Ever since I was a young boy I have been fascinated with watches. To me they are not pieces of jewelry or utilitarian time telling machines. They are mechanical wonders. When done well, the art of watchmaking is engineering elevated to art. A few years back I decided to take my obsession from appreciation to participation. As the industry faces a growing shortage of watchmakers, I would like to think that I am doing my part to preserve and shed some light on some of the wonderful horological creations of times past.
I started this blog to share my hobby with those interested enough to see the process of restoring watches that are broken and neglected to the beautiful time machines they were built to be. As a fact lover, I also try to provide some history on the pieces I work on.
I have some restoration principles I feel are worth mentioning. I am generally against any process that covers up a watch’s age. This includes dial refinishing, re-plating, and re-luming. To me these processes detract from the final beauty of the pieces. If you want a watch that looks like new; buy a new one. If on the other-hand you are moved by the beauty of the pink-gold hue of classic Omega movements, or of seeing a watch used by pilots in WWII brought back to life, or are just generally curious about how watches work and are restored, I hope you will find this site enjoyable and informational.
If you are interested in acquiring any of the pieces you see, I do sell them. If there is a particular watch you would like to see restored for yourself feel free to drop in a request.
I also buy watches. If you have something you would like to sell, buy, or ask please feel free to contact me at AMBwatches@gmail.com
I hope you enjoy,
Aaron
AMBwatches 
I am interested in purchasing a Hamilton 37500 aviation clock in working order. Do you know where I might buy one in good condition?
Thanks, John
I would highly suggest the following:
http://www.historictimekeepers.com/Warbirds.htm
and
http://historicaviationsupply.com
They are quite pricey, but given the work they put in it is totally worth it knowing you are getting a perfect piece rather than a gamble on eBay which can cost up to $1200 to get serviced.
Aaron, I stumbled across your website when doing some absent-minded research on a new watch that I acquired, a Mirexal Electronic ESA 9154 in mint condition and running, (should I say ‘like clockwork’).
After reading some of your blogs, I realised how much your efforts can enrich those of us who have found a watch that we want to know more about, by educating us about the value and appreciation of watches from bygone times.
Besides the enjoyment of finding a great watch, there is almost as much fun in recounting the tale of how the watch as acquired, in an interesting way to those who are slightly less knowledgeable than we are about the joys of watch collecting. I’ve managed to keep a dinner party entertained for a few hours (with the help of a few bottles of wine), about the joys of watch collecting. Like magpies, we all appreciate baubles of beauty.
I’m sure you’ll agree with my belief that many great friendships can be cultivated from the love of watch (and clock) collecting at every level. It’s right up there with any other hobby, except that you get to constantly appreciate the beauty of a good (and interesting) watch every day that you wear it (assuming that you have a reasonable collection to start with.)
I’m an Irishman living in South Africa for many years. The ‘Lost Continent’ doesn’t begin to describe the type of watch ‘finds’ that I’ve stumbled across at flea markets and online sell ads, which would be almost impossible to replicate in Europe, probably because of the general assumption locally that ‘a dirty old watch is probably worthless’. In many cases this view is true, but sometimes we get lucky!
To date, I’ve found an 1958 Omega Railmaster in excellent condition, a Grand Seiko 6246 Automatic in fantastic condition from 1965, 2 Omega Albatros watches (that the legendary genius Piotr Samulik of http://www.crazywatches.pl restored) and an Omega Equinoxe, for prices that are almost akin to tall tales about huge fish catches. I’d be embarrassed to to say what I’ve purchased some of these ‘gems’ for.
Keep up the good work. You are providing an invaluable, very enjoyable and vital service to the watch collecting community.
Happy hunting!
Mark Nagle
Mark, thank you so much for your kind words! Your finds are amazing to say the least. I hope you stay tuned for some more interesting discoveries to come, and feel free to contact me via email with any questions or conversation! It’s always a pleasure to find and talk to collectors around the world.
Hi
I just saw your Instagram
I’m looking for someone who do vintage seiko service. My seiko 6138 need service. I got bad experience with my previous watchmaker who damaged my two watches. Please let me know. Thanks
Reach out to me via-email and let’s talk!
I just received a AE21 bulova airplane clock from my grandfathers estate. I’d like to get it repaired.
How much would you charge to redo the workings of the watch ? And when would you be able to do it ?
And, have you ever working on the acutron 218 watches ? I have a couple of those I would like to get repaired.
I actually have a ton of old watches. Anything common you’re looking for as restoration projects ?
Sean, happy to talk more via email. Please send me an email at ambwatches@gmail.com