Should I wait to finish watch projects or forget it ?

[Chronus]

I have one of the old EL PAM power reserves with genuine ETA movement with power reserve. As some may remember, these didn't come with good PVD back then and I was going to get it PVD'd aftermarket, never got around to it at the time and I still have the unworn watch here... I also had one of the 1:1 crown guards/lever from the old ebay seller that had a limited supply (this was many years ago).

 

Other projects:

I have a gen PAM029 (can't remember exactly ... the GMT one) dial and bezel and was going to do this one too. It was also the ETA   version. Same with the 063.. the PAM188 and PAM196 with ETA 7753 is all lumed up, crowns replaced (by finepics, if anyone remembers him from way back when).. the 188 has the CG too tight that the lever probably needs to be shaved to allow it to open.

 

Similar stories with Dayton 6263.. vietnam case dial, gen pushers.. crystal etc .. i was going to get a gen dial but never got around to it, now I don't have the money to afford these things. Similar deal with a GWSD.

 

I have a gen rolex 3135 movement I was going to use in an MBW sub with gen aftermarket silver serti (genuine sapphires and diamonds) dial ie.. not a dial from any rep dealer. Gen crowns and tubes in gold and steel for differing rlx projects.. datewheels, bezels and inserts etc.

 

Same with FM casablanca.. one of the solid gold ones from the group buy with EL years ago.. Archibald and kruzer probably remember. I think I may have a gen dial for it, as with the old classic FM conquistador.

 

Breitlng CA in titanium with ETA 7750, gen. dial and bracelet etc.

 

One of the original good MBW AP ROOs still in the plastic that I wanted to get modded (but wow, is that an expensive thing to do!)

 

A bunch of 8 day movements to make a PAM 8 days or homage...

 

A case set (to go with the aforementioned PAM CG), lello (?) crowns, sssurfer clcyopses... wow it all comes back.. skeleton movements for my own PVD/DLC pam style homage - no PAM markings.. well they are only usually on the dial and caseback anyway.

 

Having said that, I have a gen Omega Speedmaster where the stopwatch seconds hand fell off... and haven't had the cash to get it serviced/repaired.

 

I'd wanted to get the IWC Ingys with gen movements.. I still have an unused SS one although the titanium one has had much more time on the wrist.. always a sucker for these titanium ones,

 

I guess the FM crazy hours was never going to get modded and is as throwaway (but accurate) as you can get in the rep world.

 

I'm going to go through boxes of everything and see what else I have unfinished.

 

Basically I don't have the money to get everything done, and most of my stuff is in the UK while i'm usually based in Spain.. should I wait and hope that eventually I'm making the same level of money as previously, or just give up and forget this expensive addiction... hmm what to do? Too many other unfinished projects to list here... I have a bunch of gen Omegas just sitting in their boxes in the UK with no use at all. It's a quandary I tell ya!

Edited January 16, 2014 by Chronus

[Chronus]

Having said that, I have an unnatural affinity to the Japanese PAM194 that I have even if I don't wear it much. Same story with the PAM192... but these aren't project watches I guess.

[panerai153]

I believe that what I would do, if I were you, would be this route. Sit down and sort out all the stuff you have, which truly is a very impressive collection of parts and watches. Then, I would prioritize the projects. The ones that are past the realm of feasibility, I would sell. That also applies to the genuine watches that are gathering dust. Then, I would use the funds from the parts and watch sales to finance the projects that are the closest to your heart.

[tomhorn]

You have a lot of good projects/parts there. If cashflow to finish things is the issue, you should probably sell off a lot of it and just concentrate on finishing the 2-3 that would make you happiest.

 

I'm sure there would be plenty of buyers here.

[Ylfig]

I agree with Tom. Keep the ones that really speak to you. That's a lot of value just sitting in a box(es).

[fraggle42]

Yup, same advice as the others basically.

 

List the projects you can remember, then order them by how much you will love the finished article / do love the parts.

 

Then list the excess parts.

 

Price the excess parts, and then start at the bottom of the project list, pricing the parts in each project.

 

Then price the parts required to finish the upper 1/2 of the projects list.

 

So you then know roughly how much it will take to finish the projects in the top half of the list, and you know how much cash you can raise by selling the excess parts and by selling the parts in the project watches in the lower half of the list.

 

Starting from the top of the project list, take the amount to finish and tick off excess parts and parts from lower half of projects until that one is finished.

 

Pick the next one down in the top half of the list and repeat.

 

You'll meet yourself somewhere in the project list, and that'll be roughly what you can afford to finish with the cost of the spare parts you have.

 

I think you'll be surprised at how many projects you can finish if you go through all the stuff in an emotionally detached way like this

 

 

And if you want to flog off some of those gen Omegas shoot me a PM, I may be interested and live in the UK. (Milton Keynes)