[McNewton]

I have always thought it would be interesting to hear from us WIS folks about THE watch that started each of us on our lifelong journey/obsession, regardless of brand or price. The one watch that lit the flame.

I remember being interested in watches since I was a young boy, especially those in the military style. But my "flame" watch was the Seiko Bellmatic below. It was given to me as a birthday gift when I was in my teens and I wore it every day for many years.

Sadly, it is the one that got away. When it broke years later I set it aside and it was discarded somewhere during my many moves. No matter how many watches I have owned, this one was always special and started me down this very expensive path.

(Picture not mine, shamelessly copied from the internet)

 

[The Tiger UK]

Like yourself I have always liked watches from when I was a kid but what really started it for me was a 6024-5000 bought in 77 or 78 for almost two weeks wages to say my wife wasent very happy would be a little bit of a understatement

I gave it to a collector in 2000, bugger but we do these things, the model is still a firm favorite.

 

[mwadner]

I was pretty dismissive of Seiko as a quality or interesting brand for most of my ignorant life, until .....

The 7016-5001 was kind of my Genesis. I was so enamored by the looks and vibes of this watch. I owned a couple about 10 yrs ago and foolishly sold them but re-acquired this one several years ago. When I think Seiko, this is still the defining watch for me.

 

[McNewton]

I was pretty dismissive of Seiko as a quality or interesting brand for most of my ignorant life, until .....

The 7016-5001 was kind of my Genesis. I was so enamored by the looks and vibes of this watch. I owned a couple about 10 yrs ago and foolishly sold them but re-acquired this one several years ago. When I think Seiko, this is still the defining watch for me.

View attachment 465552

How true. Most people at least here in the the U.S. only think of relatively lower priced quartz watches when they hear Seiko. How unfortunate. I remember hearing some years ago that only two watch manufacturers in the world made all the parts for their mechanical watches in-house - Rolex and Seiko. This was right after Rolex switched the caliber for the Daytona from the Zenith El Primero to its in-house movement. Was never able to confirm whether that was true but I would not be surprised if it is. Not sure whether Patek may fall into that category as well.

Lovely watch. glad you got one back into your collection.

 

[balance]

The watch that started it all was just a very inexpensive quartz digital that only had time, am/pm, and date. I don't remember the brand. It had a recessed metal adjust button, a standard button to switch between displaying time, and then date. It was on a rubber or silicon black band. That was way back in the 80s. It died (battery probably) and then was lost to the great unknown.

After that I had a few cheap Timex watches, and a Big-Tic Fossil watch that was expensive at the time. The batteries died and I replaced the one in the Fossil, but for the life of me I can't remember how that watch met its end. I was doing very rough work, so I am sure it was FUBAR.

Fast forward to 2016 and I was browsing on eBay. I had a cheap Timex ani-digi, but wanted something analog. Something not resin and better constructed. I ended up purchasing a Timex TW4B01500 for around $50. I consider this my first "real" watch and the one that lit the flame. It has been on many adventures and I still have it. It works, but the date wheel sometimes sticks (maybe I will service it one day). I still like to wear it; considering I have about 90 watches that has to say something.

Here are a few pictures. The first is of it new with the original strap before it decayed; the second is what it looks like now.

I loved this watch so much that I got 2 others before they discontinued them. They still sit unworn as back-ups.

 

[keith975]

The one that started it for me was my vintage Bucherer auto, which I wore yesterday....

Got it in a batch of unwanted/broken watches from fleabay some years ago, cost £16 for all 8, but this is what I was after. It had no strap/bracelet and the crown was missing, but it works absolutely perfect.I did not know then who Bucherer were, but I do now! Seiko and others came later.....

 

[DWK]

A franken that I was gifted by a complete stranger. Said he needed some good karma. came with the original black dial but I will leave it as it is and never sell it.

 

[vincentg]

My 1st watch was a Westclox "big ben", this Timex was my 1st wristwatch, given to me when I was 11yo and it was a very big deal at the time. This mil-style Westclox is a model I used to drool over as a kid in the case at Western Auto and when a NOS one popped up for sale in the 90s I had to buy it. I remember being fascinated by travel alarm clocks as well and have a few somewhere.

 

[McNewton]

The watch that started it all was just a very inexpensive quartz digital that only had time, am/pm, and date. I don't remember the brand. It had a recessed metal adjust button, a standard button to switch between displaying time, and then date. It was on a rubber or silicon black band. That was way back in the 80s. It died (battery probably) and then was lost to the great unknown.

