Community Stories

Is it time for early 90s Omegas to be considered vintage?

dsio
Posts
33,499
Likes
38,183
I was thinking about this the other day, the old line we used to draw was anything up to the 80s = vintage but given its 2021 now, and that we’ve had several generations of 2000s and 2010s Omegas now I’m wondering if tritium or older is the line to draw now. Some pieces like 2531.80s, Ti-Tan-Raus, feel a bit too old now to be calling modern and the value of those Bond Seamasters that have survived in good shape seems to be holding or going up now that they’re long out of production and have a limited availability in mint condition.

In the classic car world 20 years is typically the line which means the BMW E46 M3 would now qualify, watches probably need a bit longer but even for the forum I think that will have to change with the times as we approach our 10th birthday.

What do you guys think?
 
NT931
Posts
2,907
Likes
14,898
Someone once said that anything >25y old would be vintage. So I guess my 1995 GMT II now qualifies! 😁
 
Darlinboy
Posts
8,742
Likes
69,437
It's always been rather arbitrary, and I've never seen a thread that reached consensus, so I don't buy the premise that we ever had a "line."

Personally, I'm not ready to acknowledge that my college days were "vintage". 😜
 
dsio
Posts
33,499
Likes
38,183
Darlinboy Darlinboy
It's always been rather arbitrary, and I've never seen a thread that reached consensus, so I don't buy the premise that we ever had a "line."

Personally, I'm not ready to acknowledge that my college days were "vintage". 😜
Mate you popping some brewskis on the hood of your trans-am while listing to Domino Dancing on cassette will never be outdated
 
wristpirate
Posts
1,240
Likes
3,833
I always consider Tritium dials as vintage, so up to the mid 90s.

From then to say 2010 call it "Neo-Vintage".

Modern from 2010 onward. Anything older than 10 years doesn't feel "modern" to me.
 
JwRosenthal
Posts
16,307
Likes
44,982
If we follow the automotive world, it’s 25 years wether we like it or not.

in 2002 I purchased my dream car- a 1973 BMW 3.0cs. I had lusted after it since I was 12 years old, it was unlike anything I had ever seen. It was 29 years old when I bought it and everyone agreed it was a classic, it was vintage.

73543ACD-9ED9-4411-B48A-A03DE7AF8429.jpeg


In 2005 I bought my 1993 BMW e34 M5. At the time it was only 12 years old, still a fairly modern car. It looked modern, it felt modern- it was modern.
9CF42B60-80FA-4164-A143-D7DD0375C861.jpeg


This car is now 28 years old, almost the same age as my E9 when I bought it. I don’t think of it as a “vintage” car because I’ve owned it since it was modern- but it’s vintage- even wears historic plates.

I have found myself tracking down modern watches that I wanted when I was in college- but they are no longer modern-
14060 submariner
89D3D364-91CE-4FFC-ADA9-0802CB35C6B6.jpeg

Hamilton Chronomatic II

AF0D2C72-2D31-4299-8F20-F7CF8CAC8374.jpeg


I am on the passive hunt for a Zenith Raibow. These are all “modern” watches to those of us old enough to remember when Kurt Cobain was still alive- but they are indeed vintage by definition.
 
gbesq
Posts
9,541
Likes
52,588
I'm going with the 25 year timeframe, so if it's 1996 or earlier, it's vintage. It's an arbitrary number, I agree, but one has to start somewhere.
 
Spruce
Posts
8,347
Likes
68,485
I’m not sure my 25 year old daughter would be happy to be thought of as vintage 🤔
 
gbesq
Posts
9,541
Likes
52,588
Spruce Spruce
I’m not sure my 25 year old daughter would be happy to be thought of as vintage 🤔
I'm sure that she'll age like fine wine and just get better. Some of my vintage watches -- not so much.
 
kingsrider
Posts
2,720
Likes
5,550
According to the final word on all things horological, