My Dad's Rolex

In this video I discuss who I am and my sentimental and practical connections to my favorite watches:
00:17 My Dad's Rolex Datejust 1603 stainless steel with Jubilee Bracelet (1962)
01:45 IWC Ingenieur Ref. 666 stainless steel Cal. 853 (1962)
02:51 IWC Automatic Cal. 853 and Cal. 44 stainless steel (1960s, 1959)
03:46 IWC Cal 8531 18K gold 1959
04:29 About me: watchmaking as it relates to creativity and engineering
04:39 How I made a camera system that is now in the Smithsonian Museum of American History Photographic History Collection
06:00 Overview of my current electronic camera control systems
10:30 Quick review of ricardo.ch - Swiss auction website where I purchase a lot of watches, tools, and parts
12:19 What I look for in a vintage watch purchase
12:31 Micosa Helvetia automatic stainless steel
13:31 ETA 2472 World Time stainless steel and base metal and discussion of case back opening tools (passive calculator bezel, not GMT)
15:03 Fleurier ETA 2472 stainless steel, with and without dial, more discussion of case back opening - and also the benefits of working with inexpensive identical watch movements like the ETA 2472
16:29 Datum Geneve ETA 2452 stainless steel with polygonal (12 sided) caseback and discussion of tools for opening this kind of case back
18:13 Consul Automatique 1440 (Adolf Schild 1701) stainless steel
19:05 IWC Cal 8531 18K gold 1959 (in the context of snap backs on gold watches)
19:39 IWC Automatic Cal. 853 (in the context of snap backs on stainless steel watches)
19:54 Rolex Datejust 1603 stainless steel (in the context of Rolex case back opening)
20:40 Omega Seamaster stainless steel with Novolink 1168 stainless steel bracelet
21:11 Consul Automatique 1440 (Adolf Schild 1701) stainless steel (in the context of my stamping "Love God" on the strap: Steve Martin SNL, NYC Pay Phone graffiti, etc.)
23:58 Seiko Bell-Matic Alarm (1960s)
25:40 Junghan's Mega 1000 Quartz with four channel radio reception for automatic time setting around the world
27:40 another Seiko Bell-Matic Alarm (1960s) - this one with lumed hands
28:47 Datum Geneve ETA 2452 stainless steel
30:29 Lanco-Rotor Super-Automatic Incabloc 14K gold
33:28 Eternamatic 18K gold
34:51 Rolex Datejust 1603 stainless steel (in the context of not having quick set date)
35:17 Davis red LED watch
35:52 Storm Faze red LED watch
36:31 Seiko World Time (passive calculator inner disc, not GMT, bezel doesn't rotate)
38:15 Tissot T-Touch II
39:43 Apple iPod Mini in Chinese-made Watch case frame - pre-bluetooth / wifi (dumb and wonderful)
40:34 Panerai Luminor Base PAM 010 Series A (1998)
41:59 Christopher Ward C1 Worldglow Sellita-based world time GMT
46:40 conclusion / sign-off

When the journalist Parvulesco in Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless is asked, "What is your greatest ambition?" he answers simply, "To become immortal, and then die." Watches remain alive so long as they have someone to care for them. They become immortal when that care transcends generations.

"You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation." The same is of course true of any watch of sentimental value.

Steve Martin's Love God:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN-SJ71VAJ4

#watchmaker #comedy #watch #vintage #restoration #rolex