Car boot this morning!! Omega dream came true.

[el marinero]

Wooooaah, fantastic find, well done!
Love to know how it got weld spatter all over it though. Can't have been on the wrist because welder's gloves usually go way up past the wrist.
Looking forward to see how it cleans up, good luck.

[KingKitega]

Congrats on the find. Love these kinda stories of finding vintage watches in the most unusual of places. You just never know eh.. Keep learning more about watches and maybe might get the chance one day.

Can't wait to see how this story ends up.

[ped]

Nice one. Probably best to send the man bag off to Fred Perry for a service.

[ktmog6uk]

One thing that did shock me was someone selling boxes of condoms. At a car boot....what level of stupid would you have to be to buy your family planning at a car boot????????

Well I also ended up with a Fred Perry man bag! Much to the amusement of the kids.

[Neil.C]

Well done OP, it's stuff like that that keeps me going to boot sales.

The buzz you get when you unearth a treasure is fantastic.

As Sweets said, these models are a case in case so scurfing down the top whilst refinishing wouldn't matter.

[scorchio]

I keep dreaming of a job that pays a ridiculous amount with a 3 hour working day, a infant that sleeps 12 hours and a fleet of impractical cars. As of to date precisely zero have materialized, but one can live in hope. Incredible story the stuff of dreams. Keeping dreaming big!


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

[heuerkane]

Well done OP, it's stuff like that that keeps me going to boot sales.

The buzz you get when you unearth a treasure is fantastic.

As Sweets said, these models are a case in case so scurfing down the top whilst refinishing wouldn't matter.

Very true it was a lot more exciting than walking into a Ad handing over 7k and walking out with a Blnr.

[heuerkane]

I keep dreaming of a job that pays a ridiculous amount with a 3 hour working day, a infant that sleeps 12 hours and a fleet of impractical cars. As of to date precisely zero have materialized, but one can live in hope. Incredible story the stuff of dreams. Keeping dreaming big!


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

Last night I dreamed of 3x wife's! Today I didn't leave the house! 😂

[tabascokid]

Bravo! An inspirational find. :)


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

[walkerwek1958]

Very true it was a lot more exciting than walking into a Ad handing over 7k and walking out with a Blnr.

Doesn't surprise me........walking in an AD and walking out with a BLNR doesn't appeal to all of us!

Paul

[Jon Kenney]

Excellent find. Well done.

And as Celia said, bonkers dream versus reality!

[heuerkane]

Not doubting your friends ability, but some of the pits could be deep enough to justify laser welding. Getting the grained finish right on these isn`t easy and ideally it's a job for a lapping machine.

The Lemania 5100 movement isn`t my favourite, they can be a moneypit if parts are required and there are a couple of (expensive) weak spots.

Taking account of all this, I`d bite the bullet and send it to STS. If it does need parts they're best placed to obtain them, and as far as I know they have lapping machine and laser welding capability. Even though Simon Freese has left they still have a lot of expertise. The alternative is to contact Simon himself, he's set up on his own and he may be interested in sorting this one.

Given the fact that you got the watch virtually free I wouldn`t try to cut corners or skimp on the restoration cost. It'll cost several £100s but you'll still be well ahead at the end. However, I`d qualify that by questioning how viable the case and bracelet are, you've stated that the damage is above the surface but it's still possible that there are numerous deep pits which might need a lot of laser welding work. Before throwing a significant amount of money at it you need to be convinced about how good the end result will be, if it's always going to be a compromised watch it'll never be worth a lot and the figures might not add up.

If I was doing this one I`d be very wary of taking too much metal off the case to address pitting, that's not the right way to go about it in my view. I`d strongly advise giving it to the experts to fully assess......and with stuff like this I don`t class myself as one of them!

Paul

It's now in the hands of simon freese, looking at a 3 week turnaround. Will post some pics once it's been returned! Thanks for the comments guys.

[Mr.D]

One thing that did shock me was someone selling boxes of condoms. At a car boot....what level of stupid would you have to be to buy your family planning at a car boot????????

