Hi! I am becoming a bit of a vintage watch collector and was curious if anyone had some sources to find genuine and original honest wristwatches? (I am not a flipper) So far my only sources are Ebay and watchrecon for all of the forums. Anyone have some places where you can find great peices that are affordable and not from people price gouging? P.S. I like having to hunt for them too if need be. Thanks!
Now that you are here, it’s like Hotel California. You’re in deep, congratulations on being a bit pregnant
Here, the watches are good, but the sellers do know what they are worth, so your chances of getting the Deal of the Year are small. Suggest getting to know one or a few references of watch that you like so well that you can tell if they're correct without having to go look at your sources, and then hitting the thrift stores, estate sales, and pawn shops frequently so you can jump when you see a good one.
Agree with all the above. The sales forum here has some great watches on the regular, but they are all collectors, know what they have and price accordingly (there are some deals to be had when someone just wants it gone- gotta have cat-like reflexes to get those). If you want honesty and integrity- just shop here and get to know the sellers. eBay is for experienced pro’s who really know how to spot the gems and the basket cases. Getting to know the signs of redials or poor polishing, mismatched hands or the wrong movement for a reference will help you in your hunting out in the world. Study hard grasshopper, it will be rewarded when you go out into battle. And always remember- a sweet deal can look less so once you factor in the cost of servicing and replacement parts (which can run anywaywhere from $250-$1k for most watches depending on the watchmaker and parts availability). All watches need service unless the seller can provide you with an invoice of a recent service. Try to avoid potential “project” (aka money pits), as much as possible unless you have the skills and resources to do the work yourself.
Great stuff guys! I have actually noticed that bids on Ebay are a roll of the dice and sometimes I am confident that resellers are hawk eying EVERYTHING. Any time I think, yeah I am going to get this at a good deal I get sniped at the last second by a high bid. It's like chill out guys. A reference or specific model I would like for Omega or Rolex too if I see something posted for like freaking 10 minutes it's already got about 100-300 views. Is it just me or is this a highly competitive and congested field? Lol
If you want to make a (financially) good purchase, you'll need to trade in a place where you know more than the seller. Seek out those places. Simple.
Interesting topic! Some great tips and trics. I’m also curious what places I should keep an eye on for looking great vintage pieces. I’m not particularly looking for specific vintage watches, more or less everything below <2k euro, from triple dates to simple hand-wound calibers, Omega to Enicar. I’m not searching for the bést financial deal, but I’ve the feeling that at the average jewelry shop I’ll pay way to much. Besides this forum and a Dutch forum, I don’t really have places I keep an eye on, so I’m curious what places you’d suggest.
When your passing a antique store, pop in. Look what they have and ask if they have anymore. Have found some good watches with a “do you have anymore.“ Then “Got a few out the back as we don’t put them all out” or “ I have a few more trays under here” or “These came in the other day and I haven’t priced them yet” Holidays is another good one for me, usually the more remote antique shops that don’t get as many visits as a city store. I picked this up on holidays once. Nothing like a Swiss watch for less than the price of a meal