-
smellody
- Owner
- Posts: 12867
- Joined: December 18th 2009, 11:00pm
- Location: OR
- Contact:
Watches traded, missed, and replaced. . .
I’ve amassed a relatively noble collection. Arriving here required some strategic trading to arrive at some of the rarer and precious metal examples.
Unfortunately, I carry a lot of emotional connection to my watches. This emotion arises from the struggle to finally attain the piece including the hard work behind making the money to procure the piece. To that end, I have traded off many pieces that I have subsequently been able to replace. In all cases, I was able to upgrade the watch in question or replace it with an example of equal standing.
1680 Submariner- Was my first real watch. Purchased from Alex of Portland’s Watchworks in the summer of 1992 after graduating high school. I wore the watch daily for nearly a decade until my USPS position moved to Salt Lake and I was not going to follow it. The watch had to be sold to make a couple house payments. Missing that watch, I quickly replaced it with a SWISS only 14060. I still missed the watch and the same watch that I sold to my watchmaker showed back up and we reunited. At some point I started becoming extremely fussy and arrogant about not having grab and go pieces. With non-quick set dates, it is a chore to set them when you are 30 days away from the correct date. I will not wear a watch that is inaccurate in time keeping or date display. I also will not put a watch through the wear and tear of spinning the crown a thousand times to set a watch, so I let them sit, remembering the displayed date, until the date passes then set and wear. In addition to the 1680, I had a lovely Sigma blue Datejust, and matte series one small date GMT. They were all traded off towards precious metal pieces.
The previous 1680 was just a regular all white lettering later 70’s model. I always wanted a Red Submariner. That little splash of red just makes it pop. Fast forward to today and I am the proud owner of this Mark 4, 1971 Red Submariner. One owner watch from Argentina with correct early 9315 bracelet.
1601 Sigma Blue Datejust- Recently replaced with an equally beautiful 1601 Sigma Blue. Rolex and Tudor blue dials of the era are notorious for discoloration and paint loss. To have had two perfect ones is amazing. My original Sigma blue was more purple, but I am happy with the replacement. It took me five years to find another with equal dial quality that wasn’t overpriced.
Hydronauts- I sold my black dialed Hydronaut and traded off my yellow and orange dialed Hydronauts. The yellow ones are a little easier to find, but the orange is more difficult and carries a premium. Both of the watches traded off were essentially new old stock. I was browsing a popular online auction site and actually found my yellow submariner. I immediately purchased it and followed up with the seller who had bought it from the dealer that I had traded it too. The Hydronauts were traded towards my 5508 Submariner. The watch arrived in the orange Hydronauts box but was happy to have it back. It was still in decent shape. I definitely had been used, but carefully and lightly. I am still on the hunt for my orange Hydronaut or an orange Hydronaut replacement. At one time, I had hoped to get all the color variations; perhaps I start that again. . .
Tudor Chronograph Chronotimes- I actually had two of these. . . the first had the horrible TIGER inscription. I do not like T. Woods, mainly because of him dropping his Tudor endorsement to sign with Tag Heuer, but also because I’ve read about his unwillingness to sign autographs for his young fans. Anyhow, I traded off the TIGER version on bracelet towards something and was offer a really nice non-TIGER version that had recently been serviced on the rubber integrated case end caps from our own NORTHWESTGUY. Mind you these were both moder late 90’s/early 2000s watches and not the coveted big clock version of the 70’s and 80’s. They were of the panda configuration with the black sub-indices. These Chronotimes were replaced by early big block chronograph. Mine is actually supposed to have the dive bezel, which I have but have not yet had installed, as I like the look of the Daytona bezel.
NOS Bezel!
One of the chronotimes that was replaced:
Black Bay- I was in love this model since it was announced. I quickly picked up a perfect used one with stickers intact. I wore it a few time but couldn’t get over the mismatch of the round indices and the snowflake hands. . .it should have square indices. I soon traded it towards a more substantial piece but continued to smile every time I would see a picture of one. I picked up a second one, also of the original red (burgundy) bezel and smiley configuration. . . and traded it off. I also tried a newer black bezel version with the Tudor in-house movement and had a perfect essentially new old stock version of the .925 silver variant. I love the color of the .925 versions dial. I actually traded both the .925 and in-house movement Black Bays towards my Snowflake Submariner. The Snowflake is stunning and has the correct non-mismatched snowflake hands and matching lume plots. I know that there was a late transitional snowflake sub with snowflake hands and round indices, but it has the same problem as the black bay; lack of symmetry. . . The purpose of the hands and plots was MORE surface area for luminance as requested by the French and Canadian military divers. The Snowflake Submariner is really the replacement, but I also recently picked up another original configuration (Burgundy and smiley) as I think it is the best. I also found this cool snowflake keychain from Tudor!
Submariner 5513- I had a really nice early matte, meters first dial 5513. The watch was really nice and had the lume variations that were green and would glow intensely when excited by light. This was not the tritium reacting, but rather the extra phosphorus in the mixture. Interestingly my 1675 was of the same era and just a couple thousand off in serial numbers with the same lume mixture that glowed intensely green and appeared green on the dial. I wore this watch extensively. Like an idiot, I wore it in the pool while vacationing in California. There was never any moisture viewed under the crystal, but I noticed some of the paint lifting around 5 o’clock, this may have not been related and may just have been otherwise naturally decomposing, but I traded the 5513 off towards my 16718 Gold GMT. Every Rolex collector needs a no-date sub in their collection. I was lucky enough to be offered my current gilt, underline, pointed crown guard, one owner 5513 complete with all boxes and all papers. I actually had to sell and trade off a half dozen other watches and cash to procure it, but it was worth it. . . part of that trade involved securing a new non-date ceramic Submariner in a coffin. I need to replace the ceramic Submariner at some point. Perhaps I will establish a relationship with an authorized dealer. Anyhow my GUPCG 5513:
(yes Cod, it is missing the pip)
Greenland Expedition- Before being offered this beautiful, just serviced 7809from my watchmaker. I previously had another with beautiful silver dagger hands. I do not think the hands were correct as the dial indices were gold. Over the moon with this this 7809.
Previous watch. . . Note the mismatch..
Tudor 9411- these integrated bracelet models always caught my eye. My California dealer had one and gave me a great deal. I was less than satisfied as the clasp had been replaced with a period same sized Omega one. I traded it towards my Tudor 7928 Submariner and was lucky enough to find a Philippine Airlines one with an intact bracelet at half the price. I then found the red (Oxblood) colored dive variant. This is another series I could see expanding the collection on as there are so many cool variations.
Gevril Greenwich- Finally there is my Gevril Greenwich. I purchased this watch from my jeweler and traded it back to him to towards my two tone steel dial Daytona 116513. I even sourced the original wooden box with spring wood "pillow." The day before my jeweler/watchmaker closed, I bought it and a couple other things at a deep discount. I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I like it, it complements my wedding ring, and sometime you shouldn't be wearing a Rolex at a meeting. . . (Also, I may have mentioned this before.... I LOVE gold.)
Seiko Marinemaster- Also traded off my Seiko Marinemaster towards my Polar Explorer II but bought it back as it is my go to Mexico and Hawaii adventure watch. No more snorkeling with my Everose Daytona.
There are probably others but these come to mind.
I need to still find an orange Hydronaut and a nice early 1675. It will have to have a small arrow so early matte or gilt it is.
Anyone have a similar story?
Unfortunately, I carry a lot of emotional connection to my watches. This emotion arises from the struggle to finally attain the piece including the hard work behind making the money to procure the piece. To that end, I have traded off many pieces that I have subsequently been able to replace. In all cases, I was able to upgrade the watch in question or replace it with an example of equal standing.
1680 Submariner- Was my first real watch. Purchased from Alex of Portland’s Watchworks in the summer of 1992 after graduating high school. I wore the watch daily for nearly a decade until my USPS position moved to Salt Lake and I was not going to follow it. The watch had to be sold to make a couple house payments. Missing that watch, I quickly replaced it with a SWISS only 14060. I still missed the watch and the same watch that I sold to my watchmaker showed back up and we reunited. At some point I started becoming extremely fussy and arrogant about not having grab and go pieces. With non-quick set dates, it is a chore to set them when you are 30 days away from the correct date. I will not wear a watch that is inaccurate in time keeping or date display. I also will not put a watch through the wear and tear of spinning the crown a thousand times to set a watch, so I let them sit, remembering the displayed date, until the date passes then set and wear. In addition to the 1680, I had a lovely Sigma blue Datejust, and matte series one small date GMT. They were all traded off towards precious metal pieces.
The previous 1680 was just a regular all white lettering later 70’s model. I always wanted a Red Submariner. That little splash of red just makes it pop. Fast forward to today and I am the proud owner of this Mark 4, 1971 Red Submariner. One owner watch from Argentina with correct early 9315 bracelet.
1601 Sigma Blue Datejust- Recently replaced with an equally beautiful 1601 Sigma Blue. Rolex and Tudor blue dials of the era are notorious for discoloration and paint loss. To have had two perfect ones is amazing. My original Sigma blue was more purple, but I am happy with the replacement. It took me five years to find another with equal dial quality that wasn’t overpriced.
Hydronauts- I sold my black dialed Hydronaut and traded off my yellow and orange dialed Hydronauts. The yellow ones are a little easier to find, but the orange is more difficult and carries a premium. Both of the watches traded off were essentially new old stock. I was browsing a popular online auction site and actually found my yellow submariner. I immediately purchased it and followed up with the seller who had bought it from the dealer that I had traded it too. The Hydronauts were traded towards my 5508 Submariner. The watch arrived in the orange Hydronauts box but was happy to have it back. It was still in decent shape. I definitely had been used, but carefully and lightly. I am still on the hunt for my orange Hydronaut or an orange Hydronaut replacement. At one time, I had hoped to get all the color variations; perhaps I start that again. . .
