Hypersonic

He he, I know ...too expensive for my own good ...ain't it a bitch I honestly don't deliberately just look for the most valuable things ...they just more often than not seem to be the things I find the most compelling and desirable. I'm really not nearly as showy and flashy as you might think I am actually quite a conservative person.

This is a beautiful watch Hassan -- you have fine taste.

I fully appreciate what you are saying about the clarity of the face ...it is not dissimilar to some of the Blancpain watches that I really like so much for their clarity.

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Osnabrueck

The back of the case says "1/1", so I guess there's only one specimen in existence. Now that's what I call exclusivity!

Centurion

Naah I don't think you are flashy Kefin Federline type of person, if you were you would hav eposted Jacob.Co watches and other watches with diamonds which are worth more than the movement in the watch itself.

BTW I have a question to you more knowledge watch fanatics. Recently I have discovered and fallen in love with vintage watches and am thinking about picking up a 60-70s IWC watch for 500-800 dollar. most of the watches I have found are automatic and i wonder how much it cost to clean the whole movement and what I should concider when buying a vintage watch.

The Artist

here are 2 i like alot..i hope they havent been posted..

Jaeger Le Coultre Gyrotourbillon

- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Romain Gauthier

Osnabrueck

Ha! I knew you'd eventually come around to vintage Lu! It was only a matter of time.

Vintage watches are great for several reasons:

1 - They typically possess an aptitude for dial design that you simply can't get in a modern watch. Back then, designers had to strip-in all the graphics by hand, and it was a painstaking process that required a trained eye. Today, many premiere watchmakers are content to let second-rate graphic designers design dials that are absolutely careless.

2 - They were the best, and not just for esoteric reasons. Prior to the Quartz revolution of the mid 70s, mechanical watches were the only way civilians could accurately track time. Movements from Omega, Rolex and Mido weren't just nice displays of craftsmanship, they were the creme de la creme of timekeeping. Because of this, there's a utilitarian authenticity to vintage watches that isn't present in a modern prestige watch.

3 - You can get a damn interesting and unique piece for the money. I love my TAG Heuer, but let's face it, every second person in my office has one. For less money than I paid for my TAG Heuer Link, I could have gotten a 70s Heuer Autavia GMT, which I consider a spectacular "vintage value." Personally, I've bought two vintage Omegas, one from the 60s and one from the 70s and I love them to death.

The downside of buying vintage is that very desirable pieces are still extremely expensive. Don't even think of getting into a vintage Heuer Monaco or Breitling Navitimer - those things go for a fortune, and then some. Another downside is that it's hard to find dials and cases in good shape, and if you do, the price you pay will be considerably more.

Personally, I have looked into vintage IWCs and have walked away a little bit frustrated, because everything that grabs my interest ends up selling for a very high price. So it's just a waiting game where you have to find a good convergence of price, model and condition that suits your taste.

One more thing that you should be aware of is that vintage watches from the 60s and earlier tend to be smaller than today's cookie-sized watches. Typical for today's prestige watches is a measurement of 38 to 42mm. Vintage watches, especially the dressier ones, typically measure in the neighborhood of 34 to 36mm. Just be sure to check out the size of what you're looking for, because you may be imagining something much larger than reality.

As for maintenance costs - you should buy from somebody who has expertise and has already cleaned and serviced the watch before you buy. The day will eventually come when you have to service the thing, and you can expect to pay anywhere between $100 and $300 US depending upon the make, model and movement. Some simple/common movements may cost little to service. Other, more complicated and rare movements could be pricey.

Centurion

^^
You did actually mention vintage watches a few months ago but unfortunately I didn't appretiate them then but latetly I have began to understand how special they are and how much history some of them carry with them. I'll lurk oround on the net for some for information about them.

Michael

This is one beautiful watch! Man! How much?

Centurion

^^
There are different versions of that model but that exact watch will set you back 5 500 euro which actually isn't that bad for such a beauty.

Like Roberto I'll just go nuts now:

These models are much more expenzie though.

Osnabrueck

I'd begin by spending countless hours on Ebay, watching what you like and seeing how much stuff sells for. You'd be surprised by how much some watches fetch, but on the other hand, sometimes you'll be pleasantly surprised by a bargin - or at least, what seems like one.

Those are, by the way, some very beautiful IWCs. The "Portugieser" and its cousins are beautiful watches. I'll take the perpecual calender with a steel strap please. Be sure to put "Attn: Josh" on the package.

Centurion

The Perpetual watch is quite a special one and unlike most watches is displays the year and day.Pricer? 25 100 euro
Yupp, Ebay is a big cyber sea with lots of vintage watches. What I have discovered is that some watches as cheap as a Nintendo Wii but they don't come with a box or any papers. Then there are those which have been taken care of like a baby and are in perfect condition but do come with a pretty hefty price tag. There is such a huge variaty of watches at sale and if you aren't careful you might end up buying a watch which is less accurate than a Kermit watch.

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