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$35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Create and participate in challenges related to the watch hobby.
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Sporkboy
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by Sporkboy »

As you are gathering thoughts and taking pictures about your entry please use the challenge entry format, which can be found here viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1568

In brief, the format is as follows. This is a rough guide and you can deviate from it if it makes sense to convey the glory of your entry.

Overalel Picture of Watch Goes Here
Watch Make/Model//Reference:
Why You Picked it For This Challenge:
Cost:
Purchase Listing:
Maintenance/Repairs Done (if any):
Watch Details (dimensions, movement, features, etc.):
Additional Pictures Go Here
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by Sporkboy »

I have been able to confirm everyone’s participation and the following forum members are ready to go with watches in, or just about, in hand.

Sporkboy
ManOnTime
Watchpalooza
Stretch44
TheJohnP
BostonCharlie
Peskydonut
Halaku
Guyinwatch
Tin-pusher
Cortman
Rabirnie
Animal Mother
Split-Time
WPybus

That puts us at 15 entries, which is great. I thank everyone for getting back to me quickly and hope that those that couldn’t find an entry for this challenge will have an easier time with the next one. This was not an easy challenge and those that found something decent can be extra proud this time around.

Now that we know the players, it is time to polish your entries and take some great pictures. Upping your photography game, even a little bit will help your entry dramatically. Just like how good pictures get a much higher final bid on eBay.

Good luck everyone.
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by Animal Mother »

[mention]Sporkboy[/mention] You've outdone yourself sir, thank you for coordinating this. I would say it's akin to herding cats trying to coordinate the reprobates on here!

I really enjoyed the hunt and have some great photo ideas. May battle commence!
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by Sporkboy »

[mention]Animal Mother[/mention] Thanks man. Seeing people get excited and finding all kinds of cool watches has kept me going. I wouldn’t have done it if not for your first challenge. I have some ideas for voting generating more interest and helping it go more smoothly.

Hopefully the host of the next challenge can build on what I have done to make it even better. Anyone interested?
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by Animal Mother »

Ok, here we go (I hope this is the correct place), in for a penny in for a pound. Please find my entry for the $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge presented below:

Overall Picture of Watch
Image

Watch Make/Model//Reference
Monarch Watch Co. Model Waterproof

Why You Picked it For This Challenge
I found it very eye catching and just ticked so many boxes for this challenge. With it's lume, seconds sub-dial, 24 hour So many field watch features in such a strikingly handsome package:
  • Railroad minutes track
    Seconds sub-dial
    Lume (decent for its age)
    Drilled lugs
    Chamfered lugs (a design feature that's practical as well as nice to see)
    Field watch shape
    Low profile
    Syringe hands (they set it off so nicely)
    Waterproof with screw back confirming its "tool" intended use
Cost
£14.07. P&P was quite pricey as it's from Spain.

Purchase Listing
On eBay.
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Maintenance/Repairs Done (if any)
Strap change. Nothing more.

Watch Details (dimensions, movement, features, etc.)
Caliber AS1002 7 Jewel Swiss Movement (details here: http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db. ... wk&AS_1002)
Hand wind
Acrylic crystal
Drilled lugs
31/32mm (35mm inc. crown)
16mm lug-lug

There's little information I can find on Monarch Watch Company. They appear to be an American brand that sold Swiss made watches in the 40s and 50s.

Additional Pictures
I might have an unfair advantage here. I had to go scrabbling around in my old war chest for my old gear. I like tho think of this as something one of my progenitors, T.E. Lawrence, would have worn during his adventures after returning from the Middle East.

Pre-dating the watch but the NATO looks great.
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Close up of dials
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Screw down case back with serial number (or reference?)
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Promo shots. ;)
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Lume shots
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Movement and caseback.
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Last edited by Animal Mother on Sat Jul 04, 2020 4:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by TheJohnP »

That's going to be tough to beat [mention]Animal Mother[/mention]!
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by Sporkboy »

Well, I made a good showing in the first challenge, but I am blown away by the first entry [mention]Animal Mother[/mention]. I didn’t think anybody would find anything remotely as nice looking and as perfectly ‘field watch’ as this watch. Very well done. As for any advantage you have in staging pictures with your old military kit, those were hard earned advantages so don’t feel bad about using them.

This is going to be tough to beat, and I am looking forward to seeing what Watchpalooza has that will be able to defend his title.

Have you learned anything about the brand? I would love to see a movement shot if you have one. Even if you know the movement ref. That would be helpful.
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by Split-Time »

Bravo [mention]Animal Mother[/mention]! That is a beautiful watch that anyone would be proud to have in their collection. When you toss in the price and the fact that it nails the challenge criteria... :o
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by Animal Mother »

Sporkboy wrote: Sat Jul 04, 2020 4:20 pm Well, I made a good showing in the first challenge, but I am blown away by the first entry @Animal Mother. I didn’t think anybody would find anything remotely as nice looking and as perfectly ‘field watch’ as this watch. Very well done. As for any advantage you have in staging pictures with your old military kit, those were hard earned advantages so don’t feel bad about using them.

