How to Maintain Your Valuable Watches

Watch is a time piece and as the same time an accessory, to reflect our taste, personality, style and that is more or less like the shoe of a Japanese, whereby we can tell how is his society status…
A good leather shoes require maintenance, as for your watch that is more or less your identification, Icon, or trade mark of you…
In order to keep your watch running smoothly, accurately quietly.. Reliably; you have to pay some attention to the maintenance…
Well, some one told me watch does not need maintenance at all as they are made of scratch proof material, they are water proof., and shock proof by the intrinsic Incabloc or whatever design of shock absorbent mechanism…
Well that may be wrong as we have to pay attention on preventive maintenance in order to prolong the life and to reduce any damages of the watch.
This is my experience on watch maintenance.
Watch Winder
Many people told me that the watch has to be in operation condition perpetually, as the mechansim will be smooth when they are using frequently. Well, as for a Mechanical watch, the life time, the wearing of the spindle, bearing are directly proportional to the length of active state of the watch. I do not suggest to keep the watch in moving condition all the time by means of the Auto watch winder... as more it runs, more it wears more and more the lubricant will be tend to be thickened and dried out.. And the watch will go SLOW after certain period of time.
Even if you have a watch that you do not want to use for a period of time, you should take it out and let it run on the Auto Watch Winder for a couple of days. This will ensure the lubricant is in Liquidous condition , rather than in Solidified condition.
A Proper watch winder is a good tool to keep an automatic watch in running condition, as it has in a programme to move the rotor in Clockwise and then anticlockwise direction. It would not exert too much pressure on the rotary s it utilize the Gravity attraction to keep the rotor moving, some people does like to SWING the watch by hand vigorously. That may exert too much pressure on the tiny bearings around the rotator and that don’t do well to the watch at all. Beside, a proper watch winder should be magnetic leak proof...

Accuracy monitoring for proper lubrication condition
I had an AP which I bout it 25 years ago, it is so precise and accurate, it gains a few second a week. And after so may years it still gains a few second a week. That is an indication on the viscosity of the lubrication., as time goes by, the lubrication oil inside the watch will tend to dry out and that will create extra friction to the wheels and gears. The Watch will go SLOW... So a new watch should be adjusted a bit gain few seconds every day. It will go slower very two to three year hence we can estimate that this watch will lose time after another 5 years. That mean the lubrication oil is becoming thicker, the friction is becoming higher. And the micro metal wear off debris is accumulating.. It is time for you to send it to the watch service centre for Proper Overhaul. Back to my AP I have never put it to the AP service centre as it is still very accurate... still. Normally we recommend sending your watch to the Service centre every 5 to 7 year for inspection and or overhaul.
Regular cleaning
The Rolex hand book advises you to use soap and Luke warm water to clean your watch say every month as
The watch will tend to accumulate a lot of dirt, dust, sweat, skin tissues, fibre, germs...etc at the pins; lock, shoulder area., It is advise to first lock up the watch tighter crown and use Luke warm water and soap to leather., then rinse it under running water.. The dry it in some kind of soft cotton cloth. Normal I clean my Rolex every three days as I Sweat a lot. Do not use strong detergent, dish cleaner, alcohol, Acetone, or anything corrosive to clean your watch, only mild soap is allowed.

Waterproof and water resistant.
Do not think that your deep-Sea is absolute water tight., well, all depends on the condition of the o-ring on the crystal and the bottom cover plate.. We suggest that every time your have dived with your submariner. Try to use tap water to rinse the blime and salty mineral on your watch As even stainless steel can react with the salt. It will have some corrision on your case and gold. Send your water to the service centre for water proof check every two years if you are frequently diver, I normally send it to the service centre every 5 years.

Magnetization
Do not place your watch near by a loudspeaker, your hand phone bag as it has strong magnetic to hold the flapper, Unless your watch is Rolex Milgraus or IWC Engineer II, they are built to resist strong magnetic field interference, or your watch will be affected and will affect oats accuracy. Once if you find your watch is magnetized, go to the watch smith for demagnetization. It take a few second to do the job, following by an accuracy checker to take measurement on the time keep capability.

Lost of Lustre
The Gold will tend to lose its luster on curtain people skin as it normal will react with the secretion from your body, it will be passivated and lose the shining luster… There is a kind of jewellery cloth (Silbo Polishing cloth for jewelry) that can retain the shinnny lustre of the watch… Do not use abrasive Brasso, or some people use tooth paste to clean your watch tooth paste has some tiny abrasive substance can damage the gold watch.

Inspection on your watch every month
Check the pins, tiny screw lock on the strap very month as it tend to get loosed, if that happened your watch may drop accidentally, that will be total loss. Try to put some Screw Loctite or a tiny drop of AA fast glue at the screw thread of your screw to prevent it to get loosened. AA fast glue can be dissolved by Debonder in case you want to loose the screw and it will not cause any damages on the screw threads.

