Reply With QuoteThe 45 year old watch I just bought has a crisp case, a clean crystal, an immaculate dial .... and tritium lume that looks not so much creamy as rancid. No enthusiasm for "patina" here
I have always tried to find pristine watches (then rarely wear them for every day, as they mey get spoiled). Others seem to go for patina. My personal preference is for as near perfect as poss but I do have a couple of well worn watches for rougher days! My everyday wearer is one I built myself with a high grade steel case, 7750 movement, solid and heavy linked bracelet and a sapphire crystal. It's had plenty of wear but still looks amazingly good.
What's your recipe?
Mike
The 45 year old watch I just bought has a crisp case, a clean crystal, an immaculate dial .... and tritium lume that looks not so much creamy as rancid. No enthusiasm for "patina" here
Pristine
Another vote for pristine here. Some natural fading etc. is more than fine with me, but a load of rank wabi? No thanks!
I always like some Patina as it shows that a watch has been worn rather than babied!
Its gotta be perfect!
I like mellow patina but not biohazard.
Nor here. I don't do the "shagged out, neglected" look.Originally Posted by Der Amf
The 45 year old watch I just bought has a crisp case, a clean crystal, an immaculate dial .... and tritium lume that looks not so much creamy as rancid. No enthusiasm for "patina" here
3rd-party maltreatment (sorry, "patina") being as popular here as it is, I wonder why the Timex range of pre-trashed 40s-style watches isn't more popular, even as a simple beater...?
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
Pristine for me
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gotta be good for me, but i have to admit i dont wear some because of that
I don't buy abused watches. However, I do buy watches to wear rather than put in a watch box and only wear 'for best'.
So I wouldn't buy a 40year old submariner with knackered hands and missing bezel pip. But I would buy something that any wear could be fixed by a normal service.
Martyn
Pristine
I really prefer my watches to be as immaculate as possible. If that means a small amount of minor refinishing then so be it.
I absolutely cannot bring myself to own anything on a stretched bracelet. It just plays havoc with my OCD.
Last edited by MartC; 25th April 2016 at 13:05.
Generally pristine - to wear not just look at and stress that if you do wear it it may pick up a scratch or two.
"Patina" is all too often a euphemism for "knackered"...
I prefer my watches to look in good condition, but I'm not worried about the odd mark here and there...
M.
+1
Pristine and freshly serviced if at all possible.
30% patina, 90% pristine.
Best combo.
Stainless steel modern watch; don't care as long as waterproof and price accordingly to condition
Precious metal modern watch; usually pristine unless as above, priced accordingly. My VC was a bit beaten up (and priced well as the dealer hadn't had to prep it), a very careful morning with a Cape Cod and it was factory fresh.
Vintage; dunno. Too fresh, then why buy vintage? Too scruffy, it's just a knackered watch. Never know until I see it...
Maths not your strong point..?
Patina as long as it's mine
The problem with "patina", which is really what happens to the dial, is that it often doesn't match the case. A well looked after case, still retaining its shape and dignity, needs a dial that looks like it's the same age. Take a look at this Navitimer; it's old but in good nick, and the subdials have gone from silver to bronze from oxidation or something, the white printing on the dial is going a gentle beige, and the hour markers are still readable against the black dial. Quite nice really, I'd wear this:
Some have dials that look leprous. This one has a sharp case but "patina" that makes me queasy. The bits that used to be painted white (not just the lume, which appears to have gone almost completely black) are now a sort of vomitous green colour, the lume in the hour hand is about to drop off and find its way into the movement via the centre of the dial, and the whole thing looks like a slice of Mother's Pride that's been left on top of the hot water cylinder for a month or so.
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
For me finding something 40+ years old in almost new condition is watch collecting heaven. Original-but-tatty really irritates my OCDs.
Prisitne, with perfect aged Tritum is my sweet spot.
Some of the vintage watches I have had I bought because of the link to a past era they provide (Eastern Bloc watches in particular come with this)
But mostly I've bought vintage just because watches of their styles simply aren't made any more - if a company makes a sub-38mm dateless manual these days, it's usually given a dressy styling. If you want a daily-wearer kind of styling with those attributes most of the options available are vintage.
my heart says "worn and carefree"...my mind says "as good as new"..my mind usually wins out with the result that Im paranoid about the smallest mark appearing on the bloody things..!
Patina for me.
This! I like to buy as perfect as possible, but am not precious about keeping it that way (except if I drop it on the first day of ownership Grrrrr).
For me, patina for vintage, pristine for modern
IMO Patina or Tropical is a simple a ruse for people to ask the same or more money when compared to a watch in decent nick.
Re: IMO Patina or Tropical is a simple a ruse
Is not a simple a ruse or even a simple ruse.
One needs to appreciate the nature and appeal of vintage watches to understand it.
May not be for everyone and right kind of patina might make a watch for desirable for lovers of vintage watches and may drive up the price but it is a bit too simplistic to say that it is a ruse to drive up the price.
Well, that is a particularly nice examplePatina for me.
My watch tastes are eclectic, as is my view on what makes the perfect watch.
Naturally aged is my preference for anything other than a solid yellow gold (or dress) watch I guess as it shows a watch has been loved (and is honest). I have had / do have some vintage watches in immaculate or near immaculate condition, but obsolete watches aside (I have a thing for hummers), I'd probably have preferred to go for new.
Gold, as it implies a more dressy scenario, should be as good and as new as possible in my mind.
WABI!! Every watch I buy, used or new, can expect to be worn on a daily basis, and pick up the odd scratch or 'dink'.
I cannot, for the life of me, see the point of spending money on a watch that is going to be kept on a winder, or in a safe for most of it's life. It is no longer a watch with heart and soul, no longer a valued companion, no longer a beautiful, if flawed timepiece to be admired, it just becomes an ornament. You might as well have a photograph in a frame for all it's worth!!
Respect the marks and scratches on a used watch as character, part of it's history, and enjoy it. Adopt this philosophy, and you'll enjoy your watches a hell of a lot more than you do now.
I agree that some seem obsessed with perfection (I only ever use my loups when fitting straps!), but there's a big difference between a watch that's been used and worn and picked up some superficial marks and one that's been abused into an inch of its life...
I see watches advertised with WABI or Patina (and implied or stated extra value applied because of it) that I'd be ashamed to send to the charity shop!
But then, some like this :
more than this :
You pays your money...
M
Last edited by snowman; 27th April 2016 at 15:17.
I agrre with you part about WABI. Wabi should never be used as an excuse for inflating the price, more that it should imply that the watch has been used, and loved, carefully. WABI that shows any sign of damage or abuse falls withou the definition of WABI!
WABI: Pared down to its barest essence, wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in nature, of accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death. It's simple, slow, and uncluttered-and it reveres authenticity above all.
Incidentally, I used to have the silver grey 16v 'Storm' version of the Mk 1 Scirrocco. It would still out perform a lot of modern hot hatches!!
[QUOTE=snowman;3949119]I agree that some seem obsessed with perfection (I only ever use my loups when fitting straps!), but there's a big difference between a watch that's been used and worn and picked up some superficial marks and one that's been abused into an inch of its life...
I see watches advertised with WABI or Patina (and implied or stated extra value applied because of it) that I'd be ashamed to send to the charity shop!
Last edited by doug darter; 27th April 2016 at 15:27.
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