Anyone admit to making mistakes?

[Loquacious]

With watches I mean...

As it is mid summer (nearly) and the heating is on, the rain pouring down (as it has since last November!), I am once again ill and more than a little bored (the weather is so bad even the dogs won't go out, not even for a wee in the garden (their bladders must be the size of footballs by now) and stuck in the flat, I have been faffing with old watches from the 'overflow' box, sticking new batteries in dead quartz, buying new straps from eBay for one (amazing, black leather, came with three new spring bars and a tool for removing spring bars, which I already have but it's a semi-decent spare) for just £3!

Anyway, having exhausted possibilities for ruining quartz watches, I turned my (unwanted) attentions to some of the rarely worn mechanical watches. I have three old OLD watches that are prized but rarely used: a birth year Tudor, my wifes Grandfathers 'MuDu' and my Grandfathers Sully.

First two were fine so I dragged the Sully from its cushion and admired it lovingly (my Grandfather bought it just after WW2 from a local jeweller when he got home, so about '46 - '47) and carefully did it up on my wrist. I shook my wrist, I took the watch off again and shook it in a move emulating the symbol for 'infinity', I listened to it, set the time but nothing I did would make it run for more than a very few seconds.

To say I was upset would be a slight understatement, I had this watch expensively serviced only a few years ago (spending more on it, much more on it than its 'value') and for it to break had me in a fair old rage. It was only after considerable pondering on my memories of my Grandfather wearing it in the 60s- 70s and watching him wind it up every morning while he waited for the kettle to boil, did I recall that it's NOT an automatic but a manual wind!

30 seconds later, wound, back on my wrist, peace and tranquility restored in my (sad and lonely) little world as it ticked away merrily (and continued to do so for the next 30 odd hours and still keeping excellent time) and served its purpose of fine time keeping even though it's over 70 years old.

So, over to you...

[Onelasttime]

When I got a promotion, long before I became a watch nerd, I wanted to celebrate so bought myself a lightly used TAG 2000 quartz with the arabic numbers and back and red bezel:



I knew nothing about watches, but knew I had to have a TAG Heuer. Anyway, come the end of the month I needed to set the date but couldn't find any way to pull the crown out. I assumed it was stuck so took a pair of pliers to it but nothing was going to shift it. Exasperated, I just wore it with the wrong date until a work colleague noticed and asked why the date was wrong. He laughed and showed me how to unscrew the crown. It still makes me hang my head in shame.

Anyway, I got the pliers damage sorted at a little watchmakers in Clerkenwell and wore the watch every day for nearly 10 years and it took everything I threw at it. I still regret selling it as it would have been perfect to pass on to my son.

[gaurav_tzuk]

When I had gone to pick up my Rolex Airking, the salesman wanted to show me how it works to set the time and wind it. As this was late in the evening I kindly rejected as I was more concerned about just getting on the train and going home, I thought how hard can it be. As I had an automatic Tag & Hublot already I thought winding it is just a simple case of turning the crown. Anyways the watch got put away as it was for my birthday (in a months time) and when I got it out again to wear it I was like damn the crown is stuck! Felt furious as I thought the boutique would have checked for any issues before handing it over. Didn’t bother reading instructions, who does that?? I took it back to the store (box and everything !), and explained the issue to the salesman, mate the crown is stuck. He said sir you have to unscrew it anti-clockwise first and then you can wind it.

Felt like a right idiot!

[JonRA]

So glad to hear that your grandfather's watch is ok - I was really feeling your pain for a moment there!

As for mistakes, my main ones are selling ones I should have kept, whether for financial or sentimental reasons.

I also spent ages fitting a bracelet with tight fitting solid end links, only too find the clasp was the wrong way round - aaargh. That particular mistake will not be repeated (I hope).

Sent from my moto e5 play using Tapatalk

[S.L]

I once washed a pair of jeans with a Ploprof inside a pocket.
The Ploprof was fine but the washing machine took some beating...

[gray]

Many moons ago in my early days of watch mania... I was in the bathroom having a shave, with my Seadweller nestled on my son's school tie on a shelf. He bursts in late and grabs the end of his tie and bolts for the door. Up flies, before rapidly descending, my watch. Straight onto a soon to be broken tile. Tile repair. Dented lug and a service to reregulate a fast watch. Feck.

I should have started an 'is it safe to shave in my Seadweller' thread before embarking on such a risky adventure.

[Velorum]

I wore a PRS37 whilst working on my Volvo 740. I am still not sure how it became detached from my wrist but it ended up hitting a number of moving parts including the fan belt as it fell on to the concrete driveway under the car. This left it with hideous gouges to the case and the loss of a lot of the remaining black finish. That was less than a month after having it repaired internally after I had dropped it on the kitchen floor when it slid off its perlon strap as I was putting it on before heading off to work.

