Watch knowledge challenge - windup watch?

[JonSmith]

Guys,

I'd like to challenge your watch knowledge: Does anyone know if windup watches are still made and if so what brand and price?

I'm not talking about self-winding, but a watch you actually have to wind the stem on.

Thanks!!

[loobcom]

I have one of these http://www.glycine-watch.ch/e/collection/detail.e.jsp?ID_Group=100009&ID_Display=10001I but not in this colour combo.

[watchman]

:D Rolex still makes one a dress watch about 2500.00 up O0

[Jumpmaster]

Timex makes one, last I checked...I'll see if I can get a link...

JM-99

[stillphoto]

There are plenty of them being made out there, I'm a bit of a watch freak myself...sites that you'll probably dig taking a look at will include:

http://www.chronomaster.co.uk/for_sale.htm
regardless of location, a good place to look at alot of new and used mechanical watches, some are auto though, just read the descriptions..

http://www.wartimers.com/prodcats.php
Cool military issue stuff, if thats the look your going for...I remember some of the watches that look similar to what countycomm.com has to offer were wind up, but those have given way to either auto's or quartz..

Glycine is a great watch brand, I've been close to buying one many times...still want an altus...the chronomaster page has a ton of them, in cool color combos, albeit mosly automatics...check anyways, should be some manuals around there somewhere

Aha!! the ace in the hole...I knew there was a site I had saved that had hand wind watches....I've heard these are quite robust and for the money are very similar to alot of swiss brands at a considerably lower (half?) price of some..http://www.zenowatchbasel.com/other.htm

The page I linked you to was the "other styles" section..just happend to be a page that had a few hand winders..but check the other styles on the site, I'm sure theres plenty more!

Happy hunting! Thats half the fun!

[Co_Outdoorsman]

I can't say as every winder I ever had died within 72 hours of getting it... >:(

[stillphoto]

How many have you had that happen to? Was it a few of the same kind?

[Co_Outdoorsman]

It was a few different Timex watches,also a Army issued winder and a Seiko... Can't wear autos either first self winder that worked was my Seiko Kinetic... Which is really not a self winder...

[stillphoto]

Hmm, I'm assuming you're wearing these under somewhat "normal" conditions as far as exposure to vibration, ect..

[Co_Outdoorsman]

Yup, not sure what happened, they just died, There was no vibrations or drownings just normal day to day wear for about 3 days... so now its Citizen or Seiko for me... Other than that one Seiko that died (back in the late 70's) I have not had any problems with a quartz watch, just winders...

[JonSmith]

Thanks to all for the info! I guess the days of getting a Timex windup for $30-$40 are over, where have I been!! The last few years I've been wearing digitals, usually Timex, for the big numbers. In my younger days I wore Timex or similar windups, then when I started making more money went to a Tudor(poor man's Rolex), then when I didn't care about appearances, I wore Swiss Army for a while, when my near vision went south, I switched to Timex for the big digits. Like I said, where have I been and where did time go. :)

[Breadman]

Try Invicta watches, they have a huge selection and great prices as well.

[stillphoto]

I happen to have an invicta and I love it. My particular model (Ocean Ghost in all stainless w/blue hands and markers) is a nice piece. It's got some weight to it, has solid links (mandatory for any watch I own) and while it shares some "classic" lines, doesn't try to pretend to be something it isn't.

Uses a Japanese Miyota movement which keeps pretty good time, but has a pretty low power reserve (maybe 24 hours?). My Oakley timebomb kicks the invictas rear with its 10 day reserve. It however operates on a quartz movement driven by an automatic-style rotor that charges the capacitor inside.

[Bobby D]

I've bought a few hand-wound watches in the last couple of months. They've all been US military issue, bought off Ebay in various states of repair.
Currently I've got examples by Hamilton, Stocker and Yale, and Marathon. All cost between $60 and $90.

Ned Frederick has a great site: http://home.earthlink.net/%7ebrendo81/46374.html .All the info you need on US field watches.

Obviously, if you don't like military watches, it ain't no good. ;)

Bob.

[gadgetjunky]

I am wearing an Altanus mechanical right now as I type this. 100% hand wound. The turn on the Poor Man's Watch Trading Forum now and then for $80-140 depending on strap, condition, etc.
http://www.fototime.com/FBDD859C4046C45/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/1C0554E8524A9FC/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/7937FA6F9456769/standard.jpg

There are a lot of Poljot Russian made mechanicals out there right now, including mechanical chronos.
Here is a chrono that I used to have, and may yet buy back from the fellow that I sold it to.
http://www.fototime.com/95AB3D06D79EFA2/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/39FE0CF74263DBD/standard.jpg

Probably the best bet from a durability standpoint though would be to look of something running a Unitas 17 jewel movement. Trias, Zeno, Glycine, and a bunch of other makers use this movement. Here's a Trias that I stupidly sold to a friend of mine.
http://www.fototime.com/4B456D545AF6071/standard.jpg


I used to have this Trias, but decided that it was a little small for my wrist and sold it off.
http://www.fototime.com/EA1C0F2FFC25CBB/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/EF61CB5BBB65F1D/standard.jpg


Check out:
http://www.longislandwatch.com/Trias_Page-3.htm
http://www.gnomonwatches.com/
http://www.pmwf.com/cgi-bin/SalesForum/webbbs_config.cgi?noframes;read=46263
http://www.pmwf.com/cgi-bin/SalesForum/webbbs_config.cgi?noframes;read=46269

Danny

[loveit]

Hamilton makes some wind mechanical watches. The khaki collection contains some nice field mechanicals. Hamilton is a great watch for the money. See them here: http://www.hamiltonwatch.com/index_flash.html