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Is there anyone on here who either collects watches or has a keen interest or knowledge of watch makers please?

My reason for asking is that I was given an old ladies wristwatch with a small brown leather strap.
The face says this RAY<>NEX..The figure between the words is actually a diamond shape. The face is mother of pearl beneath the glass.

I have searched exhaustedly today and cannot find a company of this name.
I also phoned a traditional jewellers in Perth and a very helpful lady said she had never heard of this make.

Im not sure where to go from here. I was also on ebay but nothing there.
It belonged to a very wealthy Jewish Lady years ago and was given to a family member before she passed and has now been given to me.

I dont believe it is worth a fortune but would like to know who made it and when.

Suggestions please

Florence in the hebrides

I just googled and there seems to be a watch museum in Coventry and a museum of timekeeping in Nottinghamshire ( sorry I’m on my IPad).

It might be worth googling for their contact details and asking them.

I suppose one of the important things to know is if she come to the UK or whether she had always lived here.

There are a number of clock and watch museums around. The British Museum has a clock and watch section. Would it be worth writing or emailing them?

There appears to be a Norwegian watch making firm called Nex
Nex Watches has proudly announced that it is introducing an exciting new line of wristwatches from Norway that are redefining class, style, and sophistication. The Norwegian watchmaking brand is making luxury affordable for everyone with this new collection of watches, and anyone can own one without breaking the bank. To introduce this new line of watches, the watchmaker has recently launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, and it is welcoming generous community support and backing.


Read more: https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/nex-watches-launches-kickstarter-campaign#ixzz7ci6npqW6

Thanks for your suggestions ladies. I have emailed Nex watches in Oslo so just maybe they can help identify it for me.

The lady originally escaped from Russia during the war to Paris. She had her daughter there and spent many years in hiding before coming to England and making a new life on the south coast of England. The mother passed in 1985 and her daughter passed away in 1990. A family member was her carer and was given the watch as a thankyou for looking after her.

I shall tomorrow research the watch museum and see if they can help in any way.

Florence in the hebrides

I dont believe it to be very valuable I cannot tell ,but it definately looks quite old.

Ray watches were made in the Soviet USSR.,,,it may have I.D marks on the movement.

Really Kay, how interesting as she was born in Russia.

The back may screw on or needs to be prised of a good jewellers shop can do this if you want to check its origins,,,,,,,,,if USSR it wont have a swiss movement.also any precious metal marks,,,white gold.-//platinum will most likely be on the inside casing....

That's interesting Kay. I had thought of Russia as a lot of Jewish families escaped from the various pogroms there so I googled for Russian watch makers. I found quite a few but didn't find Ray. You're obviously a better researcher than me :-D

This is the link for Steve Fletcher of the Repair Shop. He might be able to help.

http://www.clockworkshop.co.uk/

Thanks Andys mum

Maybe Nex bought out Ray or vice versa as both names are used.

Good morning, the email I sent bounced back so no hope there but I rang the clock workshop and they were so helpful.

They hadn't heard of the brand but did think it could be Russian also. The lady suggested I get a jeweller to open the back and see if any numbers etc and I could then take a picture of it and email it to them.

So I am hoping to get away in October to Glasgow with my daughter on a shopping trip for 2 days, so hopefully will find a good jeweller to open it for me then.

This is quite exciting trying to find out the origin of the watch as the owner travelled all over many cities between Russia and England including Switzerland!

I shall come back if & when I find out more.

Thanks for all your suggestions

Florence in the hebrides

My son says he thinks there is a watch brand called Raynox. Could it be that? - maybe a mark on the "o" which makes it look like an "e". He thinks it is a Swiss brand and according to google is a brand of Era Watch Co. Ltd.

Kath. x

Hi Kath, it def is RAY<>NEX as I took a pic with my phone then managed to enlarge the pic to see it clearly but ty for the suggestion.

Florence in the hebrides

Soviet Ray Watches - Etsy UK
https://www.etsy.com/uk/market/soviet_ray_watche

Well folks after some detective work, I have solved the mystery about the watch.
First maybe I need new specs lol.

On the front it said RAY<>NEX but in the middle of the diamond shape was an O. The brand was infact RAYONEX...doh!!! Silly me, how did I not realise that in the beginning.
Anyway, this company was started by a man called Paul Schmidt in 1976. He was an engineer and this watch has 2 copper rods inside which are supposed to help with Arthritis and also it's an automatic so needs no winding or a battery. As soon as you wear it, it starts which it does as I have now tested that out.

This man took ill after a bad stroke and retired from the company. He became "close friends" with the lady known to my family. He gave her this watch when they met and he sadly died in 1994. This watch was passed on and now has come to be in my possession.

I knew a lot about the lady and her mother as mother had written a book about her life but curiosity got the better of me with regards to her surname and also the friend
So I ordered a copy of the will and probate which i now have and waiting on the death cert by post. The man Mr Schmidt is named in her will but with her surname??? I cannot trace a marriage between them so I want to know how she got her surname.

The lady passed in 2005 and had no other family so left all her properties and wealth to a Jewish Charity. probate gave a figure of around £900,000!!!

So mystery of the watch, the name and its origin solved just the origin of her surname to find now.

Florence in the hebrides

What a great story, Florence!
How satisfying that you've solved the mystery.

I expect you've found these photos of him ???
https://www.rayonex.co.uk/service/biography

Yes I did and in the book there was a picture of him too so def the correct person.