Want to get an old winder or automatic, but I'm not sure how to go about picking a good one or any of it, really. Thanks in advance.
Any vintage watch guys here, I need schooled?
- Thread starter KeenDogg
- Start date
What's your budget? Where are you located? What kind of complications do you prefer? Are you looking for a dress watch, sports watch, chronometer, pilot, field watch, something else? What size watch are you interested in buying? How big are your wrists? Do you want a more classically sized watch or one more in keeping with modern trends? Are you interested in in-house movements or are you okay with watch companies that use another company's movements? Are you interested in Swiss, German, American, Japanese, and/or Chinese watches?
As with shaving, watches are often a YMMV thing. To begin, aesthetics is usually a very personal matter. Also, how hairy a person's wrist is may contribute to a person'a enjoyment (or lack thereof) of a particular watchband. Then there's the whole argument about in-house movements. Not to mention the argument about Swiss watches versus pretty much all other watches. This also brings up the issue of just what makes a watch a "Swiss" watch.
A good place to learn about watches for hobbyists would be a watch forum. I recommend taking a look at watchuseek.com. Read through the threads on some of the various boards to get a better handle on watches. It might also help you figure out what kind of watches you prefer.
As with shaving, watches are often a YMMV thing. To begin, aesthetics is usually a very personal matter. Also, how hairy a person's wrist is may contribute to a person'a enjoyment (or lack thereof) of a particular watchband. Then there's the whole argument about in-house movements. Not to mention the argument about Swiss watches versus pretty much all other watches. This also brings up the issue of just what makes a watch a "Swiss" watch.
A good place to learn about watches for hobbyists would be a watch forum. I recommend taking a look at watchuseek.com. Read through the threads on some of the various boards to get a better handle on watches. It might also help you figure out what kind of watches you prefer.
+1
As with cars I would say you have Youngtimers 20-30 years and the vintage Vintage stuff +30y
Up to the 60ies with exception of a couple sport/specialty watches you have case sizes that look small today. 36mm was considered big! 70ies onward case sizes got bigger but the 80ies due to the quartz dominance was the dark age of mechanical watches. Only the big dogs produced somewhat decent models.
To start I would suggest to look at 90ies early 2000, prices should be lower than the current stuff, materials, build quality and case sizes are close to today’s standards.
2007/1975/1997/2002
Lefonque
Even more clueless than you
A fist full of dollars there.
Accumulated over the years and not my worst investment...
my lockdown/homeoffice watch
The forums at TimeZone.com are a good place to learn. I've not been active there for a number of years, but I had always found TZers to be a helpful, congenial and self-policing community.
There's also the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC.org). It's a good source of information and a good place to meet other collectors, both online and in person at NAWCC affiliated watch shows.
As with so many collecting hobbies, be sure to bring money and have fun. Seriously, it can get expensive fast, so be judicious in what you choose to collect. You might narrow your focus to, say, railroad watches, or square watches, or watches of a particular brand. Find a niche you enjoy and that's underpriced and go for it.
A few years ago, I sold off a 120+ mechanical watch collection at Sotheby's and thought I was through collecting. But, recently, the bug bit again. This time, I've begun collecting modestly priced quartz watches (Citizen EcoDrives are a favorite), though I do have several showpiece watches, including a quartz Jaeger-LeCoultre Astronomic Moonphase in gold.
That notwithstanding, in general, mechanical watches are where the action is in horology and collecting.
There's also the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC.org). It's a good source of information and a good place to meet other collectors, both online and in person at NAWCC affiliated watch shows.
As with so many collecting hobbies, be sure to bring money and have fun. Seriously, it can get expensive fast, so be judicious in what you choose to collect. You might narrow your focus to, say, railroad watches, or square watches, or watches of a particular brand. Find a niche you enjoy and that's underpriced and go for it.
A few years ago, I sold off a 120+ mechanical watch collection at Sotheby's and thought I was through collecting. But, recently, the bug bit again. This time, I've begun collecting modestly priced quartz watches (Citizen EcoDrives are a favorite), though I do have several showpiece watches, including a quartz Jaeger-LeCoultre Astronomic Moonphase in gold.
That notwithstanding, in general, mechanical watches are where the action is in horology and collecting.
I've never seen one in gold tone with matching gold ZULU hardware. Very striking. Looks good. Is that a Citizen strap?
There's a hole in my little collection: I don't have any Citizen divers. Will probably add one in the coming months, probably something similar to yours. So far, I've a couple of Promaster Toughs with Citizen's DuraTect (hardened titanium nitride, I believe) finishes.
One is a three hander with a black dial on a black, green and red Bond NATO strap. (Looks way sharper than the factory bracelet.) The other is a chrony with a blue-gray dial on a factory bracelet.
Interesting, Citizen's DuraTect finish. I have four Citizens from the late 1990s with DuraTect finishes. Not a scratch on any of them!
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Sorry, this is only bad lighting and a crappy phone cam
It's a regular stainless model BN0151-17L with a Zulu strap from Cheapest Nato Straps Sweden
I only started looking into Japanese watches a couple of years ago. Sofar I'm very happy with my Orients and Citizien.
Still, it looks good! Cheapest Nato Straps Sweden is on my list of vendors to try. They seem to have a wider selection than anyone.
Well curated assortment you've got.
Interesting. As part of my old collection, I had a gold Rolex Zephyr and a 1655 "Steve McQueen" Explorer II. Never did climb aboard the Panerai bandwagon, though.
I forgot to show the Brute my only Seiko a SUN65P1 Prospex Kinetic PADI GMT, 47mm case 14mm height
The Zephyr is early 60ies? with the quartered dial, am I right? An Orange Hand would be a very nice addition but at current price levels a bit out of reach. I might get a Steinhart hommage as @Benzadmiral did.
I had a couple of Panerais over the years and only miss the plain Radiomir 45mm. The current crop of models is such a mess that I don't even look at them anymore. The 372 is a beauty though, 3 day manual in-house movement, plexi dome, 47mm and an absolut reduced face with only the golden hands as accents.
That's the one. With a Florentine bezel that showed absolutely no wear. Very elegant for an Oyster.
As you said this is an assortment of daily, well not beaters, but simple workhorses. I was never a collector or into haute horlogerie as Date + GMT is the most complex thing I would like to wear.
My Steinhart GMT, the homage to the original "Pepsi" Rolex GMT, is working well and after regulation is keeping about +3 sec./day. I suspect that just about any of their GMTs or Explorer II (the "Steve McQueen" style), or whatever you choose, will be a sharp watch and a good buy.
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I've always heard good things about Steinharts: quality movements, great casework, excellent bracelets, and the potential for easily regulated chronometer accuracy. The only real criticism I've seen is that they are a bit too faithful in their homage to the watches they honor--which, all things considered--is just so much sour piffle.
If you see one you like, buy it, wear it and enjoy it!
I have one of the Steinhart Big Flieger with the Unitas manual movement. Great watch per se but unfortunately in a sudden bought of bad taste back then I went with a PVD rose gold case. The color was quite nice but not durable at all. Now it lives in the dark corner of my watch case...
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