[Spencer PK]

I have a 6139-6005 Chronograph that I've been having put back into working condition. It came out of an estate in Ohio, and had a hard working life. It arrived working, but had some issues, including a mis-aligned date wheel, and a quick set issue as well. One of the items that needs to be replaced is the stem - I had suspected from the beginning that the clearly non-original stem (crown had no dimple in the middle) might have been the cause of the date-setting issue, and that's been confirmed. So, trying to save money I told the watchsmith to hold off on finding a new stem - I mean, it can still be set with lots of spinning, so it's more annoying than anything. So, that saves me $40 that I can put into finding parts myself.


Cruising tonight on eBay, what do I see but a brand-new auction for a 6139-6002 Chronograph, gold face with an original stem. Seller says the watch doesn't run but date sets fine, and externally it's not too bad except for the case back having been polished to sterility. It's a Frankestein (wrong inner bezel ring for one thing) but it's there, and it's a "Buy It Now" auction. How much?






SIXTY BUCKS.


That's a mere $20 more than the stem alone would have cost me, and I'm getting all the other bits for that. And for some bizarre reason the watch comes with a vintage Tissot stainless bracelet! Any idea what model Tissot it is for? But anyway, SCORE!


Seller pics:

 

[aladin_sane]

If you are parting it out, how much do you want for the dial?

Nice score BTW.

 

[JohnWN]

Nice pick up! Congrats!

 

[Isthmus]

Dang, I loev hearing people getting lucky on eBay stories. It happens to all of us every once in a blue moon, and it is a real joy when it does. Congrats on the wonderful piece. So what are your plans for it now?

 

[Seikojohn]

Well done!!!

 

[Spencer PK]

thanks all - every now and then you get lucky!

My plans are to get it and figure out what its deal is - if it's a true Frankestein or a bunged-up original. I'm very curious to see why it isn't running - the lume and hands show a little degredation, the case back has been ground & polished sterile, but other parts of it look nice. I'm not a fan of parting out items if I can avoid it, even though this means passing up some good potential profit if I were to resell. I'd much rather get it running somehow and see it on someone's wrist if not mine.

I won't take any more parts off of it than I need to get my main 6139 running - originality is a big deal to me so I prefer to do as little as is required to get something going.

this new find has got a few Franken details - inner bezel is the blue kind, badly faded, not right for this face. The lower register hand looks to be wrong. But the fact that it has its original crown (or AN original crown, who knows) makes me a little hopeful. Lord only knows what we'll find when I get it and spin that back off...

Dang, I loev hearing people getting lucky on eBay stories. It happens to all of us every once in a blue moon, and it is a real joy when it does. Congrats on the wonderful piece. So what are your plans for it now?