cazalea
[Seiko Moderator]
17076
Have you ever "totaled" a watch?
In the automotive body repair business, we use the word "totaled" to describe a car that has been wrecked beyond (economical) repair. A roll-over, a side-swipe, whatever. In the mechanical repair end of the business, we use the term "mechanical total" to describe a car that can't be fixed for less than its value - a situation my father-in-law's Buick is in right now.
No matter how nice it might look, who wants to put $3000 worth of repairs into a car worth $3000?
This came to my mind as I was examining a nice little watch belonging to a friend's wife. It's a Skagen - attractive, quartz woman's watch. Not expensive. He changed the battery himself and couldn't get the back cover on. He did a bit of forcing. Then a bit more. He brought it in to me. I put the cover on for him, but it doesn't run. I said I probably could fix it, but embarrassed, he said No. He'll buy his wife another one. TOTAL
A minor scratch on the crystal at 7 is its only apparent cosmetic flaw, and only in some angled light. Maybe I can fix it and give it to my wife ... but then his wife will see it, and that's not good. So TOTAL
This got me to thinking about watches that have gone into my TOTALED pile:
Kinetic, titanium, Seiko. One of my former favorite tool watches. Now the crown won't screw down; it needs a new tube put in the case. Too much trouble. Has to go to the spa. Not worth it, as I've got two others like it. TOTAL.
Here's one of the watches that looks a lot like the one above, only it's stainless, perpetual, GMT, quartz. A small copper lead is broken on the side of the movement. I've tried to fix it. No can do. Seiko doesn't sell the movements, so it has to go back to the factory repair shop. I have others, who cares. TOTAL Sigh.
A friend gave this watch to me after it filled with water. I mislaid the movement and now I only have the case. There are no numbers or names or any ID marks on the case or the bracelet. I like the steam-punky look of the bezel, but definitely a TOTAL
Can you contribute photos of watches you have TOTALED?
Cheers,
Cazalea
This message has been edited by cazalea on 2014-04-21 15:22:16
Have you ever "totaled" a watch?
In the automotive body repair business, we use the word "totaled" to describe a car that has been wrecked beyond (economical) repair. A roll-over, a side-swipe, whatever. In the mechanical repair end of the business, we use the term "mechanical total" to ...
How about one . . .
. . . I'm about . . . . . . to total? Yup, it's an IWC cal 89. The story is so excruciating that I can't bear to tell it. Let's just say the effort to find one part for this movement is akin to an act of Congress, and leave it at that. Art ...
That orange Seiko gave me a painful memory
I was cleaning and fixing up a nice little solar watch as sort of a barter deal for a friend. After finishing, I set it above a lamp so it could charge up. Sadly it got too much heat and the translucent plastic dial overlay wrinkled up like a Ruffles pota...
I thought I Totaled it
My Panerai PAM 320. I dropped it 8 ft down the stairs. A couple of screws came out of the movement and it stopped. I thought it was gone. Or going to cost a bomb to fix. I got away with just a movement service and its back to normal. Although it takes a b...
