Hatrack River Forum: Old Pocket Watches

This is topic Old Pocket Watches in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :

I love them.
And now I have one. [Party]

Posted by Artemisia Tridentata (Member # 8746) on :

But, I have old pockets. So there!

Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :

I had one when I was younger but it went through the wash and was decidedly dead after that.

Well actually a repairshop probably could have fixed it if my brother hadn't decided to attempt a "repair" himself.

Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :

My brother has exclusively used pocket watches for at least the last twenty years. Probably longer.

Pocket watches are cool. [Cool]

Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :

I had a pocket watch. But it broke and when I took it to a repair man, he cut my head open and took my powers.

Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :

A pocket watch probably saved my life.

Or extended it.

I used to wear a wrist watch. When ever I was going anywhere, doing anything I would glance down at my watch. I was either cursing how long I still had left doing what I was doing, or I was figuring out how much I could get done in the short time I had left.

I stressed over every second, every moment. You can't type on a keyboard without seeing your wristwatch, and I couldn't help but take a peak at the time and get stressed about it.

Then I got a pocket watch.

I put it in my pocket.

When I wanted to check the time I had to reach in my pocket, pull it out, open it up, note the time, then close it and put it back.

That took a lot of time.

So I checked the time less often.

I stressed less.

I avoided a heart attack that was heading directly towards me.

Now I don't watch the clocks that surround me.

I keep the one in my car set to display the radio station, not the time. I drive much more sanely now.

I keep the one on my computer minimalized, and get much more work done and come home much more relaxed.

I keep the one on my VCR flashing happilly at 12:00, mainly because I lose power to that outlet about once a month, and its just not worth the hassle resetting it. Besides, when I am enjoying a movie I don't want a reminder about how much time has gone, or what else I could be doing.

And I discovered this secret when my wife handed me a pocket watch. The watch has since been used to the point of needing vital repairs, so now I go without one. If I really need to know what time it is, I can check my phone, or my computer, or any of the digital devices that surround us.

Or I can really go out on a limb, and ask somebody.

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

I thought you were waiting for your tax refund in order to get one, Syn. From what you said...

Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :

I should have waited, and once you buy one pocket watch...
You end up wanting more!

I'm giving them all to my future children anyway. And it was relatively inexpensive considering its age. It's probably not the best one and it willc ost the amount i paid for it to get it cleaned.

Cool statements about time, DanRaven, how old was the watch? Do you still have it? Mine isn't set to the right time yet because I don't know how to set it.

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

What kind did you get, Syn?

I have several myself (some handed down through family, some I have purchased). What size and type? Where did you get it?

FG

Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :

This watch is an Elgin, Size 12, 7 jewels I got from Ebay.
What kind do you have?
I want more watches, but I must CONTROL myself as I have to pay my library fees.

Posted by Lavalamp (Member # 4337) on :

Uh oh...you've got it bad.

It's a great idea, btw, to collect US brands like Elgin and Hamilton. The foreign ones are more difficult to find someone to service them, and, frankly, the American ones are truly great.

I own a nice Hamilton in a Hunter case. They reissued it recently in a faithful reproduction for 5x what I paid for a fully serviced original one.

Posted by Verily the Younger (Member # 6705) on :

I love my pocket watch. I haven't worn it much lately. I'll probably wear it a lot more once I lose some weight.

(I can't fit into my old vests anymore. And I refuse to buy new, bigger, vests. So I'm going to lose weight and then I'll wear my old vests again.)

(You can't wear a pocket watch without a vest.)

(Well, you can. You can put it in a pants pocket or something. But then you look stupid.)

Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :

New pocket watches aren't bad either. I got my first one because I worked summers as a ride operator at an amusement park. So, while I still had a farmer's tan, the pocket watch saved my from having a bright white strip of skin on my wrist.

Posted by Luet13 (Member # 9274) on :

I used to have a really great pocket watch. It was new when I got it, but I really loved it. It was just so pretty and I really hate having anything on my wrists.

Unfortunately while imbibing copious amounts of alcohal one night about three years ago, I fell in Lake Michigan and the watch drowned. It was an untimely death, but that's what comes of drinking too much liquor. [Blushing]

Being sober is so much more sane. [Smile]