Lady May Swiss

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learningdetroit
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Lady May Swiss

Post by learningdetroit » July 22nd 2023, 9:43pm

I found this going through some of my great grandmothers old things. I haven’t been able to find much other than it could possibly be from the 20/30s with very scarce google search results with different “lady may swiss” watches.

Any information would be greatly appreciated if anyone knows about them. If it’s someone what a good piece I may put up the money to have it restored if possible somewhat.

I don’t know if any of this information will help.
I don’t believe it’s gold but it’s also not magnetic in most parts like the band and top part. It’s also not stamped with gold markings.

Someone said it needs to be opened as there may be more indentations on the inside of the casing. But if I can find out anything prior to spending money on doing this I’d love to hear it.

I believe the other markings are my great grandmothers initials.

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learningdetroit
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Re: Lady May Swiss

Post by learningdetroit » July 23rd 2023, 5:54pm

jason_recliner wrote:
July 23rd 2023, 4:14pm
My Grandma had a similar watch. Base metal case, pin lever movement. They have sentimental value.
Thanks for your input.

I didn’t expect it to be worth anything other than sentimental value. But then I started seeing they are from the 20s/30s and we’re scarcely made .(according to some random antique sellers of lady may I’ve seen online.) so ya never know I once found an old pen my great grandfather used with its case and I got nearly $1300 for that darn thing!

If I can find someone to somewhat restore it and make it function I may gift it to my mother in its new shape.
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gerdson
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Re: Lady May Swiss

Post by gerdson » July 23rd 2023, 11:07pm

The people doing such work are called "watchmakers". But You will probably be asked to hand over a lower 3-digit amount of dollares. If, as reclining Jason says, it should be a simple pin lever movement, they will with highest probability tell You that's not worth it, such movements do not get close to the accuracy expected in the time of a quarz watch even when well maintained. Even with a high grade movement, the monetary value of such is the scrap metal value (zero in this case).

When my mothers tiny 14k automatic failed, I invested into a slightly larger pre-used 14k Baume&Mercier with a quarz movement instead. Off course the first two years she still had the habit to try to wind it. To a degree that finally the tiny crown got unscrewed and lost. Funny enough, we found it on the floor after another year or so, when moving her into a nursery home, it is unbelievable how it survived the hovering and other cleaning efforts anyways. By now we are not certain about her ability to still read it, but she still loves to wear it and missed it a lot when I had taken it to replace the battery and put on that original crown recently.
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conjurer
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Re: Lady May Swiss

Post by conjurer » July 23rd 2023, 11:36pm

A family piece has its own value. Either fixing the movement so it runs well enough or putting in a new movement makes no difference.

The same goes for grand-dad's old pocket watch. While it might have little or no actual value, grand-dad wore it for many years. Actual value has nothing to do with it. Most pocket watches are garbage, as they were produced in high numbers and, without a precious mental case, have no actual value. However, every morning grand-dad (or, probably more exactly, great-grand-dad) got up in the morning, before a shit, shower and a shave, he sat on the edge of his bed and wound the otherwise worthless pocket watch.

Because the watch was worn and wound for decades by our fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers (or mothers), they have a great worth. As the Watchlords, we owe it to their memories to be custodians to their being.

This is what matters.
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Re: Lady May Swiss

Post by MKTheVintageBloke » July 24th 2023, 4:03pm

It looks like the most notable "Lady May" trademark belonged to Schwob Freres/Cyma, and then was absorbed along with Cyma into the original Synchron holding. There appears to be an earlier trademark of that name registered to Langendorf (Lanco), but it's hard to say if it was independent from the Cyma one, or did Cyma buy that brand name from Lanco.
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Re: Lady May Swiss

Post by 3Flushes » July 24th 2023, 6:24pm

Cool find. Any pertinent information for dating, materials, movement and sew Fouth will be inside. If its sentimental value is worth getting the little lady running, then it's worth the cost, particularly since you'd like to pass a piece of family history on to your mom. I have restored a few watches for more than their monetary value - however, their worth far exceeds the money spent. At any rate, it can't hurt to have a watchmaker look at it and see how bad they'd have to hurt you to do the job.
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