Pssst! Wanna buy a watch?

[Dos_Box]

This is a bit of a weird one, but in a good way.

I'm a bit of a closet watch collector. Mainly grabbing stuff off Ebay when they have been mislabled or the auction is ending at silly o'clock and there have been few bids. It's a great way to buy up some very nice watches for very little cash, and with most watches they hold their value well.

Anyhoo, last night I was having my usual trawl around and came across this: Brand New MIRVAINE DIVERS WATCH WITH BLACK FACE Christmas Great Gift For Mens | eBay

It's a Mirvaine divers watch, is 30 years old and are bing sold as 'old but new'. There are also quite a few available (off and on) and at £8.99 a complete steal!

Now, I know the name isn't familiar, and wasn't to me last night either but a bit of digging revealed this thread on Hotukdeals: NOS Mirvaine divers style quartz watch £8.99 (or less) delivered @ eBay (dreams4all) - HotUKDeals

 

Mirvaine are, or rather were a Brazillian watch manufacturer (who also made some in Switzerland) who went belly up in the early 80's. Apparently they never sold watches over here but somehow a shipment had ended up undiscovered (until now) in Manchester.

The movement is a Japanese Miyota one (Ctizen use these) and is waterproof to 50m although they do recommend to change the seals as they are 30 years old.

If you want a good looking beater (an everyday work watch), or a Christmas pressie for someone then it may be worth you giving these a punt. They also have them with blue faces but they have sold out currently (I may have grabbed the last!).

 

[StevieM]

I'm a bit of a closet watch collector.

 

Closet watch? Is that a bit like a pocket watch but BIGGER?

[dry]

I'm half tempted, but reading the HUKD thread there's speculation that the whole 'disappeared container' story is not necessarily true.

 

It's still a decent watch for <£10 (apparently the seller accepts £7.50 automatically as a best offer).

 

The more I think about it, the more I'm tempted to buy! Arghhh

[Dos_Box]

I'm half tempted, but reading the HUKD thread there's speculation that the whole 'disappeared container' story is not necessarily true.

 

It's still a decent watch for <£10 (apparently the seller accepts £7.50 automatically as a best offer).

 

The more I think about it, the more I'm tempted to buy! Arghhh

 

The speculation is also that they are made up from parts shipped but not assembled, which would make sense as a Japanese (cheap or otherwise) movement in any watch would make it quite a bit more expensive.

Often this was done to avoid import duties as it was lower on parts rather than on complete items. These would have then been assembled in the destination country.

Other buyers say that they do need a battery fitting and possibly a new strap as the fitted one is very cheap feeling apparently.

[IrritableTech]

I might add one to my watch list - thanks.

[dry]

The speculation is also that they are made up from parts shipped but not assembled, which would make sense as a Japanese (cheap or otherwise) movement in any watch would make it quite a bit more expensive.

Often this was done to avoid import duties as it was lower on parts rather than on complete items. These would have then been assembled in the destination country.

Other buyers say that they do need a battery fitting and possibly a new strap as the fitted one is very cheap feeling apparently.

Sounds like there's a fair amount of history behind these. I'm on the verge of buying....

 

Yes, looks like a battery change is almost certainly required. One recommended approach is to superglue a nut to the back of the case and undo it using a ratchet- which will be a good time killer on a boring Sunday afternoon.

 

A strap would be on my to-do list. As well as it being poor quality, some have said it's small- and chunky wrists over here will have a hard time! Tempted by a cheap NATO nylon strap.

[StevieM]

The black-faced one looks uncannily like a watch my dad used to have when I was little. So much so I think it must be the same one. They may not have been sold over here, as @Dos_Box says, but my uncle was in the Merchant Navy and brought all kinds of things back from his travels. I wonder...

 

I'm tempted to buy one for reasons of nostalgia alone. The only thing that is putting me off is the statement:

THE WATCH BATTERY WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED Please note you have to go to a proper watch shop to replace battery as the back side is same with Rolex watches

 

Does this really mean:

We don't know if all the watches actually work, but we'll flog 'em anyway and do a runner before anyone notices.

?

 

Edit: Temp...tation... too... strong. Unable to... resist. Buy... now...

 

Checkout success!

Edited November 3, 2016 by StevieM

[Dos_Box]

The black-faced one looks uncannily like a watch my dad used to have when I was little. So much so I think it must be the same one. They may not have been sold over here, as @Dos_Box says, but my uncle was in the Merchant Navy and brought all kinds of things back from his travels. I wonder...

 

I'm tempted to buy one for reasons of nostalgia alone. The only thing that is putting me off is the statement:

 

 

Does this really mean:

?[/size]

No one has reported a failed watch yet and they have shifted several hundred and the reason they say go to a watch shop is that you do need (unless you use a 'workaround') a sepcial tool to get the back off.

They are just covering their bums with that statement I think.

[StevieM]

Wow! Had an 'order despatched' email by 12.10 for delivery next Monday or Tuesday. I just hope it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to have the battery replaced.

[dry]

I've taken the plunge. Have also bought the orange/grey/black strap here: http://ebay.co.uk/itm/351373267119

 

I'm going to try the nut/super glue trick to get the back off... No doubt jewelers are going to charge the best part of £10 to change the battery!!

[Nixon77]

Are you the seller OP?

[StevieM]

It's arrived already. I got in from work and it had been posted through my letterbox. Looks really nice and I'm even more convinced it is the same as my dad's old one.

 

Unfortunately, it really doesn't suit me. I've got proper girly wrists (7" circumference!) and the face covers the entire width. Even on the shortest setting, the strap only just fits.

