My vintage turn - updated!

A couple of years ago when I made the decision to add some authentic vintage flavor to my collection, I knew that my incredible string of luck, regarding not having to utilize the need for watch service, was going to be in jeopardy. After all, it's to be expected with many of the vintage pieces I've recently acquired, approaching my golden age, LOL.

In over 30 years of enjoying the wonderful hobby of watch collecting, I had the good fortune of never having to send one of my timepieces in for service. Sure, I've had a few new watches arrive D.O.A., and promptly sent those watches back for a refund, but regarding watches that were added to my collection, I was carrying an unblemished service record. But alas, as they say, all good things come to an end, LOL.

A few weeks ago, I ran into a crown and stem issue with my vintage Longines, bummer. The search then began to try and find a trusted, local watchmaker, that was adept in servicing vintage timepieces. The very nature of the knowledge and skill required to perform such delicate work, means that there aren't a plethora of individuals available that truly have the chops to perform such work. Trust me, I've learned this the hard way, as I'm currently living through this with the Longines service repair. The Longines issue was quickly followed-up by an issue with the day / date wheel on my vintage King Seiko, what magnificent timing (pun intended).

So, I guess I'll continue to brace myself to the various service issues that are bound to arise when dealing with timepieces and internal components that are pushing 50+ years of age. This doesn't dissuade my love of vintage timepieces, and will not deter me from looking to acquire that next vintage gem. Vintage watch service has definitely been another learning experience for me in this wonderful hobby of watch collecting.