After that I had a few cheap Timex watches, and a Big-Tic Fossil watch that was expensive at the time. The batteries died and I replaced the one in the Fossil, but for the life of me I can't remember how that watch met its end. I was doing very rough work, so I am sure it was FUBAR.

Fast forward to 2016 and I was browsing on eBay. I had a cheap Timex ani-digi, but wanted something analog. Something not resin and better constructed. I ended up purchasing a Timex TW4B01500 for around $50. I consider this my first "real" watch and the one that lit the flame. It has been on many adventures and I still have it. It works, but the date wheel sometimes sticks (maybe I will service it one day). I still like to wear it; considering I have about 90 watches that has to say something.

Here are a few pictures. The first is of it new with the original strap before it decayed; the second is what it looks like now. View attachment 465599 View attachment 465600

I loved this watch so much that I got 2 others before they discontinued them. They still sit unworn as back-ups.

The watch that started it all was just a very inexpensive quartz digital that only had time, am/pm, and date. I don't remember the brand. It had a recessed metal adjust button, a standard button to switch between displaying time, and then date. It was on a rubber or silicon black band. That was way back in the 80s. It died (battery probably) and then was lost to the great unknown.

After that I had a few cheap Timex watches, and a Big-Tic Fossil watch that was expensive at the time. The batteries died and I replaced the one in the Fossil, but for the life of me I can't remember how that watch met its end. I was doing very rough work, so I am sure it was FUBAR.

Fast forward to 2016 and I was browsing on eBay. I had a cheap Timex ani-digi, but wanted something analog. Something not resin and better constructed. I ended up purchasing a Timex TW4B01500 for around $50. I consider this my first "real" watch and the one that lit the flame. It has been on many adventures and I still have it. It works, but the date wheel sometimes sticks (maybe I will service it one day). I still like to wear it; considering I have about 90 watches that has to say something.

Here are a few pictures. The first is of it new with the original strap before it decayed; the second is what it looks like now. View attachment 465599 View attachment 465600

I loved this watch so much that I got 2 others before they discontinued them. They still sit unworn as back-ups.

Great looking watch. I still love that military style after all these years.

 

[CombatID]

The one that started it for me was my vintage Bucherer auto, which I wore yesterday....
View attachment 465627

Got it in a batch of unwanted/broken watches from fleabay some years ago, cost £16 for all 8, but this is what I was after. It had no strap/bracelet and the crown was missing, but it works absolutely perfect.I did not know then who Bucherer were, but I do now! Seiko and others came later.....

I’m a big fan of Bucherer, they helped put Rolex on the map when Mr. Bucherer and Hans Wilsdorf worked together.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CombatID]

I have always been into mechanical things. When I was building and racing cars I admired the big Swiss chronographs the racers wore. These were out of my price range but I remember when I saw this watch in 1983 as a freshman in college I had to have it. And I still do!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rainier]

I've loved watches from a very young age. I wanted a Seiko Pepsi diver after seeing one that a friend of mine owned, but my parents didn't give in for what at the time, was an expensive watch for an 11 year old.

I was allowed to pick out a watch from the Service Merchandise store in Palm Beach, Florida, I remember a beautiful Heuer divers watch and a Benrus dive watch, but they were way too big for my wrist and out of my price range. The salesman directed me toward this Adec by Citizen, and that's how it began for me, I wore this watch every day in the mid eighties and it survived the Atlantic ocean and pools for several years without issue.

Still have it, I think the serial dates it to January 1983. I removed the battery years ago, and recently reinstalled a fresh Energizer 377/376 and it fired back to life.

 

[McNewton]

Great watch to start out with as a kid

 

[otherjohnuk2]

Going back to 1997 I was on a military deployent in Brunei, The store on the Naval base was selling Seiko Kinetic divers and several of my mates bought them. Sadly I couldn't afford the $200 at the time and didn't buy one. Roll on a few years and in a proper job I decided to get the watch of my dreams but they were no longer a current model and hard to find second hand. To cut a long story short and 100 Seiko's later:

And I still have it.

OtherJohn

 

[McNewton]

Going back to 1997 I was on a military deployent in Brunei, The store on the Naval base was selling Seiko Kinetic divers and several of my mates bought them. Sadly I couldn't afford the $200 at the time and didn't buy one. Roll on a few years and in a proper job I decided to get the watch of my dreams but they were no longer a current model and hard to find second hand. To cut a long story short and 100 Seiko's later:

And I still have it.

OtherJohn

Very nice. Always great to get the first watch of your dreams.