my step daughter just married a couple weeks back. i'm turning her bedroom into an arts and crafts room for the wife. she wanted some p.o.s. need to assemble, book cases from ikea, i took her to several antique shops, and found a solid cherry book case for half the price, and it's solid wood, and quite attractive.

yesterday, i was working in the garage, wife was standing there, and as i reached for something on the shelf, i blew the pin off my 1955 bulova watch. i paid $25 for this watch at a pawn shop in monterey many years ago. the pin is an easy fix, i just need to find my bag of watch parts and replace it. the wife looks at me and says, "so i guess you'll have to break down and buy a watch", i said, "follow me", i pull an old gun case out of the closet and pop it open, i pull a 1944 bulova out, wind it, it fires right off, and i put it directly on my wrist, my wife just shakes her head and walks off.

i know technology is a good thing, but i just like stuff that had somebodies heart and soul put into it. i own about twenty five watches, mostly from the 30's to the 50's, and even after sitting for years at a time, i pull them out, and they fire right up. i do have to find somebody to fix my two electric hamilton's, but all the wind up stuff, still works.

i forget the kids today, aren't familiar with our early technology. i had a girl work for me, she started while she was in high school, and when she went to get married, i had a very nice early watch restored for her. it was beautiful, from the 30's. she came back from the honeymoon, returned to work, and sheepishly approached me, "bill, the watch you gave me doesn't work, it just stopped working", i took a look at it, and couldn't find anything wrong, so i wound it, and it fired right up. i said, "when was the last time you wound it?", she looks at me strangely, and says, "you have to wind it?" i had forgot that she was so young, she'd never owned, or heard of a watch you had to wind. that was over 15 years ago, she still wears that watch....

Don't worry too much Bill about us younger people....some of us still find the simple things are better made than anything with a chip;) In fact, there's been times when I've known more about something from my Grandfather's time than my Dad or uncles do. I think it all has to do with a sense of history as well as a sense of awareness. No matter what age you are, there's always going to be someone dumber or in some cases more ignorant than you......just be glad that someone isn't you:D Oh yeah, a college degree doesn't factor into this scenario either....experience is and always has been the best teacher.

Don't worry too much Bill about us younger people....some of us still find the simple things are better made than anything with a chip;) In fact, there's been times when I've known more about something from my Grandfather's time than my Dad or uncles do. I think it all has to do with a sense of history as well as a sense of awareness. No matter what age you are, there's always going to be someone dumber or in some cases more ignorant than you......just be glad that someone isn't you:D Oh yeah, a college degree doesn't factor into this scenario either....experience is and always has been the best teacher.

you see, that's how i think of it. i hold a watch, walk threw an old house, sit in an old car, it's not just the fun of having it, or owning it, it's the sense of history, the thought of why is this here, what were the circumstances over the decades, that some how, i recieved this, some times it's simple, but sometimes there is many stories leading up to the "now" of it. who owned it when new, how did they come to have it, why was it let go. i own a few watches that are engraved, i pourposly never had those backs replaced, i wanted to keep the history intact.

i love the fact that a lot of old race cars are being restored to "as was" condition. i was lucky enoug to watch wild bill shrewberry, grumpy jenkins, butch leal, etc. and to see the early gassers and pro stocks, top fuelers in great shape, really brings a feeling of pride and warmth to me "i was there when they ran and made history". and the fact people see fit to pull these cars from the dust and redeem thier glory, is a great thing.

i know a lot og young guys are looking back, to early music, cars, planes etc. you guys are going to be the ones to carry the legacy and history of our time forward. as time moves along, and more and more history is made, it will be hard, fewer people interested, less actual physical evidence left, etc.

i wonder if the history of today will even carry over. i work with young kids, and even something as recent as say, michael jordon, is foreign to them...

I'm with you Bill. I've recently become interested in old kerosene lamps. My girlfriend and I occasionaly enjoy reading a book in the living room with nothing but a couple of kerosene lamps burning. (Aladdin mantle lamps are by far the brightest!) It's quite peaceful, and relaxing.... :)

I went to an estate auction near home, because they had a few lamps and Dietz lanterns for sale. I got two of them, in a lot with another unidentified object. There was an old farmer that asked me if I knew what the other thing was, and I told him no, I just wanted the lanterns. He explained it was an alcohol burning heater, that the farmers used to use with their model T cars. They'd hang it under the engine at night, to keep it warm enough for an easier start in the morning. After starting the car, they'd put it under the seat to keep themselves warm.

Here's a pic of one of the lanterns I just cleaned and fixed up: (you can see the fuel can for the heater on the RH side...)
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/IMG_1323.jpg
I don't know the date, but likely WWII era. Though they made these since the mid 1800's. You can buy a new one made in Hong Kong on the original tooling, for about $20. But I'm far more interested in the old ones. It's fascinating to me to think of the history.... some farmer could have used it in his barn, as the one of the only sources of light. Or could have been used indoors, before rural homes were electrified. I wonder how often it was used, and when it was retired.

