impressed with its accuracy.

You aren't the only one. I have known several Rolex owners who have told me that their watch was not only less accurate than a quartz watch but less accurate than some mechanical watches. I have a cousin who has a Rolex President who I gave a very pretty cleaned up and repaired Elgin 7 jewel (that's 7 not 17) hunter case ladies watch from about 1900 and she's told me it keeps comparable time than her Rolex. The women, especially, I know who've bought, or more accurately been gifted, Rolex watches have no problem saying they're primarily pieces of jewelry and status symbols.

Also, as Merc said, mechanical watches do need to be serviced; just like anything else mechanical. All my Waltham needed to be put back in running condition was to be cleaned and lubricated by a good watchmaker.

Fun thread.

[dryheat]

This is probably not a watch of any interest to you guys, but it's my dads old watch. I always thought it was "railroad approved" for some reason. A jeweler told me it wasn't very valuable. The watch next to it was my moms. Of course they mean a lot to me.

7E22DBFC3D034695A88CA39C9319073B.jpg

[Art]

This is probably not a watch of any interest to you guys, but it's my dads old watch. I always thought it was "railroad approved" for some reason. A jeweler told me it wasn't very valuable. The watch next to it was my moms. Of course they mean a lot to me.

7E22DBFC3D034695A88CA39C9319073B.jpg

Well, if it's an heirloom watch and it keeps good time it would be worth something to me. When I wear a wristwatch I wear my father-in-law's old Hamilton Thin-o-Matic he got as a thirty year award at Exxon (then Esso) back when you actually got a gold watch. It's value for resale is almost all in the 14k gold case. But it has a good Swiss micro rotor automatic movement and keeps excellent time. My father-in-law was actually a good old boy so I'm glad to have it.

[Merc]

I have a few 7j watches that run well. One is a sweet running 1887 18s 7j Elgin with a heavy crystal. I was impressed by the size of the case. It’s huge! I bought it at an estate sale (where else?) several years ago for a few bucks and sent it to be cleaned and oiled. The watchmaker commented that it has almost no wear in the pivots and bushings. The 7j watches were the ones that most could afford but weren’t supposed to work as well or last as long as the higher quality watches. The 7j watches did OK and many are still working just fine today.

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Now, the “Dollar Watches” are a different story. No jewels, all bushings, all stamped parts, no spare parts, not fixable, not adjustable, they stop working after the oil dries up in a few years and get tossed and buy a new one.

[Merc]

This is probably not a watch of any interest to you guys, but it's my dads old watch. I always thought it was "railroad approved" for some reason. A jeweler told me it wasn't very valuable. The watch next to it was my moms. Of course they mean a lot to me.

7E22DBFC3D034695A88CA39C9319073B.jpg

The dial on your dad’s wristwatch was the type of dial that was used on RR grade pocket watches for the Canadian railroads.

Longines produced a 17j RR grade wristwatch, possibly in the 1940s, that was approved by the Canadian Pacific RR. It was known as the model RR280. The the jewel count, model and serial number should be stamped on the movement.

Pocket watches stayed popular with the RRs into the 1960s because they easier to work on and the big black numbers on a white dial and black hands were easier to read at night. Being carried in a pocket on a chain offered more protection against accidental damage. They were in use for nearly 90 years before the first wristwatches were approved for RR service.

I always check to see what something sells for on eBay to determine its value.

[k arga]

Where can I get oil to lube a grandmother clock? My mother kept a small medicine bottle with oil in it with a roll of newspaper in it as a wick, the oil she had a long time assume it was whale oil, it's used up now so what can I get to replace the oil? The oil evaporates up into the works.

thanks kurt

[Merc]

Go here:

www.esslinger.com

Type “clock oil” in the search bar. The newer clock oils won’t evaporate.

[Merc]

[QUOTE=dryheat;548246]This is probably not a watch of any interest to you guys, but it's my dads old watch. I always thought it was "railroad approved" for some reason. A jeweler told me it wasn't very valuable. The watch next to it was my moms. Of course they mean a lot to me.

Google Longines RR280 wrist watches. They show your dad’s watch on Fratellowatches.com.

[Art]

This is probably not a watch of any interest to you guys, but it's my dads old watch. I always thought it was "railroad approved" for some reason. A jeweler told me it wasn't very valuable. The watch next to it was my moms. Of course they mean a lot to me.

7E22DBFC3D034695A88CA39C9319073B.jpg

Try this for an article on your dad's watch.

http://watchexpertise.com/?p=35