Tudor Chronograph Chronotimes- I actually had two of these. . . the first had the horrible TIGER inscription. I do not like T. Woods, mainly because of him dropping his Tudor endorsement to sign with Tag Heuer, but also because I’ve read about his unwillingness to sign autographs for his young fans. Anyhow, I traded off the TIGER version on bracelet towards something and was offer a really nice non-TIGER version that had recently been serviced on the rubber integrated case end caps from our own NORTHWESTGUY. Mind you these were both moder late 90’s/early 2000s watches and not the coveted big clock version of the 70’s and 80’s. They were of the panda configuration with the black sub-indices. These Chronotimes were replaced by early big block chronograph. Mine is actually supposed to have the dive bezel, which I have but have not yet had installed, as I like the look of the Daytona bezel.
NOS Bezel!
One of the chronotimes that was replaced:
Black Bay- I was in love this model since it was announced. I quickly picked up a perfect used one with stickers intact. I wore it a few time but couldn’t get over the mismatch of the round indices and the snowflake hands. . .it should have square indices. I soon traded it towards a more substantial piece but continued to smile every time I would see a picture of one. I picked up a second one, also of the original red (burgundy) bezel and smiley configuration. . . and traded it off. I also tried a newer black bezel version with the Tudor in-house movement and had a perfect essentially new old stock version of the .925 silver variant. I love the color of the .925 versions dial. I actually traded both the .925 and in-house movement Black Bays towards my Snowflake Submariner. The Snowflake is stunning and has the correct non-mismatched snowflake hands and matching lume plots. I know that there was a late transitional snowflake sub with snowflake hands and round indices, but it has the same problem as the black bay; lack of symmetry. . . The purpose of the hands and plots was MORE surface area for luminance as requested by the French and Canadian military divers. The Snowflake Submariner is really the replacement, but I also recently picked up another original configuration (Burgundy and smiley) as I think it is the best. I also found this cool snowflake keychain from Tudor!
Submariner 5513- I had a really nice early matte, meters first dial 5513. The watch was really nice and had the lume variations that were green and would glow intensely when excited by light. This was not the tritium reacting, but rather the extra phosphorus in the mixture. Interestingly my 1675 was of the same era and just a couple thousand off in serial numbers with the same lume mixture that glowed intensely green and appeared green on the dial. I wore this watch extensively. Like an idiot, I wore it in the pool while vacationing in California. There was never any moisture viewed under the crystal, but I noticed some of the paint lifting around 5 o’clock, this may have not been related and may just have been otherwise naturally decomposing, but I traded the 5513 off towards my 16718 Gold GMT. Every Rolex collector needs a no-date sub in their collection. I was lucky enough to be offered my current gilt, underline, pointed crown guard, one owner 5513 complete with all boxes and all papers. I actually had to sell and trade off a half dozen other watches and cash to procure it, but it was worth it. . . part of that trade involved securing a new non-date ceramic Submariner in a coffin. I need to replace the ceramic Submariner at some point. Perhaps I will establish a relationship with an authorized dealer. Anyhow my GUPCG 5513:
(yes Cod, it is missing the pip)Greenland Expedition- Before being offered this beautiful, just serviced 7809from my watchmaker. I previously had another with beautiful silver dagger hands. I do not think the hands were correct as the dial indices were gold. Over the moon with this this 7809.
Previous watch. . . Note the mismatch..
Tudor 9411- these integrated bracelet models always caught my eye. My California dealer had one and gave me a great deal. I was less than satisfied as the clasp had been replaced with a period same sized Omega one. I traded it towards my Tudor 7928 Submariner and was lucky enough to find a Philippine Airlines one with an intact bracelet at half the price. I then found the red (Oxblood) colored dive variant. This is another series I could see expanding the collection on as there are so many cool variations.
Gevril Greenwich- Finally there is my Gevril Greenwich. I purchased this watch from my jeweler and traded it back to him to towards my two tone steel dial Daytona 116513. I even sourced the original wooden box with spring wood "pillow." The day before my jeweler/watchmaker closed, I bought it and a couple other things at a deep discount. I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I like it, it complements my wedding ring, and sometime you shouldn't be wearing a Rolex at a meeting. . . (Also, I may have mentioned this before.... I LOVE gold.)
Seiko Marinemaster- Also traded off my Seiko Marinemaster towards my Polar Explorer II but bought it back as it is my go to Mexico and Hawaii adventure watch. No more snorkeling with my Everose Daytona.
There are probably others but these come to mind.
I need to still find an orange Hydronaut and a nice early 1675. It will have to have a small arrow so early matte or gilt it is.
Anyone have a similar story?
