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Duracuir1
··Never Used A KodakTwo weeks ago a man gave me two watches in exchange for a strap.
One of the watches was a Gruen with a sharp but well used case and a seemingly damaged dial, obscured by a bad crystal.
The hands had been previously re-lumed. But that case looked good and the watch was on an old Forstner bracelet.
I sent a message to Canuck for his opinion on whether the watch was worth reviving. He said that he would only know if I sent it to him.
The watch.
Upon receiving the watch Canuck sent me messages. He confirmed that the watch had a bumper and explained what that meant. (I know how to wind them and how to tell time… that’s it).
Canuck said he would revive it.
Work included a new crystal, crown, some seals and he indicated that the hands were rusty and that the marks on the dial were from those rusty hands. The lume would potentially flake off if he cleaned them, but left as is they would look horrible.
He cleaned the hands and re-lumed them, much as I imagine his father would have done many decades before. He carefully cleaned the rust from the dial.
Once back together, he monitored how it held up over a four day stretch.
He sent me photos.
The photo without the case has the “before” hands. He asked me if I wanted them cleaned and re-lumed before doing so.
I went for it. This is not a $10000 UG after all.
Today I received the watch. Runs very well. I am having a pin repaired on the old Forstner so for now, it’s on leather.
Another time capsule is the box that @Canuck used to ship the watch. Have a look at the writing on both sides of that box.
I imagine that canuck’s stash is rich in history.
Thank you Canuck. Leaving you with a photo of the Gruen with my Seamaster. They are similar in size.
One of the watches was a Gruen with a sharp but well used case and a seemingly damaged dial, obscured by a bad crystal.
The hands had been previously re-lumed. But that case looked good and the watch was on an old Forstner bracelet.
I sent a message to Canuck for his opinion on whether the watch was worth reviving. He said that he would only know if I sent it to him.
The watch.
Upon receiving the watch Canuck sent me messages. He confirmed that the watch had a bumper and explained what that meant. (I know how to wind them and how to tell time… that’s it).
Canuck said he would revive it.
Work included a new crystal, crown, some seals and he indicated that the hands were rusty and that the marks on the dial were from those rusty hands. The lume would potentially flake off if he cleaned them, but left as is they would look horrible.
He cleaned the hands and re-lumed them, much as I imagine his father would have done many decades before. He carefully cleaned the rust from the dial.
Once back together, he monitored how it held up over a four day stretch.
He sent me photos.
The photo without the case has the “before” hands. He asked me if I wanted them cleaned and re-lumed before doing so.
I went for it. This is not a $10000 UG after all.
Today I received the watch. Runs very well. I am having a pin repaired on the old Forstner so for now, it’s on leather.
Another time capsule is the box that @Canuck used to ship the watch. Have a look at the writing on both sides of that box.
I imagine that canuck’s stash is rich in history.
Thank you Canuck. Leaving you with a photo of the Gruen with my Seamaster. They are similar in size.
