Customer Reviews

Charles-Hubert, Paris Mechanical Pocket Watch

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Update (July 5th, 2010 - back to 4 Stars):
AMAZON rocks for fast turn around returns!!! Sent in the return notice to Amazon and received the replacement watch the next day. So far the new watch is performing well and I am very pleased with it. Each half wind still equals an hour to wind up and everything about it seems tighter. Time keeping is still good, has not stopped yet and I still like the watch!
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Update (July 02, 2010 - dropped to 3 stars):
Returning the watch. Maybe it was just mine, not sure since no one has posted other reviews. The watch just kept stopping, sometimes after a few hours, sometimes a few minutes. A watch that needs another watch so you can tell time is useless. Returning today for a replacement. Hope it is just this watch because it really is exactly what I was looking for in a pocket watch.
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Update (July 01, 2010 - dropped to 4 stars, not quite perfect):
I have used the watch for a little over a week now and still like the look and feel of it. There are some things that I have noticed:
1. Each half turn seems to equal about an hour of operation and I wind this every morning at around the same time and it takes about 24 half turns until I feel tension in the spring. The first time I wound it up it took about 40.
2. The watch has stopped twice for some reason. I am treating it like a $76 timepiece so I am not throwing it around or doing anything other than keeping it in my pocket until I want to know the time. Both times the watch was still wound pretty good (once after 17 hours of operation, the other around 7 - still with plenty of tension in the spring). I feel that a $76 timepiece should not stop within a week of ownership. If it happens much more then I will have to look at my alternatives.
3. No way to set the second hand.
4. It is keeping pretty good time with my other clocks ... whenever I reset it.
5. The covers are a little off. The front cover more so than the back. I can actually push it to the right a little and the cover pops open (I fixed this by sliding the lock a little since there is some space to do that). Not completely centered (nit-picky yes, but remember $76). If I wanted it to be poorly machined, I would have bought a "dollar watch".

So, with everything said and done it retails for $114 (says so in the box). It is functioning pretty good and I still like it. I can deal with things being a little off (it is not really a high-end watch) and winding every day it is part of owning a mechanical timepiece, but if it keeps stopping then it is worthless. I will probably do one more update and it will say: "Still working!" or "Returned because it stopped working."

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Original post (June 23, 2010):
This pocket watch fit my needs perfectly. Just wanted to have one and it is nice to have the skeleton type just to see though it and see all the inner workings of a timepiece like this. I also have gotten use to not wearing a wrist watch so this is nice to have in my pocket (and I don't keep looking at my cell phone to get the time). Is it the best one out there? No, but for $76 it has a nice look and feel to it. Keeps good time and makes me want to check the clock more often. If you are just looking to get into pocket watches, perhaps a quartz or cheaper watch is a good start. It takes getting used to. You just can't flip your wrist over and check the time, instead you have to reach in your pocket and pull the watch out (plus the chain takes some getting used to as well) and either look through the little window (as this watch has) or open it and take a look. But if it is something you have always wanted then this is a nice watch to do that with. Image does not show it but it comes with a curb chain.

This is a gorgeous pocketwatch. Not only can you see the mechanics from the front, but the back opens, as well. My boyfriend is very happy with it!

Got this pocket watch for my husband for our 1-year wedding anniversary and he just loved it. I was amazed at how gorgeous it was when it arrived, the picture does not do it justice. Everything on it works great, keeps perfect time, easy to wind and comes in a beautiful box perfect for gift giving. I would recommend this watch with the see-through cover and the back that also opens so you can see all the workings inside for anyone that wants a really unique pocket watch.

Quality for value is great. You get a really nice pocket watch for not a lot of money. I can't wear a wrist watch because I ruin them. This doesn't make you feel like your carrying a turnip in your pocket. Keeps perfect time.

This watch came exactly when i wanted it, and it is beautiful! It works wonderfully, granted it took me a little while to figure out how to wind it properly (but that is more my fault than the watch's)but after a little tinkering and a few stops on the watches part due to my error, i finally figured it out (after actually reading the instructions.....) But anywhooo! i love it, its absolutely gorgeous and keeps great time. The baggy the watch comes in and the pretty boxes were enough to make me coo alone!

I bought one of these watches and discovered that it was gaining about 30 seconds per day while the watch is supposed to be rated at +/-20 seconds per day. I returned the original, and the replacement worked for about a week before the mainspring became detached from the barrel, so I returned that one. The third watch worked for three weeks before completely stopping for no reason. I took it into a watch repairman, who told me:
"The movement is Chinese. It looks like somebody dinked around with the hairspring, trying to regulate it or something, and it's all bent out of shape. I can't get replacement parts for it."
I can't imagine why this watch has such good reviews while I'm zero for three with this thing. I didn't overwind the mainspring, and I wasn't rough with them.

I bought this after my last pocket watch died. My initial pocketwatch was made much more cheaply and I could really tell a difference in the quality of this Charles-Hubert-fella's watch. The Charles-Hubert has a healthy weight and is in primo condition. The craftsmanship is superb and it keeps perfect time. The watch is gorgeous with its see-through face. I love the fact that the back opens as well as the face. It gives it a unique charm. The pocket watch came fancily packaged in a designer box that I had tons of fun opening. I'm a sucker for great packaging. The pocket watch came with a chain that slips onto the edge of your pocket and looks super stylish. Basically, this watch was worth the money. I was a little hesitant at first to buy it cause it is like 80 bucks, but I am really glad I got it. I love carrying it to class with me and I put it on a necklace so that I can be extra cool.

Purchased as a gift. Recipient was thrilled. The quality was much better than expected. However I do recommend that you purchase a different chain than the one that comes with the watch. But for the price this watch is a great deal.

my boyfriend loves it, it's great, and it works perfectly, you need to be careful when put in your pocket to avoid losing the correct timing, but in general it's perfect for him!!!

Good looking watch. Tracks time well.

Would have preferred glass or crystal lenses but all in all a nice little watch.