[BrianG]

Spotted a 6105 running free today!! Yes it was actually on someones arm doing duty and it's the first I've ever seen not in a watch box. The guy who owns it was surprised when I asked him about it as if to say so what. He got it for his 24th birthday (now 54) and wore it everyday until 2 years ago when he decided to have the crystal replaced.

The repairer couldn't get the bits - - - crystal and seals - - - so he told the repairer to forget about it as he thought it wasn't worth fixing and left it there at the shop!!! Fast forward 2 years and he decided to go get it back as he was moving to my locale. The repairer did him a favour and replaced the original band with a new Seiko as the old one looked a bit worn (AAHH!!).

So I did the only thing I could and asked him if he wanted to part with it. Might have got it to if it wasn't a present from his parents. Any way I told him about the various suppliers out there and to look after it. I think he was a bit surprised at my interest in it and the fact that it is quite collectable. I might add that it is still all original and has only been serviced once.

So to all you Seikoholics, Christmas Island now has 2 6105's and 6 known 6309-704x's plus various other Seiko beauties :lol::thumbup: I thought I should get a group shot but I don't know the guy that well. Probably a good excuse for a Christmas Island GTG :lol:

Cheers,
Brian

 

[Monocrom]

Always amazes me that so many folks think a mechanical watch will run perfectly for years, without servicing.

 

[Archie Ungerman]

Always amazes me that so many folks think a mechanical watch will run perfectly for years, without servicing.

Most Seikos will and do...most Swiss won't and don't.

 

[BrianG]

Always amazes me that so many folks think a mechanical watch will run perfectly for years, without servicing.

I guess they think it's only a watch. I'm having a watch and band rebuilt at the moment and the repairer came up with a great quote. He described the band as oozing with "wrist cheese" (not mine). How fowl does that sound AND did this 100m rated watch never see water???

 

[muttley]

Wow, what are the odds - 2 of them in a place with only about 1500 residents? I think it's lucky the watch was still there after being left for 2 years at the repairers - things have a way of disappearing after a while...
I had a similar experience when, after owning 'old yella' for 21 years, I spotted someone with the same watch who was attending a course with me. Felt a bit strange as I have never seen this watch elsewhere before. Here they are for a 'family' shot, his on the left:

 

[BrianG]

Muttley, that is a "choice" watch Bro'. Very nice contrasts, did you have much trouble getting a band with yellow highlights?

 

[Monocrom]

Most Seikos will and do...most Swiss won't and don't.

I love Seiko, and Citizen watches. (A friend of mine has worn a vintage Seiko as one of two favored watches for as long as I've known him. Going on 15 years now.) However, put through enough abuse for enough years, even a Seiko will need servicing. A well-built mechanical watch is still a mechanical watch. Still has little gears, springs, etc. that need to be properly maintained.

I recently read a heart-warming story on another forum in which a man was gifted a Rolex watch, abused it for 20 years, ran perfectly, then the watch died one day. That watch meant a lot to him. He too thought that mechanical watches could run forever without needing servicing. Believed in it so much that when his Rolex finally gave out, he just put it back in the box, and put it away. His son found it one day, had it serviced, cleaned up, and presented to his dad. The father was very surprised and touched. While 20 years is impressive, it still highlights the fact that all mechanical watches require servicing to run properly.

It reminds me of another true story involving a Cadillac with about 65,000 miles on it. The elderly lady who owned the car brought it in because it was running sluggish as Hell. Mechanic took a look at the engine and couldn't believe what he saw! He asked the women when was the last time she had the oil changed. The woman looked at him like a deer caught in the headlights. Complete blank look on her face, before she replied, "Oil? What oil??"

Yup, you guessed it. This woman's husband bought her the Cadillac right before he became deceased. She drove it for years. Knew it was a mechanical object. Yet, for some ridiculous reason actually believed that all that was needed was to occasionally put gas in it . . . and it would run perfectly forever! Well, considering the oil in it had literally never been changed since it was first sold as a brand new car; 60,000+ miles is impressive as Hell. Still, with proper servicing at the right intervals, obviously it would have lasted much longer.

Same thing with all mechanical watches from Rolex to Seiko.

 

[Monocrom]

I guess they think it's only a watch.

Sometimes, yes; especially if it's a cheap one. But as pointed out in my previous post, sometimes it really is an odd belief that watches are supposed to run perfectly without needing to be maintained or serviced. And if it dies on you, then it's a catastrophic faliure and nothing can ever be done to fix it. The father mentioned in my previous post loved his gifted Rolex. It was his only Rolex and his only watch for 20 years. According to the son, dad wasn't a rich man and wouldn't have been able to afford the watch on his own.

It's just a weird mentality that some folks have.

 

[muttley]

Muttley, that is a "choice" watch Bro'. Very nice contrasts, did you have much trouble getting a band with yellow highlights?

I searched all over town for a good strap (the old one was a real '80's looking hair-puller) and I ended up back in the shop that the watch was bought from 21 years earlier. They ordered it in for me, and now it's a great choice when I'm looking for something a bit different from the usual suspects :001_smile:

 

[BrianG]

I have a thing for Yellow faces but they have to be in the right case. The chrono seems to fit the bill perfectly.