Watch enjoyment and collection for me seems so far removed the world of waiting lists in Authorised Dealers and shiny status symbols.
And to quantify that statement, I have a little story I’d tell to tell....
My Great-Grandfather worked in the bar in the mess in Burton Wood Airbase during the Second World War. The pilots would often leave an item of value in his possession in order to secure their tab for drinks. Sadly sometimes they didn’t always come back to collect their belongings, and he would clear the debt by selling or trading what they had left with him. One such item he decided to keep.
When his daughter (my Grandmother) married my Grandfather, he passed it on to him - a ‘Waltham’ American-made wrist watch. My Grandfather was a watchmaker in his own right, having learnt his trade from a fellow prisoner in a Gulag and then later in the RAF (that’s a whole other story).
My Grandfather planned to pass it on to his son, my Mum’s brother, but he tragically died at 15. So when my Mum married my Dad (who became his son in law) my Grandfather gave him the watch as he had now become his ‘son’.
Many years later... my Dad spotted a watch strap on my PRS-25 and said he liked it and would like something similar for the Waltham. I got one for him for Christmas and fitted it on Boxing Day. My dad accidentally dropped the watch the next day and damaged the balance spring.
We were gutted. It has been running off and on (mainly on) for 80+ years. I tried to find replacement parts, but they’ve long since been sold off as a company and parts are difficult to find, I wasn’t sure what would be compatible and the watch wasn’t exactly in the best condition.
And so I thought I’d ask here on the forum if anyone had any ideas. Within an hour I was put in contact with Brendan (Webwatchmaker) who is something of a specialist in such pieces
And here is the other thing that I love about this hobby. Not only the watches and the stories that they tell, but the people who love them too. Their enthusiasm can often be inspirational.
Off the Waltham went and Brendan gave me a call. He immediately put my mind at ease - he was confident he could help. A photograph of his Waltham parts drawer helped boost my confidence too!
If I could just have the Waltham running again my Dad and I would be delighted.
Turns out the balance spring was damaged. Despite his extensive stock of parts I received this message:
Hi Graham,
I found a movement similar to yours but the hairspring is just as badly damaged as yours was.
I was gutted. I actually felt it inside. I really thought he could fix it. What a sad ending to this watch’s story.
1 minute later I received this message:
However, I recoiled the hairspring on your watch, which believe me, was not a five minute job, but it's now running. Still needs cleaning and some adjustments
I can’t tell you the elation. Even as I write this now my heart beats faster. I know its only an old watch, but it means so much, it’s one of the few things that we have (if not the only thing) that belonged to those previous generations.
What a rollercoaster of emotions - all within minutes. I was grinning like a Cheshire Cat!
What incredible skill and patience to recoil a spring like that. As some of you may know, I do some simple mods myself, but this it’s truly on another level. Brendan set my expectations with regards to the watch’s performance - it won’t be running within a couple of seconds per day. I was more than happy with that - I’m not sure how well it ran before my Dad dropped it....
Brendan went on to clean and lubricate the whole movement, clean the dial, polish the blued hands and even find and broach a replacement hand for the small seconds dial. To top it off he fitted a new crystal. His detailed updates were bringing a smile to my face every time WhatsApp pinged to tell me a new message had arrived.
And finally, it arrived back in the post, running! What a delight to see and hear it ticking away.
Yes it’s a bit battered and the case has seen better days. But what a story it has to tell, each generation of my family having a chapter of their own, and now thanks to this forum and a very helpful and skilled watchmaker (who is a lovely fellow as well) I have a chapter of my own to add. That holds far more value than money can buy.
As a small footnote: I want to thank and recommend Brendan (although is reputation goes before him on this forum, I see), as you can see I am delighted with his work, but I also want to thank everyone on the forum who keeps this hobby alive by collecting and enjoying watches and their stories.
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