| Honor Thy Father [message #3861] |
Sun, 15 June 2014 15:03  |
Amadeus Decker
Messages: 48
Registered: May 2014
Location: Roosevelt
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Gruen Apprentice |
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So,actually, a heated debate I had with my Dad resulted in me finding this site and becoming a member. So it is fitting that this Fathers Day I honor my Dad with a gift of the model of Gruen we so hotly debated about. I figured I would show you guys here the custom box I made for my Dad.
This box contains every example of Gruen 25 jewel automatic that we argued about. One of which is my Dads original. Another a white minute track variation. And yet another working model that I purchased a vintage Spiedel band for. I sought for a made in USA band, which an excellent eBay vendor provided me with. Some Spiedels apparently are not made in the USA.....however this one was.
Now a little over a week ago I got a blank box from AC MOORE crafts,painted it and used fabric that I got a year ago from a surplus store. Thus making the box below for the Gruens I had bought for him.
Again, Happy Fathers Day!!
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[Updated on: Sun, 15 June 2014 15:06] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #3862 is a reply to message #3861] |
Sun, 15 June 2014 17:25  |
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Whoa! That should make him very happy. Good to you!!!
I also like how you keep the Gruen spirit of Gruen green!
Happy Fathers Day!
Aqualung, my friend, don't you start away uneasy You poor old sod, you see it's only me
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #3871 is a reply to message #3867] |
Mon, 16 June 2014 20:10 |
Amadeus Decker
Messages: 48
Registered: May 2014
Location: Roosevelt
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Gruen Apprentice |
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Well I am happy to report that my Dad was very pleased with the gift. But he still thought that actual parts would be impossible to source outside of finding the exact model. I did tell him that there was a site called Jules Borel that is supposed to have everything needed to repair a Gruen. So whenever the watch needs serviced, other than a cleaning, I will let his jeweler know about the Jules Borel site.
That is what started the initial argument. My Dad told me that the jeweler claimed that a Gruen could not be repaired because parts were unavailable. I begged to differ citing the absolute possibility of an online forum filled with experts who could obtain parts, even if not new old stock. He seemed to rely on the jewelry expertise, rather than my side of the debate saying "How can you know more than the jeweler?"
But, then again, Dad is 82 years old. And I wasn't nearly as frustrated with him as I was the jeweler who should have done a basic online search to accommodate my Dad. But this particular jeweler also is a Citizen watch retailer. And I am sure he would have preferred my Dad simply buy a new Citizen.
Now I can understand that. But still it is good to at least do a basic search to find a part. The internet should have been a go to source for the jeweler. And it is little things like that, that will move a person to buy a new watch later on down the line.
And, honestly, I was at the same jewelers last year because my Grandfather, (my Mothers Dad), also gets his watch serviced by them. And while I was there I was looking at a Citizen "Blue Angels" version chronograph shown in an photo advertisement they had. Had they made a better effort concerning my Dads Gruen I might have made a better effort to buy the Citizen Chronograph. Although when I was there last year with my Grandfather they did do a good job in replacing and fitting him with a new band for his watch.
So, again, I will eventually visit them and tell them about the Jules Borel site and suggest they get an account.
[Updated on: Mon, 16 June 2014 20:17] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #3874 is a reply to message #3873] |
Tue, 17 June 2014 16:04 |
mikey
Messages: 766
Registered: May 2013
Location: Paris, Ontario
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Gruen Master |
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I think that i'm in agreement with Mike's thoughts. The jeweller was simply trying to diplomatically state he doesn't want that type of work and for the reasons Mike mentioned.
Time, even vintage time, goes too fast for my tastes.
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #3877 is a reply to message #3873] |
Wed, 18 June 2014 21:07 |
Amadeus Decker
Messages: 48
Registered: May 2014
Location: Roosevelt
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Gruen Apprentice |
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MikeTheWatchGuy wrote on Tue, 17 June 2014 03:23Wow, what a gift! That's a once in a lifetime father-son event.
I'm not surprised by the jewelers response. Many retail jewelers simply don't want to work on vintage watches. There's no money in them and the chances of problems are higher than cleaning or repairing a high end watch. So it may not be ignorance on their part but rather a nice-ish way of saying "move along please".
I recall breaking the balance staff in an Elgin wristwatch and being told the same thing many years back. I finally bought a broken movement for them to take the parts from. It was easier than arguing at that moment. After it was all done he basically said he's booked up (they all are) and researching parts takes time and it's time that he's not compensated for which is true.