I rarely tinker much with cars these days but when I do I always remove my watch.

[JGJG]

I just typed “Chrono24” into the search box on Chrono24 🤭

[JeremyO]

Selling my Speedmaster Pro. My wife had just bought me my Submariner in 2004 and I didn’t wear the Moonwatch for a while. Thought 2 watches was all I needed so sold it as I had no need for a chronograph.

I still have no need for a chrono but I do miss that watch, even having added a quartz SMP 300 Pro as a holiday/hobbies watch to my very modest collection.

[dkpw]

Here are a few:

Selling watches I should have kept - too many to mention.
Taking a Tag I once owned for servicing to Goldsmiths - they over-tightened or banged the crown so it was immovable and off centre. Never again.
Unstrapping my PRS-29 and letting it fall onto my newly laid wooden floor and breaking the winding stem. A week before it would have been fine, it would have bounced harmless on thick carpet.
We'll pass over accidentally fitting shoulderless springbars to my Speedy.
And finally, thinking a bright purple 6900 G-Shock was something I would feel comfortable wearing in public.

[j111dja]

I once washed a pair of jeans with a Ploprof inside a pocket.
The Ploprof was fine but the washing machine took some beating...

[stefmcd]

I'm feeling very lucky reading this thread. The only issue I've had is having to destroy a Seiko rubber 'cause I couldn't get the spring bar out. I bet I could do it in 10 seconds now.... lol.

[Mj2k]

Mine have luckily been cheap nato or coaster related.

Firstly was neutering a nato & somehow cut the long bit off, not the short part, god only knows how.

Secondly was melting a nato hole to provide a perfect fit, only to have slipped with the hot needle and merged two holes together, rendering it useless.

Finally was refitting a bezel on an SKX, knew I needed to push down with a firm surface, so grabbed a coaster. Unfortunately said coaster was a bamboo slice, so ended up with an SKX bezel sized protrusion through the coaster. Luckily it pushed back in & SWMBO was none the wiser.



And ‘fixed’



Not sure how she didn’t spot it!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[aksing]

I'm feeling very lucky reading this thread. The only issue I've had is having to destroy a Seiko rubber 'cause I couldn't get the spring bar out. I bet I could do it in 10 seconds now.... lol.

Same here, not really done anything too bad to a watch, a few years ago I did try to polish a Breitling with cape cod and got a little too careless and then swiped the crystal and took some of the AR off.

[Lammylee]

I lent my mint PRS-82 to a friend whilst his Seamaster was being serviced.

Unfortunately a freak accident involving paint stripper meant the bezel insert looked like it had been worn by a roof shoveler in Chernobyl.

Lesson learned, never lend a watch to a friend!

[maseman]

Sold a Flat 4 Squashed O LV for £5k !!!

maseman

[PhiloStan]

When I started this hobby, I wore Datejusts most of the time and wore them everywhere, including in the shower. Since the Datejusts were all fine, I thought all watches were able to be worn in the shower. So when I moved onto Cartier and other dressier watches, I continued to wear them in the shower.....and ended up with damaged dials and water damage.

[greenandblack]

I was late and in a rush, throwing a backpack on before hopping on my bike. Straps caught on something but forced onwards and all was fine. That night noticed a pusher missing off my navitimer... Surprisingly reasonable £37 to replace, but they’ll only do it alongside a £500 service 🤦🏻


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

[Skier]

Until recently I kept buying, and then selling watches that I loved the look of but knew were too small for my wrists and taste: Rolex various at 40mm (if they would make a GMT Master Pepsi with the aluminium bezel, oyster bracelet at 42mm that would be my perfect watch), Heuer Carrera 64 Re-Edition CS3111 etc. I believe I've learnt my lesson as I cut down my collection drastically to, hopefully, no more than 5 or 6.

[Wooster]

I once washed a pair of jeans with a Ploprof inside a pocket.
The Ploprof was fine but the washing machine took some beating...

The same, but with a Poljot dress watch, which has about 0 bar water resistance. The watch literally dried and kept ticking merrily. They're sturdy, them Russians...

[Mark lowman]

Selling the Seamaster Great White - dreadful decision on my behalf. Why oh why

[Gobo]

Buying & selling too many watches is my only mistake …. I just cleaned out my little receipt storage thingy & added up all my postage for the last 1.5 years which come to £325.00 :(

[stefmcd]

Buying & selling too many watches is my only mistake …. I just cleaned out my little receipt storage thingy & added up all my postage for the last 1.5 years which come to £325.00 :(

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

[wigdog]

Buying & selling too many watches is my only mistake …. I just cleaned out my little receipt storage thingy & added up all my postage for the last 1.5 years which come to £325.00 :(

Postage?

