"Cheapest" mechanical watch that still gets wrist time?

lucreative · Tues. 10:39pm

Hi OF. As my watch collection grows more collectible and more vintage, I find myself having more limited wrist time. Just wondering what is your most "cheapest" mechanical/automatic watch that still gets some valuable wrist time? And I'm not talking about some beloved G-Shocks, Swatch, Timex, or even Apple.

Here is my Oris Artelier Complication that I found for a cool $400.

o.m.e.g.a · Wed. 12:17am

We already have a thread for this:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/show-me-your-very-cheap-but-favorite-low-cost-watch.145125/

Thread 'Show me your very cheap but favorite low cost watch' ·

I'll start- this is a mall purchased inexpensive generic quartz Watch but the heavy bracelet makes it a keeper.

tudor66 · Apr 26, 2022

lucreative · Wed. 12:23am

o.m.e.g.a
We already have a thread for this:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/show-me-your-very-cheap-but-favorite-low-cost-watch.145125/

Thread 'Show me your very cheap but favorite low cost watch' ·
I'll start- this is a mall purchased inexpensive generic quartz Watch but the heavy bracelet makes it a keeper.

tudor66 · Apr 26, 2022

Ahh I see. Didn't come up when I searched for it. But I guess mine is more specifically mechanical watches and not quartz, electronic, or toy watches. And one that actually gets consistent wrist time.

Canuck · Wed. 8:07am

Define “cheapest”. Lowest MSRP, or the one you acquired for the best price, regardless of MSRP? I’m wearing a Rolex and an Omega that were both given to me!

blufinz52 · Wed. 8:19am

Mine would be this LIP that I bought from @Mafkees for $300 and fitted with a strap from @Duracuir1. Love this watch.

lucreative · Wed. 10:17am

Canuck
Define “cheapest”. Lowest MSRP, or the one you acquired for the best price, regardless of MSRP? I’m wearing a Rolex and an Omega that were both given to me!

Lol. Is that really cheap then? Sentimental value must be through the roof! I guess the "spirit" of this post is the cheapest watch that you found/acquired compared to the rest of your collection that you would actually consistently wear.

Canuck · Wed. 10:53am

I’ll take a stab at this. The two shown were offered to me when the original owner was down sizing. I told him I didn’t feel right unless I compensated him for them. He told me his wife had a gold chain bracelet that required repair. I had a goldsmith solder it. It cost me $5.00 for the repair. He was happy with that. He was a geologist. The Omega Cosmic survived a helicopter crash while on his wrist. He also survived.

Over my 50 years actively collecting, and over 60 years of repairing watches, I have been given watches that comprise over half of my collection. So questions like this thread expressed, are hard for me to answer.

The Waltham pocket watch was offered to me for free when I quoted the owner for the repair the watch needed. I declined his offer, but offered him $50.00 (Cdn.) for it. He accepted it. The following day I was in my shop. I had a NOS balance staff, a NOS foot hole jewel in its setting, a NOS mainspring, a minute hand, a glass, and I cleaned it. Result? A watch I wouldn’t sell if I was given an obscene offer for it. 1877 model Waltham made in 1884.

lucreative · Wed. 11:02am

Canuck
I’ll take a stab at this. The two shown were offered to me when the original owner was down sizing. I told him I didn’t feel right unless I compensated him for them. He told me his wife had a gold chain bracelet that required repair. I had a goldsmith solder it. It cost me $5.00 for the repair. He was happy with that. He was a geologist. The Omega Cosmic survived a helicopter crash while on his wrist. He also survived.

That's a beautiful Cosmic 2000 with an awesome story to go with it. In fact, the other watch I was considering as "cheapest" was my Cosmic 2000 C case, but I paid more for it than my Oris...lol.

Canuck · Wed. 11:21am

Two more: I was offered three watches for free. One not shown. The fellow had been given the three watches, and he thought of me when they were offered. They were free to me. I wasn’t interested in two of them, but I was interested in the Porte & Markle one (an Electa by Gallet) which came on a chain. I offered him $100.00 for the Porte an Markle, but declined the other 2. He said “all or nothing” as he’d got them for free. I insisted. He said he’d accept my offer, but he’d give $100 to the guy he got them from. I upped the offer by $50. That would mean he could keep the $50. I later found the chain was 10 karat gold and weighed half an ounce, with a scrap value of over $400! I gave the chain back to him, free.

The silver one is English. Dial name Stewart Dawson, Liverpool. It needed a bunch of work which I did. Sterling case and chain, hallmarked 1884. Chain weighs over 2 ounces, Troy (66 grams). So, both watches for $150.00, and a clear conscience (re: the gold chain).

"Cheapest" mechanical watch that still gets wrist time?

lucreative

o.m.e.g.a

lucreative

Canuck

blufinz52

lucreative

Canuck

lucreative

Canuck

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