Art Deco Platinum 18k Diamond Watch

[redwood66]

This will be on its way to me soon from the UK. I hope it is as beautiful as it looks. Kinda pricey for me but I have not seen a watch like this in this price range before. Israel Rose has a couple but they are $4k or more. I have a local master horologist who can repair or retrofit with a quartz movement but I am not sure which I want to do yet. Platinum with an 18k band but not sure of the ct weight of diamonds. Looks to be over 1ct. But the artistry on this one is amazing! Milgrain is gorgeous! I can't wait to get it! Pic explosion.


What do you think? Was it worth the $1675?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/110988189858?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

[Circe]

I love it! I was actually just looking at this one the other night and admiring it. Watches like these really are miniature works of art ....

 

[redwood66]

I was hoping you would post Circe! The close-ups on the listing are what got me. Many of the watches I have looked at don't look this amazing with such detail. 60 watchers for it and the fact that I could not find it in any closed listings made me just buck up and pay.

 

[Circe]

Heheheheh - I know how THAT goes! I was actually searching exhaustively for a few days (wanted to get a diamond bracelet for my french cut watch - and why is it that it's impossible to find just the bracelets, generally?) and I thought that was one of the nicest ones. Do you think you'll wear it every day, or save it for special occasions?

 

[redwood66]

I think it could be almost a daily wear style. KWIM since it is a mesh band with no stones and the setting of the diamonds is flush and not all prongy? I probably won't wear it more than a couple times a week. With my OEC three stone and antique band of course! I will have to have the movement looked at and I will probably take the case and band to a jeweler for inspection and appraisal. Want to make sure the stones are all set in there securely and have it cleaned up a bit. So excited to have a real vintage nice item.

I love your french cut watch! I have been oogling it on here forever. Did you find a bracelet?

 

[Hera]

What a beauty!! I agree that pieces like this are little pieces of art! I'm thinking with a repair of $500 (just guessing) that you've paid a fair price of $2200ish.

 

[redwood66]

What a beauty!! I agree that pieces like this are little pieces of art! I'm thinking with a repair of $500 (just guessing) that you've paid a fair price of $2200ish.

Thank you. I am contemplating just having him put a quartz movement in there. I know that is sacrilege to real watch collectors but the cost to repair and constant winding and having to get it serviced as much as it should be are probably going to keep me from the mechanical movement.

 

[Circe]

What a beauty!! I agree that pieces like this are little pieces of art! I'm thinking with a repair of $500 (just guessing) that you've paid a fair price of $2200ish.

Thank you. I am contemplating just having him put a quartz movement in there. I know that is sacrilege to real watch collectors but the cost to repair and constant winding and having to get it serviced as much as it should be are probably going to keep me from the mechanical movement.

In defense of mechanicals watches ... Oh, gods, do I love mine. I actually prefer them over everything else - yeah, sure, quartz keeps time, but changing the batteries every year or so is a pain. Mechanicals don't need to be serviced a tenth as often (seriously, my dad gave me my first winding watch when I was 12, and though I may have had to change the band, I still haven't needed to take it in for anything else). Automatics are even better, yes, but the mechanisms are almost always larger, and I actually love my dinky delicate diamonds. I do wear mine every day (well, except for these last three weeks, because I had another I needed fixed up and I thought, since I never do clean those diamonds properly ... Hence why I was up nights searching for substitutes!). It is awesome - appropriate for evenings, a great way to put some glitz into an everyday outfit. I kind if see it as sunk cost ... better to spend the $500 up front and have no more fuss about it for the next 20 years, right?

P.S. I, uh, may have succumbed to temptation and bought it a round bezels friend from the same period. They ARE art!

 

[redwood66]

Ooh must see that!!!!

I do hear you on the mechanicals, really I do, so when he takes a look at it I may change my mind. Do you wind yours daily when putting it on? I am worried about overwinding. The movement in this watch looks like a no name basic 17j so parts should be accessible for him. Something tells me I should also keep this watch original as possible. I cannot tell how the crystal is in the pics but he can replace that with a harder one anyway. I just cannot believe the workmanship and flowers on it to boot!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I adore wearable art. Great piece of jewellery--and FWIW, I'd keep the mechanical movement and have it refurbished.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Hera]

I think they make automatic watch winders that you might want to look into so you can keep the mechanical. A change to a quartz movement will really impact the value and desirability should you choose to sell it one day.

 

[dk168]

A great find for 1675 USD IMHO!

DK

 

[minousbijoux]

I agree that it sounds like an amazing deal. I am not an expert, but I think of some of the dreck that costs $1,600+ these days - compared to that, this watch is a steal, imo!

Tell me about the band -do you think it is original to the watch?

I forgot to say that I really love it; its stunning!

 

[redwood66]

Thank you! I do think the band is original to the watch or definitely period accurate. It fits perfectly in the lugs and now that I have it on my wrist I am so glad that it is so adjustable. Women had tiny wrists back then and it has been hard to find one that would fit my 6" wrist.

More pics and video here:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/art-deco-platinum-18k-diamond-watch.193824/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/art-deco-platinum-18k-diamond-watch.193824/[/URL]

 

[Diamondless]

Holy sparkle! Now THAT is a watch It's beautiful, and the floral design is very unique.