Apple Watch - My Simple Take

    I can say that almost all of the tech products in the market are not good investment. I myself  has purchased a Nokia 5510 during the 90's and I bought it at Php15,000. But as soon as a  new Nokia phone models were introduced in the market, Nokia 5110 price dropped drastically to Php1,500.00! 

   

    A TV commercial for a high-end swiss watch which was shown before on CNN became my "guide" on owning a watch. The TV ad says, "You don't own a Patek,  You keep it for the future generation." The TV ad has a sublime message that a swiss handmade watch increases its value as it ages. So, there is definitely a promise of a "return of investment" for your swiss watch  if you know how to take care of it.

     But I have a negative feeling on any tech watch. A tech watch diminishes its value (like cellphones) as a new version emerges. It is really a true case of a money waste. Money goes to the drain literally. I have not heard of any pawnshops in the Philippines that accept battery operated watches as loan collateras for a very long period of time.

Photo taken from one of my social media accounts

      I think the target market of an Apple Watch is for the age range of 15 (rich kids) to 30 years old (kids at heart but has a lot of purchasing power). The only advantage, I may say, of an Apple watch compared to a traditional handmade swiss watch is, you can drive safely as you are talking with someone without using a headset. That's it! Less traffic violation of using a handset phone while driving and lots of lives will be saved from a vehicular accident. :)

     In your current Iphone, you can check the weather in any part of the world and you can explain in long text messages to someone you owe an explanation with. So, why bother purchasing another product (from the same company) if your Iphone provides all the services that you need? And I am sure that your electric bill will increase as a new  gadget is added in your household.

     I think, Apple watch will reach a plateau sales as soon as the market realizes the "business side" of owning a watch. But if an Apple watch will be used in a spacecraft going to Pluto and back to Earth, that's another story! 

     Actually, it is not the hand made swiss watches that are being threatened by the Apple watch, it is the other way around. The swiss made watches ARE the ones who pose a strict competition to the Apple watch. But the Apple Iwrist. (Trademarked by me, contact me if you want to use the Iwrist name :) ) will still sell because it is fashionable and the design is 22nd century...ish.

     And I love Apple!

New Hamilton Ventura Elvis80 Automatic / Quartz Watch

     I am a Filipino and an Asian. Asians love Rolex so much over the other swiss watches available in the market today. But I think, I am one of the exception. I love Rolex (a brand that can easily be pawned as collateral, easy to trade and a good insurance to hedge inflation) but I adore Vintage and the 21st century Hamiltons. Since Hamilton has relaunched its brand in the market, I am in constant search over the internet of what is the latest news on the brand. As I opened one of my social media accounts today, this new Hamilton Ventura Elvis80  Quartz / Automatic Watch appeared on my page. Please read the Hamiton webpage on the technical description of the watch on http://www.hamiltonwatch.com/news/baselworld-march-19-26-2015 . This watch is a tribute to the King of Rock and Roll's 80th Birthday  thus the name Hamilton Ventura Elvis80 and I am pretty much sure that this watch will be one  of the collectible Hamiltons in the future.

Hamilton Ventura Quartz Elvis80,
Photo taken from Hamilton Webpage 

Hamilton Ventura Elvis80 Automatic
Photo taken from Hamilton Webpage

 Consider me a radical but I love to see this watch on a Titanium asymmetrical case. I think that would be awesome! and IF this watch would be on a Titanium asymmetrical case. it will  definitely  rock the baselworld!

Rock 'n Roll!

How to Start Selling Omega or other Watch Parts

     When someone sells to me a Vintage Omega  Watch with a broken or a missing part, I don't frown and tell the trader upfront to offer the watch to another buyer.  But, I instead  offer  the best price with the trader because I know that I can sell or use the other watch parts in the future.

    Before  I ventured into buying and selling vintage Omega Parts, some watch parts sellers in my area would price their watch parts too high. When I badly need the watch part, I don't have a choice but to buy the watch part that I need! With the high price of a watch part that I need, it somehow "hurt" the profit that I am going to make for a watch that badly needs a missing part. :)

    There are some physical attributes (in my own experience)  that a Vintage Omega watch has a damaged part before I open up the watch movement. One is,  if the case is gold plaque, and it shows some bad corrosion and if the dial is already damaged and unreadable.

