Hi guys! I will get straight to the point. I have the opportunity to buy this watch for $2000 tonight. Its a Certina DS, ref. 5601 013, as Im sure you've already figured out. The watch is missing the crown and bezel, but has the original bracelet. The crown isnt a problem, but Im not sure Ill ever going to find the original bezel. So my question is; would you have bought the watch at the price mentioned? This knowing that you could never "complete" the watch? The pictures from the seller:
Does the bracelet come with it? I would do it, but then again, I've already bought one Certina DS diver that's an impossible project
Buy this one and another DS-1 for parts. Use the non-bezel case of the DS-1 and your dial, until you (hopefullly) find a matching Bezel. Looks like this and is a Ref. 5601-12:
Nope, but in a sorry state. As is the dial... It is a PH200M (and much cheaper than yours, of course), so not exactly easy to come by parts. I should add that the dial on "yours" look better than most of these that I've seen online. My guess is that if you do not buy it, someone will buy the watch and transplant it into the non-diver variant and sell it off. What year is the watch - and the bracelet?
Haha.. I hadnt thought about that. It isnt really something to worry about right? The seller says it was bought new 1960 but I dont know. I havent seen a serial number. Maybe Ill buy it and if I dont find the replace parts, ill release it to someone whos more patient than I am
Just don't lick on the dial But compared to other radium watches, this one radiates way more like the others (around 50 mySv) thorugh the glass, so I wouldnt wear it as a daily beater!
Cool. If you don't go for it, I'd love to have a shot at it - even though it would be yet another unfinished project!
you will likely not find a bezel but at that price, its a good deal i think. as conelpueplo mentioned, the dial is in very good condition and that is seldom the case. the radiation is quite high, as i have a friend with the same watch and he is quite reluctant to wear it after it showed high values of radiation.
A little update! I recieved this today I got a positive suprise. The watch works and keeps good time and the bracelet seems to be in almost full length Im going to follow your advice and pop it into a DS1-case.
Please, please be very open about this and show serial numbers etc. It would be extremely easy to pass it on as a genuine article in order to make a quick profit, so posting a lot of documentation makes fraud less likely. (and congrats - but you already heard that from me )
Or find a next generation ds diver bezel and wear it proud. They are easier to find and should fit-nice catch