Protect your watch
I had a Rolex Crystal being crashed by a thick and heavy Stainless watch somewhere while I was walking..
I have seen also a Role Date Day crystal was being cracked when that botched man hits his with on the MTR exit gate. Immediately send to Rolex Centre for Inspection and repair.

Floggy Crystal
When your watch enter a warmer room from a outside, if you can see the crystal is frosted. That is 100% indicated that the watch is leaking and water vapor could enter the watch. You should immediately take it to the service centre for checking as if water is the watch’s enemy.

Heat
If you leave your watch at high temperature or nearby an oven or under hot sun for prolong time, the lubrication oil may be forced to dry out.. Although the Lubication oil was animal oil (whale) it will also be able to dry under high temperature it will shorten the time for your next Overhaul.

Shock proof
Only a few watch in the world can last for strong impact such as your watch is on your right hand while you are playing Golf,, The impact of the Golf club on the Golf will transmit the vibration onto the watch, that is not good to the watch… Note that most of the player is wearing on the left hand while he uses his right hand for golf!

Last but not least, try to take care on your time piece as this is an master piece of the Swiss watch master. If you take care of it properly, a good Swiss mechanical watch should work perfectly for a few hundred years!
HK Snob

The Cartier Santos 100 Watch for Woman, with Decorative diamond Bezel

 Purple dial is limited Edition, an added on Diamond Bezel adds on lustre and a bit glamour to this watch and brings in charms to the woman who wears this Beautiful Cartier Time Piece!

HK Snob

The Cheapest Rolex Day Date Yellow Gold Watch

Friend of mine made an offer to me... This is a 1974 Rolex Watch, pre-owned Watch... but in excellent condition, as it is a usual practice not to wear this kind of Rolex Flagship watch everyday, I believe there were less than 10,000 people who could own a piecs of Rolex Gold Date Day in 1970s'
in 1970, a man's Rolex Stainless steel Date Just was about HKD$900.00, a Rolex Two Tone Date Just was about HKD$1,600.00. A Yellow Gold Rolex  Day Date with leather strap was probably selling HKD$2,800.00. Well a small flat of say 600 square feet was about HKD$9,000.00 at that time...

So 3 Rolex Can buy one flat at that time... Now !! as of today a reasonable middle range flat of 600 square feet is about HKD$2,500,000.00, A Rolex Gold leather strap Day Date is approximately selling at HKD$90,000.00... That means now we can use 27 Rolex to buy a house! I Think there is a risk for real Estate Sales go bubbles in 2013. Well, the Rolex will never go bubbles in Sales.. Never... may be we can use use 10 Rolex to buy a house in 2013... I am collecting Rolex...just simple as this... I may use my Rolex to Change a Flat with you!? Will you!?

Back to this beginning of this message... This is the Cheapest Rolex... well guess how much!?? Only $3,500.00!! Look at the Rare Roman Number indicators, there is no any traces of oxidation on the dial, no major scratches on the case! Why I should hesitate to pay!?

HK Snob

Most Beautiful Rolex Men's Watch on the Beautiful Woman's Wrist

You may blame me that is too objective to say so, but this is purely my point of view.

Simple dial design to force you focus to the "Crown" Logo of Rolex at 12 O'clock position. Rare production unit and likely no more from Rolex for Onyx dial Date Just 36mm...

I have been searching more than 10 shops of the Rolex Authorized dealer Chow Sang Sang, King Fook, Chow Tai Fok, Oriental in these few days, I have probably seen over 3,000 Rolex Watches, bot even one I can find is assembled of Oynx Dial... Only Mother of pearl, or Jade is available beside printing over metallic dial surface.... Well, the reason is " too Expensive to make" So If you have this kind of watch, Please treasure it...
This is the watch Ice who is wearing...Look at that, is that a Beautiful Rolex!?

HK Snob HK Snob

Panerai OP6691

This is an Huge and heavy Panerai Automatic watch for Man, I think that is a bit heavy for lady...
Limited to 3,000 Pieces....Bold, Dynamic, daring and attractive if your wrist is big enough...

