Charlotte's "new" watch
On Saturday I rummaged through the bottom of my jewelry box, and pulled out my old watch - by which I mean my first watch. I don't remember how old I was when I got that watch, but I had it in Herkimer. I can't tell you how many times I forgot and wore it into the swimming pool. Sometimes it would be okay, sometimes it would go to the jewelers, he would take the back off, and it would spend the day open on the bench drying out. I still remember the look of the crystal fogged over with condensation.
I wound it up, and somewhat to my surprise, it ran, and I brought it downstairs and showed it to Charlotte. She was beside herself excited. However, I needed to adjust the band, because I was older when I stopped wearing it (about 1979 or 1980,) so it was too big. Well, no one has messed with that band since 1979 or 1980, so I didn't remember how. It seemed to make sense to pop the band open so that it would be easier to mess with, so I popped the pin out of one side... and the pin came out in pieces. Apparently it was entirely corroded, and the pin on the other side wasn't in better shape, albeit in one piece. So off we went to Target to find a new watch band.
Easier said than done. Watches these days are *enormous,* and the smallest one we could find was an 11-13mm when I needed an 8mm. So much for Plan B. Back to Plan A. On Sunday, I spend a big chunk of time cleaning up the old band. I was horrified by how filthy it was - the adjustable links were... I think "encrusted" is probably the most appropriate word. I ran it through an ultrasonic cleaner four times, scrubbing with an old toothbrush in between. It's pretty shiny now.
Tonight we went to the mall to Michael's Jewelers, and they put new pins in it for me. I asked about adjusting it, and he asked if we'd had it adjusted there before. I said "it's been adjusted before, but back in the '70s..." He suggested that they send it out for that. I totally get that he didn't want to be responsible for breaking a customer's band, but that was just ridiculous. So I told him to just put the pins in, and I would take care of it. When we got home, I went after it with a pair of tweezers. Five minutes and five links later, it's ready for the next generation.
I wound it up, and somewhat to my surprise, it ran, and I brought it downstairs and showed it to Charlotte. She was beside herself excited. However, I needed to adjust the band, because I was older when I stopped wearing it (about 1979 or 1980,) so it was too big. Well, no one has messed with that band since 1979 or 1980, so I didn't remember how. It seemed to make sense to pop the band open so that it would be easier to mess with, so I popped the pin out of one side... and the pin came out in pieces. Apparently it was entirely corroded, and the pin on the other side wasn't in better shape, albeit in one piece. So off we went to Target to find a new watch band.
Easier said than done. Watches these days are *enormous,* and the smallest one we could find was an 11-13mm when I needed an 8mm. So much for Plan B. Back to Plan A. On Sunday, I spend a big chunk of time cleaning up the old band. I was horrified by how filthy it was - the adjustable links were... I think "encrusted" is probably the most appropriate word. I ran it through an ultrasonic cleaner four times, scrubbing with an old toothbrush in between. It's pretty shiny now.
Tonight we went to the mall to Michael's Jewelers, and they put new pins in it for me. I asked about adjusting it, and he asked if we'd had it adjusted there before. I said "it's been adjusted before, but back in the '70s..." He suggested that they send it out for that. I totally get that he didn't want to be responsible for breaking a customer's band, but that was just ridiculous. So I told him to just put the pins in, and I would take care of it. When we got home, I went after it with a pair of tweezers. Five minutes and five links later, it's ready for the next generation.