[misterzero]

Selling my iwc ingenier too cheap because I wanted the money to go on a flashy holiday with a new girlfriend

Sent from my moto g(7) play using TZ-UK mobile app

[Mouse]

Selling my iwc ingenier too cheap because I wanted the money to go on a flashy holiday with a new girlfriend

Sent from my moto g(7) play using TZ-UK mobile app

Bragging or complaining ;-)

[NigeG]

Turning down a Speedy Pro at Gatwick Airport for £1500 or so and buying a Planet Ocean saying “if I’m spending over a grand, I expect to wind itself” Naivety at its finest!

Not buying a Sub Hulk at Heathrow T5 in 2016. It’s the last time I saw a SS Sports in there.

Selling my Silver Snoopy Award last year to my mate when I needed money. Sold on the understanding that I could buy it back later at the same price. Apparently he has no recollection of that condition and the only way I’m getting it back is to cough up an additional £2k. So I’m more careful of who I call my friends now.

[GraniteQuarry]

Too many to list!

[wileeeeeey]

Selling my Silver Snoopy Award last year to my mate when I needed money. Sold on the understanding that I could buy it back later at the same price. Apparently he has no recollection of that condition and the only way I’m getting it back is to cough up an additional £2k. So I’m more careful of who I call my friends now.

Jesus what a cock!

[NigeG]

Jesus what a cock!

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

[andrewcregan]

Thanks

I’m certain that he is referring to your ‘friend’!

[raptor]

I make mistakes so that people around me feel comfortable and think that i am human too

[Mystery Scott]

Getting a Speedmaster legend automatic (which never works for over 18 months at a time) for my 21st when my mum was pushing for me to get a Kermit and I didn’t want to be a sheep with a Rolex...


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

[senwar]

I sold a BLNR for what I paid (£6550) at the end of 2107. That looks a costly error. Saying that they were going for about £8k then and I just couldn’t profit selling it on here.

I did sell as wasn’t wearing it (had worn it once) but in the wonderful world of hindsight keeping it as a safe queen would have been a ruddy good investment.

Funnily enough buying it was also a mistake of mine as I sold a subc to pay for it (£5k) and just couldn’t get on with the polished links despite previously having a black gmt ii so knew what I was getting. I replaced it with another subc

When I think of the prices I sold my Rolex for back then though. However who would have thought we’d be where we are now. And other than selling to a dealer I don’t think I could have sold for the profit privately. Just wouldn’t feel right.

You live and learn eh.

[wileeeeeey]

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

Not you btw. Your friend.

[NigeG]

Not you btw. Your friend.

Lol!

It’s been applied to both of us in the last few months. I’ve had a couple of lectures from other friends about being a cock for trusting the cock.

I’m pretty much over it and remind myself that everyday is a school day.

[RAJEN]

I once put the wrong battery in my Rolex Sub!

[senwar]

One I also remember making many moons back. I had a swatch skeleton at school. I'd got it by swapping Simple Minds New Gold dream LP for it.

It stopped working one day so being a bit of a Kevin (& Perry) I stamped on it. I remember seeing them for sale a good few years later for a grand.

[Bclark]

Buying a vintage watch from the states even though I had a feeling it was going to be too small. Trying to convince myself if was fine even though it was too small. Selling it on and making a loss because I'm an idiot.

[Templogin]

My dad was serving in the Royal Engineers in the 50’s. He bought a watch that he was still moaning about having got badly stiffed for customs duties, decades later, more than he had paid for the watch. He treated it with great care. Only once did he have a problem with it. The case back seal had failed. It was fixed and passed back to him. I lusted after the watch for years, and in my 30’s he gave me the watch. I treated it with great care. When working on a motorbike one day I took the watch off and put it into the ticket pocket of my jeans. Squatting down to tighten a bolt, the top of my thigh pushed the watch out of the pocket and the foot drop onto the road was enough to break the watch.

The jeweller who looked at the watch said that it was too cheap to be worth fixing. I was devastated.

[Der Amf]

Six years ago someone said I needed a watch, and I said, I do? 25k posts later.....

[MrGrumpy]

I had a swatch skeleton at school. I'd got it by swapping Simple Minds New Gold dream LP for it.

Now THAT was a serious mistake in itself!!! Classic album that....

[senwar]

Now THAT was a serious mistake in itself!!! Classic album that....

😄

True.