[f]Thomas reveals his secret Casper Watch collection

Buying an engagement ring for my wife was not an issue at all. That’s because I wasn’t going to do that. I often have problems with stereotypes and boxed solutions, so it’s no wonder I was looking for something different to an engagement ring. guess what…

I google a lot. I also watch it a lot. When I think about a gift for someone that is important to me, I try to put his or her name on Google. At one point, I started googling my friend’s name or last name with a “vintage watch” just to enjoy it. Sometimes I get lucky. Following this method, I gave Tara, a small diver brand, to my childhood friend, while searching for an original gift for a daughter named Tara. I think the gift idea really moved her.

Dad’s Casper

My wife’s maiden’s name is Kasper. This is what she calls her father, so the name resonates with me and her whole family. When my wife’s sisters mention her father, even when my wife’s mother talks about her husband, they rarely call him father or Yang. He’s just a casper. It’s strange, interesting, and original at the same time. It was new to me. I didn’t know anyone who called him or her father by his last name. My wife calls her dad Casper, just as people were calling all the copy machine xerox. Kasper is more than just a name. Rather, it is a category of its own.

Kasper’s research

I don’t remember the stages of the relationship that first put “Kasper” and “Vintage Watches” on Google, but I shouldn’t have done that. Lots of interesting watches started to pop out at me. Along with only a dull timepiece, I found many funky chronographs and interesting diving watches with creative dials and hands. There was no need to be Sherlock to understand that Casper is not a short-lived stunt, but a real maker!

German history

Kasper & Co. was founded in 1911 by Karl and Christine Kasper in Pforzheim. After Carl passed away in 1916, Christine led the company, and by 1927 it expanded to watch cases and straps. In 1932, Casper became the first manufacturer at Pforzheim, developing an internal movement with a cylinder escape. Despite a major setback during World War II, including the destruction of the Pforzheim facility in 1945, the company resumed production in 1946.

By 1953, Kasper had moved to a new building and expanded its product line to include escapes of both cylinders and Swiss levers, as well as movements with a full wristwatch. The workforce grew from 150 to 300 employees between 1953 and 1955, and exports played an increasingly important role. Innovation was followed by the company’s first automation movement in 1955 and the introduction of the second generation in 1964. In the early 1960s, Kasper co-founded the Indian sea lion time industry and framed the German movement. However, facing challenges during the quartz crisis, the company stopped production of the movement and was eventually liquidated in 1993. More details include diving deep into Casper’s exercise timeline.

Image: Micro-risk

Side notes

Shortly after discovering Kasper’s history, I learned to my attorney brother whether the brand and trademark could be purchased in protection. I fantasize about reviving Casper’s watch again just for fun getting it. My brother quickly returned to me, but I did not take action. I was too busy building my family with three other companies. Recently, I discovered that a modern Casper watch with quartz movement came out. But I ask you, don’t look into them. They can damage your perception of your natural clock evolution. They’re bad…

I’m back to my wife’s clock

I didn’t want just the Casper Watch. My first Casper watch was supposed to be a gift for my wife, and I wanted it to be a chronograph. There is one Caspar Chronograph to 100 boring Casper watches, and perhaps one decent round chronograph in one thick, very ’70s Chronomastodon. After waiting months, nothing came up. I had to be creative.

eBay Gymnastics

Found it on eBay. The problem with the photo above is that it wasn’t me who bought the watch. I decided to send a very personal message to the seller and asked him to reveal who he sold to. I saw a 2% chance he would provide that information… but he did! He gave me the buyer’s eBay name. He was the second name I read a heartbreaking message about why I needed his watch. Well, I made his decision easier by offering multiple of what he paid for the watch. That worked. My wife got her first vintage watch instead of an engagement ring. The rest is history.

Kasper seduction

Checking out Kasper Watch on all available auction sites has become my random night hobby. To keep my spending a bit sane, I decided not to buy just branded Casper, but to focus solely on the chronograph. This was essential. Otherwise, I already have 200 Casper watches. Certainly, I regret not buying some interesting Kasper divers or time only models.

Caspering Watch

What I couldn’t refuse was a Casper brand ring that I had given to my wife another day. I remember seeing the ring watch in Seiko’s catalogue and they captivated me. One movement is very small, with the dial and crystal as well. I bought this Caspering Watch just because I thought it was cute. I’ve never been worried about how much finger time it would get.

When I had to take a photo last week, I put it on my fingers because I didn’t want to lose it. I never put it on my finger or thought about how vulnerable it was. If you are not careful, you can easily wash your hands. It’s not practical to wear, but nothing beats style.

Next Casper Watch – ahem, watch…

My Casper story didn’t end with an engagement watch and a ring watch. I learned how difficult it is to acquire Kasper chronographs, so I decided to start collecting them. This has become another interesting vintage watch collection exercise. Each is original, as two identical caspark chronographs rarely resurface. They don’t pop up frequently, so finding it is a cause for celebration. I don’t expect to wear them often, but I can’t help with that. I added another addition yesterday…