Now I am a watch guy too.........

[CladSpends2]

You guys are a bad influence. LOL. It is a Benrus Shock Absorber, Series 3011 and 20 microns gold plated. I paid a quarter for it. I can't find the exact series, 3011 or face online any where. What do you guys think? It didn't look this good until I cleaned it, but I think it came out great. Now I have to go strap shopping. I love the style and shape of the numerals. Really happy that the face isn't all mildew and that it has kept perfect time for 5 hrs now. Can anyone give me a value?

Just found this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-Vtg-Ben...f-Mens-Wristwatch-Watch-Jewelry-/301936439040

I don't have a band, not that that one is original, and I believe mine is in better condition.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[JimDon]

Very nice find. I am glad that I am a bad influence. It is definitely a $50 -$100 watch

 

[CladSpends2]

Jim Don, thank you very much for that info. Could you possibly tell me the approximate dates this model was made? I am just now reading about the history of Benrus and am hoping it would have been made pre-'67 and the sale of the company to Victor Kiam. It probably isn't, but if you have more info, I would love to know it. Yeah, I am reading the history of Benrus......funny how our finds suck us in and we become obsessed, isn't it?

 

[silverdollarbill]

Your right, the face and number style is great and watch is clean. Cool watch!

 

[Spartcom5]

Agreed that one watch is definitely in great condition I'd say 50-100 or so. It'd be more expensive if Benrus was a desirable brand today. There are some who collect but only because they are readily available for good prices. They did use great quality movements back in the day! Throw a leather band on it and wear it! Remember cleaning a vintage watch is fine but never polish!

 

[JimDon]

Based on the style it looks 1950s to me.

 

[CladSpends2]

By now I had hoped to post pics of the watch with a new leather band on my wrist and in use, but between working 12 hour shifts this last week and then spending the weekend at my daughter's field hockey round robins, (yup, one more today, Sunday) I have not been anywhere but a Walmart on the way home and didn't find anything there deserving of this watch, of course. Tomorrow afternoon, after working just a half day I will have time to run into a local jeweler who is only open Mon-Weds and who does work on watches some. I am in hopes he will have a quality leather band that will fit. This gentleman is now in his early 70's and would have fully retired a few years ago, but he is the only one in our little community who works on time pieces anymore and he is really doing it now as a service to the community. I love this watch, it does lose a minute or 2 every 36 hours. Would you watch guys call this the average for a sixty year old manual watch? Every night at home I have checked eBay listings for Benrus watches listed. I have fallen in love with their stylings. The day and date ones with the date hand are awesome and the jump o rama are as well. I know that you guys said Benrus wasn't really a desirable brand, but some of these are going for what I call good money and the buy it nows of those models are even higher. What do you guys think a nice example of those models are worth? I guess watch face and action styles weren't all that different from brand to brand, should I be looking for the same sort of face in a different brand if I were to continue collecting watches? At the moment I have become really interested in watches and have always wanted to have something else besides coins and firearms to collect and not just flip to keep yard saling interesting and I kind of think watches have become that "thing", but I don't want to make a bunch of foolish, expensive mistakes either. Any further help you watch guys, like Spartcom5 and JimDon want to give me would be greatly appreciated. Sometimes, buying just to flip gets old, takes some of the fun out of the hobby and makes it more like a job, but this watch has refueled the fun in yard saling for me, something else I love and want to collect, wear and keep. Thank you in advance for any help you guys are willing to give me. I will put a couple of links on the bottom to show the watches I am fascinated by.

Mens Original 1950 Benrus Concentric Date 10K Gold GP Vintage 17J Swiss Watch A | eBay

Beautiful 1950s Vintage Benrus Dial O Rama Jump Hour Watch RARE Second Dial | eBay

Vintage Benrus Dial-o-rama 'Chevron' jump hour watch, gold plated, running

Exquisite 1960s Vintage Mans Benrus Hand Wind Stunning Dial Just Serviced | eBay

Vintage Benrus Day Date Quick Set | eBay

 

[JimDon]

By now I had hoped to post pics of the watch with a new leather band on my wrist and in use, but between working 12 hour shifts this last week and then spending the weekend at my daughter's field hockey round robins, (yup, one more today, Sunday) I have not been anywhere but a Walmart on the way home and didn't find anything there deserving of this watch, of course. Tomorrow afternoon, after working just a half day I will have time to run into a local jeweler who is only open Mon-Weds and who does work on watches some. I am in hopes he will have a quality leather band that will fit. This gentleman is now in his early 70's and would have fully retired a few years ago, but he is the only one in our little community who works on time pieces anymore and he is really doing it now as a service to the community. I love this watch, it does lose a minute or 2 every 36 hours. Would you watch guys call this the average for a sixty year old manual watch? Every night at home I have checked eBay listings for Benrus watches listed. I have fallen in love with their stylings. The day and date ones with the date hand are awesome and the jump o rama are as well. I know that you guys said Benrus wasn't really a desirable brand, but some of these are going for what I call good money and the buy it nows of those models are even higher. What do you guys think a nice example of those models are worth? I guess watch face and action styles weren't all that different from brand to brand, should I be looking for the same sort of face in a different brand if I were to continue collecting watches? At the moment I have become really interested in watches and have always wanted to have something else besides coins and firearms to collect and not just flip to keep yard saling interesting and I kind of think watches have become that "thing", but I don't want to make a bunch of foolish, expensive mistakes either. Any further help you watch guys, like Spartcom5 and JimDon want to give me would be greatly appreciated. Sometimes, buying just to flip gets old, takes some of the fun out of the hobby and makes it more like a job, but this watch has refueled the fun in yard saling for me, something else I love and want to collect, wear and keep. Thank you in advance for any help you guys are willing to give me. I will put a couple of links on the bottom to show the watches I am fascinated by.

