Any watch lovers here????

Longines Stop Second makes sense. Thanks Jedb for the info on functionality. I can't find anything that looks exactly like this one. All the ones I have seen have gold hands and this one has black as well as other subtle differences (like the 24 hr markings) so I wonder if this is a one off or was serviced / fixed / altered / fake. Probably not fake. It most likely works as it was well stored, though I am not sure if I should just wind it and see what happens. It may be 60 or 70 years old.

As for the Elgin A-11 Hack, I do want to wear it. Also another item I'm not sure I should just wind and see what happens. I did pull the crown and rotate the hands forward 24+ hours and back 24+ hours and the thing feels crisp and solid. Obviously a well made watch.

 

For the Elgin A-11. If the hands move freely and crisp (not gummy nor sticky) wind it and see.
if not, take it to a watchmaker/jeweler and have them give it a look.

Regarding the Longines, @SteveThompson found the make/model. Longines Flyback. See his post.
Worth about $2K. Not sure on the history of it, but it would be worth having evaluated by a professional depending on what you want to do with it.

It's entirely possible that the black hands were replacement hands if something happened to the original.

 

I would absolutely wind both of those watches and see what happens. It's not likely to cause more damage than already exists.

 

Understood re: Longines. The Longines also moves when the crown is pulled, but does not seem to wind. Gonna googles if I am doing it correctly.

 

The winding is different than the setting.
I'm guessing that the setting is when you pull it out.
Push it back in, then wind.

 

I was thinking if it's tacky/sticky, then that could be the old oils/grease binding stuff and potentially could impact it.

 

I was visiting with my wifes Uncle last weekend and he started asking my about my watch (was wearing the citizen on the nato I posted a few pages back) and he asked if I like watches, then went back and brought these out.

 

Heres some close ups... he dates them as "40's or 50's" .

I really like the Chronomat!

 

Holy shit. That Calatrava isn't something you see everyday.

 

Watches have a tiny amount of lubricant. You can have the old lubricants break down but it won't hurt anything to just see if the watch runs.

 

With the Longines, I pulled the crown out to move the hands and that all seems fine, not sticking and no rough spots. With the crown fully pushed in, I can't seem to rotate the crown. I don't want to use too much force, but I applied what some might consider reasonable force. Also tried to see if there was a half-step in pulling out the crown, indicating a winding position. None noted.

Edit: Same goes for the A-11, too much resistance trying to wind. I will have these serviced when I find the right facility / person to do so.

 

All of those are very nice. That Calatrava is nice.
The rolex is also nice. Would be interested to know if it had the red/black (aka Roulette Wheel) dates.

 

Yeah. Don't do any more than what you've already tried. You probably will break something.

There are lots of good places you could send them for service if you don't have anywhere locally. They most likely only need service and maybe a new mainspring. The military watch will be a very easy service and shouldn't cost much. I could do it, but I'm too much of a novice to be working on anyone's heirloom watch.

 

That Rolex had the biggest magnifier I've ever seen on a watch LOL. I'm not sure about the red/black.

 

That vintage Longines is awesome.

 

Looking for an automatic watch with display back for my nephew. He's graduating high school (band kid, eagle scout) and attending Michigan Tech to study engineering (thus the display back). He always wears a watch, currently like a g-shock type of watch. I'm leaning Hamilton Khaki King. The wife is thinking something in a chronograph, but that's generally pushing us out of our price range (under $600). Am I missing something worthwhile or do I just go with the Hamilton? Also seems like Jomashop is out of a lot of their chronographs right now.

 

https://www.jomashop.com/tissot-watch-t100-427-11-051-00.html

$99
Over your price but a heck of a value for the kid

plus: tissot is the MotoGP watch
And look at that glass case back

 

I would have fallen off my chair

 

I don’t think the Hamilton can be beat in that price range.