Apologies for a tenuously linked post to vintage omega watches but it's a kinda cool story.
A bric a brac dealer here who's in a wee shop across town from where i live in Nürnberg (who ALWAYS tells me how I just missed this or that) watch was actually in the shop as I passed by last week. (it's often closed when I go by as he's out somewhere with his white van clearing a house) and had literally just returned from clearing out a watchmakers in Hanau (long history of watches and jewellery making there). He had Crates and crates of stuff. ...He offered me a chair at the tiny table amid his junk and started pulling out cigar box after cigar box and crate after crate . As we chatted he told me that the owners son didn't want to take on the business but knew enough about watches to pull out all of the top tier stuff..He said there was a house removal size carton just full of Omegas. My guy also spotted something at the top of another "Not for sale" crate and offered him 3500 euros there and then on the spot (sounded like a 40's triple date Jaeger Lecoultre in gold )..which the son didn't accept.
So what I went through was basically all sorts of interesting lower division Swiss mechanical stuff. It was so cool to look at so many Swiss brands from the 30's to the 70's. I must have looked at 2-300 hundred over an hour. A lot of them only briefly as there were a in pretty rough shape. And of course piles of movements I couldn't readily identify. He let me pop the back off any one that took my fancy and check out the movement. Haven't had so much fun in ages!! I Picked up these very nice two working examples for about 70 USD in total. I don't know much about the Nomad one. The movement is certainly very nicely made. He did have a rather nice oversized "military" Helvetia but at 100 Euros it was a bit too much for my blood..I was rather more into the condition of these two.. Besides, I'm not sooo much into military watches.
He was planning to go back to Hanau in the next few days once the son had gone through the higher end crates and decided what to keep or sell on himself. There will probably be a bunch of good stuff coming in. I should probably stay away , I don't think my wallet could take it!!
Anyone else have moments like these?

 

As you well know, opportunities like this don t come up very often so when you go back be prepared to break the bank. Imagine missing out on some potentially really nice pieces for the sake of a few hundred Euro? As it is you have two really nice pieces so I guess you have done well already. If nothing else it is a fantastic way in which to while away a few hours.

 

I would start building a War Chest of funds right now!. Go get a letter of credit or a personal loan. This may be a once in a lifetime situation.

 

The thing is even though I'm a good (but infrequent) customer to his shop, (I nearly always come away with something) he never lets me know in advance. I've given him my card and told him if he's selling any more Speedster Mark IV's for 500 euro, any non quartz JLC's and any Pre 75 Omegas (and the like) he should call me. But he's quite upfront in that he says it's really first come first served and he can't get round to phoning as he has so many other regulars who come in and pretty much cherry pick through his stock , I'm usually left to pick through a few dozen "meh" watches. I live on the other sie of town and usually have to go out of my way to see if he's even open. I suspect the window of opportunity is already passed. What I don't know what I might have missed (even if he had gone back to Hanau) won't kill me.
I also picked up a 70's non working chunky Glycine compressor for 25 Euros (which I flipped as I planned to )on ebay last night for 36....i'm getting better at this ! lol