I wanted to ask the community how you found yourself purchasing a single owner watch. Were these serendipitous friendships developed in in the watch community? Or something more focused like estate sales and auctions?

I ask because I've found myself drawn to the story behind the watches and their respective owners. Was curious what everyone's experience has been and would love to hear your stories.

 

I have a Waltham Crescent Street that I bought from its second owner. It was used on the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1917 until 1965, by its original owner! 48 years! Repaired 33 times over those years. Still keeps accurate time.

 

ask every old person you see, on the street, the bus, the train, just ask them.. eventually, you might succeed.

 

From my Dad (Seiko Pepsi), and from a close friend that started me into collecting (Omega HA62) and a friend who flew 120 Vietnam Combat missions (Glycine Airman). I do have a number of others, but these have great sentimentality.

Cheers,

Buster

 

eBay





EDIT: Fancy being the third owner?

https://omegaforums.net/threads/1976-longines-conquest-1570.39326/

 

Thanks for sharing! That Glycine is amazing.

 

The movement finish of that Waltman is pretty impressive. Is it hard to find replacement parts for something that old?

 

Thanks. The problem is I'm in Houston. We are in a car or an air conditioned building 90% of the time. No street/bus/train.

Just kidding, I probably just need to find more people who don't think it's insane to pay a $2K premium for a bezel with a little dot above a 90 vs. next to it.

 

@Ninja2789 - Got one of mine from an old family friend - Gilt Sub 5512 - I've been told I won the lottery and it feels like it every time I put the watch on.



If you're interested in stories behind watches, watchpatina.com is a great site that @boxandpapers (IG account not OF) and @Bazamu run / write for.

 

Depends on what is needed. This basic movement was made in many grades, from 7-jewel to 23-jewel. Generally, you cannibalize a lower grade movement to restore a higher grade movement. Vintage watch sellers are often able to supply parts, or if you have a stash of old stuff, you can cannibalize. Mainsprings and balance staffs are still available for them. I recently paid $75.00 US to a vintage watch dealer for a gear from a Vanguard indicator watch. I was glad to pay It!

 

Relatives are a good way to start. Also once your known as a WIS you seem to get them offered to you. Regularly people asked me about watches, friends and work mates. So if you let people know your into watches without boring them.

One was a older guy that had retired but was working part time with me. He had got a gold watch when he had 25 years up many moons ago and had never worn it. Got chatting about watches one day Said I could have it for $200 and he brang it in box and papers the next day ( wasn't my style but sold it for him for $800 )

 

I buy them at the Authorized Dealer.

If you bought it from somebody else, it's no longer a one-owner watch.

 

If you still own a watch that you bought say in 1970, does that make it a "0" owner watch?

 

Almost all watchmakers in town know me and have my phone number. Once in a while the phone rings, is one of them telling that a good watch has entered his workshop and the owner (sometimes the first) don't mind selling it...

 

Well, using that logic it's likely a 3 owner watch before you buy it. Owner 1 is the manufacturer, 2 is the distributor in your country or region, and 3 is the AD...you would be #4.

Nice! My 1680 Red Sub has a bit of a story. I have a good friend who is a jeweler/goldsmith, and some years ago we were talking watches, and he asked about collectability and what makes a specific watch particularly valuable. I told him it was too specific a thing to generalize, and used Rolex as the example. I told him that something as simple as the colour of one word on the dial of a dive watch being red instead of white, could double the value of the watch.

Years later he called me when one of his customers (for jewelry - he doesn't sell watches) came in looking to sell a bunch of her late husband's watches. He recalled that one fact from our conversation years before, and said he had a Rolex dive watch with red writing on the dial that this lady wanted to sell. They had bought it new, and it had been sitting in a drawer for years, and she wanted to sell it along with a bunch of other watches he had.

I was at his shop the same day, took the watch back to my shop, did some research, and made an offer. It's now mine...



Cheers, Al

 

Wow, both those subs are amazing!

 

That watchpatina.com site has some amazing stories. Thanks for the forward!

 

Haha. Great work around. I'm unable to commit to any watches until our move to NYC gets pegged down. But the 1680 red sub is at the top of my list. Thanks!