On my recent trip back to Merseyside, UK, I was packing family gear and came across an old gold wrist watch, it had been my late fathers and while I had seen it in the past it had slipped my mind, for some strange reason my Seiko stopped working the evening I arrived, was this some hidden force at work?
My dad had a number of watches, two self winding,both broke and two electric, neither worked (one did later with a new battery) right then this left me just one option,the rather nice Grosvenor watch,its is a wind up type with a 15 jewel Swiss movement, will it wind up and will it work?
The answer was yes and its still on my wrist right now, it keeps very good time and I am pleased to wear it,what was its history? asking my mother she informed me it was a 21st birthday present to my father and from his mother. This gives me a start line on its age of some 72 years, that's assuming it was new when my gran bought it?
Note the styling, its really well done, the strap has to be hand sewn, as the cross bar is a part of the actual watch main body.
My father was born in August 1918 and the year of my dads 21st birthday will have been in 1939, which as I say makes his watch at least 72 years old now, excepting I am sure my grandmother would never of had the funds to buy him a brand new 9 carat gold watch (some say its plated) I have found evidence that they can be dated to 1928, which sounds very much more probable and takes it back to the 1930s, or some 83 years old! I have also found a very similar watch by the same maker dated 1918, or 93 years old, I need to keep looking and do hope it keeps ticking?
My fathers Grosvenor wrist watch.
My dad had a number of watches, two self winding,both broke and two electric, neither worked (one did later with a new battery) right then this left me just one option,the rather nice Grosvenor watch,its is a wind up type with a 15 jewel Swiss movement, will it wind up and will it work?
This is a similar watch that I found on the web, note the small crack on the side of the casing. The entire front case and plastic face is side hinged and opens away from the winder crown.
The answer was yes and its still on my wrist right now, it keeps very good time and I am pleased to wear it,what was its history? asking my mother she informed me it was a 21st birthday present to my father and from his mother. This gives me a start line on its age of some 72 years, that's assuming it was new when my gran bought it?
My father was born in August 1918 and the year of my dads 21st birthday will have been in 1939, which as I say makes his watch at least 72 years old now, excepting I am sure my grandmother would never of had the funds to buy him a brand new 9 carat gold watch (some say its plated) I have found evidence that they can be dated to 1928, which sounds very much more probable and takes it back to the 1930s, or some 83 years old! I have also found a very similar watch by the same maker dated 1918, or 93 years old, I need to keep looking and do hope it keeps ticking?
Roy.
Note, you can find a similar style by the same maker for as little as 99 pounds sterling, or as much as 250 pounds sterling. You can also find the same watch marked Rolex, its exactly the same watch but the changed name takes the value to between 1550 pounds to as much as 2500 pounds, what's in a name I ask?
Found today,
ROLEX - ROLCO Gents Watch
Manufacturer: Rolex Watch Company, Swiss
Case: 9ct Gold
Model:
Movement: Rolex cal. 700, 15 Jewel, Swiss
Year: 1935
This lovely vintage Rolex - Rolco gents watch is cased in a 9ct Gold case and hallmarked in Glasgow in 1935. It is fitted with a Rolex calibre 700 movement and has a recessed small seconds dial.
Price £ 395.00
No comments:
Post a Comment