     After buying a broken Omega Watch, I carefully put it in a hard plastic box and I put a label of the movement's caliber on the outside of the box. Watch parts prices go up with time. It can overtake inflation! It is a good insurance for your money. Watch parts have also a value like your precious watch!

     One example I can give that a watch part can really handle inflation and gives you a good profit margin is some people over the internet sells  Rolex Gold bracelet links. They don't price each link by the current price of gold per gram in the market but instead sell a Rolex link sometimes three times MORE than the current gold price per gram in the market! What a good profit indeed!

   



 

Small Watch Repair Shops in the Philippines - a source of vintage watch parts and old coins

   

     In the Philippines, small businesses are encouraged by the government. They help the country's economy to thrive. A small watch repair shop is one example of a small business in the Philippines. The watch repair man owning a watch repair stall acts as the President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the only watch technician of his stall. This kind of a small business operates along the main streets in Metro Manila and the provinces and is considered the "forefront" of watch and coin trading in the Philippines. If someone needs money for emergency, the watch repair shop offers loans and takes your watches or old coins as collateral.

     In everywhere I go around the Philippines, my itinerary also includes visiting this stalls because this is where I usually find some rare watch parts and rare coins.  I prioritize approaching older watch repairmen for only one reason, they have been in the business for so long. These old watch repairmen usually keep rare coins and rare watch parts and when they sell, it is very easy to haggle with them.

    

 Happy Searching!

Some thoughts on Cell Phones and Watches

    

    I have noticed that most people nowadays are not keen on wearing watches. They rely mostly on their phones for the time. People also set schedules of their important personal / business meetings on their phones and use the phone alarm function so as not to forget them. Cell phones are also used to remember someone’s birthday, wedding, love anniversaries and other special occasions. And if there is a research on what is the most important thing that we cannot live without, cell phone would  definitely be on top of the list.

      For most people, it is better to have at least one cell phone rather than owning a watch. Who needs a watch when your phone is perfectly updating you of the time? When we need to know the time, it is just a button press on our cell phone and it quickly displays the time, day, month and the year or depending how we wanted the time displayed on our cell phone screens, be it in military or in normal time. Cell phones also connect us with people through calls, texts and on social media. Watches do not provide these services.  So may I ask, what is the essence of wearing a watch when everybody is using their phones as a perfect alternative for watches? 

    This is maybe one reason why some relatively new watch companies are coming out with “eye-catching watch designs” because of the stiff competition posed not only by the same league but by  the "other" (cell phone companies) competitors in the market. Some of the new swiss brands  are producing  watches to catch buyer’s attention. Some watches that are being offered in the market today looking like colorful candies.

     But there is one huge advantage of some swiss brands over cell phones.  One  advantage of  some well known swiss brands in the market is the ability to withstand pressure on the deep sea or in space. I have not known anyone bringing a cell phone when he/she dives in the deep or explore the outer space. Well, it is now a common knowledge that some cell phone brands are incorporating waterproof technology on their phones but even if cell phones are already waterproofed, cell phones are not yet designed and created to withstand the pressure in the deep sea or outer space. I have not seen a cell phone company on television or even heard over the radio who advertises their cell phone brand being used by divers or astronauts. But having said this, I might be wrong in the future if cell phone companies would venture in developing phones to be used in the deep sea and in outer space. Technology is constantly changing. We will never know. And if that happens, That’s gonna be awesome! 

Vintage Zodiac Clasp for 20MM Lugsize?

     In my 10 years in watch buy and sell business, this is the first time that I came across with a Zodiac Stainless Steel Clasp. I assume that this clasp is for 20mm lugsize? I have seen many 7206, 7835 Rolex Clasps but this Zodiac clasp marked 7-66 on the blade is considered my rare find todate. I am wondering if the numbers (7-66) correspond to the production date of the clasp? 

The clasp has a Zodiac logo and one blade is marked Zodiac and 7-66.

A pin is missing that connects the two blades.

There is a repair on where you insert the pin that connects the two blades.

Happy Viewing!

