Likes Likes:  94
Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 40

Thread: The watch that started it all for you

  1. #1
    El bot. geoffbot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    West Sussex, UK
    Posts
    25,091

    The watch that started it all for you

    Mine was a TAG chrono, now departed. I had a few Casios etc a while back, but this was definitely my gateway drug. You? Name:  uploadfromtaptalk1436373579909.jpg
Views: 144
Size:  34.1 KB
    Follow IWL on instagram! https://instagram.com/iwatchleague

  2. Likes tempocalypse liked this post
  3. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by geoffbot View Post
    Mine was a TAG chrono, now departed. I had a few Casios etc a while back, but this was definitely my gateway drug. You? Name:  uploadfromtaptalk1436373579909.jpg
Views: 144
Size:  34.1 KB
    This is a tough question...

    The first watch I owned, and loved, was a small Swatch. Neon Green and plastic, with one of those blue face protectors that clipped on. I really loved it, but I'm not sure I could say it was what got me INTO watches.

    The first watch I remember really wanting was a Timex Indiglo Expedition. Loved the look. Loved the name. Never did get one, though.

    My first genuinely nice watch was a titanium Seiko.

    But I think that the watch that really got me into the obsession was the Omega Seamaster. The 'Golden Eye' watch. I loved everything about the look. The blue face and bezel. The He Release valve. The look that was simultaneously polished and adventurous. Again, never did buy one. But it was the watch that caused me to first look up "Omega Watches"... which lead, inevitably to learning about Omega's competitors. And then internet forums.

  4. Likes popoki nui liked this post
  5. #3
    Mine was an Orient Mako. I had an MTM Blackhawk before that and was looking for a new watch, started researching online, looking IIRC for reviews of Traser watches, and came across WUS. After a few weeks of lurking there the Mako was my first purchase, quickly followed by another strap for it, then an Alpha, then a Vostok, etc....

  6. Likes tempocalypse liked this post
  7. #4
    It all started on 1 June 1970...

    Starting in high school, and then through college, I mostly wore pocketwatches that had been passed down to me. For my college graduation, I asked for, and got, a new pocketwatch.

    Completely unknown to my parents, and (for 40 years, me), the watch I was given was arguably the last great American-made Railroad pocketwatch. Sold at retail in 1970, it was part of a "clean-up" run done by Hamilton to construct watches for sale after the production lines had been shut down in 1968. These so-called "4C" 992Bs (because the serial numbers all start with "4C" were Hamilton's last gasp as it went out of the pocketwatch business.

    I wore this watch nearly every day for decades. Below, you see an old image with the original, correct bow. The other two images show a temporary replacement bow, which has since been replaced by something closer to the original. Eventually, I may transplant a correct bow on this case - but because of the 40 years of nearly daily wear, a lot has happened to this case (including a re-plating), so I really should not be too concerned about "correctness".

    Eventually, I discovered the place this watch has in history, which started me on the task of collecting American made RR grade pocketwatches - the guiding priniciple being (loosely) that each watch should somehow be part of the thread(s) that lead to the "4C 992B" in 1970. I now own perhaps 10 4C 992B's and another 90 or so other pocketwatches. Only one is not American made, and all but a few are RR grade or RR approved (or were made before such a concept existed - by companies that later *did* make RR grade watches).

    This kept me happy for a few years - except that everyone I showed these watches to would always ask "do you collect WW, too?". The answer was always "no". And then...that changed. I sold a 1950-ish 992B to Rick Denney. He showed great discipline by stopping at 1. But, he infected me with the WW bug (more specificially the Zenith->Ebel bug). I now have a collection of WW that is numerically smaller than the PW collection (but definitely greater in terms of $$ invested). It's not nearly so disciplined as the PW collection, sigh!

    Watch box : a rectangular contraption into which one pours money...

    A relatively new phenomenon: when I show off a new WW, people have started to ask "do you collect pens, to". Must resist...


    Name:  HamiltonRWS1970.jpg
Views: 185
Size:  137.3 KBName:  HamiltonRailwaySpecial1970 2.jpg
Views: 138
Size:  73.3 KBName:  HamiltonRailwaySpecial1970 4.jpg
Views: 123
Size:  110.9 KB
    La lutte elle-même vers les sommets suffit à remplir un cœur d'homme; il faut imaginer Sisyphe heureux.