Some design flaw is that the press to lock waterproof system is a question to me at depth of >200m!?
HK Snob

Patek Philippe "Calatrava" Ref 3998J Self Winding Movement

PATEK PHILIPPLE 'Calatrava' Ref. 3998J
Mechanicl Self-winding Movement with Date. Caliber:315SC.
(Solid-Gold ) Solid- Gold Center sweep second hand.
Solid-Gold Opaline-white dial.
Solid-Gold hour markers. Water resistant to 25 m.
Geneva Seal Hallmarked. 18K Yellow Gold Case (35mm.),
P.P.18KY. Gold Buckle (Brand New) P.P.Crocodile Strap
HK Snob

Tritium watch, H3 Watches, gas light watches, GTLS Watches Working Principle

What is GTLS?
GTLS stands for Gaseous Tritium Light Sources, these are tiny glass vials with a thin coating of Phosphorescent substance on the inside wall. Filled with Tritium gas and then sealed tight with a laser beam. Tritium (H3) is a radioactive isotope of Hydrogen, It has a half life of 12.3 years. During the decay of Tritium, a low energy electron is emitted. This process so called beta Radiation. During this process of decay the tritium molecule becomes a stable Helium molecules. The emitted electron hits the thin coating of Phosphorescent substance and is converted into visible cold light. The colour of the light depends on the types of the phosphorescent substance being used.
The disintegration process of the tritium isotope (represented in red) into helium (yellow) produces electrons (blue). The energy of thee electrons, should it reach the thin layer if the luminous matters (green) gets converted into a visible, cold light.
GTLS watches bear others names: Tritium watch, H3 Watches, gas light watches…
How long Can a GTLS glow?
The GTLS in a watch can glow over 25 years. It grows by itself without having to be charged with electricity or sunlight. The reduction of brightness is continuous. Generally, I is around 10-15% per year.

Is a Watch using GTLS safe?!

Yes, it is safe, During the decay process of tritium, a low energy electron is emitted. It contains only a maximum energy of 18KeV. Its is a very low energy level. It Can be easily blocked by a piece of thin paper. Therefore, it does not have the energy to penetrate human tissue. Beside, the tritium is trapped inside a glass vial which is further protected by the crystal of the watch,. If we break all the lights in a watch (typically 14 to 15 pcs of gas tubes with a total radiation content of less than 25mCi) and inhale all the tritium gas inside., the harm to our body is like consuming a banana. A banana will take in potassium 40 (K-40) while growing, K-40 is also radioactive.

Reference: Bonding Co Ltd, legally Licensed Assembly of GTLS in Hong Kong.

HK Snob

Harry Winston White Gold Chronometer

This is a HW white Gold Chronometer watch, massive, Auto, Leather Strap. A lot of gold, a lot of fun! HK Snob

The Most beautiful Cartier Santos Purple Colour Auto watch for her!

Of Course, there is no standard beautiful Colour, but Look at this Cartier, Can you resist not buying for your wife? or mistress? or girl friend? name a excuse for buying., Say the first day she got late in the office, the first time she wins only 3 numbers for Mark Six, or The First time she was fired…name it… make her Happy…
This is the best designed Traditional Classic design of the 1920’s. Well balanced in shape and thickness. Friend Of mine went to Cartier Shop to change for such a matching purple leather strap… well Thank you… HKD$2,400! An amount Good enough to get a wallet from the Louis Vitton!

 
HK Snob

Rolex Ref.68278 Boy Size Yellow Gold Date Just for Today's Sophisticated Lady

In the end of 70's there was a trend for man to wear lady's watch, as the fashion was “Smaller is Better” I still I remember I spent HKD4,505 buying a lady’s Rolex SS date Just for myself in 1981. And Later my 2nd Engineer loved it I sold it to him for his Shanghai wife. I topped it up to HKD$5025 in order buy a SS Boy size Date Just later. As Gold Rolex was just a dream for a poor snob like me… that is about 1/5 of the price of a 800 square feet Town house at that time in Yuen Long. A man would not wear something “big” like today. Man worn Middle sized watch, which Rolex called “Boy Size” Woman would use Lady watch… Man used Boy size, there was not so many Jumbo Watch with 38mm, or 39mm being displayed in the Watch Shop in Hong Kong. Since 1993, the Trend is extra Large…I still see man wearing a “Rolex Boy Size Watch” but that looks he is out! And he must be older than 45 years old. As this is the same watch he bought when he was 25 years old… I would not dare to wear as if Paul or Frankie sees me, he would laugh hysteristically to death! This is a Boy Sized Date Just for Today’s woman, as if she is sophisticated, educated middle class, this is the perfect match for her wrist especially for Chinese lady of 1.6M height. Don’t force yourself to wear a Daytona or DeepSea. That is a tool watch for man. Somewhat lacks of a bit elegance and Rich feeling… HK Snob

My Recent Purchased watches

These are the watches I bought in the past year... Namely
Rolex Day Date WG 36mm
Rolex Day Date YG 36mm
Rolex Day Just Onyx YG 36mm
Rogers Dubuis Much More Pink Gold perpetual Calendar (only 28 pcs)
Rolex Day Date OysterQuartz  YG 36mm (estimated less than 200 pcs)
AP Royal Oak Jumbo 1972 design first Generationi (less than 150 pcs)
Plus Three Cartier, Three other Rolexes, One AP Royal Oak SS, Rolex Daytona, Two Piaget... and two Seiko..

