Mendota Explorer

Look at it this way, though. To restore it would have cost $3,500 according to the vintage restoration guy in the thread. Fully restored and 20 years from now, that watch is worth far more than what he sold it for today. 30 years from now that watch is worth far more than that. Easy gain now, but he could have doubled or tripled that if he had the patience to hold onto it.

Just saying. There's opportunity cost associated with every decision like that. But like others have said, he was only into it for $3 so you can't fault him for that.

Please share more details. What are you working on?

Now that the newest Noob is on the market (March 2015 version) it would be interesting to see a similar gen v rep comparison using the new model instead of these older ones. The latest edition is phenomenal, including platinum paint insert and AR cyclops.

No kidding. I would have spent the money to rebuild it and then enjoy the hell out of it. Then I'd pass it down to my boys and keep it going. What a shame.

Nice piece! What are the specs on this one?

Lots of 4-handers today.

He paid $3. There is not a typo. $3.... Less than a latte at Starbucks.

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Are you sh $ tting me? I'm speechless. Why can't I find something like that? Holy smokes...

^ Yes! GMT Saturday!

I can't even imagine finding my grail like that. I can't believe he sold it. They were estimating only $3,500 to fully restore it and get it up and running again. I wonder how much he paid for it originally?

Cool. Looking forward to seeing the rest of it!

Loving the 6538 and turnograph! 

Going with 4 hands again.

If you aren't totally into watches, no amount of money is going to change that. It is like sports or scrapbooking, photography, cars, guns, model building, or any other endless hobbies out there. If you aren't already interested in it, then money is irrelevant.

Beachcomber and Droptop, what are the specs on those 5513s? They both look amazing.

Going with 4 hands today.

Nice piece, Beachcomber! What are the specs?

You'll start and end before we even get going!

36mm today.

Look at Nanuq's big gonzo 6538 big crown build with gen parts, including refinished gen dial. This is such an amazing piece and yet he has an ETA inside. I would take that watch any day of the week over a gen Pam. No question in my mind. Maybe that isn't a fair comparison since it is a gen parts franken, or genken.

Gorgeous view! LOL, I took a tour on that boat in your last pic! The guy who owns it has a bunch of small businesses and that boat was just getting up and running when we were there. His wife served as a tour guide for us while we were in Malta. She took us on private tours all over the island.

Cool. I'll make note of Spinola Terrace. I can't imagine service being even better than Barracuda. They were amazing to us. The chef brought us samples all night of things he was making, desserts, etc. The Westin had called over and told them we got married in Malta and it was our last night there. When the hotel taxi pulled up outside, they pulled right up on the curb and then the host brought us outside. People in the street started crowding around and taking pics of us like paparazzi. It was hilarious because we are just regular people, but everyone thought we were part of the movie and must be special. Why else would we be getting into a jet black Mercedes up on the curb? Funny memory. I'll never forget that.

Enjoy your time there and say hello to Malta for me. I can't wait to go back someday. Are you living there permanently?

Where in Malta? My wife and I got married there. Very cool place with amazing history. We got married in a palace in Naxxar that is still owned and has been occupied by the same royal family for hundreds of years since the palace was first built. In fact, during our ceremony the lady of the house came out onto her balcony and watched. We signed our wedding papers on the same table that Napoleon used to sign his treaty with Malta when he invaded. There is a matching set of these ornate tables and both of them are at her palace. She let us use the one that Napoleon used. Pretty humbling.

Steven Spielberg was there filming "Munich" at the same time we were, and a lot of the crew were staying at the Westin with us. We never saw him but the rumor was that he was staying in the super fancy penthouse suite. My parents mistakenly got waved onto the set one day when their black Merc taxi from the hotel was thought to be some of the cast or crew. They got to watch them shoot a scene and then they were sent on their way. We got a lot of really special treatment while we were there and the people were amazing. The last night we ate at The Barracuda, which is where all of the Hollywood celebs eat on their last night in Malta. Literally every movie shot there ends with a night at The Barracuda to celebrate. The food was fantastic!

There were so many great sights there. Too many to rattle off but we hit a ton during the 10 days we spent there. Valletta and Mdina, in particular, with all of the history dating back to the Knights Templar were really cool. It was also interesting to see the various catacombs and the cave where St. Paul lived before he was eventually executed in Rome. Someday we plan to go back again and spend an anniversary there. I have a huge fondness for Malta.

I've been meaning to ask you big crown experts this question for a while now. With these redone gen dials, does Voldemort use active lume or are the markers redone without it being active? I've been wondering this for a long time.

Looks great!

Wow!  Look at that thing!  

Thanks for posting!  

Wow.  I'm speechless.  That is really something special.  I wish that all of you big crown experts lived closer to me so I could come see them and hold them in person.  This is true excellence.  I especially love the red depth on the dial.  It's one of my favorite 6538 dial variants.  What a classy piece.  Truly an heirloom.  

 

Is the tip of the minute hand touching the rehaut?

Hank Paulson, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and then Treasury Secretary wore a G-Shock. The guy had more money than God himself and didn't care about that. Many people don't care about watches. We do, so we just assume everyone else does, too, but just because they have money doesn't mean they care about watches. Why would you want a watch, anyway, when your smart phone keeps much better time and is more convenient?