  8. Likes mlcor, tempocalypse, Donf, popoki nui, Colin liked this post
  9. #5
    Desk Diver jraul7's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Puerto Rico, USA
    Posts
    325
    I had a casio just like this one when I was around 10... this one started my love for watches, although I was happy wearing any casio / freestyle / fossil watch I could afford.



    Then, when I started working I wanted to buy a watch "better than a fossil" and discovered the watch forums. These two started my interest in mechanical watches at around 2009... and, as they say, the rest is history.





    Buying my SMP and then flipping it for the PO just reassured that I was in for the long run.

    image by jraul7, on Flickr

    But the best part of the hobby has been the numerous friendship it has created
    Joe

    Omega / Rolex / Oris / Citizen / Seiko / Alpina / G Shock

  10. Likes crownpuller, JAGtime, popoki nui liked this post
  11. #6
    The Dude Abides Nokie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Northern CA
    Posts
    3,518
    Stock picture, but for me it was the Ball Official Standard RR pocket watch my Grandfather collected along with many others.

    Name:  p3857.jpg
Views: 101
Size:  29.0 KB
    "Either He's Dead, Or My Watch Has Stopped....."
    Groucho Marx

  12. Likes KennethRSloan, JAGtime liked this post
  13. #7
    Member wschofield3's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Posts
    4,484
    Not my first watch, but the one that started me down the road to appreciation of them. I bought this when I was in my early twenties (early 80s) and I still have it.

    Sorry for the horrible pic...

    Name:  IMG_0569.jpg
Views: 123
Size:  45.2 KB

    My first watch was a Lucerne manual wind that I got as a kid from my folks and the first I bought myself was a Seiko ani-digi, just a year or so before the Rado, pictured.
    Last edited by wschofield3; Jul 8, 2015 at 06:22 PM.

  14. Likes OhDark30, JAGtime, popoki nui liked this post
  15. #8
    Tough question..was a Casio wearer since I was in elementary school...but the watch got me into this craziness was either Rolex 16570 polar or pam 111 or pam 292





    I have no pic of my Rolex on this phone,and I really haven't wear it for a while...

  16. Likes JAGtime, popoki nui liked this post
  17. #9
    I wore a watch regularly starting in high school; I had been given this one as a teenager, still have it, still runs, but I never wear it:

    Name:  Clebar Front Small.JPG
Views: 115
Size:  121.8 KB

    ...but I wasn't particularly interested in them. After I got out of school and into the real world, I bought an inexpensive Citizen solar on a bracelet. I thought it was ideal; accurate, no batteries, etc. Still no stirrings of WIS-hood.

    Then I started traveling overseas a lot, and bought this one (also still have it, still runs, never wear it):

    Name:  Citizen Eco Drive E8700 December 2014.JPG
Views: 153
Size:  81.8 KB

    Wore it for a number of years. Then I started for the first time a few years back to get curious about watches, and started wearing my father's old Hamilton (circa early 1970's) when I was in a suit:

    Name:  Hamilton December 2014.JPG
Views: 106
Size:  74.5 KB

    Unfortunately, one of the lugs broke. I had it fixed, it broke again, had it fixed a second time. But at that point I decided I should simply keep it as the heirloom it is and not try to wear it any more. But I had gotten the mechnical watch bug, and soon after, started my journey. At some point I should do a SOTC again...

  18. Likes tempocalypse, OhDark30, FuzzyB, popoki nui liked this post
  19. #10
    For me it was a Tag Heuer Aquaracer chronograph. My parents wanted to get me watch for my 18th. I had already started dreaming of a Daytona (not knowing much about it except that it looked fantastic!) but I asked for something more reasonable of course and the Aquaracer it was.

    Here it is next to the Daytona which arrived only just around 2 months ago. The tag is off at service right now actually.

    Instagram: @tempocalypse

  20. Likes synequano, mlcor, FuzzyB, geoffbot, popoki nui liked this post

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
About Us
We are an independent and wide-ranging forum for watch enthusiasts. From mainspring to microchip, from Europe to Asia, from micro-brand to boutique - we cover it all. Novice or expert, we want you to feel at home. Whether it's asking a simple question or contributing to the fund of horological knowledge, it's all the same hobby. Or, if you like, you can just show us a picture of your new watch. We'll provide the welcoming and courteous environment, the rest is up to you!
Join us