My Dad's watch - Seiko 6139-6002
Discussion
I was at my Mum's last night and she showed my my Dad's old watch that she'd found - It had gone in a box in a draw and been forgotten about in the 24 years since he died. I haven't seen it in that long and to say it made my choke up would be a massive understatement.
I remember that he would wear this watch every day and as it was an automatic chronograph (I got that from the internet), it never needed winding up - It's in a well worn state but, amazingly, it still works. I looked at it and my first thought was "it's smaller than I remember", but I only ever saw it as a child really so it would always be a big watch. Dad would let us "wear" it but it never fit and we'd look on it in amazement as it never needed batteries or winding - I tried it on again last night and it is a tight fit too.
Even now, I am smiling as I think of him wearing it - It's over 40 years old (I think) and even my mum remembered him always wearing it. My aunt (his sister) has said the same.
I did a little digging and the watch itself has some history as "it was posthumously rewarded rank of first automatic chronograph in space" - In the link, it looks amazing and the colours are so bright, but my dad's just looks, well, better. I'll never restore it, nor will I ever wear it but it will stay with my mum.
To me, it's perfect just the way it is - Not the most valuable here (by a long way) but to me, it is and forever will be.
|http://thumbsnap.com/CIMTzGY8[/url]
When I got my watch from my mum for my 40th, I thought of my Dad's watch and I thought I'd not seen it in a long while and that was my last thought on it - It had been 24 years after all. And I thought to myself that my watch was actually smaller than dad's, turns out it isn't:
|http://thumbsnap.com/RhmV6oqo[/url]
The Lego watch? Well, my daughter chose that one for me and I wear it occasionally just because it makes her smile and laugh and that, as some say, is all that matters in life.
http://wornandwound.com/gallery-seiko-6139-6002-po...
Here's to you Dad
I remember that he would wear this watch every day and as it was an automatic chronograph (I got that from the internet), it never needed winding up - It's in a well worn state but, amazingly, it still works. I looked at it and my first thought was "it's smaller than I remember", but I only ever saw it as a child really so it would always be a big watch. Dad would let us "wear" it but it never fit and we'd look on it in amazement as it never needed batteries or winding - I tried it on again last night and it is a tight fit too.
Even now, I am smiling as I think of him wearing it - It's over 40 years old (I think) and even my mum remembered him always wearing it. My aunt (his sister) has said the same.
I did a little digging and the watch itself has some history as "it was posthumously rewarded rank of first automatic chronograph in space" - In the link, it looks amazing and the colours are so bright, but my dad's just looks, well, better. I'll never restore it, nor will I ever wear it but it will stay with my mum.
To me, it's perfect just the way it is - Not the most valuable here (by a long way) but to me, it is and forever will be.
|http://thumbsnap.com/CIMTzGY8[/url]When I got my watch from my mum for my 40th, I thought of my Dad's watch and I thought I'd not seen it in a long while and that was my last thought on it - It had been 24 years after all. And I thought to myself that my watch was actually smaller than dad's, turns out it isn't:
|http://thumbsnap.com/RhmV6oqo[/url]The Lego watch? Well, my daughter chose that one for me and I wear it occasionally just because it makes her smile and laugh and that, as some say, is all that matters in life.
http://wornandwound.com/gallery-seiko-6139-6002-po...
Here's to you Dad
Edited by james_tigerwoods on Friday 21st October 11:28
Edited by james_tigerwoods on Friday 21st October 11:36
Treasure it.
My stepfather wore a similar era Seiko chronograph when I was growing up, and it always seemed enormous and heavy. He bought it in Hong Kong when he was in the navy in the late 60s or early 70s. A couple of years ago, I mentioned to him that I'd bought a Seiko which reminded me of his old watch and he dug it out and gave it to me. Amazing how the memory plays tricks because it wasn't all that similar to my purchase and was quite a bit smaller than I remembered (that'll be fashions changing).
The chrono bit still works though the time does not. I'm not sure I'd ever wear it unless I replaced the bracelet (which is incredibly stretched), by which time it may not feel like the same watch so I'm reluctant to spend money fixing it. My stepfather is still alive and well in his mid-70s so I'll probably keep it as he gave it to me because he won't be around forever.
My stepfather wore a similar era Seiko chronograph when I was growing up, and it always seemed enormous and heavy. He bought it in Hong Kong when he was in the navy in the late 60s or early 70s. A couple of years ago, I mentioned to him that I'd bought a Seiko which reminded me of his old watch and he dug it out and gave it to me. Amazing how the memory plays tricks because it wasn't all that similar to my purchase and was quite a bit smaller than I remembered (that'll be fashions changing).
The chrono bit still works though the time does not. I'm not sure I'd ever wear it unless I replaced the bracelet (which is incredibly stretched), by which time it may not feel like the same watch so I'm reluctant to spend money fixing it. My stepfather is still alive and well in his mid-70s so I'll probably keep it as he gave it to me because he won't be around forever.
mikees said:
Brilliant watch James. What did your dad do ?
Dad was in the RAF. He was Mauritian and left there with mum to get a better life in the RAF which he could do as Mauritius was, at the time, a British colony (I think) - this was in '68.They both came over to the UK and ended up in Germany - mum couldn't really speak English or German so it was a bit of a shock to her too....
Dad ended up doing the RAF Germany rounds and finished at RAF Cranwell as mess manager at No2 IOT. He started with nothing at the bottom and ended as a well respected and liked Flt Sergeant (contrary to the photo) - I even remember him getting the phone call confirming his promotion. WO was on the cards in the future too.
Sadly he died not long after his promotion on the 4th march 1992, about 2 years after that photo, on camp at RAF Cranwell which was his second home and where he was very happy. I was away at boarding school at the time so missed an awful lot of time with him, but the time I spent with him was precious. The watch was always there and is something that links back to him.
james_tigerwoods said:
To me, it's perfect just the way it is - Not the most valuable here (by a long way)
No, you're right, it isn't the most valuable watch here, because it's priceless. You can't put a value on that watch, what it means to you and the history behind it.I'm glad you're reunited with the watch dude, enjoy it.
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