What do we buy when we buy a watch?

[Papa Hotel]

Service replacement hands, dials, crystals, crowns, these are all commonplace and we all mess around with straps.

There have been a couple of Rolexes turned up in SC recently which have had replacement cases.

Then there's the famous Panerai Brooklyn Bridge saga in which replacement movements were offered.

So what do we actually buy when we buy a watch? It's certainly very rare, but it is conceivable that the watch handed down through the generations has not one single original piece on it, the Trigger's Broom of the watch world. There's got to be someone walking around with their grandad's brand-new vintage, all original Frankenwatch Submariner strapped to their wrist. Ostensibly the watch grandad bought in 1955 but with no bit on it that grandad had ever touched. It's this that idea that makes the vintage world very frightening to me.

What do you view as the essence of a watch then?

[walkerwek1958]

I think the 'triggers broom' concept is very unlikely. Crystals and crowns get replaced because they need replacing, hands and dials less so but it does happen. Case replacement is rare and so is movement replacement. The chances of getting a watch that's had the case and movement replaced is extremely slim in my opinion.

The core of a watch is the movement and case in my view. Movement parts often need replacing and sometimes this involves second-hand parts because that's the most expedient way forward.

Obviously, originality is a factor with old watches but I think folks get far too precious about crowns and glasses, these get replaced for a good reason and it's crazy to retain an original crown that won`t seal properly simply because it's original. Ideally, an old crown can be salvaged by replacing the seal (I`ve just done one today), but that doesn`t usually happen.

[MartynJC (UK)]

Perhaps too existentialist, but how often do the atoms in our bodies get replaced, so what is the real ‘us’.


I’ll get my coat.

[verv]

The way it makes me feel when I look at it.
Poo answer I know. But true.
Triggers brooms make me feel like they're not what they should be so I'm uncomfortable with it.

[alfat33]

Entirely my personal view: the dial, the case and caseback, and the movement. Replacing bits of the movement that break easily, like the mainspring and balance staff is OK.

But if I liked the watch and it had a good story, maybe I’d be less stringent.

[walkerwek1958]

60s Omegas sometimes end up with rotors, auto- winding bridges and other bits being replaced. The giveaway is the fact that the colour of the parts doesn’t match, although sometimes the parts age differently anyway. Replacing arts with good second- hand ones is a valid repair in my opinion, it’s often cost- effective and the end result is fine, but originality us compromised and that’s an issue for some.

Spotting a true ‘triggers broom’ can be difficult, but many of the frankens out there are fairly obvious.

[mycroft]

Perhaps too existentialist, but how often do the atoms in our bodies get replaced, so what is the real ‘us’.


I’ll get my coat.

An answer worthy of the great Bob Frazier, Martyn...

Simon

[forpetesake]

A tiny oasis of splendidness.

[tabascokid]

There’s clearly no set answer as if the watch has no personal history, you’d probably prefer original parts (if running well) but if you found out Newman had replaced the crown on his Daytona when he owned it, I’m not sure many would be asking for a refund!


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[Belligero]

The way it makes me feel when I look at it.
Poor answer I know. But true.
Triggers brooms make me feel like they're not what they should be so I'm uncomfortable with it.

No — that's a perfect answer.

With any luxury item, what you're essentially buying is a feeling.

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Buy what you enjoy/makes you feel good.

If you are buying it for other reasons then crack on but the above is what does it for me.

[Foxy100]

I'm sure there are people walking round with complete frankenwatches but if you're careful you can buy perfectly original vintage watches. I have quite a few, I also have some with replacement hands, bezels, date wheels and so on. If it's done correctly then what does it matter? Lots of NOS parts are available for lots of old watches. My four-year-old Explorer 2 already has a replacement dial fitted, thanks to going back to Rolex to have the floppy hour hand repaired and coming back to me with a nice fingerprint in the oil splodge in the middle of the dial. I'd much rather wear an original vintage watch with battle scars than a restored or repolished one but they're so hard to find because people seem happier to send these perfect old things off to the likes of Rolex or Omega for full restoration. That's what I don't get.

[Alpha4]

Er... a watch?

[ach5]

Not the warranty card, hang tags or stickers... apparently!

[Caruso]

What do we buy? One or more of the following:

A feeling
An investment
A style statement
A piece of history
An amount of precious metal
A status symbol
The latest thing

Originality only affects about half of that list in my view.

[Carl.1]

Er... a watch?

Yep, a watch.

[forpetesake]

Er... a watch?

Er...or an income stream even.

Oh hold on, isn't this meant to be where watch enthusiasts hang out.