1963 birth year brands to consider
Discussion
So, fancy doing the birth year vintage thing and 1963 is that year - apart from obvious candidates like Rolex and Omega, anything come to mind as a good call? Not budget no object sadly but happy to consider more esoterics if there is any prospect of future returns
Thinking simple and design strong but open to complications too if something quirky presents...
For instance?
Thinking simple and design strong but open to complications too if something quirky presents...
For instance?
For instance? I'm not convinced that's in it's original state.
The dial looks repainted.
There is significant corrosion on two of the steel wheels, yet the regulator is clean, which is odd.
The case code of 121 decodes as
1 - Gents watch, leather strap.
2 - Manual wind, small seconds.
1 - Not waterproof.
Which all checks out.
The Omega museum says it should look like this. The museum is not always accurate.
As you linked to a watch at £575 I'm going to guess that you have somewhere around that much to spend. I'm not going to post pictures, because I'm too lazy and there are too many. Consider this a voyage of discovery.
A Rado Diastar in tungsten (gold coloured ones are an acquired taste, keep hunting and you will find a silver coloured one) will be a bit less.
A decent Le Coultre (a Jaeger Le Coultre branded for sale in America) Memovox can be had for £700 to £800 if you are patient. Not bad for a watch that JLC have just started remaking and are charging £15K rrp for.
Consider a Seiko. No, really. They make top end watches as well as cheapies. The King Seiko is very, very good and an absolute bargain for what it costs. Goldfeather was another from that era that stands out, at the time it had the worlds thinnest centre seconds movement.
More difficult to live with would be an asymmetrical Hamilton from that era,with a 500, 501 or 505 movement. The Ventura was released in '57, the worlds fist electric watch, I think it was still going in '63. Expect to pay £1000 easily. The asymmetrical range are absolutely beautiful. Some model names for you to google are: Ventura, Pacer, Meteor, Everest, Thor, Regulus, Sea-Lectric, Polaris, Saturn. You really should look these up, if only to drool.
These are gorgeous, but they are not without problems. The 500 / 501 was notoriously unreliable. 505 was much improved.
Staying with electric watches, Bulova released the Accutron movement (google is your pal, OK in a slightly creepy intrusive way) in 1960. There was a Spaceview on the Antiques Roadshow a couple of weeks ago. £500 ish for a good one, and they are date coded, so it's easy to tell what year it was made. M3 is 1963, M for the 60's and 3 for, well 3.
Going back to Omega '63 means you can look at a pie pan constellation. Lovely, lovely, lovely. But you are going to need to spend £1500 ish, give or take. You are also going to need to get advice, the Conny is the most faked watch of that era. Goto the Omega forum at WatchUSeek for an appraisal before you purchase.
Sticking with Omega, you could be dull and get a Speedmaster or a Seamaster. Good watches, but, yawn.
I'd like to be able to recommend a Breitling TopTime, but that was a 1964 watch. Heuer were making good stuff at that time too, but I think they will be out of budget. Andy Tims is your man for info on vintage Heuers.
The dial looks repainted.
There is significant corrosion on two of the steel wheels, yet the regulator is clean, which is odd.
The case code of 121 decodes as
1 - Gents watch, leather strap.
2 - Manual wind, small seconds.
1 - Not waterproof.
Which all checks out.
The Omega museum says it should look like this. The museum is not always accurate.
As you linked to a watch at £575 I'm going to guess that you have somewhere around that much to spend. I'm not going to post pictures, because I'm too lazy and there are too many. Consider this a voyage of discovery.
A Rado Diastar in tungsten (gold coloured ones are an acquired taste, keep hunting and you will find a silver coloured one) will be a bit less.
A decent Le Coultre (a Jaeger Le Coultre branded for sale in America) Memovox can be had for £700 to £800 if you are patient. Not bad for a watch that JLC have just started remaking and are charging £15K rrp for.
Consider a Seiko. No, really. They make top end watches as well as cheapies. The King Seiko is very, very good and an absolute bargain for what it costs. Goldfeather was another from that era that stands out, at the time it had the worlds thinnest centre seconds movement.
More difficult to live with would be an asymmetrical Hamilton from that era,with a 500, 501 or 505 movement. The Ventura was released in '57, the worlds fist electric watch, I think it was still going in '63. Expect to pay £1000 easily. The asymmetrical range are absolutely beautiful. Some model names for you to google are: Ventura, Pacer, Meteor, Everest, Thor, Regulus, Sea-Lectric, Polaris, Saturn. You really should look these up, if only to drool.
These are gorgeous, but they are not without problems. The 500 / 501 was notoriously unreliable. 505 was much improved.
Staying with electric watches, Bulova released the Accutron movement (google is your pal, OK in a slightly creepy intrusive way) in 1960. There was a Spaceview on the Antiques Roadshow a couple of weeks ago. £500 ish for a good one, and they are date coded, so it's easy to tell what year it was made. M3 is 1963, M for the 60's and 3 for, well 3.
Going back to Omega '63 means you can look at a pie pan constellation. Lovely, lovely, lovely. But you are going to need to spend £1500 ish, give or take. You are also going to need to get advice, the Conny is the most faked watch of that era. Goto the Omega forum at WatchUSeek for an appraisal before you purchase.
Sticking with Omega, you could be dull and get a Speedmaster or a Seamaster. Good watches, but, yawn.
I'd like to be able to recommend a Breitling TopTime, but that was a 1964 watch. Heuer were making good stuff at that time too, but I think they will be out of budget. Andy Tims is your man for info on vintage Heuers.
king forget it. Splash the cash and buy a nice Submariner 5513.
http://rolexpassionreport.com/buy-your-vintage-rol...
http://rolexpassionreport.com/buy-your-vintage-rol...
I had the same thoughts as the OP fancied a watch from the year of birth - '63.
Acquired one not only from the year of birth but one with the original receipt that showed it was purchased within a week of my birth - bonus. It's engraved on the rear and to someone local who played a major part in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve. He was awarded an OBE and that's engraved on the back. An added bonus - I have now the OBE certificate.
Checking inside it was last serviced in 1968 and it has a very used look about it which I quite like to see that it's actually been worn.
It's currently back in with Watches of Switzerland to give it a full service and new glass etc. I look forward to it lasting another 54 years.
Acquired one not only from the year of birth but one with the original receipt that showed it was purchased within a week of my birth - bonus. It's engraved on the rear and to someone local who played a major part in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve. He was awarded an OBE and that's engraved on the back. An added bonus - I have now the OBE certificate.
Checking inside it was last serviced in 1968 and it has a very used look about it which I quite like to see that it's actually been worn.
It's currently back in with Watches of Switzerland to give it a full service and new glass etc. I look forward to it lasting another 54 years.
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