APPROACHING 9000 DAYS

Spring has finally sprung in the Gallatin Valley. And business has been picking up, as usual. Kids are out of school and the foot traffic has been a welcome sight!

Some interesting thoughts about the last few weeks. I’m seeing an upsurge in enthusiasm for the wrist watch, be it in a nostalgic or utilitarian way, I’m not able to accurately ascertain. As some may have thought that the iPhone and other “smart” devices would supplant the use of a wrist adornment to offer the time, I beg to differ based on my field observations.

One particularly poignant example of such is the recent reissue of a 1979 Timex Q wrist watch. Three pieces were delivered to my shop on Friday morning and were sold within two hours. To be fair, one purchaser was, and has been, a very enthusiastic customer of mine for a number of years. He committed to two pieces before we even had them. The other was a customer with a Pepsi GMT Rolex. When one of my staff noticed the watch on his wrist, he rightfully offered our “Pepsi” Timex. Sold!  Sold out in TWO hours! The call into Timex that afternoon was to order 18 more pieces. Some have already been reserved. Who knew?!

And on the other end of the spectrum, I received an email from a client who sent in a family piece, a lovely Universal Geneve steel cased watch that was likely from the 1940-50’s era.   I’d restored his inherited watch and was thoroughly ready to start my Monday with a bang after reading his email. This is why I do what I do.

Hi Dave:   

You do incredible work. My grandfather's Universal Geneve looks and runs out-of-the-box new. Absolutely incredible high-quality craftsmanship!

Can't thank you enough for bringing the function and shine back to this meaningful treasure.

Also - Thank you for keeping items from yesterday alive in the present and moving into tomorrow. The restoration work you do is so important in the all-to-often disposable culture that surrounds us today.  And I really appreciate it.

Next time I'm in Bozeman, I'd love to stop into your shop and thank you in person, until then - happy trails!

-Matt

Matt, thanks for your patronage. I trust the watch of your grandfather will be passed down to equally enthusiastic members of the family to treasure for years to come.

As I approach 9000 working days since I opened The Last Wind-Up, these stories never get old. For this I am grateful.