WooHoo, New (Old) Watch

[JewelFreak]

A couple of months ago I lost my Tiffany watch. It had a tricky clasp which must have given up & the watch went walkabout. Despite exhaustive searches & brainy help from iLander, it never turned up. Heartbroken -- it was 14K, diamond-bezeled face & can't afford to replace it.....

....Until I discovered my dream watch on eBay! I don't want a chronometer or any fancy works, just one that keeps good time & is reliable. And beautiful -- a watch is jewelry you wear every day. I always wished for one as pretty as any ring I'd wear & until the Tiff one, never thought I'd be that lucky. I won it last night! Vendor photos:









"Pre-owned," 14K, diamonds H, SI1-2. Before I go nuts w/joy, planning to take it to a jeweler to confirm that it is what they say it is. Because it was too inexpensive: minimum bid $800, I got it for $835. In my constant internet roaming, similar watches are twice that price. A new one, exactly the same, just under $3K. Before bidding I checked out the vendor -- 30-day return policy, top seller, good reviews over 10 yrs, found 2 favorable ones outside eBay. However, turns out to be a pawn shop in Cincinnati. And eBay is crammed w/fakes. I know Geneve isn't a brand, but will have the thing checked anyway on the theory that what looks too good to be true..., etc.

If it is right -- I found no indications this guy has ever sold something not as represented -- I'm JUMPING AROUND! This is what I would've bought if I hadn't been stuck buying Tiffany because of the discount! Should arrive end of next week, P.O. willing.

--- Laurie

 

[Enerchi]

YOWZERS!!! Thats a beauty you found Laurie!!!! Congrats on that eBay win - lovely lovely lovely! Bet you can't wait to get that on your wrist!!

Bet now that you have this... your 'lost' Tiffany will be found. That always seems to be the case for me - hope your other one shows up eventually

 

[JewelFreak]

Ha ha ha, Enerchi! Never thought of that! You're probably right! If it does turn up, I'll sell the sucker for more than I paid for this one.

This watch is my price for editing DH's latest book. He writes books on 50s & 60s race cars & his native language is Dutch. Though his English is wonderful, in writing he needs a great deal of editing for clarity & grace & getting idioms right. I'm now working on his 6th one, tedious toil; on only one did he give me editing credit in print, so I told him it would cost him this time. He was fine with that & loves the watch as much as I do (but I won't let him borrow it. )

--- Llaurie

 

[Enerchi]

I love the idea of paying in jewellry!!!!

So.... 6th book... ok, start your jewellry search now - what are you going to get for THAT book???

 

[Missy]

Laurie, that watch is just beautiful- I love it! Hope it turns out to be exactly what you want it to be and I also hope your lost watch gets found by you as well! Your new watch is so elegant and lovely- wear in health and happiness!

Btw, I think your dh needs to give you editing credit in print for all of his books! And pay you in jewelry as well.

 

[artdecogirl]

Beautiful watch! And I just love the band, so pretty

 

[VRBeauty]

Congratulations - that's a beautiful watch and an incredible price! It sounds like you've really earned it too ... wear it in good health!

FWIW I have a Baume et Mercier watch with a very similar band, but unfortunately, without the lovely diamond bezel. I got mine at a local pawn shop several years ago. I believe it dates back to the 80's ("Dynasty" era), and I've seen that time range mentioned in some ebay ads for similar watches.

 

[JewelFreak]

I saw a similar Baume & Mercier, VR Beauty, online. Loved it & would have bought it -- for quite a bit more than this one -- if I hadn't happened on this. Great for you for finding it -- the bracelet is the part I love the most. Do you still wear yours?

 

[VRBeauty]

You bet I still wear it! However...

As I said, I got that watch several years ago. My everyday (or rather, every workday) watch had died and I spotted this one in the pawn shop window and fell in love, so it became my everyday watch for yellow metal days.

Not long after that though I discovered vintage watches on ebay. I got there indirectly via PS, of course! Once there, it was hard to leave, so... I now have several vintage watches (and a few not-so-vintage watches) to choose from each morning.

ETA the smaller watch faces suit my wrist very well, and I'm not particularly concerned about being au courant (especially for accessories). Does your watch have a safety chain?

