# First Vintage Watch



## pkryder (Dec 25, 2012)

I am looking to buy a vintage watch, something which I can regularly wear and is quite formal / dressy. The two big names seem to be Rolex and Omega and Im drawn to the latter as Rolex seems to be far outside my price range.

Im looking to spend around Â£500. I like the Omega Seamaster DeVille and found what looks a nice example here: http://www.poshtime.com/Omega-Seamaster-DeVille-c.1964_3024.146.php Can anyone pass a more knowledgeable eye over whether this is good value. There are plenty of examples on ebay but I'm worried about getting my fingers burnt.

As something of a wildcard I also like the look of this Girard-Perregaux: http://www.vintage-watches-collection.com/watch/girard-perregaux/girard-perregaux-1965/ but there is no model mentioned and I dont see them discussed a great deal so wonder how desirable they are?


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## pugster (Nov 22, 2004)

remember most vintage watches are quite small by todays standards , that omega's price is downright funny -for that price it should be solid gold-not gold plated , the price of the girard is no better , if buying in the high street you will be paying high street premiums.


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## PilotWatchLover (Sep 23, 2012)

Have a good search over eBay

Good bargains to be had


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

Tissot Seastar Navigator. Excellent movement, reliable, big enough for today's tastes:-










Mike


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## martinzx (Aug 29, 2010)

The watches you link are overpriced, hang around read up, join in the community by posting & joining in, after some time you receive the privilege of using the for sale section, there loads here that like vintage stuff, myself included,

Oh & welcome BTW, check out the following thread

http://www.thewatchf...showtopic=62353

Cheers Martin


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## AVO (Nov 18, 2012)

pugster said:


> remember most vintage watches are quite small by todays standards , that omega's price is downright funny -for that price it should be solid gold-not gold plated , the price of the girard is no better , if buying in the high street you will be paying high street premiums.


I agree. Welcome. I've found some excellent independent watchmakers in Norwich, and have bought three lovely Omegas from them at sensible prices. Worth looking around your local area.


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## no8yogi (Oct 1, 2012)

that omega price is way out I paid less than half that for a geneve sea master 1967 and that had (in my opinion) the more sort after 565 automatic movement not a manual wind, have a look in the sale thread here for some great deals


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## pkryder (Dec 25, 2012)

Thanks for the advice all very useful, whilst they did seem a little more expensive than I've seen elsewhere I thought perhaps it was worth a small premium if it is a reputable dealer and for peace of mind that you are getting the real deal. I didn't realise they were so over priced though. I have had a look around on ebay and so far I've seen one or two a little cheaper but a couple of days still to go on the auctions, the Buy it Now prices seem to be all over the place anything from the same as the dealers I've posted to nearly a grand for what to me seem to be the same standard of DeVille.

Well no massive rush I'll keep reading up and bide my time till the right deal comes along.


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## gaz64 (May 5, 2009)

The prices are shop prices I think we get so used to forum prices we lose track of what is being paid elsewhere.


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## TheFlyingBanana (Jun 23, 2009)

I concur - I've had loads of vintage Omegas over the years, and have a pretty good feel for their values as do others here - these ones are probably twice their actual value, at least. The GP maybe not quite so overpriced, but the brand doesn't do as well here in the UK as it does in some other territories.

I'll have a dig through some of my watch boxes in due course and see what nice vintage ones I have available for trade or sale. I am sure there will be some.


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## pkryder (Dec 25, 2012)

Thanks, not sure how long I have to be around to get access to trade here.

I've been continuing to read up, I've been well and truly bitten by the bug now. I definitely want an Omega for my first watch and think I've got a reasonable appreciation for real values now having spent a fair bit of time this past week trawling ebay for current and completed listings and would agree watches seem to go for about half to maybe three fifths of those dealer prices I'd posted.

I've started to put a few conservative bids in and don't take the buy it now prices too seriously as most seem to go unsold or those that do sell go for about three quarters or less of the original asking price.

I'm now starting to read up on Smiths for my second watch (I know I know haven't even got the first yet!) as there is real appeal to me owning a watch with an English built movement rather just a case.


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## richardod (Oct 13, 2011)

pkryder said:


> I am looking to buy a vintage watch, something which I can regularly wear and is quite formal / dressy. The two big names seem to be Rolex and Omega and Im drawn to the latter as Rolex seems to be far outside my price range.
> 
> Im looking to spend around Â£500. I like the Omega Seamaster DeVille and found what looks a nice example here: http://www.poshtime.com/Omega-Seamaster-DeVille-c.1964_3024.146.php Can anyone pass a more knowledgeable eye over whether this is good value. There are plenty of examples on ebay but I'm worried about getting my fingers burnt.
> 
> As something of a wildcard I also like the look of this Girard-Perregaux: http://www.vintage-watches-collection.com/watch/girard-perregaux/girard-perregaux-1965/ but there is no model mentioned and I dont see them discussed a great deal so wonder how desirable they are?


