At least 60 years ago, my mother showed me this pocket watch. It either belonged to my grandfather or great grandfather. It didn’t work, the inside glass was missing and the hinge for the outer case broken. Yet I loved feeling the buttery warm 18k gold.
At last, I took it to Martins Jewellers for them to give a quote. The quote for the movement was very reasonable and I said to go ahead. To repair the case and fit a new glass meant sending it to a goldsmith in London - £600 to £1000. I quickly declined.
I collected the watch on Christmas Eve and it’s amazing to see it working after all these years. It is very delicate with the adjustment of the hands only possible in an anti-clockwise direction. It won’t be used but brought out to admire and wind every few months.
Then I made an unintended purchase. I was browsing Pinterest and saw an advert for Enoksen watches “designed in Germany, built in Belfast“ caught my intention and the Fly E03/D looked very nice. I read the specs which said the date display was at 6 o’clock; but nothing visible in the picture. Out of boredom I wrote to query this. Within 15 minutes I had a reply saying it was a mistake and to thank me for bringing the error to their attention they would give me 2 additional straps.
I deleted the email but 5 days later thought “why not”, and bought one with 10% off as well. It arrived 2 days later; two leather straps, a rubber one and this Nato one.