There are a great number of members of our local AWCI watchmakers guild that won't work on vintage watches and these are guys that enjoy the history of watches. For them it's a business decision of choosing the business of cleaning a higher end watch for $300, which the owner doesn't flinch at paying, versus a repair of a watch not worth that much and is attached to a customer that wouldn't be very understanding of the price and would thus be a ticked off customer right from the git-go.
I would ask you if this is a chain jewelry store and do they have a watchmaker on premises that does the "real" work versus batteries and bands, but in the end I don't think it's of much help other than an attempt to understand the motivation of this particular watchmaker or business.
For future vintage work, I would suggest taking a look at the business directory at the NAWCC and AWCI sites and asking a few that you find about their vintage watch services. I think you are more likely to find businesses listed in directories on those two sites that are going to be of more help to you than you to them : 
Congrats again on pulling off something special, right down to the ugly green box, right from the 5th grade ;-) I'm kidding, it's cool and took effort to do.
Actually my Dad and I will be visiting the Jeweler soon. The watch I got my Dad is a autowind that is supposed to self wind by ordinary day to day movement. But my Dad has notified me that the watch I hot him, as his original, is supposed to have a winding crown. It appears that the one I got him will not wind by twisting the crown.
So I told my Dad that I want to go with him when he visits the jeweler to get this thing evaluated. Of course he will be bringing the other two watches in the box along, as that is precisely what they are for......parts. I will still make mention to the jeweler about the Borel site. Perhaps it was something that just never entered the realm of the jeweler. If he responds accordingly then I will consider all well.
And then I might browse some of the Citizen lineup again.
And, believe it or not, that box took well over 5 hours to complete. I had to paint and then let the paint dry. The silver color lines and lettering needed several coats. This as metallic/acrylic takes a build up. I had to tape the lines and then dab and use pins to correct paint that bled through the tape. After that there was the issue of hand painting letters over a wood grain that had some relief to it. After all was painted I then used a gloss sealer spray.
The inside of the box did not come with a center portion. I had to buy a thin sheet of craft wood to make the divider. The box I bought was juuuuuust enough to fit all of the components, after gluing the cloth to the interior, then gluing cloth to the divider, and then gluing it into the box.
The cloth was leftover from a Fathers Day gift box I had made him last year, though. But last years box contained knives that were factory "Laser Edged". And he sung those knives praises all year long,claiming that he never had knifes that held an edge like those ones I got him.
And he has owned many knives throughout the years. Honestly, though, I wasnt planning on making him another box this year...... until the argument in May led to him handing me over the Gruen to research. Initially I though to have it repaired and give it back to him as a gift. But after actually finding some identical examples, one of which was in excellent cosmetic condition, and considering how well last years gift served him, I figured I'd just replace it and make a cool custom box configuration to house the spares and the much better conditioned one as the wearable watch.
[Updated on: Wed, 18 June 2014 21:10] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #3893 is a reply to message #3879] |
Sat, 21 June 2014 00:15 |
Amadeus Decker
Messages: 48
Registered: May 2014
Location: Roosevelt
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Gruen Apprentice |
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MikeTheWatchGuy wrote on Thu, 19 June 2014 20:02It's a cool thing making these boxes. I do believe it took over 5 hours.... it's why I said "[it] took effort" at the end of my post 
It shows and is really creative. I may order one from you someday.
It would be an honor to make a custom box for you!! If you do have a special request I would actually be willing to arrange a trade for one of your excellent Gruen books.
Also I think you and Thojil might be correct as far as possible computer illiterateness on behalf of some repairmen. In retrospect I think that the guy honestly did not know where to look. This particular jeweler does have a website though. But it is a family business, so the main guy might not really be in charge of any online presence.
So depending on how long my Dad takes to go and pay the jeweler a visit, I might simply send them an e mail with a link to the Borel site.
[Updated on: Sat, 21 June 2014 00:16] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #4061 is a reply to message #3893] |
Tue, 29 July 2014 23:49 |
Amadeus Decker
Messages: 48
Registered: May 2014
Location: Roosevelt
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Gruen Apprentice |
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Well we finally visited the jeweler today, where I had a chance to speak to him personally. It turns out that the jeweler is not as incompetent as I thought. As a matter of fact the jeweler is not incompetent at all. I brought in the watch that I got my Dad and it turned out there was nothing wrong with it. The stem wasnt pushed the whole way in in order to wind it.....and the jeweler showed me that it winded.