How I remove small scratches on my vintage watch plastic glass covers

    

    It is very unavoidable that small scratches accidentally occur on your vintage watch plastic cover in the course of wearing your vintage watch. We do not plan accidents.

   Sometimes, I feel bad when I see those small scratches. For me, the scratches are mood changer. Once you see some small scratches on your vintage watch plastic cover, you will also be annoyed. 

    I have experimented on how to remove the small scratches without going to the watch repair shop or asking for a professional help because I knew that I can do it myself. In doing it, I also save on money from the high cost of professional help. Now, with constant practice and patience, I am getting good on removing the scratches on some of my vintage watch plastic glass covers!

    First, I buy the smoothest sand paper available in the market. Here in the Philippines, the smoothest sand paper is made in Japan. I divide the sand paper into eight pieces and I use a scissor to cut it. The reason being is that, the sand paper must exactly fit with the size of the watch plastic glass cover. Since I am not a professional watch technician, I do not have a tool to remove and separate the plastic glass cover from the case. I just let the plastic glass cover remain on the case. Before I start on sanding the plastic glass cover, I remove the band to protect it from getting dirty. Then, I put the head of the watch on the palm of my left hand and I gently sand the plastic glass cover. Scratches are usually located in the middle. I gently rub the sand paper on the plastic glass cover in circular motion. While rubbing the plastic cover with the sand paper,  I am very mindful that the sand paper must not touch the watch case. After rubbing for three minutes, I used my watch loupe to inspect if the scratches are already gone or removed and check if my sanding is even on the flat surface of the plastic glass cover. If the small scratches are still evident, I continue sanding the plastic glass cover.

    When the small scratches are already removed, I also experimented on how to remove the coarseness of the surface of the plastic glass cover brought by the sanding and how to make the plastic glass cover shiny. I use a metal polisher.  I apply a small amount of the metal polisher on top of the plastic glass cover. Using a soft cloth, I polish the plastic glass cover until it becomes shiny. If you don't have a soft cloth, you can use your worn out cotton tee-shirt to polish the plastic glass cover. 

  

Again here are the things you need to remove the small scratches:

Sand Paper - the smoothest available in your area.

Metal Polisher

Soft Cloth or a Worn out cotton tee -shirt.

Watch loupe

Scissor

Small Metal Pin to Remove the Band

Why the "Olongapo" Stainless Steel Bracelets were born in the Philippines?

     
     Before the Americans left and transferred the use of their Naval Bases to the Philippine government in the early 90's, they left us with a  small "piece of history" on the watch bracelet making industry in Olongapo City. The Americans during their stay in Subic had started and popularized the use of Customized Olongapo Hand-Made Stainless Steel bracelets crafted by the artisans in Olongapo City. 

    According to my research, the first copies of Olongapo made bracelets were associated with Benrus Type I Divers watch and was later copied to other watches like Eternamatic Kontiki Super and Seiko divers because there were many Navy divers, Seals, members of the UDT (Underwater Demolition team) who trained  in  Subic Naval Base in Olongapo, Zambales, Philippines in the 70's and may have asked Olongapo silver craftsmen to make stainless steel bracelets for their diver watches upon seeing the ingenuity of the Filipinos on silver craftmanship. Each Olongapo stainless steel bracelet was hand made customarily for each fighter with the insignia of the unit they belonged to. 

    In my opinion, Olongapo bracelets were born because the US Navy fighters wanted a bracelet that could last longer than their leather and rubber bracelets. A simple idea that benefited during that time all the silver craftsmen of Olongapo City and helped thrive the small bracelet making industry in the province. 

    I am sharing in my possession an "Omega" Olongapo Stainless Steel Bracelet. This bracelet can fit a 6 inches wrist when wore together with the watch.

   Would any watch company in Switzerland make the "Olongapo Hand-Made" bracelets as their next inspiration for their next watch?

    I hope so. :)

Here are some examples of Olongapo Stainless Steel bracelets I have gathered over the internet.

Used on Eternamatic Kontiki Super Divers Watch

Used on Seiko Divers Watch

Used on Rolex GMT- Master 1675

Used on Benrus Type I

Happy Viewing!