You will always find dealers prices seem "overpriced" but they are running a business and have overheads at the end of the day. I purchased my first three watches from a shop which looking back on it now seem overpriced, but all have worked flawlessly. I've also purchased an Omega F300 from Ebay, which was sold as keeping good time, but was losing 2 minutes a day. A trip to Silverhawk sorted that out, but of course added extra cost onto the watch, which you have to factor in (that said Silverhawk's prices are very reasonable).

I also purchased an Flightmaster on Ebay, which had lots of faults (chronograph broken, rotating inner bezel not working). I looked at the various faults, and set myself a limit on the auction based on what I thought the repair costs would be. I effectively took a bit of a gamble with the watch- I didn't know exactly what it would cost to repair, but in the end I now have a fully working Flightmaster with the original hands and dial that I would of never been able to afford from a dealer.


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## pkryder (Dec 25, 2012)

Yes true but there do seem to be good and bad dealers some provide tons of clear pics and lengthy descriptions of their watches, they may have been serviced or at least checked over and come with a guarantee so there I can understand a premium, other dealers sites I have seen charge exactly the same price having provided one diddy pic of the dial and a mere dial good, case good type description.

With ebay there appears to be a middle ground, I would likely be reluctant to buy something some guy found in the attic whilst clearing the house of his wife's recently deceased cousin twice removed on the other hand there are plenty of people trading vintage watches at reasonable prices as a business, although perhaps not full blown dealers with any business seller you are protected by Sale of Goods Act and Distance Selling regulations so if it's not what you expected you can return for any reason within 7 days.


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## gaz64 (May 5, 2009)

Google John Cronin he is a watchmaker in huntingdon and thoroughly decent chap he has a few to sell on his site chronometers.biz.

Based in Huntingdon cambs.

I think he offers a 2 year warranty on all of the watches he sells not the 90 days the shop you linked to or just click on this link http://www.chronometers.biz/Watches_for_sale.html


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

pkryder said:


> Thanks, not sure how long I have to be around to get access to trade here.
> 
> I've been continuing to read up, I've been well and truly bitten by the bug now. I definitely want an Omega for my first watch and think I've got a reasonable appreciation for real values now having spent a fair bit of time this past week trawling ebay for current and completed listings and would agree watches seem to go for about half to maybe three fifths of those dealer prices I'd posted.
> 
> ...


You'll need to amass at least 50 posts before you will have access to the sales/trades corner, or be able to use the PM system. Welcome to the forum, BTW! :rltb:


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## pkryder (Dec 25, 2012)

Thanks for the link Gaz I'll bear him in mind for future. I had a read of his watch buying advice and was surprised to read that he says Tag Heuer and Breitling didn't and don't make their own watches can't say I have any real interest in either brand but I always thought they were pretty respected watch makers with an established history :S


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## certifiedwatchstore (Aug 3, 2012)

*
Girard-Perregaux 1965 is better than Omega Seamaster DeVille. So if you have the money then go for Giard.*


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## Mr.D (Dec 23, 2012)

Thanks too for that most interesting.



gaz64 said:


> Google John Cronin he is a watchmaker in huntingdon and thoroughly decent chap he has a few to sell on his site chronometers.biz.
> 
> Based in Huntingdon cambs.
> 
> I think he offers a 2 year warranty on all of the watches he sells not the 90 days the shop you linked to or just click on this link http://www.chronometers.biz/Watches_for_sale.html


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## gaz64 (May 5, 2009)

pkryder said:


> Thanks for the link Gaz I'll bear him in mind for future. I had a read of his watch buying advice and was surprised to read that he says Tag Heuer and Breitling didn't and don't make their own watches can't say I have any real interest in either brand but I always thought they were pretty respected watch makers with an established history :S


I think he was referring to movements. If I recall the last time tag announced an in house movement it turned out to have been designed by Seiko.

Here's the link

http://www.luxist.com/2009/12/09/tag-heuer-new-caliber-1887-watch-movement-snafu/


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## coredriller (Mar 10, 2013)

I would go for the G-P. However, I doubt it will be available as most of the watches on that site have been sold and he does not update the site very often.


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## pkryder (Dec 25, 2012)

Yeah thanks probably won't be available given I posted this nearly 3 months ago. How many more dead threads are gonna be resurrected :S


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## phantom splashback (Mar 10, 2013)

coredriller said:


> I would go for the G-P. However, I doubt it will be available as most of the watches on that site have been sold and he does not update the site very often.


This is useful to know considering that site kindled a latent interest in watches which in a roundabout way brought me to this forum. I spent ages gawping at the watches there and reading the descriptions, but then realised the watches never changed and started hunting for a forum with real reviews and opinions and ended up here :thumbup:


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