Mens Original 1950 Benrus Concentric Date 10K Gold GP Vintage 17J Swiss Watch A | eBay

Beautiful 1950s Vintage Benrus Dial O Rama Jump Hour Watch RARE Second Dial | eBay

Vintage Benrus Dial-o-rama 'Chevron' jump hour watch, gold plated, running

Exquisite 1960s Vintage Mans Benrus Hand Wind Stunning Dial Just Serviced | eBay

Vintage Benrus Day Date Quick Set | eBay

So sorry for your new addiction! Lol. Actually there are a couple of nice watch enthusiast forums out there that you can subscribe to. They are great and have lots of information in experts That can answer your questions. As for eBay don't look at listed prices as they mean nothing. Only focus on the sold price. That is the best gauge on what something is worth. But you have to be careful as sometimes watches sell well below what you would think due to something watch enthusiasts know is wrong such as a franken watch or bad redial. I also recommend you buy this book it's really good for reference.

 

[CladSpends2]

JimDon, thank you for the reply and information. I do know that asking prices on eBay mean nothing. I have been there since 1997, I believe, and sell my finds on there regularly. I mentioned the asking prices because either you or Spartcom5 wrote that Benrus is not a sort after, valuable, collectable watch brand, but going by eBay, both asking and final auction prices, they are going for pretty good money, what I call pretty good money anyways. I was wondering what the real value was and if I should look for similar faces and actions in a different brand that would hold or maintain more value? I gave specific examples of the watches I think I would like to acquire and wondered if other brands that made better watches also made similar faces and had similar jump o rama or pointer date hands as well. That sort of thing. I will look for that price guide, that was one of the questions I had in mind that I didn't really get around to expressing in my previous post, is there a price guide.....there is, I better get one. LOL I hadn't thought about Frankenwatches. I am always watching for Frankenguns in my buys....I need to get better educated, just like I did in firearms. Thank you again for your reply.

T.

 

[CladSpends2]

It looks better in person. But I am a watch convert. The old jeweler is going to bring in some of his vintage watches for me to look at soon. Guess I won't be able to post them here in the yard sale forum if I purchase any though. ;-)

 

[CladSpends2]

Found this 1962 Benrus brochure on a vintage watch forum. The name of this model is the Water Pilot. There were several other year's brochures posted there, but only the 1962 contained this model. Coincidently, I was born in 1962. I am thinking that makes this quite likely a birth year buy and certainly a keeper. I knew there was something that made me turn my truck around and go back and get this watch. It was speaking to me then and it still is. I have bought a second vintage Benrus and am on the hunt for other vintage watches every day. LOL

 

[cyberdan]

View attachment 1363876

It looks better in person. But I am a watch convert. The old jeweler is going to bring in some of his vintage watches for me to look at soon. Guess I won't be able to post them here in the yard sale forum if I purchase any though. ;-)

I hope that is not Kella's wrist modeling that watch.

You said this old guy is in his early 70's? you better keep good track of him. I have met a few guys that got a ton of parts and watches from old watch repair guys that retired. They would buy out the entire inventory and sell at vintage swap meets.

Besides who you calling old? just a couple more years and I will be 70. Boy, that does sound old. excuse me now, got to find my Geritol.

 

[CladSpends2]

No, not Kella's wrist, Dan. LOL Funny you mention the NOS, I was thinking if I get serious about this I would try and buy his old stock myself in a couple of years. Have fun in your retirement. It sounds like you are going to have yard sale withdrawals with your move up north.

 

[cyberdan]

Have fun in your retirement. It sounds like you are going to have yard sale withdrawals with your move up north.

Thanks but I feel too young to stop working. The wife doesn't want me home during the day cause I would get underfoot. After the house is finished (2-3 months) she wants a greenhouse and I want a workshed. Guess which will be built first? But I know I can stop anytime to go fishing or crabbing.

The town does have several thrift shops and a few antique stores. The prices are not outrageous. Maybe I can get in with one of the owners that specializes in hosting "estate sales" If things don't sell they go into her store. (I talked to an employee for almost an hour)

There is a flea market I am thinking of selling something at. Table space is $10 day, any day of the week. When I visited there were only 2 vendors, but it was middle of the week.

 

[billjustbill]

Dan,

Your comment: "The wife doesn't want me home during the day cause I would get underfoot." was summed up to me like this when I got to retire....

"RETIREMENT IS HALF THE INCOME AND TWICE THE HUSBAND"

Bill