Everybody is different and settle for different things but my personal opinion is that when setting a side a too small budget and only affording the bottom tier examples you often get disappointed in the long run and always hunting for a better one. Instead of spending that extra money right away and getting what you really want Not really sure what these would cost since they are very uncommon but guessing maybe the 1-2000 range. Thanks its indeed very nice and I especially like the square format and hefty size, you rarely stumble across vintage triple dates in this format
It seems like water was a frequent houseguest for many of the vintage moonphase watches. And from what I've read, redials are common and often older redials, making them look convincing and well worth a triple check. Other than that, and the adrenalin-fueled thrill seeking that comes from using the little pushers to set the date & moon, are there other boutique ownership issues with the vintage moonphase watches? Does the cost of service tend to be about the same as what it would cost to service a similarly aged date complication? Setting aside JLC and UG, I'm thinking of getting an understated brand like a Movado, Record etc, such as the stunners that @Zman4eva posted above. I've yet to find a picture of a vintage Longines moonphase (quite a few nice Records though), do vintage Longines moonphase watches exist? Many thanks for your guidance
Might not be to everyone's taste, but it could be worth looking into options like this one from Baume & Mercier: My main reason for this choice isn't aesthetics, it's the movement. Lemania 1866, so same as the speedmaster moonphase watches. I bought a Wyler Vetta branded one of these last year for 540 euro, so within your budget. When it arrived it was effectively brand new, had only been worn a couple of times in its life. It will definitely take some research and time to find a good one within your budget though.
