What time is it? Watches and horology

Early Daytona were manwell.

Dug out an old manual wound watch a friend of mine gave me after he made it from a kit. Need to get it on a nato that fits - blue, green, black or grey?

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I have a thing for grey nato at the moment - think it would do it for this.

Hello all, I am an absolute noob when it comes to watches so apologies in advance for my ignorance; I was hoping someone might be able to shed some light on this watch I found in a box today, belonging to my late father? And possibly also somewhere to have it serviced in London as it has stopped - I imagine a long time ago. Rather sentimental as it has his name engraved on the reverse. Thanks in advance

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Very cushiony case, like my early 1930's I posted a few pages back. The dial styling is very much like the trench watches often advertised for sale, but until you open the back and show the movement it will be tough to help date or get more info on.

Thanks for the quick response, very helpful. I have never heard of a trench watch before. My dad was born in 1924 and served in the RAF in WWII so I wonder when he might have been given it. Is opening the back something easily done by an amateur, albeit one that is OK with mechanics?!

To my eyes it looks like the word SWISS is written very small at the base of the dial. Which would make sense I suppose

Yea it definitely says Swiss at the base under the sub second dial.

Turn it over at look at the case back. Look at a corner, probably a top corner, should be a bit of a groove enough for a case knife (pen knife without a sharp blade), with a gentle pressure the back will pop off.

All movements have subtle names/model/etc text or even the style alone can give away their vintage. Sometimes the inside of the case back will have scratches of the names/dates of previous watch repairers.

Et voila!

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Apologies if this sounds v.basic/obvious (you did mention the word 'noob), as it's a manual movement, have you tried winding it up?

And, if you wind it if you feel painful levels of tension don't force it you'll kill the mainspring.

http://www.mwrforum.net/forums/showthread.php?12229-A-Short-History-of-the-Star-Watch-Case-Company

Etc...

@Pifko @pdlouche thanks for the pointers, yup tried winding and no luck

Probably the mainspring is dead. The looseness or high tension of the winder is a clue here. If it feels like it winds fine then it could be a dead balance wheel. There are many things that will make it worse, and very few things that will make it better. Traditionally a firm tap can free up a seized part, but I don't recommend this with a sentimental timepiece.

My one a few pages back cost me £100 (or maybe (£110) a few years ago because of a busted mainspring (after falling 3ft onto gravel), + a couple months for parts to arrive to the watchmaker. I would say if anyone quotes you more than £120 then shop around, because typically the watch needs a strip, rebuild and oiling during service. Busted mainspring isn't that expensive if the correct size is available. General service should not be more than £50, my watchmaker wants £40 for a CLA.

@pdlouche amazing knowledge. Thank you very much, I'll see what I can get done with it then. Mini thread hijack over

Nah man. That's what these threads are for. Also, caveat emptor 50/50 anything posted on a forum is wrong.

Nice watch. Basic, but decent. I would try one of the usual suspects for getting it serviced. I'd expect around £70 - £100 unless it needs a new balance staff (which is not unlikely as this watch has no shock protection).

Great deal of you can get a proper service anywhere for £40! PD - I'd try and get details.

Yea it's a watchmaker here in Swindon that charges that. Very long-established and with a good reputation. Forgot that London prices are multiples of anywhere else.

https://www.yell.com/biz/john-steward-swindon-2189031/

Very nice Milgauss - https://instagram.com/p/BXQaOQvlyJV/

Clean.

30k Euros? I'll take 2.

Accidentally bought one of these

Thinking it was one of these

£30 so can't be too terrible!

I wanna ask how you managed that, but I've been wearing a stupidly large Invicta watch all day, cos my ailing grandfather gave it to me earlier and I didn't want to refuse. Wear your new timepiece with pride or whatever.

Love that black dial thing, even if it is Q*****... Very nice daily...