In the market for a new wristwatch problem. Looking for ideas.

chic

chic

SF VIP
Location
U.S.
My twenty year old Coach wristwatch had an accident and I will have to replace it. It had a gold face and leather strap which I found comfortable and non-allergenic.

I browsed both Coach and Movado watches online and see all the straps/bands are rubber silicone or metal. NO leather straps available. Did further research and learned this is because of the environment.

A watch is kind of a large purchase for me because I like to buy something good even if it is expensive as long as it's comfortable and classic like me. šŸ¤£ I would like to a wait and take the watch to a jeweler for repair but there are no more jewelers who do that and the one I had knew my watch and its workings and liked it so he was especially good to me in repairing it.

Any kind thoughts/suggestions will be appreciated. I had NO clue it would be difficult to buy a new watch with a leather wristband anymore.

head palm liv mark hom.jpg
 

Roadwarrior said:
Bought a simple Timex with leather band, the metal band tended to grab the hair on my wrists. Tried shaving my wrists, but the look wasn't something I was going for.
Click to expand...
šŸ«¢ā€¦ sorry but I find that a tad funny also.
chic said:
My twenty year old Coach wristwatch had an accident and I will have to replace it. It had a gold face and leather strap which I found comfortable and non-allergenic.

I browsed both Coach and Movado watches online and see all the straps/bands are rubber silicone or metal. NO leather straps available. Did further research and learned this is because of the environment.

A watch is kind of a large purchase for me because I like to buy something good even if it is expensive as long as it's comfortable and classic like me. šŸ¤£ I would like to a wait and take the watch to a jeweler for repair but there are no more jewelers who do that and the one I had knew my watch and its workings and liked it so he was especially good to me in repairing it.

Any kind thoughts/suggestions will be appreciated. I had NO clue it would be difficult to buy a new watch with a leather wristband anymore.

View attachment 289782
Click to expand...
I like the pictures you choose for your posts. They are very nice.
Can you buy just a watch strap like Deb suggested or have the watch repaired? will probably be cheaper to purchase a brand new one though.
 
PeppermintPatty said:
šŸ«¢ā€¦ sorry but I find that a tad funny also.

I like the pictures you choose for your posts. They are very nice.
Can you buy just a watch strap like Deb suggested or have the watch repaired? will probably be cheaper to purchase a brand new one though.
Click to expand...

The watch band is fine. The watch dropped, hit a hard floor, and has not kept time since. It probably needs repair but all the independent jewelry stores we had around here have closed. There are a couple of chain jewelry stores like Zales at the two local malls nearby but I don't know if they do watch repair. I could ask. I'm so angry I didn't see this coming. If I had known they would take climate change this far I could have bought another watch before I needed one and had enough watches to last the rest of my lifetime. I really like wristwatches. I'm not type to walk around with a phone in my hand. A watch is more discreet for that and I look like I'm always paying attention to whatever I'm supposed to be paying attention to.
 

Attachments

  • laughing KS.jpg
    laughing KS.jpg
    7.1 KB · Views: 2
chic said:
The watch band is fine. The watch dropped, hit a hard floor, and has not kept time since. It probably needs repair but all the independent jewelry stores we had around here have closed. There are a couple of chain jewelry stores like Zales at the two local malls nearby but I don't know if they do watch repair. I could ask. I'm so angry I didn't see this coming. If I had known they would take climate change this far I could have bought another watch before I needed one and had enough watches to last the rest of my lifetime. I really like wristwatches. I'm not type to walk around with a phone in my hand. A watch is more discreet for that and I look like I'm always paying attention to whatever I'm supposed to be paying attention to.
Click to expand...
If itā€™s a watch you really care about, Iā€™d ask the local jewelryā€™s if they can repair it. While there look if they have any watches. If not, why not look online. You can get just about anything on Amazon and if for any reason you donā€™t like it, you can send it back and get a refund. Hereā€™s a link. Check it out. Thereā€™s some fine looking womenā€™s watches.
https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=womens+watches&crid=1HZJTRXRYZGED&sprefix=womens+watches,aps,101&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
 
Last edited:
I think that watches are becoming a thing of the past. Young people don't want them; of course, their phones do a good job of telling the time. I suspect that all jewelers will be getting rid of their watches before too long.