 

 

Oh, well. It was more of a nostalgia purchase anyway.

[Dos_Box]

Got mine today as well. Going to sort out batteries and new straps tomorrow. May employ the blu-tak method to get the back off. Some idiots have been super glueing nuts etc on the back to get them off but this would damage the cover which shows the place they made them (a small town smack in the middle of the Amazon!). For £8 it's a great watch with a story behind it.

[Dos_Box]

I may remove the 'cyclops' magnifier too as it 'not right'. Edited November 4, 2016 by Dos_Box

[StevieM]

I'm tempted to buy one for reasons of nostalgia alone. The only thing that is putting me off is the statement:

 

THE WATCH BATTERY WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED Please note you have to go to a proper watch shop to replace battery as the back side is same with Rolex watches

Does this really mean:

We don't know if all the watches actually work, but we'll flog 'em anyway and do a runner before anyone notices.

?

Well, I went to collect my watch from the jeweller on Saturday morning to find a note attached reading simply, 'Return to place of purchase'.

[dry]

Well, I went to collect my watch from the jeweller on Saturday morning to find a note attached reading simply, 'Return to place of purchase'.

Gutted

 

Might still be worth trying to swap battery yourself- I swapped mine and it worked straight away. Interestingly it lost a significant amount of time, but I put that down to user error as when I re-set the time (and therefore adjusted the crown) it's kept time well since.

[dry]

Some idiots have been super glueing nuts etc on the back to get them off but this would damage the cover which shows the place they made them (a small town smack in the middle of the Amazon!)

 

I was one of those idiots. I tried blu tack and the rubber glove method, but it wasn't budging.

 

I was very reluctant to spend 100% (or more) of the purchase price on a jeweller replacing the battery so glued a nut to the back, and the back came straight off.

 

I'm yet to remove the nut, but not sure why you're saying it's going to ruin the engraving on the back- with a bit of elbow grease and a lot of nail varnish remover, I'm confident all the glue residue will come off.

[Dos_Box]

I was one of those idiots. I tried blu tack and the rubber glove method, but it wasn't budging.

 

I was very reluctant to spend 100% (or more) of the purchase price on a jeweller replacing the battery so glued a nut to the back, and the back came straight off.

 

I'm yet to remove the nut, but not sure why you're saying it's going to ruin the engraving on the back- with a bit of elbow grease and a lot of nail varnish remover, I'm confident all the glue residue will come off.

 

Actually, I did try the glue method but it never set solid enough (even leaving it an hour) to take the pressure of the spanner. The nut simply came off. It cleaned up fine with nail polish remover too!

I ended up getting a friend whith a workshop to do it for me

[dry]

It cleaned up fine with nail polish remover too!

Nice, good to hear... I was getting a little nervous!

 

I'm keeping the nut on as I'm still in two minds whether to re-paint parts of the face with luminous paint or not. In all honesty, I probably won't bother.

 

Still waiting for the strap to arrive from the far east that I ordered. Can't wait to actually wear it!

[Dos_Box]

Nice, good to hear... I was getting a little nervous!

 

I'm keeping the nut on as I'm still in two minds whether to re-paint parts of the face with luminous paint or not. In all honesty, I probably won't bother.

 

Still waiting for the strap to arrive from the far east that I ordered. Can't wait to actually wear it!

 

What strap did you order? I'm a bit wary of chinese straps (no, this isn't an adult 'fun thing') as they are a bit too tiny for my wrists and I always end up on the last notch.

I got a Bond stap for one and ordered another from here: https://www.watchgecko.com/ as they often have some nice straps on clearence.

[dry]

What strap did you order? I'm a bit wary of chinese straps (no, this isn't an adult 'fun thing') as they are a bit too tiny for my wrists and I always end up on the last notch.

I got a Bond stap for one and ordered another from here: https://www.watchgecko.com/ as they often have some nice straps on clearence.

The Black_Grey_Orange 20mm from this ebay listing: 14mm 16mm 18mm 20mm 22mm 24mm Solid Stripe nato Wrist Nylon Watch Strap Band | eBay

 

I saw a genuine Watch Gecko 20mm strap on ebay the other day for about £3 bin with free postage... kind of kicking myself that I didn't buy it! Think it was the Bond style too.....

[SpuffMonkey]

Funnily enough - I just got mine today - my old watch had packed in, so I bought one of these as an interim - great buy for £7.50!

 

I couldn't get the back off easily either - so did the superglue and nut thing - I used a 1" nut of an old plumbing T junction I had lying around in the garage and after letting it set for 90 minutes - it came off easily - the battery is a bit of a sod though - wasn't sure which screw to loosen - so just prised it out and forced the new one in...and so far its been working fine.

I knocked the little magnifying thing off too - I think it looks better without it.

I didn't know that nail varnish remover weakened superglue!

 

The strap was tinny - but plenty big enough (in fact I had to take it in a few notches) - and fine for the moment.

 

The only real trouble I had was the winder - it REALLY didn't want to pop out so I could set the time - so I levered it out with a jewelers screwdriver and bent it a bit in the process - it still seems to work fine though.

 

Thanks for the heads up on this one though - top job! Only trouble was - browsing about on ebay - I bought another watch too - a cheapo automatic skeleton type thing - we'll see what that's like in a day or two

[LincolnE]

I got one of these. Nut and superglue meathod with Isoclene-Isopropyl getting the residue off (don't have nail varnish remover but did the trick).

 

I quite like the strap, myself. Might keep in on there for a while before moving over to a NATO strap.