# Accurist - Worth Collecting?



## sparky the cat

This is the first post on the vintage forum, in short Iâ€™m looking for education. This question started as the result of a telly avert thread http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=49351 After reading Tomshepâ€™s response I got to thinking. I been considering a theme for my collecting from now on and the thought of Vintage Accurist seemed a good one. Not for the any monetary value, but I have a number of new design chronos and the 710 keeps asking why I donâ€™t get some â€˜dressyâ€™ watches.

So to take the idea forward and to try and educate myself I quickly looked at Ebay; searching on â€˜vintage accurst watchâ€™ I had no intention of buying as I know very little about watches compared to you guys and I could be like a lamb to the slaughter (sorry to the vegetarians for using the simile)

I came across this one: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300373379320&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I thinks it a pretty watch and with the right strap would look smart and not like an â€˜old manâ€™s watchâ€™ as the 710 would describe it. All-in-all going by the pictures, the detail in the description and the sellerâ€™s history doesnâ€™t seem to be on sale from an enthusiast, I followed its progress . The watch was eventually bought for about Â£24 by a buyer who seems to go for only watches (apart from the Citroen).

So to my questions are:

Is it a good brand to collect?

Is circa 1965 a vintage watch?

Would the lack of detail in the photos cause concern (bearing in mind the apparent non-watch history of the seller)?

Was my â€˜readingâ€™ of the auction correct, especially the eventual buyerâ€™s profile giving an indication of itâ€™s desirability?.

Was it worth the money?

Is there other sites I should look at rather than swimming with the sharks in the bay?

A school boy question no doubt, Iâ€™m just trying to educate myself and looking for guidance.

Thanks in anticipation


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## Stan

Any watch from the 1960's with a Swiss made, jewelled movement will be worth owning if it's in good condition and running well, imo. As long as the price suits your pocket. Most had Adolf Shild Ã©bauches but the case/ dial construction varied with the price of the watch.

Adolf Shild/ AS movements are probably the basis of the majority of ESA/ ETA mechanical, uncomplicated movements available today, I suspect.

Accurist, Rotary, Excalibur (and many other brands) with AS movements are worth owning if in good condition and if you find them attractive.

Â£25 for a nice 1960's mechanical, Swiss jewelled watch sounds like a bargain to me.


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## Guest

I often wish I hadn't become such a Seikoholic Sparky as there are so many other interesting brands out there that keep good time and look amazing...it's just their name doesn't fit! If you're not a watch snob then there's nothing stopping you collecting any brand, particularly from the 50s/60s when a lot of the manufacturers copied eachother (apart from the really high end) and thus each watch was as reliable as others but just different in look.

So, to answer your questions...

Is it a good brand to collect?

Any brand is if you like it. If you like a brand like Accurist, more the better! You can get their rarer, vintage watches for much less then other brands - makes collecting and the 710 more compatible!

Is circa 1965 a vintage watch?

Up to 20 years is retro, 20-99 years is vintage and 100 years plus is antique - that's how we term it in the antiques trade

Would the lack of detail in the photos cause concern (bearing in mind the apparent non-watch history of the seller)?

Some of people who sell watches on the bay are either private sellers or dealers who sell everything and anything. This means that they don't have the knowledge to fully describe the piece or photograph it. If the feedback is good I would buy with confidence. Even if it isn't, Paypal/eBay have made buyer refunds so easy now, you're covered either way.

Was my â€˜readingâ€™ of the auction correct, especially the eventual buyerâ€™s profile giving an indication of itâ€™s desirability?.

I guess it would be desirable to a collector of vintage watches however "desirable", "rare" etc are usually buzz words to drum up interest

Was it worth the money?

If it had Seiko on the dial I would have bougth it...very nice looking watch 

Is there other sites I should look at rather than swimming with the sharks

I would back eBay to the hilt, especially for getting rare and different watches cheap. As I've said, the refunds process is so buyer focused that you shouldn't have any trouble beyond slight delay in cash back. Just remember to always send refunds recorded delivery.

Hope some of that helps


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## sparky the cat

Stan and Levon,

First, apologies for the slow response. Friday was the office Christmas celebration. A tarditopn that has been has been in existence since Dickensâ€™ time; the office pub crawl and curry party. Note to the quantum physicist out there, the combination of beer and curry has effect upon time and space - the next 24 hours disappears.

Back in real time; thanks for your comments and encouragement guys. As you say collecting what you want is the key. The main reason for me choosing Accurst (at least in part) is that they seem to be plentiful and different to the â€™newâ€™ watches Iâ€™m used to. Iâ€™m most probably scared of the bay since I been burnt a few times, but that was before I joined this forum, Iâ€™ve now a better ideas, but by no way an expert idea, the quality I should expert in exchange for my hard earned cash. Iâ€™m sure Iâ€™ll get bitten by the sharks in the future, but thatâ€™s all the part off learning. Any vintage watch books I should read ?

So I intend to give a themed collection ago, although I am swayed by the Russian watches Iâ€™ve seen mentioned in the sales forum.

So thanks again guys, and all the best to You and Yours

PS the 710 is now watching â€˜the X Factor; so that how Iâ€™ve got the chance to reply. A couple of hours of the of the mobile Texts flashing around the air waves. Sheâ€™s an advertisersâ€™ dream Joe has to win - guess where we originate from! Text message just gone off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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