You might be able to find one who specializes in watch bands. Or maybe the antique shops would have them. Try googling "leather watch bands." You might come up with something.
 
Sunny said:
I think that watches are becoming a thing of the past. Young people don't want them; of course, their phones do a good job of telling the time. I suspect that all jewelers will be getting rid of their watches before too long.

You might be able to find one who specializes in watch bands. Or maybe the antique shops would have them. Try googling "leather watch bands." You might come up with something.
Click to expand...

I think you're right. Young people don't need watches. But checking the time on a phone is impolite and obvious when with people. It makes me feel that way anyhow.

The watch band is fine. The mechanism is malfunctioning. There are no local jewelers anymore. They have all gone out of business which is a shame.
 
hink
hollydolly said:
Shame you don't live here Chic, plenty of watch repairers here still and plenty of watches available to buy.... send me the measurements of your watch and I'll get a leather strap for it.. for you..

this one has a leather strap...
https://uk.coach.com/products/cadie-watch-175-mm-x-285-mm/CD280.html?frp=CD280 BLK WMN
Click to expand...

That's good to hear. At least things are somewhat normal somewhere. I wasn't ready for a change like this. We don't have many repair people in the U.S. anymore. Everybody goes out of business cuz it's a throw away society now. At least, it's like that in the cities and suburbs. The country may be different. The watch strap is in fine shape. It's the mechanics inside that are not functioning properly. I could change the watch strap if I need to and it may come to that. Thanks for the help.
 
I actually wear a watch. For me, it's much easier (and more logical) to glance down at my wrist to see the time, as opposed to getting out a phone and having it boot up to see the time at last. Also, the watch was a one-time purchase ā€” no need for monthly payments. (Not that checking the time is the only reason for getting a cell phone/etc.)

Mine is a Citizen watch, which has a battery that charges in the light, so it sits in my office under an overhead lamp. I got it at Kohl's. It was $100-200, as I recall. It's a pretty brass watch with a black leather band.

Funny, sort of: one time, the watch slipped into a glass of water. I fished it out and it worked just fine (and has ever since).
 
Nobody I know wear watches anymore. I haven't worn one for about 20 years, but who cares whether one wears one or not? What's convenient or useful to you is what counts. They are no longer any kind of fashion statement.

A "designer label" is not necessarily a guarantee of quality. Try looking up "watch repair" in your area rather than jewelers. Good luck!
 
@chic , sorry that happened. I know how hard it is to get used to and love something and not be able to obtain it again.

If you love your band, you may be able to find a watch to swap the band on, like others have mentioned. Some jewelers (jewelry stores and even stores with jewelry departments) don't repair, but they usually will replace bands and change batteries. Not all can be interchanged though.

My two cents: I have worn Seiko's for a long time. They have leather bands and metal. Last very long. Different styles and prices. I've got a solar one now.

I always had a hard time finding a watch I could wear since I was young. I stopped many of them (analog and digital). And it wasn't even my face that did it. :)
 
Last edited:
I own TWO Samsung Smart Watch 5's. I plan to upgrade to the 6's when they are released in August, 2023. I have them linked to my Samsung S21 phone. They are great. They are electronic and digital. You can choose from over 50 watch faces to use on the watch. I need 2 watches since I have to charge them every night and I wear 1 while the other charges.
They track the time, my sleep, the steps I walk and my body oxygenation while sleeping. The faces I use show the battery percentage left, the digital time, the day of the month and the day of the week.

They track my Oxygenation when I sleep, they track the steps I walk in each of 2 walking workouts I do daily. They make and receive phone calls coming and going through my mobile phone, They show the outside temperature, they control the music I play on the watch and on my Samsung mobile phone. They also show my Google calendar. They show a display of the current monthly calendar. Finally, they even have an alarm which can be activated and show my current pulse.

They even allow me to have 3 phone numbers on 1 screen of the watch where I can call up to 3 relatives and/or friends.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top