This is going to be tough to beat, and I am looking forward to seeing what Watchpalooza has that will be able to defend his title.

Have you learned anything about the brand? I would love to see a movement shot if you have one. Even if you know the movement ref. That would be helpful.
I've added as much extra info/pics as I have to the original post (I don't want to spread it about the thread). Movement rec/caliber is there with a link.
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by Animal Mother »

Split-Time wrote: Sat Jul 04, 2020 4:48 pm Bravo @Animal Mother! That is a beautiful watch that anyone would be proud to have in their collection. When you toss in the price and the fact that it nails the challenge criteria... :o
Thank you. Check out my rejects on the other thread, it's astounding that this was the cheapest of them all. Even though it's small on my 7.5" wrist it's a keeper for sure!
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by Sporkboy »

Animal Mother wrote: Sat Jul 04, 2020 4:58 pm
Sporkboy wrote: Sat Jul 04, 2020 4:20 pm Well, I made a good showing in the first challenge, but I am blown away by the first entry @Animal Mother. I didn’t think anybody would find anything remotely as nice looking and as perfectly ‘field watch’ as this watch. Very well done. As for any advantage you have in staging pictures with your old military kit, those were hard earned advantages so don’t feel bad about using them.

This is going to be tough to beat, and I am looking forward to seeing what Watchpalooza has that will be able to defend his title.

Have you learned anything about the brand? I would love to see a movement shot if you have one. Even if you know the movement ref. That would be helpful.
I've added as much extra info/pics as I have to the original post (I don't want to spread it about the thread). Movement rec/caliber is there with a link.
Thank you for adding the additional info directly to your entry post. Nice inner caseback engraving, Pretty sure mine is blank.
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by Stretch44 »

Wow! That is gorgeous. Amazing find [mention]Animal Mother[/mention].
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by TheJohnP »

Now that the gauntlet has been thrown down, no sense in keeping this under wraps.
Here's my entry:

Overall Picture of Watch:

Image

Watch Make/Model//Reference:

Eska / "9220" is on the caseback, but unsure of what that denotes.

Why You Picked it For This Challenge:

Partly wanted to "challenge" the established conventions of what constitutes a field watch.

This watch has just about every hallmark one would expect from a field watch:
- High contrast with white numerals on a black dial
- Syringe hands with a red seconds hand
- Lume on hands, numerals, and indices
- Railroad minute track
- Steel screw down caseback
- Antimagnetic, waterproof, and incabloc shock protection
- Drilled lugs

BUT then there's the obvious:
- Instead of arabics, this one uses roman numerals
- Roman numerals are just at the 12, 3, 6, 9 positions

Wanted to find and present something slightly different, but still arguably a valid candidate.

Cost:

$24.95

Purchase Listing:

Here's where I'll let everyone on a little secret. You are all sleeping on Etsy.
There's plenty of vintage watches to be found there and that's where I pretty much exclusively searched for possible entries.

Image


Maintenance/Repairs Done (if any):

Bought a strap for $5.99. That's it.
Didn't clean, polish, or even mess with the movement. Liked all the scratches, marks, and distress it has from years of use.

Watch Details (dimensions, movement, features, etc.):

Image

- Movement is the AS 1194, featuring manual wind and sweep second
- Movement dates the watch to roughly the mid 40's.
- Keeps excellent time and stayed running about 40 hours. (http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db. ... wk&AS_1194)
- Watch is 29mm in diameter
- 36mm lug to lug
- 14mm lug width
- 10mm thick
- Crown could be original but very worn down, or could be a replacement. Who can tell?
- Lume will shine, but doesn't last at all

From the "about" section from Eska-watch.com:

In March 1918 right after World War I had ended, Silvan Kocher senior and his eldest son Erwin founded the watch factory "S. Kocher & Co." The name ESKA is a phonetic abbreviation of its founder Silvan Kocher ("S"ilvan "K"ocher) -> "ES" & "KA".

Eska was the sister brand to Royce.

Eska-Watch.com "about" section - http://eska-watch.com/about
Eska from Watch-Wiki.net - https://www.watch-wiki.net/index.php?title=Eska
Eska from Mikrolisk.de - http://www.mikrolisk.de/show.php?site=280#sucheMarker

Additional Pictures Go Here

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Too big to fail or yard sale they all hale
Run or hide just for fun deals I find
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by watchpalooza »

Wow! First two entries are magnificent.
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Re: $35 Mechanical Field Watch Challenge

Post by Animal Mother »

[mention]TheJohnP[/mention] Lovely entry pal. I've got a feeling that both of our watches have some commonality/shared family/heritage. I think they use the same case (same drilling, shape, chamfering, caseback type) and both use AS movements.
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