Vintage Watches
Discussion
Ladies and Gents,
I have a couple of Breitlings and this forum has opened my mind nicely you the vast array of interesting watches.
Rolex is obviously huge but doesn't quite make me tick, until that is I started seeing the odd vintage version. This is stunningly vague, but watching Flog It, a chap found a nice old Rolex in a skip. It sold at auction for £600. It was really simple, non original strap and 9 carat gold. I thought it was lovely.
A quick scan online suggests that a vintage Rolex is pretty expensive. A lower purchase price may make it ok with the 'home secretary'.
Do any of you have any thoughts of where I may source something in working but maybe slightly tatty condition for under £1000?
I have a couple of Breitlings and this forum has opened my mind nicely you the vast array of interesting watches.
Rolex is obviously huge but doesn't quite make me tick, until that is I started seeing the odd vintage version. This is stunningly vague, but watching Flog It, a chap found a nice old Rolex in a skip. It sold at auction for £600. It was really simple, non original strap and 9 carat gold. I thought it was lovely.
A quick scan online suggests that a vintage Rolex is pretty expensive. A lower purchase price may make it ok with the 'home secretary'.
Do any of you have any thoughts of where I may source something in working but maybe slightly tatty condition for under £1000?
I'd suggest keeping an eye on auction houses, Bonhams have fairly regular watch sales and I've seen quite a few vintage Rolexes for sale under the £1000 mark. Obviously auctions come with a few risks, prices can sky-rocket and then there's the auction house's premium on top of the 'hammer price'. I've personally been caught-up in the excitement of auction-fever and overpaid for a couple of slightly ropey watches (though they did fit the 'tatty' but useable condition!).
Aside from Rolex, you could consider vintage Omega Seamasters which have a similar aesthetic (to my eye) but tend to hover more around the £500/600 mark).
As an example, here's a link to a Bonhams auction earlier this year (look at lots 130 onwards) http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24231/#/aa0=2&...
Or Watches of Knightsbridge have an auction this weekend (!) http://issuu.com/auctiontechnologygroup/docs/wok_1... quite a few Omegas, Rolexes etc.
Alternatively, a bit left-field, but for a bit of vintage style without the associated headaches, I've just bought a Timex Vintage Marlin, (can't get the link to work) it's so cheap you could probably convince the other-half to get you it for Christmas!
Aside from Rolex, you could consider vintage Omega Seamasters which have a similar aesthetic (to my eye) but tend to hover more around the £500/600 mark).
As an example, here's a link to a Bonhams auction earlier this year (look at lots 130 onwards) http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24231/#/aa0=2&...
Or Watches of Knightsbridge have an auction this weekend (!) http://issuu.com/auctiontechnologygroup/docs/wok_1... quite a few Omegas, Rolexes etc.
Alternatively, a bit left-field, but for a bit of vintage style without the associated headaches, I've just bought a Timex Vintage Marlin, (can't get the link to work) it's so cheap you could probably convince the other-half to get you it for Christmas!
Edited by DrMagic on Tuesday 14th November 21:38
No probs, good luck with the search.
Might also be worth looking at a dealer like Austin Kaye https://www.austinkaye.co.uk much more expensive obviously, but you do get a serviced watch with a guarantee, unlike at auction.
Might also be worth looking at a dealer like Austin Kaye https://www.austinkaye.co.uk much more expensive obviously, but you do get a serviced watch with a guarantee, unlike at auction.
One last thing, just seen this, auction coming up on the 21st, lots 116/117/118 might fit the bill https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24234/#/aa0=2&...
nikaiyo2 said:
eBay and chrono24 are good places to look, with eyes wide open.
I wouldn't recommend that a newbie should ever spend more on an ebay watch than (s)he's prepared to throw away.There are plenty of good watches on there, but there are just too many dealers pedalling tarted up junk. To the untrained eye the junk looks better than many of the decent watches. The photo's are better, the watches look cleaner.
The problem is that the watches aren't often what they purport to be. They have very little value, repainted faces, are in the wrong cases, have movements built from several scrap watches, or are just plain fake.
O.P., I'm not saying you should not buy from ebay. But if you do, seek advice from a collector forum. Start a post here, or better on Timezone or on WatchUSeek and ask if the watch is good.
Rolex really isn't my thing, I won't be able to advise much, there are others here who can.
Because I was curious:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4Dcjrojd48 27 minutes onwards.
It's an Oyster(?) precision. Based on style alone my guess would be 1950's or early 60's. Someone got an absolute bargain at £600, it's worth a lot more than that.
May I suggest you look at Tudor? Rolex make the cases and the dials but fit non-Rolex movements to them. Even with Tudor, the going rate for a 9K Oyster, with gold numerals would be £600ish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4Dcjrojd48 27 minutes onwards.
It's an Oyster(?) precision. Based on style alone my guess would be 1950's or early 60's. Someone got an absolute bargain at £600, it's worth a lot more than that.
May I suggest you look at Tudor? Rolex make the cases and the dials but fit non-Rolex movements to them. Even with Tudor, the going rate for a 9K Oyster, with gold numerals would be £600ish.
From the 1960s, look at Omegas (as mentioned) and Longines.
Similar style and quality to the Rolexs of the era, but sell for more sensible money.
eBay is a minefield, with lots of bitsa watches, so shop carefully and I'm not sure there are too many bargains to be had, either.
My Seamaster 30 did come from eBay (about £300), but it was some years ago now.
I think it's fairly kosher, but I couldn't swear it wasn't a little bit broom-like!
M.
Similar style and quality to the Rolexs of the era, but sell for more sensible money.
eBay is a minefield, with lots of bitsa watches, so shop carefully and I'm not sure there are too many bargains to be had, either.
My Seamaster 30 did come from eBay (about £300), but it was some years ago now.
I think it's fairly kosher, but I couldn't swear it wasn't a little bit broom-like!
M.
Edited by marcosgt on Thursday 16th November 17:22
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