View Single Post
Old 3 December 2012, 04:38 AM   #20
Boopie
"TRF" Member
 
Boopie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Beverly Hills, CA
Watch: Yachtmaster
Posts: 3,750
I understand the reason, but I have mixed feelings.

Most people, including many Rolex owners, know very little about watches. I have friends who got a Rolex for the prestige of it (nothing wrong with that) rather than because of the automatic movement or orther horological reasons. They do not remove any of the extra links, and let the watch flop around like a bracelet. When I compliment them on their fine timepiece, I inevitably get, "Oh, this? It keeps terrible time." It turns out that none have ever wound their watches.

When some of our relatives have passed on, we have found various antique watches (from the 1930s-1940s) in boxes drawers, etc. It would be helpful to know if they are valuable for purposes of dividing them up, deciding whether to keep or sell, or even to fix and wear. Sometimes it is not worth to spend hundreds of dollars to fix a watch that is worth far less. For example, we got an antique Baume & Mercier chronograph (model 902). The crystal is broken and it has no strap. We took it to a watchmaker, and because of the complications, it is probably more expensive to fix than what it is worth. It has no sentimental value, so in the drawer it sits. Alternatively, if one is a very rare timepiece, that would be helpful to know.

Also, isn't TRF a reputable place to do research? Is eBay the only alternative?

I understand some people may be abusive, but if someone does post a photo bout the found watch, what is inherently problematic about spending 30 seconds to say their watch was a common or uncommon, potentially valuable, worth getting checked out by a dealer, etc.

Plus, there is always the fun "Antique Roadshow" aspect to finding a rare watch.
Boopie is offline