HK Snob

A.P.Royal Oak Chronograph 40mm Wristwatch for An Executive like you!

An example of another A.P. Royal Oak Design, black theme dial, 40mm in size, With date at 4' Oclock 30 minutes position, Chronograph. Well Balanced Designed Arrangement of the three timing Circles. Big Sweep second hand....Matching colour of the case and the dial. What a Beautiful Watch made with the best Workmanship of A.P. watch masters.
Can be your daily wearing watch.... Can be my Daily Wearing watch too!
HK Snob

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Just with Onyx dial

This is a Mint Rolex Yellow Gold Date Just with Onyx dial, very rare...
HK Snob

The Most Unique beautiful Sportive Rolex Day date OysterQuartz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OysterQuartz was made since 1977 till 2004 for 25 years, Rolex produced 1,000 pieces per year, so total unit of 25,000 was made, I estimate that 60% is SS version, 30% is TT version and 10% is Solid Yellow Gold version,  I have never heard of any Pink Gold version has been made!

Amongst these 2500 pieces of Solid Gold version, there is about 500 pieces using special Stone Dial like the one I have…Assuming that 100 pieces are badly worn off, and 100 pieces were gone or damaged, or could not resists the temptation to turn it into cash by selling the heavy gold cases to goldsmith, I believe that the watch I current have has less than 300 similar pieces in the World…It is rare! And the Gold Strap is sleek, beautiful, somewhat look like the Nautilus watch strap design, even we look it it today, it is updated! The watch is heavy, it is about 3.05 tael in weight.

In 1977, the Oysterquartz was introduced the quartz crystal used in the oscillator circuit was changed to a tuning fork shape. The earlier movements were known internally at Rolex as Mark I movements, while the later ones with the new shape quartz crystal were known as Mark II movements.

The Mark I 5035 Datejust movements were never submitted to the COSC for chronometer certification, which accounts for the absence of "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" on the dials of the very early Oysterquartz Datejust models.

Everything about the design and construction of the 5035/5055 module shows that Rolex intended to build this movement to be a "Life-Time" movement, designed to be serviceable and serviced just like their mechanical movements.

In fact, apart from the electronics and the pulse motor, the "mechanics" of the 5035 are the same as the 3035 automatic movement that was also introduced in 1977 and used in the Submariner and other Date/Datejust models for over a decade.

The driving mechanism for the 5035/5055 is very similar to the design of a traditional mechanical watch escapement. The pulse motor drives a pallet fork which in turn moves a pallet wheel. This wheel drives the second hand at a 1:1 ratio with one tick per second.

The hour and minute hands are driven off this pallet wheel. The loud "Tick" you hear every second are the pallets engaging the pallet wheel. That is why the tick of the 5035/5055 has such a unique sound and is very much like the tick of a mechanical watch, though at one tick per second rather than the eight ticks per second of a 28,800 bph Rolex Perpetual movement. This drive mechanism also ensures the second hand steps around the dial smartly with zero backlash since the hand is effectively locked in place by the pallet fork in between each beat.

There is a temperature sensing thermister that can be adjusted for Temperature compensation. As well, There is free battery cell changing each time at Rolex service Centre!

Even though the technology of quartz wristwatch timekeeping has moved beyond that found in the 5035/5055, this movement still remains one of the most "over-engineered" quartz movements ever produced and clearly carries on the Rolex tradition of solid engineering, superb finishing, and understated beauty.

Advancements in technology have yielded quartz modules with superior accuracy, but when it debuted, the 5035/5055 only had one true rival from a technological standpoint: the 2.4Mhz Omega 1516 movement used in their famous Marine Chronometer wristwatches of the mid 70s. But from the standpoint of "build quality" and finish (anglage, perlage, and Geneva stripes), the 5035/5055 still reigns supreme, something that is not likely to change in the foreseeable future.

So in short this is a rare beautiful, sportive, gold Rolex OysterQuartz… A Collector’s item.

5035 Specifications:
32,768Hz VCTCXO Quartz Module
Integrated circuit: CMOS
Temperature compensation: Yes
Rate trimmer: Yes
Power source: UCAR 357 silveroxide battery, 1.55v
Width: 29.75mm
Height: 6.5mm
11 jewels
Antimagnetic: Yes, to 1000 Oersted
Hacking: Yes
Quick set date: Yes
Reference: OysterQuartz.net and OysterQuartz blog

HK Snob
HK Watch Fever

Very First LED watch of the 70's

Old, rare and hard to find LED display watch, other than ny Boluva LED watch of similar design, rolled gold case and strap. Not the magnet hidden on the strap is used to set the time.
very unique for Pulsar LED display watch.
HK Snob