Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire any watch collectors?

I've found over the years that folks who appreciate really nice rifles often tend to appreciate watches, too. I don't have a huge collection, but like A-11 (WW2) inspired throwbacks and old school diving watches. Anybody have collections worth sharing?

My FIL had a safe with about 3000 watches in it listed on his inventory. Ranged from Mickey Mouse watches to Bulova to a couple of Ladies Rolexes. Nothing really high end, but a lot of silver cased railroad pocket watches, etc. I figured value range from $5 to $1500. Mean value of the 3000 probably $100. Left them to his widow's trust when he died and she gave them to an auction house at about 10 cents on the dollar. If I had any guns left after my boating accident a few years ago I would hope they would bring more than that.

I really enjoy various types of mechanical watches. I tend to gravitate towards dials that inspire me. Some of the ones with multiple complications don't really do it for me. My wife and I took a "watch makers" tour of Switzerland last year and it was one for a lifetime.

Picked up George Daniels "Watchmaking" book a couple of weeks ago and it has been difficult to put down.

I only have two, both pocket watches. A Hamilton I bought when working for Burlington Northern 1968. They had payroll deduction. And a smaller Bulova with flip open case,18k gold. That I bought in 1974 for around $400 don't remember the price for sure. The Bulova is a real nice watch. The Hamilton keeps time more accurately. There a few Seiko and Citizen wrist watches, ruined by welding BB's and cutting slag, in the top drawer of my dresser! I haven't worn or carried a watch since 2014 when I retired! I do carry the Bulova when doing marrying and burying events. Mostly to show off the gold nugget on the fob chain. My uncle found it somewhere in Alaska, before WW2. And gave the nugget to me in 66 before he passed away.

I don't know if I qualify for "collector", but I have:

Patek Philippe 5119J
Omega DeVille Co-Axial Chronometer, stainless steel case/bracelet with date
Frederique Constant quartz with petite second hand
Seiko 5 Sports 55th Anniversary (Bruce Lee) Limited Edition
three Swatches, including the MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon (copy of Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch in Bioceramic)
the Hamilton pocket watch my Great-Grandfather was given when he retired from an oil company in Tulsa, OK in 1946
a few other odd timepieces

All my older ones are gone. None were
anything special. I still have a couple of Accutron’s, Bulova and a Citizen Eco Drive dive watch.
I wear the the Eco Drive a few times a week. I wish I still had the Swatch my Grandmother brought back from one of her trips overseas and the Bulova my Dad gave me as my first watch. The memories of their fate escapes me.

Those first three are quite a collection unto themselves.

I'm a fan of Hamilton field watches (wear a Khaki automatic daily) and Seiko divers. Spend most of the summer in a King Turtle special release.

I have a large collection of quality Swiss and German pieces, far too many to list...I enjoy very rare pieces, and have number that only 5 or less were ever made by well known makers. I like divers, pilots, military, the best...but have many dress style pieces also, that work with dress shirts and jackets better.

Watches are like guns & knives....they are tools.

Sort of, more so colks.

Have a a few from Seiko 5 to Seadweller

I have a few pocket watches from my great grandfathers, one from my grandfather and one that my dad wore. None of them special, but have sentimental value. O ly knew my dad,others all dead before I was born.

Ha. It's hard to imagine that scene happening in any other voice. Just wouldn't be the same.