 

[JewelFreak]

I agree about smaller faces -- they look better on me & I like them better too. Never have been very fond of the current watch styles where the women's & men's are almost alike, not girl-ish enough for me. There are some on eBay that are darned tempting, don't blame you for picking up one or 2, also a couple of internet vendors not on eBay have beauties. What other ones did you buy?

No safety chain -- I think I'll have to get this band shortened; the listing says it fits up to 7 1/2" wrist & my wrist is 6 1/4" so may see about having a chain put on then. It would have saved the one I lost. It's one of those fold-over clasps, here's a photo:



Enerchi, Missy & Artdecogirl, thanks! I hope it is IRL as good as it looks! And you're right, Missy, DH owes me credit for editing AND 4 books' worth of jewels! He twisted the publisher's arm for $1K for me on one book for translating source material from French, good boy!

--- Laurie

 

[Circe]

Ooo, Laurie, congratulations! That is one of my very favorite types of watch: they always remind me of fine Venetian lace. Beautiful! I can't wait to see handshots.

And a big ditto on your Tiffany watch just waiting for this moment to reappear. It's the obduracy of things.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh, another great ebay find!!! Very pretty, JF! My mother had a white gold, diamond Geneve watch with an oval face, but the band was a little different. That really is a great price for sure! I think part of it is simply that yellow gold dress watches just aren't what a lot of people are looking for, which is a huge bonus for you! I am sure it is authentic.

 

[Dancing Fire]

congrats,JF..

 

[JewelFreak]

Thank you, DS, Circe & DF. I didn't spring for $15 for 2-day shipping so have to wait for it to arrive by regular mail or whatever they use. Aaargh! Hope the diamonds aren't camel spit, will see. Pics when it arrives.

--- Laurie

 

[Imdanny]

Congrats, Laurie! That will go beautifully with your ring!

 

[Enerchi]

Just curious, now that you've purchased this... has your lost Tiffany showed up yet? I'm still thinking it will (not by any 'inside knowledge' or anything, no skills like iLander has - I wish I had that ability!!!) but it always seems that when you give up hope, whatever it is, shows up.

Wouldn't that be awesome and then if you do sell it, like you suggested, and come out ahead!! Fingers crossed!!!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Love the retro look! Nice find!

cheers--Sharon

 

[iLander]

I LOVE your new watch, Laurie!

I think it's very classic style, something that will still look good 20 years from now. Yellow gold is totally back in style now, very cool.

I've seen this watchmaker on ebay before, I think they specialize in very nice jewelry style watches, and they seem to be pretty good quality.

When I hunted for my watch, I noticed that a lot of ebay sellers had the same watch and the prices varied all over the board. The watch wasn't any different, but the prices sure were. I really think it's a "whatever you can get" kind of market. You were lucky to find such a beauty at such a great price!

I wouldn't worry about it being a pawn shop, there's really nothing wrong with that, and with a return policy, what's the big deal? (I'll never buy anything on the net without a return policy anymore, that's for sure!)

I think it's a beauty, you can wear it with a long slinky dress, or with jeans. Perfect!

Let us know how you like it when you get it!

 

[JewelFreak]

Just curious, now that you've purchased this... has your lost Tiffany showed up yet? I'm still thinking it will (not by any 'inside knowledge' or anything, no skills like iLander has - I wish I had that ability!!!) but it always seems that when you give up hope, whatever it is, shows up.

Wouldn't that be awesome and then if you do sell it, like you suggested, and come out ahead!! Fingers crossed!!!

I only hope! If it does reappear, Enerchi, I bet it will be in 100 yrs when I FINALLY get DH to move to Virginia. It will turn up at the bottom of a packing box & I'll never know where it hid all that time. iLander swears it's still around my house.

Thank you, Danny -- I hope so! And iLander, that's the way I feel about it -- it will always be good no matter what the styles are. I look awful in silver metals so yellow gold never went out for me; I just wish it would go back to $600/oz again, sigh. Thinking about those prices only a few yrs ago makes me feel like my parents did about the '30s when you could go out to dinner for a quarter, good old long-gone times.

--- Laurie