How did you get into vintage watches?

Linesiders · Aug 21, 2016

The only watch I really wanted as since a kid was a Rolex Submariner. I had others, the many Timex of the years ( I could and did lick them and a few stopped ticking). Picked up a Canal Street special in my late teens which I enjoyed for a while. Back to Timex and the odd digital. Years later I wanted a sub style and just started building and light modding existing pieces / building from parts ~ no fakes. Saw a Blue Flake and fell in love. Then 7928s, and 7016 and other Tudors, Rolex, and Omega.

As an IT guy I like how watches represent higher technology of days past and the Watchmaker of the past in many ways is the fellow IT Geek of today.

redpcar · Aug 21, 2016

I used to think that Seiko and Swiss Army were the best watches.........also had a Swatch. In the late '90s I took my son to trumpet practice once a week. There was a thrift store next door and I would go in to look at their vintage golf clubs (I collect). Noticed a neat watch under the glass for $3. LeCoultre Memovox! No clue of the value but it looked cool. Took it to a watchmaker who LOVED it. Started digging into vintage watches and realized "I can do this!" Hooked ever since. Still pick up the occasional golf club. Buy watches all the time............and sunglasses.......and pens..........and leather bags.......and..........well, you get the story.

Steve88M3 · Aug 21, 2016

I wanted to piss away a bunch of money and grew tired of vintage cars.

Seriously though, I appreciate watches that don't typically show up on wrists of anyone who can go down to a shop and pick one up. Vintage Omegas fit the bill perfectly.

Clibka · Aug 21, 2016

There is something about wearing a mechanical piece of art that is 50+ years old.

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Darlinboy · Aug 22, 2016

Found most of them in a bag of holding.
Had to kill a giant squirrel with big teeth first.
It was quite harrowing. 😲
But more fun than Pokemon Go. 😁

cicindela · Aug 22, 2016

Dennis made me do it.

Nobel Prize · Aug 22, 2016

I inherited some pieces and then decided to get birth year watches....which unfortunately males them vintage

sarasotawatchco · Aug 22, 2016

I work at a watch store so seeing all the old watches come and go I instantly fell in love with the older vintage movados, omega, rolex ect.

I fell in love with them. The old moonphase you name it. You can't beat it.

The only downfall is keeping up with service..

Niloticus · Aug 22, 2016

Hodinkee's "what's selling where?" Overall quality of content on the website got me addicted to watches- and vintage ones.

sarasotawatchco · Aug 22, 2016

Edantony
Hodinkee's "what's selling where?" Overall quality of content on the website got me addicted to watches- and vintage ones.

I didn't even think about Hodinkee. In response to my own post, Hodinkee absolutely helped me get into vintage. I keep up with them daily.

Tony C. · Aug 22, 2016

At gunpoint. I couldn't see the assailant, as he remained behind me, but I'll never forget his voice, or the cold steel of the gun barrel pressed into my back.

"Tomorrow you're gonna start buying vintage watches, and you're gonna keep buyin' 'em. Don't even think of stopping, or I'll have to pay you another visit, and I won't be so friendly next time."

Every time I go a couple of weeks without buying anything, I think of his awful, raspy voice... *shudder*.

barmy · Aug 22, 2016

Always wanted a Rolex Sub since high school. For my 45th birthday I found one in a local pawn shop for $350. Wore it daily for about 5-6 years before the bracelet broke. It the process of justifying $900 to replace the bracelet I found out that what I had was a 5510 (worth more than $30K). I felt uncomfortable wearing the watch after that so I sold it and received a 5513 as part of the payment. Used the rest of the purchase price to put against my mortgage. I've been dabbling since.

Billyp7718 · Aug 22, 2016

The fact that at 50 year old timepiece is still in style today specifics Speedys and Subs. I also like old mechanical things.

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Billyp7718 · Aug 22, 2016

barmy
Always wanted a Rolex Sub since high school. For my 45th birthday I found one in a local pawn shop for $350. Wore it daily for about 5-6 years before the bracelet broke. It the process of justifying $900 to replace the bracelet I found out that what I had was a 5510 (worth more than $30K). I felt uncomfortable wearing the watch after that so I sold it and received a 5513 as part of the payment. Used the rest of the purchase price to put against my mortgage. I've been dabbling since.

That is fantastic! What kind of pawn shop missed that... You know, with the Internet and everything

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WatchVaultNYC · Aug 22, 2016

I desperately wanted to like modern Rolex Subs, bought a few, but never liked them. Then I got my hands on a Tudor Sub 79090 which was developing a nice patina, and I liked it immediately. It was then that I realized that there was something to this "vintage" thing that was actually real.

Darlinboy
Found most of them in a bag of holding.

Most of mine I found here:

barmy · Aug 23, 2016

Billyp7718
That is fantastic! What kind of pawn shop missed that... You know, with the Internet and everything

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You've got to remember in the late 80's that using the internet to search for information about watches really wasn't something that is as common as today

Speedmasterfan88 · Aug 23, 2016

It just sort of happened. I was always a Fan of mechanical watches but not of vintage watches in particular.

I was keeping close track of some auction houses. But mostly for the vintage car market. Saw that Christies was going to host a Speedmaster only auction. Had the idea to find a Speedmaster quick before the auction, and sell it afterwards for some profit. Because you know... When Christies dedicates a whole auction to something, most likely it's going to have an impact on the item and market.
Well, fast forward to today: I still have my Speedmaster and the intend to sell it for quick profit vanished shortly after recieving it from TLC treatment at the Spa and wearing it for the first time. And here I' am now....11 Omegas later....it became quite the addiction.

philh · Aug 23, 2016

I wore an Oris TT divers watch every day for over 10 years and never took it off but it took a hell of a beating (still have it) and my wife suggested I should buy myself a new watch in 2015. I did the usual high street browse and was considering all sorts of options but could not connect with any of the watches be it an Omega Planet Ocean,Tudor Pelagos et al. I started to trawl the internet and got interested in Seiko domestic market only watches which seemed to provide a good watch at a reasonable price and was different
I therefore bought a Seiko SARB 017 Alpinist direct from SeiyaJapan and this absolute beauty turned up

This cost a fraction of what I had intended paying and because I suffer from OCD (which I suspect most of the forum members also suffer from ) I had to have more .I then came across an article in Hodinkee dated 31/5/2012 about affordable Seiko 6139/6138 vintage watches and bought this 6138 0010 UFO
Once this turned up I was hooked and the rest is history

Darlinboy · Aug 23, 2016

WatchVaultNYC
I desperately wanted to like modern Rolex Subs, bought a few, but never liked them. Then I got my hands on a Tudor Sub 79090 which was developing a nice patina, and I liked it immediately. It was then that I realized that there was something to this "vintage" thing that was actually real.

Most of mine I found here:

Ah, the infamous gelatinous cube.
I know it well, and it knows me. 😲

How did you get into vintage watches?

Linesiders

redpcar

Steve88M3

Clibka

Darlinboy

cicindela

Nobel Prize

sarasotawatchco

Niloticus

sarasotawatchco

Tony C.

barmy

Billyp7718

Billyp7718

WatchVaultNYC

barmy

Speedmasterfan88

philh

Darlinboy

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