Things like the alcohol heater, I'm glad to learn the history of. Someday, the old guys that remember them won't be around to tell the story.

I have a Hamilton pocket watch made in the 20's that still works perfectly. Normally I don't wear a watch, but when I do need one, I carry the Hamilton.

Here in Atlanta (as in many big cities, I'm sure) there's a big push to buy older houses and knock them over to make room for McMansions. I really HATE that. The great thing about older neighborhoods is the charming, well-built houses, large lots, and trees, and the more-money-than-sense crowd feels the need to come in and wreck it. First thing they always do is clear-cut the trees. Morons.

old things usually work better and last longer than brand new things these days. Take coffee makers for instance. I've used umpteen cheap Mr. Coffee machines. The coffee tastes like crap, and the stupid machines get dirty and break. So I bought an old Sunbeam percolator at a flea market for a buck, cleaned it up, and it worked perfectly. You could clock someone on the head with this thing and not hurt it, it's so well made. Cofee tastes great too. Well, the cord developed a short recently, and sometimes stopped working. Wife said "toss it out - it's broken". I said "don't be a ___, I'll just fix it". So she got the idea and went to the local mom and pop hardware store and bought a brand new replacement cord. Works like new.

I just don't understand the throw away mentality.

I have a Hamilton pocket watch made in the 20's that still works perfectly. Normally I don't wear a watch, but when I do need one, I carry the Hamilton.

Here in Atlanta (as in many big cities, I'm sure) there's a big push to buy older houses and knock them over to make room for McMansions. I really HATE that. The great thing about older neighborhoods is the charming, well-built houses, large lots, and trees, and the more-money-than-sense crowd feels the need to come in and wreck it. First thing they always do is clear-cut the trees. Morons.

MIKE, how many jewels is the watch? do you know how the jewels are used? i have two hamilton pocket watches, one, on the inside, has a train engraved in the works. very cool watch....

i had a girl work for me, she started while she was in high school, and when she went to get married, i had a very nice early watch restored for her. it was beautiful, from the 30's. she came back from the honeymoon, returned to work, and sheepishly approached me, "bill, the watch you gave me doesn't work, it just stopped working", i took a look at it, and couldn't find anything wrong, so i wound it, and it fired right up. i said, "when was the last time you wound it?", she looks at me strangely, and says, "you have to wind it?" i had forgot that she was so young, she'd never owned, or heard of a watch you had to wind. that was over 15 years ago, she still wears that watch....

Wow, great story and great gift...something she can use an appreciate for years to come!

John

I still have my grandfathers cordless drill from the 50's. It is a variable speed drill, the faster you wind the crank the faster it goes.

Man, I hear you 100%. My wife and I have some wonderful antiques and I've built some replicas of arts & crafts furniture when we couldn't find or afford exactly what we needed (see one of my pieces here: http://www.amhost.com/scooter/otherinterestspage.html). Building a few myself really helps me understand what it takes to make "the good stuff".

A number of times I've had to steer my wife away from pieces that had a certain look but were junk or simply poorly built of shoddy materials. I tend to look at the design and the mechanics of the piece where the wife looks only at the asthetics but she trusts my judgement so it all works out. I really enjoy finding an old piece that is so well built that it's no surprise it's still around looking and functioning well. I think the fact that the era that spawned such nice old pieces was also an era of "buy good stuff, take care of your stuff and it will provide you with years of service" helps explain why so much of the old stuff is still with us.

That said, I can't believe the prices on some old piece of crap I've seen. It's simply true that just because it's old, doesn't necessarily mean it is good. It's odd, but the really good solid pieces we've gotten were usually the most reasonably priced! I still vividly recall getting a set of freshly refinished quarter-sawn oak library chairs for $125 for a set of 6! They look great around our antique quarter-sawn dining room table my wife got from her dad.

One other hobby of mine is to collect neon signs and loose neon pieces. I can say the same applies to neon: the older stuff is quite often much more well made than the new stuff. The older stuff, if made well, can last decades and decades, the more recent stuff can last 10 or 15 years and then it's no good. The quality of the bends and overall craftsmanship is very noticeable beyond the quality of the performance of the pieces. I had the very good fortune to see a true master neon glass blower at work years ago before he retired and passed away from cancer. He was a true artist and craftsman, but he always said it was "just a job" to him. He didn't even understand the incredible nature of his own ability. His attention to detail and desire to make a quality piece, even if no one else could tell the difference, is a skill sorely lacking in today's production-quota driven world. What so many organizations fail to realize is that if you give an employee the opportunity (time) to do the absolute best job possible, that in the end, they will have a high production rate as well because they can do more and better work in less time than those slapping crap together to move onto the next job, and they will spend a lot less time replacing or fixing things due to shoddy work.