He also was very knowledgeable about the watch. And he was also familiar with the Borel site.
I figure that initially there must have been some kind of miscommunication with my Dad, who at 82, is less receptive to technical jargon. And I wasn't there the first time to interpret so to speak.
The guy even looked at the other parts watch. And he also inspected the inside bezel of my Dads original Gruen. And he showed me service marks where they had repaired or cleaned it dating back to the early 1980's. The guy identified his service marks as well as another jewelers.
So I officially take back anything bad I said about the guy.
I got to speak to him personally. And he got the replacement watch winding. Plus I even had him remove links on the Texas Lone Star Diamond Chronograph that I bought from The Bradford Exchange. Now the watch fits perfect.
This is no small mention because today was the first time I wore the watch. But also today happened to be my Grandfathers 93rd Birthday. And we went to the Longhorn Steakhouse to eat to celebrate his birthday. Now this was a Texas themed eatery, and although I didnt wear the watch to lunch, I did go to the jeweler with my Dad after eating lunch with my Grandfather.
So in a karmaic way it all worked out.
[Updated on: Tue, 29 July 2014 23:53] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #4062 is a reply to message #4061] |
Wed, 30 July 2014 00:12 |
mikey
Messages: 766
Registered: May 2013
Location: Paris, Ontario
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Gruen Master |
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Okay, first off i'm glad to hear that everything worked out for you. But....i'm having a little trouble with the age of your dad (82) and the age of your grandfather (93)..... I'm sure there's an explanation.
Time, even vintage time, goes too fast for my tastes.
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #4174 is a reply to message #4173] |
Sat, 30 August 2014 05:41 |
mikey
Messages: 766
Registered: May 2013
Location: Paris, Ontario
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Gruen Master |
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I'm very sorry to hear about your Dad's passing.
Time, even vintage time, goes too fast for my tastes.
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #4178 is a reply to message #4177] |
Sat, 30 August 2014 18:14 |
Amadeus Decker
Messages: 48
Registered: May 2014
Location: Roosevelt
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Gruen Apprentice |
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I sincerely appreciate the condolences. The obituary is scheduled to be in Sundays paper. I will post it accordingly. It may or may not surprise you about who you have been communicating with all this time.
[Updated on: Sat, 30 August 2014 18:17] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #4179 is a reply to message #4178] |
Sat, 30 August 2014 18:29 |
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I'm very sorry to hear about your loss. I know it's hard thinking about his going and all the preparations that go with it. Will his Gruen watch accompany him?
I always think to myself that I will not go without shoes. If there is anything we can do to help, let us know.
Sincerely,
Gary
Aqualung, my friend, don't you start away uneasy You poor old sod, you see it's only me
[Updated on: Sat, 30 August 2014 18:36] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #4181 is a reply to message #4180] |
Sat, 30 August 2014 20:48 |
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Amadeus I apologize if my comments above seem a little odd but hearing about your father left me quiet but thinking about the passing of my father a couple of years back. Things that we wish we did for him and the chuckles he gave us after he left.
At the viewing of my father we presented him in a suit and tie. He looked sharp! Though after the ceremony my mother and I got to thinking that he really loved wearing Hawaiian shirts. We still think to this day of why we didn't send him off in a Hawaiian shirt. Going over the obituary with the funeral director my Dad already prepared the obituary ahead of his passing. He called out his family by name and I immediately fell to the floor laughing. He named his sister "Lucinda" instead of Cindy which she despised being called. She would turn into the wicked witch of the west if you call her Lucinda. We left it like that for the papers.
I hope this forum helps comforts you for this time. If anything we will be here if you just need to talk things out.
Aqualung, my friend, don't you start away uneasy You poor old sod, you see it's only me
[Updated on: Sat, 30 August 2014 21:02] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #4182 is a reply to message #4181] |
Mon, 01 September 2014 01:40 |
Amadeus Decker
Messages: 48
Registered: May 2014
Location: Roosevelt
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Gruen Apprentice |
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No, GaryM, I did not consider your comments odd. I haven't had time to check on the page today until now. But, no......the Gruen will not accompany him. This as it is written in the Bible, in 1st Timothy 6:7, "We did not bring anything into this world, and we will assuredly not carry anything out". It also suggests in 1 John 2:15 that we are essentially not to love or be overly infatuated with worldly & material items.
Having said that.. there is, of course, a proper use and esteem which we are to hold certain material objects in. And a obligation to use them for good when an opportunity arises. I have tried, with my Dads Gruen, to use it as a tool, for good conversation, fellowship and overall human goodness. And using my quest to repair his watch to do good and think about an American era where there were more values than now.
