09 Nov 2011, 21:57
Ultimate solution: Unless they"re in super condition, and cheap, stop buying non-working watches, hoping you can hammer them back into working condition! I quit doing that years ago, and it has saved me thousands of dollars, not to mention a lot of wasted effort and real heartbreak. On the other hand, if you enjoy gambling, I guess this is as good a thing to bet on as any... I think what shook me out of this was the first time I missed something really good because I had spent my money on too many "maybe" watches. On eBay, especially, my rule is; if it's not FULLY working, I consider it a non-working watch. If it's in average condition, I let it go; if it's minty, I might bid the value of the case. The only exceptions I make are for models I don't have, or solid-gold cases (and twice, in the last three years, I bid on a common watch because it was in a really rare box). So far, this strategy has served me well... So, bottom line on the advice is...save your money until a real gem comes along, and you'll have the resources to scoop it up...