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Thread: Fix or not to fix? Pre selling advice

  1. #1
    Craftsman
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    Fix or not to fix? Pre selling advice

    I found a vintage chronograph online for a fairly good price. I knew it was a non-runner before purchase. I mistakenly however thought that the watch was from the 1960s and that the hands were tritium which I am comfortable with. The watch has arrived and looks great, but the fly in the ointment is that the hands are in fact radium which is not something I am comfortable with.

    I will therefore be looking to move the watch on for this reason. This is a shame as the condition of the watch is pretty good and I love the look of it. The question is should I just clean the human detritus off the case, give the crystal a polish, take some nice photos and sell it as a non-runner or get it serviced and running and sell it after it is going again.

    It has a landeron 51 movement in it that looks in good condition and it looks very clean. The movement is branded Charles Gigadet despite having Thoresen on the dial. I am interested to hear people's opinion on this.

    Although I don't go out of my way to buy watches to sell and make money I am none the less keen to do the thing that is most price efficient, as it will help pay for whatever else I get instead.




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  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by Zook View Post
    I found a vintage chronograph online for a fairly good price. I knew it was a non-runner before purchase. I mistakenly however thought that the watch was from the 1960s and that the hands were tritium which I am comfortable with. The watch has arrived and looks great, but the fly in the ointment is that the hands are in fact radium which is not something I am comfortable with.

    I will therefore be looking to move the watch on for this reason. This is a shame as the condition of the watch is pretty good and I love the look of it. The question is should I just clean the human detritus off the case, give the crystal a polish, take some nice photos and sell it as a non-runner or get it serviced and running and sell it after it is going again.

    It has a landeron 51 movement in it that looks in good condition and it looks very clean. The movement is branded Charles Gigadet despite having Thoresen on the dial. I am interested to hear people's opinion on this.

    Although I don't go out of my way to buy watches to sell and make money I am none the less keen to do the thing that is most price efficient, as it will help pay for whatever else I get instead.




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    How much did you pay for it? It appears to be a chrome plated case so would be worth around £300 in working order. A service will likely cost around £150 plus parts so you could easily spend it's value on a service if there are serious issues

  3. #3
    The dial doesn't look to be aligned either on it - feet damaged perhaps?

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by hughtrimble View Post
    The dial doesn't look to be aligned either on it - feet damaged perhaps?
    I hadn't noticed that but you are correct


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  5. #5
    Master aldfort's Avatar
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    If it's going to be restored it's going to need a lot of love (ch-ching).
    If you just want to get it going that might be cheaper.

    Thought out of left field. There are a few Youtube watch restorers who might take it on as a project.

    You say it was well bought, I hope you didn't give too much.

    Good luck.

  6. #6
    Master
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    Must be possible to have the radium removed and replaced with some sort of aesthetically age-appropriate modern lume? I'd probably do that, have it serviced and sympathetically spruced up, then keep it. It's a very distinctive piece and not the sort of thing you see often.

  7. #7
    Master Ruggertech's Avatar
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    The dial certainly appears misaligned, but I cant see how it could be because the subdials would have to be misaligned also and cant be because of their hand posts. Could it be the angle of the photo?

  8. #8
    Grand Master
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    I wouldn’t let the radium issue put me off, the watch won’t be worn 24/7 so exposure will be limited. Can’t remember the half- life of radium but the watch will be less radioactive than it used to be......edit: 1602 years so it won’t have changed much!

    With a non- running watch it’s impossible to estimate the cost of getting it fixed. A quick look inside with an experienced eye will usually reveal a lot.

    The dial is probably OK, the watch could be restored.
    Last edited by walkerwek1958; 22nd December 2020 at 14:58.

  9. #9
    Master aldfort's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by walkerwek1958 View Post
    I wouldn’t let the radium issue put me off, the watch won’t be worn 24/7 so exposure will be limited. Can’t remember the half- life of radium but the watch will be less radioactive than it used to be.

    With a non- running watch it’s impossible to estimate the cost of getting it fixed. A quick look inside with an experienced eye will usually reveal a lot.
    1600 years, so nearly as radioactive as the day it was made.

    My memory says that Radium decays to Radon by emmiting an alpha particle.
    Radon is a radioactive gas and has the potential to be more damaging to human health if inhaled.

  10. #10
    Grand Master Neil.C's Avatar
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    Obviously depends on what you paid but a service etc is going to set you back circa £200 and the plated case looks a bit battered so probably more cost efficient to sell on as is.
    Cheers,
    Neil.

    My Speedmaster website:

    http://www.freewebs.com/neil271052

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by aldfort View Post
    1600 years, so nearly as radioactive as the day it was made.

    My memory says that Radium decays to Radon by emmiting an alpha particle.
    Radon is a radioactive gas and has the potential to be more damaging to human health if inhaled.
    Yes this is correct and it is the radon issue that to me is the greater concern


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  12. #12
    Grand Master Sinnlover's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zook View Post
    Yes this is correct and it is the radon issue that to me is the greater concern


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    The amount of radon emitted by this watch will be very small compared to natural background levels in certain parts of the country
    Radon build up can be mitigated by venting any box it is stored in on a regular basis
    I have a number of Radium dialled watches and it is not something that bothers me, I realise everyone has different views though.

  13. #13
    Master aldfort's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sinnlover View Post
    The amount of radon emitted by this watch will be very small compared to natural background levels in certain parts of the country
    Radon build up can be mitigated by venting any box it is stored in on a regular basis
    I have a number of Radium dialled watches and it is not something that bothers me, I realise everyone has different views though.
    Radium is also toxic in it's own right. It's a fairly hard alpha emmiter. that's probably why the lume degenerates to be honest. It's being smashed by all of the alpha particles. So the "dust" that forms as the lume crumbles away is also a hazard if inhaled.
    You are correct about radon, the amounts likely to be emmited by watches are small and will be much lower than the levels found in some old building in certain parts of the country. (Modern practice insists on a barrier and / or under floor ventilation.)

  14. #14
    I agree with everything that has ben said here.

    It's never going to be worth much but I really like it.

    If you spend money on it I suspect you won't make any profit if /when you sell -- but if I'd snagged it cheap I'd have it serviced and wear it.

    If it you got it cheap drop me a PM and I'll buy it off you and do it up. Another loss-making rescue project to add to all the others . . . .

  15. #15
    Craftsman
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    I would sell it as it is. Give full disclosure- you’re moving it on due to the radium makes it to complicated to do it properly/safely.

  16. #16
    Whichever way you decide, I think it’s a lovely looking watch. Personally I think I’d get the movement serviced as economically as possible, and see if it grows on me before selling it off. I don’t think the radium is really an issue unless your licking it, or wearing it 24 /7. Does it still glow?

    Great looking watch. I hope we get to see it back to working order!

    Thanks for sharing.

    :-)

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