Converted pocket watches

[hayday]

I see listings on eBay like this and this and get very tempted, but then a little voice in the back of my head talks me out of it. Has anyone here purchased a converted pocket watch? What would be the main concerns or objections to getting one of these? I would assume there would be minimal shock resistance inside the case and servicing would be a royal PITA, but is there anything else? I also suspect a high probability of getting a frankenwatch, but if the goal is getting an interesting watch to wear then authenticity isn't much of a concern.

I'm not asking anyone to authenticate a watch or a seller as legitimate as much as I'm interested in knowing people's opinions of conversion projects. As a general rule, and discounting for personal taste, is this a good idea, a bad idea, or an it's-your-money-so-have-fun-with-it-as-long-as-you-know-what-you're-getting idea?

-hayday

[Seriously]

G zuss !!, that 2nd one looks AWFUL (with a capital A) , who did that dial?,...... a blind man !!??!?

The 1st isn't that much better..


The sub dial hands aren't even centred in the sub dial if you're wondering why I'm so , neither seconds nor hours... The hands chosen look like rejects too.

Overall I like it



NOT

[Imitation of Life]

Avoid Ukrainian sellers and "converted" pocket watches. Fake dials, most of the time fake cases, and many times poor condition movements. They're trash.

If you can find a legitimate conversion that's done well, fine, but take care that you don't subject them to intense shocks.

P.S. I don't care for pocket watch conversions.

[tribe125]

I've never seen a good one.

[hayday]

Good to know the little voice in the back of my head knows what it's talking about from time to time.

-hayday

[Imitation of Life]

Good to know the little voice in the back of my head knows what it's talking about from time to time.

-hayday

You need to keep looking for a nice Waltham wristwatch, anyway.

[hayday]

You need to keep looking for a nice Waltham wristwatch, anyway.

I AM looking. The problem is that I'm easily distracted by bright, shiny objects.

-hayday

[Imitation of Life]

I AM looking. The problem is that I'm easily distracted by bright, shiny objects.

-hayday

Aren't we all? That's why we checked into the madhouse (the forum) a long time ago.

[CFR]

I'm certainly not a fan.

[KennethRSloan]

Ask the question: why convert? If the original was any good - why not leave it as a pocketwatch?

Personally, I wear pocketwatches from 1869-1968, and wristwatches after that (with the occasional overlap). IN MY OPNION, before 1968, the best watches lived in pockets. After that, well...things changed.

Sure, there are (inadequate) wrist watches made before 1968, and (desperately hanging around) pocketwatches made after that. But, for highest quality, that's about the breakpoint.

For wristwatches with mechanical movements, before 1968 it was very hard to challenge pocketwatches on pure quality grounds - and after 1968, well..."mechanical" became less and less of the point, didn't it? Except, of course, for those for which it is the ENTIRE point!

That said, there are worse things you can do with a 12s pocketwatch than put it on your wrist...