Since I did just join this fine forum, I suppose I could make inquiry about any watch hunting opportunities in Austria. We are leaving next weekend to travel to Austria for a couple of weeks. We'll be primarily staying in a village near Salzburg but will also spend the first few days of the journey in Vienna. We are visiting friends and I don't know exactly what all they have planned for us or how far we may range from the Salzburg area. Trips to England have resulted in some finds, the best being a 18k rose gold Longines found at a car boot sale in Wakefield. Of course this was in the pre-Ebay days. Any timely tips for unearthing vintage watches would be appreciated along with any shops of note. Are there still any acquisition opportunities out there "in the wild?" In Vienna, our hosts' flat is 100 yards from the IWC shop on Graben Street but I don't expect to have funds to partake of their wares and my old 1950s IWC might not even be welcomed inside. Thank you all for any suggestions that might be made. The Forum represents a great resource while providing entertaining reading for a fan of vintage watches who has been going it alone for some time. Just what is needed to generate enthusiasm to further immerse oneself into yet another hobby.
I've never found any vintage watch sources in Salzburg. Vienna is slim pickings as well, but you can look in at Chronothek at No. 8 Braunerstrasse, about a block off the Graben. Stock is sparse, but the owners of the shop are quite knowledgeable. If you enjoy rummaging, you'll want to hit the Naschmarkt at the crack of dawn on Saturday. It's a flea market - most of the stuff is junk.
I think watch collectors are a bit like fishermen. "Wow, what a beauty, where did you snag that one mate?" Mumbled unintelligible reply