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Bubbling patina bad?

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I'm still on the hunt for my first vintage watch so learning every day by reading articles and seeing posts on this forum and asking you guys, so I'm extremely grateful to be part of OF!

This cal.601 has nice patina but has bubbling, is that really bad? I love patina on a watch but haven't come across a lot with bubbling. The seller claims it is all original (even the buckle), all except the leather strap. Asking price is about £400/$500.
 
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I take it you would class it as more damaged than patina? And the rest of the watch?
 
efauser
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G General85
I take it you would class it as more damaged than patina? And the rest of the watch?
I wouldn't buy it because of the dial, and the fact that I would rather have a 5xx cal Seamaster. My advice will always be to save your money and get an excellent example, rather than rushing and buying a mediocre one.
 
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efauser efauser
I wouldn't buy it because of the dial, and the fact that I would rather have a 5xx cal Seamaster. My advice will always be to save your money and get an excellent example, rather than rushing and buying a mediocre one.
That was one of my concerns. forgot to mention that...I thought it's Seamaster money which this isn't. Thanks
 
Spruce
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You’ve posted a few prospective purchase watches recently, and we’re interested as fellow enthusiasts and happy to comment and advise but, that said, all the watches you’ve posted have dirty and/or damaged dials and none of other members have had a kind word to say about them.

With your budget, there’s a lot of decent old Omegas around; @STANDY has shown you what you might acquire.

You might try to be a little more ambitious in your choices. Those you’ve put forward are, with all due respect to dogs, pretty dirty dogs 😀


62A1F191-2E8F-4774-9920-E58FC6BC79C6.jpeg
 
efauser
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Spruce Spruce
You’ve posted a few prospective purchase watches recently, and we’re interested as fellow enthusiasts and happy to comment and advise but, that said, all the watches you’ve posted have dirty and/or damaged dials and none of other members have had a kind word to say about them.

With your budget, there’s a lot of decent old Omegas around; @STANDY has shown you what you might acquire.

You might try to be a little more ambitious in your choices. Those you’ve put forward are, with all due respect to dogs, pretty dirty dogs 😀


62A1F191-2E8F-4774-9920-E58FC6BC79C6.jpeg
FIFY
dog3-240x300.jpg
 
STANDY
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Stretch your budget out the best you can.
By looking at watches at a budget so low your missing great watches for a few dollars more.

if your budget is £600 look at watches up to £800 you might find a gem at £680 you would have missed as you were looking at the £600 budget only
 
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Spruce Spruce
You’ve posted a few prospective purchase watches recently, and we’re interested as fellow enthusiasts and happy to comment and advise but, that said, all the watches you’ve posted have dirty and/or damaged dials and none of other members have had a kind word to say about them.

With your budget, there’s a lot of decent old Omegas around; @STANDY has shown you what you might acquire.

You might try to be a little more ambitious in your choices. Those you’ve put forward are, with all due respect to dogs, pretty dirty dogs 😀

I think I've been obsessing about patina and getting it mixed up with damaged/poor condition ones. Apologies if I've posted too many, just don't want to end up buying one, showing it off and then realising it's a dog! Rather it be a dog when it's not in my possession! haha
 
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STANDY STANDY
Stretch your budget out the best you can.
By looking at watches at a budget so low your missing great watches for a few dollars more.

if your budget is £600 look at watches up to £800 you might find a gem at £680 you would have missed as you were looking at the £600 budget only
My budget is up to £500 at the minute but I'll see if I can stretch!
 
nkhandekar
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Think about patina this way...It is the good change that happens with time. Restoration gets rid of the bad change that happens with time. Patina is not an absolute value, but changes with trends. You have to decide what works for you. The advice about getting the best condition for your money is the best advice to heed. Good luck with your hunt.
 
DaveK
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Even if it means waiting another year to pull the funds together, do that. By all means, don’t go into debt for a watch though (based on my beginner inclinations to be tempted to do). Buy something you love, you’ll soon forget and never regret paying more for a great watch. But you’ll always be unhappy looking at the crap watch you bought, then you’ll lose money and time trying to sell it to someone else later on. I love the look of the one you posted here, I hope you find a good one
 
STANDY
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G General85
My budget is up to £500 at the minute but I'll see if I can stretch!

I mean just change my numbers to your budget 😉
 
Dan S
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G General85
I think I've been obsessing about patina and getting it mixed up with damaged/poor condition ones. Apologies if I've posted too many, just don't want to end up buying one, showing it off and then realising it's a dog! Rather it be a dog when it's not in my possession! haha

Patina is in the eye of the beholder and the only one who needs to appreciate the watch is you. There is no fundamental division between patina and damage, that’s completely subjective. You are making a huge mistake if you allow others to influence your decisions about purely aesthetic issues like patina. I don’t appreciate the OP dial personally, but if it gives you joy, then good for you. Buy it and enjoy it.
 
Spruce
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This 165.003, with a recently serviced 552 movement, was 'Buy it now' for £575 on eBay in May 2020 (So I did). There are quite a few nice Seamasters and Geneves around that are well within your budget.

But then again I’m not a big fan of patina.

08EAA738-47C5-4EA5-B49D-E7C0377FCE5C.jpeg
 
Edward53
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£500 was a realistic budget for a decent 552 Seamaster 3 or 4 years ago, but you'd have to be lucky now.
 
Spruce
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Edward53 Edward53
£500 was a realistic budget for a decent 552 Seamaster 3 or 4 years ago, but you'd have to be lucky now.
Seamasters and nice Geneves have rocketed in price in the UK
 
G
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Edward53 Edward53
£500 was a realistic budget for a decent 552 Seamaster 3 or 4 years ago, but you'd have to be lucky now.
Even though I didn't know the prices back then, think you may be right. Perhaps it's the reason why I keep finding watches in bad shape because they're not in my budget
 
G
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Spruce Spruce
This 165.003, with a recently serviced 552 movement, was 'Buy it now' for £575 on eBay in May 2020 (So I did). There are quite a few nice Seamasters and Geneves around that are well within your budget.

But then again I’m not a big fan of patina.

08EAA738-47C5-4EA5-B49D-E7C0377FCE5C.jpeg
This is nice but a little too clean for me. I love a good patina, gives me that vintage feeling. If that had patina, I'd be all over that kind of watch!
 
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