The most expensive and least handled item in my box is a private label minute repeater, jewelled to the hammers and in fine condition insofar as I can tell. Probably I should part with it, rather than let it sit around and let my executor figure out what to do with it. The question is, what is the thing worth? Some of them go through eBay, of course. It seems as though there ought to be a board where people interested in repeaters and other fine European stuff would gather, but I haven't found it yet. Can anyone give me a suggestion?

Thanks for the suggestions. My main activity has to do with Elgin convertibles, so I'm acquainted with out-of-the-mainstream hobbies.

Joseph, you've echoed something I've thought for a long time now, that there should be a header on these boards for European watches in their own right.

All to often I see a thread about a Swiss, English or German made watch get buried very quickly by several threads connected with US manufactured watches.

Very often too, a 'European watch' related thread will also get diluted by someone chipping in a reference to a US made watch which sets it off in a diffent direction!

If EU watches had their own category, then related threads would be less prone to getting totally buried within days, which virtually guarantees no response to an esoteric enquiry simply because they're no longer visible.

The 'clock' and 'Military watch' related boards don't suffer the same way because the threads are slower moving and cope well with a mix of US and European horology in a way that the Pocket and Wristwatch boards don't.

There must be hoardes of 'visitors' to the boards Outside the US, who have specific interests in EU manufactured watches and their history, and who are possibly put off or intimidated, not only from posting a thread, simply because the discussions appear too oriented towards US horology, (which many may have no interest in) - which is far from the truth!.

IHC 185 may be the acronym for 'Internet Horology Chapter 185' but in reality it's now 'International Horology Chapter 185'!

How do others feel about this?

Best regards

John

Hi, Just sticking my nose into this thread. I agree 100% with John in that we need a unique header category for European timepieces. I too have an interest in this area of watches and watchmakers. But like John says, the topic is quickly lost under the generic "Pocket Watch Discussions" header.

And to John's point... we are an International Chapter that perhaps is losing potential membership from our overseas friends. Lets open "our doors" a little more.

Joe

Excellent idea. The other board has a European watches department, but I don't see much activity going on there. There may well be a need looking to be satisfied.

Hi Lindell,

Yes, I think the EU forum is a suggestion at this point, and is worth consideration if membership sees a need. I know that since I have been a member there has not been much posted, but maybe I have missed some of the topics. Then again perhaps not much has been posted because 185 does not have a unique EU forum. Maybe a catch 22?

Perhaps to solicit membership comments and nurture interest, your thoughts posted above should be addressed in a separate "BOLD" topic. Like "Who carrys what watch"? This way it will be Always On Top and seen by current membership as well as 185 visitors. And not lost in the "Queen of the bank box" topic. Just a suggestion.

Thanks, Joe