Car boot sale in Walthamstow in the 90s.

Some of the delights on offer:

Tins of peaches complete with rust.

Half a tube of South Asian skin lightening cream.

Used cosmetics including lipsticks.

Guy selling "ice cream" : tub of cheap ownbrand ice cream. Filthy hands covered in open sores. Worst thing I've ever seen.

[Webwatchmaker]

Car boot sale in Walthamstow in the 90s.

Some of the delights on offer:

Tins of peaches complete with rust.

Half a tube of South Asian skin lightening cream.

Used cosmetics including lipsticks.

Guy selling "ice cream" : tub of cheap ownbrand ice cream. Filthy hands covered in open sores. Worst thing I've ever seen.

You should go to a car boot in provincial France, or marché de puces. Live animals including snakes and all kinds of lethal weapons....

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[cf31bloobird]

It's now in the hands of simon freese, looking at a 3 week turnaround. Will post some pics once it's been returned! Thanks for the comments guys.

I look forward to seeing the results! ... what a find that is, massive congrats to you on that!

[HenPecked]

With stuff like this, I always wonder, how did you pay him? Did you happen to have £160 cash on you, just in case?

[Tazmo61]

Excellent find , well done .

[jameswrx]

With stuff like this, I always wonder, how did you pay him? Did you happen to have £160 cash on you, just in case?

I always have a few hundred quid in my wallet when going to boot fairs, never know what you're going to find.

[Neil.C]

I always have a few hundred quid in my wallet when going to boot fairs, never know what you're going to find.

Certainly, it would be a killer to find something great, not have enough cash and let somebody else snap it up.

[heuerkane]

With stuff like this, I always wonder, how did you pay him? Did you happen to have £160 cash on you, just in case?

Yes luckily I was carrying £200. I'd been gutted if I was only carrying enough for a bullworker and a bacon roll!

[moe100]

Can't wait to see the finished product, well done

[Sahara]

Great find, will be interested to see once done.

[FellBasher]

Amazing find OP! A rough diamond, can't wait to see the pictures after its restoration.

[walkerwek1958]

I always have a few hundred quid in my wallet when going to boot fairs, never know what you're going to find.

Very wise. Way back in the past I used to go to antique fairs looking for watches. I always carried several hundred £££, but I was good at pretending I only had enough to make an offer on any watch I tried to buy! I kept the serious wad in the pocket of a denim shirt, transferred the 'right' amount to my wallet, then acted the part! It worked a few times, I`d offer X£ because that's all I had left!

Happy days!

Paul

[Carlton-Browne]

It worked a few times, I`d offer X£ because that's all I had left!

Happy days!

Paul

I once bought a Benin head using that tactic. In truth it was the last day of the trip and I did only have £54 worth of Central African Francs left (and I'd already spent my dollars).

[Nuisance Value]

Great find, congratulations. This sort of unexpected chance find is one of the raison d'être of being into watches for me, lovely to see it happen and with a cool watch too.

[Lovewatches108]

Love it, awesome find. Would love to see pics when you've got it restored!

[snowman]

Here are the paintings...
But the lot only cost me a fiver !!

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

I thought one was going to turn out to be Rembrandt!

M

[seaoyster]

Looks like the previous owner had a small mig welding job to do and forgot to take the watch off. Welding for a long period would have ruined the glass crystal as well.


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

[D4RK1]

any updates on this??

[PatrickJ]

What do you reckon it's worth restored?


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

[Webwatchmaker]

I thought one was going to turn out to be Rembrandt!

M

You mean this one ?
Not had it checked yet buy still imagine a week in Weston Super Mare at least on the proceeds...

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[snowman]

Nice find!

M

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Webwatchmaker]

I can't resist these paintings.
Bought this painting on cotton last Sunday for £2.00. An Indian family are going to tell me more about it tomorrow m

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[Sparjar]

any updates on this??

http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...-looking-fresh!