Watches: 14K Thin-o-matic, fake Cartier, vintage Beatles watch

[silverdollarbill]

Picked up all the items below for $200. Paging Jim Don.

The Cartier watch which looked good turned out to be fake. Even the watch guy thought it was real until he opened the back. Seems Cartier makes their own Quartz movements. This one was made in Japan.

The Safeway pin is 10K and for 5 years of service.

The Hamilton Thin-o-matic is a Safeway 25 years of service watch and is engraved on the back. The watch keep good time, but it feels a bit "rough" when I wind it and I can't seem to set the date. (Tried the 12am back and fourth thing). I like the watch, but not the safeway logo. Curious what you think I should do with it and value?

The Benrus is nothing special but it keeps good time. In the age of junk, even basic manual watches are impressive.

The Beatles Watch is a wind up and keeps good time. I bought it from the original owner who said it was from the "period". She was an old hippie. I also found a bunch of topless photos of her from her younger days. Those I gave back to her.....she was looking good. I can't seem to find a similar one and think it could be worth a bit. Let me know what you think.

thanks for looking,
bill

 

[diggummup]

Lol, I have that same Cartier knockoff. The Beatles watch is a nice find. The last Beatles watch like yours sold for $260 way back in 2009 on ebay. It doesn't have a photo so the face may or may not have been the same. The watch itself sounds like yours though. I think your watch is worth about $300-$400 today. I'd try for $500 myself. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-beatles-1964-watch-swiss-97520759

PS- I would have kept the topless photos and sold those too. There is a market.

 

[JimDon]

Great scores. Any 14kt gold cased watch in that condition is great. I personally like personalized watches. They tell a story. I would sell it as is and let someone with the know how to fix. The Beatles watch is just plain cool. That’s a real collectible piece. Overall great haul. Even the Cartier has value as a replica.

 

[randazzo1]

The thinomatic is awesome!

 

[Tremec]

Maybe the Hamilton thin-o-matic is a micro rotor. They have a distinctive feel when hand wound, and are sought-after in their own right.

 

[silverdollarbill]

Thanks everyone!

@Tremec....never heard of a micro rotor before. Learned something new.

@JimDon...I always say fake, but I like "replica" better.

@Digg....I took a photo of one of the photos to add to me "yard sale adventure" photo collection.

 

[tamrock]

Good score Bill

 

[ARC]

Also have the same Cartier.

The Beatles "character watch" which is what they are called... are desired / collectable.

Safeway looks to me to be gold... pop back to see.. or look between lugs for markings.

Benrus does not really sell.

Tie bar... Scrap value at least.

 

[tamrock]

Also have the same Cartier.

The Beatles "character watch" which is what they are called... are desired / collectable.

Safeway looks to me to be gold... pop back to see.. or look between lugs for markings.

Benrus does not really sell.

Tie bar... Scrap value at least.

It's marked on the outside outer perimeter of the back. I can see it when I expand the image. Many pre 1970s years of service presentation watches can very often be gold. These days if they give you a watch it's crap.

 

[ARC]

My grandfather received a stainless and gold Rolex for 25 year service with Barber Greene.

When I asked my grandmother where the watch was long after he had passed... she says " that old thing... I gave it with his other watches to Amvets".

I just cringed... and told her it was a Rolex. :/

 

[tamrock]

My grandfather received a stainless and gold Rolex for 25 year service with Barber Greene.

When I asked my grandmother where the watch was long after he had passed... she says " that old thing... I gave it with his other watches to Amvets".

I just cringed... and told her it was a Rolex. :/

Bummer, I received a wristwatch as a safety award once. It was a Timex auto I believe and was for the Climax mine in Colorado. I've no clue what I did with it? Every now and then one will come up on eBay.

In the defense of Benrus wristwatches as not worth much. I found this one in an antique shop in Montana for $60.00. I sold it on eBay for a little over $1200.00. It's made by Benrus and is known as the Type 2 military.

 

[ARC]

Bummer, I received a wristwatch as a safety award once. It was a Timex auto I believe and was for the Climax mine in Colorado. I've no clue what I did with it? Every now and then one will come up on eBay.

In the defense of Benrus wristwatches as not worth much. I found this one in an antique shop in Montana for $60.00. I sold it on eBay for a little over $1200.00. It's made by Benrus and is known as the Type 2 military.

In general I meant... Benrus "typically" don't sell... Of course rarer or high end anything sells.

 

[tamrock]

In general I meant... Benrus "typically" don't sell... Of course rarer or high end anything sells.

Yeah I know. I'll buy em if they're priced cheap. To me a Benrus is every bit as good as a Bulova. An American watch with a Swiss movement. Heck even this Hamilton thin o matic has a Swiss movement, which really doesn't appeal to Hamilton collectors, but being a gold case makes up for some of its value.

 

[ARC]

I also like Benrus... and anything with Swiss movement.

Heck some JApan movements are good even.

Don't know what the heck gives with em.