my step daughter just married a couple weeks back. .

ok, when I read this I thought your stepdaughter was a bit kinky and perhaps lived in Utah but i put my thinking cap on and realized you were talking about a time frame (couple of weeks back) and not another "couple" (weeks back) :D;)

Second - great story and so true. I dont have much cool old stuff but to this day the stuff I do have that is mecahnical in nature, none of this cheap chinese crap or tons of electrical hitech stuff works just as it did when bought new. Im not old enough to remember "those days" but i'll be damned if I dont want them back anyway. Back when people took pride in what they built, back when craftsmanship actually meant something, back when "talent" actually met the definition and people built stuff to last and put their heart and soul into their craft because it represented them as opposed to being half a world away and just a number in a company where its quantity and not quality.....and all the while using inferior materials.

hell yeah! im the same way you guys are.im in the floor business, its hard as hell and very demanding of you. but i take so much pride in what i do, just for the simple fact that i can change a house that looks like crap on the inside, and when im done with it the place looks new or totally different. and i know it will last becuase i carry including me 3 generations of knowledge in my trade. so its guarenteed to last. :thumbsup: and im only 21.

MIKE, how many jewels is the watch? do you know how the jewels are used? i have two hamilton pocket watches, one, on the inside, has a train engraved in the works. very cool watch....

I'll have to look at it when I get home. On the Bulova watches, I have an uncle who is a pawn shop junkie. He used to travel extensively on business, and always went into the local pawn shops looking for guns, knives, and for some reason Bulova watches. I think he has about 40 of them, most of them vintage, and nearly all are new or near-new and in the original box.

I'll have to look at it when I get home. On the Bulova watches, I have an uncle who is a pawn shop junkie. He used to travel extensively on business, and always went into the local pawn shops looking for guns, knives, and for some reason Bulova watches. I think he has about 40 of them, most of them vintage, and nearly all are new or near-new and in the original box.

it's because bulova's are built like bricks, and some very inovative cases and works. hamiltons are the same.

heres the deal on jewels in watches. fine watches had jewels in them, the more jewels usually the more accurate and dependable the watch. the jewels were actually rubies, and sahpires, they were rounded and drilled, because back then, technology wasn't at a level where they could make bearings that small, so everywhere there is a pivot point, it is usually a jewel that allows the product to work. a 7 jewel watch usually did the job, but it would need a time adjustment from time to time, usually 13 jewel and above, your getting into finer watches, and usually 23 jewel and up, your really getting a masterpiece. so when you open the back of the watch, you'll see red or blue little doughnuts at the pivot points, those are actual jewels.

of couse everybody knows somebody who has thier grandpa's solid gold railroad watch. actual r.r. watches were very large steel case watches with a high jewel count. because if you weren't on time, there was a good chance you were going to hit another train.

most of the early gold watches, weren't at all, they were brass, and those that did have gold were usually "rolled" which means a thin layer applied to each side of tin or silver, gold is to soft to pread the area you need to make a pocket watch. "rose gold" was gold that had copper added for that pink tint.

ok...so i'm babbling, and now everybody knows i have a watch fetish...

I used to collect pocket watches till it got too expensive.I still have all of them, around 70,alot of eljins,some double sunk face railroad watches,some keywinds,one alarm,all made before 1900.They all work like new.Hamiltons,DH,I even have some dollar watches in with my parts watches.They are interesting.

it's because bulova's are built like bricks, and some very inovative cases and works. hamiltons are the same.

heres the deal on jewels in watches. fine watches had jewels in them, the more jewels usually the more accurate and dependable the watch. the jewels were actually rubies, and sahpires, they were rounded and drilled, because back then, technology wasn't at a level where they could make bearings that small, so everywhere there is a pivot point, it is usually a jewel that allows the product to work. a 7 jewel watch usually did the job, but it would need a time adjustment from time to time, usually 13 jewel and above, your getting into finer watches, and usually 23 jewel and up, your really getting a masterpiece. so when you open the back of the watch, you'll see red or blue little doughnuts at the pivot points, those are actual jewels.

of couse everybody knows somebody who has thier grandpa's solid gold railroad watch. actual r.r. watches were very large steel case watches with a high jewel count. because if you weren't on time, there was a good chance you were going to hit another train.

most of the early gold watches, weren't at all, they were brass, and those that did have gold were usually "rolled" which means a thin layer applied to each side of tin or silver, gold is to soft to pread the area you need to make a pocket watch. "rose gold" was gold that had copper added for that pink tint.

ok...so i'm babbling, and now everybody knows i have a watch fetish...

Very interesting Bill. I knew that good watches used semi-precious gems (jewels) in them but didn't know the actual reason. Thanks for the enlightenment.
As for the watch fetish. Don't worry, We'll just add it to the list of other fetishes we know you have. :D