Coud Do With Your Help Please.

[TWR]

Hi all, a few years ago I purchased a Miyota MV37 Quartz Watch, It was bought In Sydney Aus, Miyota is a Japan Company which I have contacted for their help also, The case is Stainless Steel, this is stamped on the Back, also Hong Kong, inside the Face it has "Gemtime" Quartz, with the back open, the battery size 377, also stamped inside is "one Jewel" unadjusted,
back to the face, 12.pm (X11) 3PM ( 111) 6PM (1X) 9 PM X1, the colour is a gold effect with a Brown Strap, this watch did not cost the earth when bought but holds memories of my Brother that passed whilst I was there last year, I have tried a few area including ebay, up until now no joy, I would appreciate your help if possible, again tia.

[stuey]

You're quite welcome, TWR. Perhaps you could touch-up the case: go to your local hobby store and ask for their advice regarding various types of enamel paints etc.

[EcclesCake]

This is just my perspective on wear and tear but you might want to consider it TWR.

My wedding ring has some engraving on it, over time it has become worn and less distinct. I took my rings in for some maintenance and the jeweller offered to rein grave my wedding ring. I was gobsmacked because to my mind he was proposing erasing (poor, choice of word) my years of marriage. The wear is part of the character of a precious item, to polish it out or replate is to do away with the memory of how it reached that state in the first place.

It is very much of a case of each to their own but think about what was going through the mind of the wearer as he wound the watch and wore away the coating.

[gingejbee]

...Eccles, quartz battery watches don't get wound....and stainless steel cases don't have "coating"-----although I think the back may be stainless steel, but the case could be plated alloy.

[boxtops]

TWR, I had a battery watch where the winder/time adjuster snapped - my local jeweller said that he'd have to take the whole thing apart to replace it, he quoted me something like £80 which was far more than the watch was worth to me. I don't know if stuey feels that this was reasonable!

[EcclesCake]

Gingebee, to be honest I am struggling to work out a what the issue is but thought I had narrowed it down to plating having worn away on the casing and particularly on the winder/adjuster.

I will take my sentimentality elsewhere :-(

[Tilly2]

Well, I thought that was a really nice answer, Eccles.

[boxtops]

I agree with your feeling about your ring, eccles. My sister had the stones on her engagement ring reset because they were loose, and the ring now looks entirely different - the jeweller was not sensitive to the original settings :-(

[bednobs]

i actually feel quite the same way - if the value is in sentiment, if you replace it and chuck the worn out bit, where is the sentiment? Anyway, in our local shopping mall we have a watch place that does servicing on watches. my husband recently had his watch serviced there - it cost him £180 but the watch was done superbly (and is still the same watch i gave him as an engagement present)

[stuey]

Boxtops a replacement stem, if that's all it needed, is really, really inexpensive, so he was charging you a lot for his labour. And, Bednobs, be leery of these mall stores that say they can fix you watch or clock. They send them out to a watch/clock maker, and then charge you his/her price plus their own mark-up!

[FrogNog]

I wore my gorgeous antique diamond ring until I lost a diamond from it.
I was told the amount to fix it would be more than I take home in a month so I was basically knakered.
I was freakily lucky in finding the diamond and got it fixed for a 10th of my monthly income, which was still a deep pocketed price to pay for me.
If modern settings prevent loss or damage there has to be some compromise.
I think you have two choices really. Either keep the watch (maybe on display) and treat it as an heirloom, or get it fixed and wear it, which could be costly/difficult to achieve.
If it's the movement that matters most I'm sure you could find a case to fit. If the case is very unique I think you should just keep it and appreciate it.
I don't recommend going at it with enamel paint. Sorry.

[stuey]

Neither would I really (but I would have to see the case). The general wear and tear of an item is part of its history, and while it may detract from its monetary value it is an integral part of its historical and sentimental value. Volumes of opinions in this area.

[TWR]

Sorry for the late replies, thanks to you all that have suggested different avenues to go with this, Stuey, thanks for your input, regards the condition & leaving it is, this may be of concern to me as I am very fussy with the way items look, I understand your posts regards Wear is a part of the sentiment, Eccles, I take on board what you have said. thank you all. x