By doing so I assured the object did not become an "idol", which would have been sin and a snare unto me.
Now in its final bestowal I did offer the Gruen to a certain expert free of charge. I did so as an honor to my Dad, and out of respect for this experts research on Gruen. Thus I believe the Gruen & the box would better serve mankind in this final bestowal than it ever could in me retaining the timepiece. The guy still has to respond to my offer, which I make with a very sound mind.
And although Elijah has already returned in the form of John the Baptist, there is nothing wrong with the encouraging of returning the hearts of the fathers to the children. This is written in Malachi 4:5-6. Read it and you will understand what I am referring to. And I offered the watch to said expert thinking perhaps the end result would be a similar turning.
If I felt that it would have served mankind better had I retained it, I would have kept it. But I think what I suggested is the right thing to do. At the end it is just a material object. Best to do the most good with it.
My Dads obituary was in todays paper. I will provide a scan of it tomorrow.
[Updated on: Mon, 01 September 2014 01:41] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #4184 is a reply to message #4183] |
Tue, 02 September 2014 02:05 |
mikey
Messages: 766
Registered: May 2013
Location: Paris, Ontario
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Gruen Master |
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Race plays no role in this hobby or on this site and as a Canadian i have very little first hand knowledge of the racial tensions that you mention. Peace be to all in these troubled times and your father was certainly a man to be proud of.
Time, even vintage time, goes too fast for my tastes.
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #4205 is a reply to message #4186] |
Thu, 11 September 2014 02:04 |
Amadeus Decker
Messages: 48
Registered: May 2014
Location: Roosevelt
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Gruen Apprentice |
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Well it is a small world after all. (Anybody remember the Lorus Disney Mickey Mouse each that actually plays the song?)
Unfortunately Altoona is in decline. And many f the sights you saw probably no longer exist. The city is in distress and on act 47. And they are talking about leasing or selling the water authority. Many are in a uproar over this.
And the big dams are right n the center of the world famous Horseshoe Curve. The city claims they can get 200 million for a proposed 50 year lease. But I'm thinking that if someone is willing to pay that....then why not make the money themselves and get into whatever business that the company seeking to lease it is in.
I simply do not trust anyone willing to buy my water supply. And I have lost all trust that I had for those stupid enough to consider selling it.
Now as far as horology, I have actually invented my own kind of clock. And I invented a mathematical formula that worked with it. I did this back in 2004. Then I tried to get a patent, only for the USTPO to tell me that I needed a Patent lawyer because the application was incomplete, and more things were needed.
I had already successfully prosecuted my own US trademark application and was granted a US trademark registration for another invention of mine. And I saved a lot of money doing it myself. So I thought when I filed for a patent for my mathematical formula, and clock/meter that all was in order.
But of course it wasn't. And the USPTO vehemently advocated that I secure the services of a patent attorney........which could cost thousands.
My payment application was published. And I did secure US Copyright for the text and technical drawings...thus providing me some credibility.
I will probably, in the next few days make a new thread that shows my formula and work....just to see what you guys think and if maybe you could give me directions on what cogs, gears, and exact era I might need to just build the clock myself.
I invented the formula and design and theory. But to actually build it is a different matter. So again I will make a new thread showing my patent publication just to see what you guys think.
[Updated on: Thu, 11 September 2014 02:06] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Honor Thy Father [message #6056 is a reply to message #4205] |
Fri, 25 September 2015 00:29 |
Amadeus Decker
Messages: 48
Registered: May 2014
Location: Roosevelt
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Gruen Apprentice |
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Well it has been a while since I have been on here. But prompted by a unexpected email by another member I came back to the site. Once here I put up for sale the Precision Electronic that I bought last year. It sold yesterday.
But anyhow I did mention last year about a old invention of mine that can be categorized as that of the field of Horology After all, I do invent things. And I have written a book or two on other controversial subject matters.
But I did launch a Kickstarter campaign that ran during the summer. It was unsuccessful, as many crowdfunding campaigns are, but I figured I would post the link to the, now expired, campaign here as a follow up to my last years mention of it.
Here it is below.
https:// www.kickstarter.com/projects/165599775/the-cephas-meter-68-a d?ref=nav_search
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The mainsprings on Gruens are one in particular that I want to get right with all their brilliantly designed oddball widths. It may be overkill, but who cares, it's my underwater Gruen I'm pouring $$ into after all.
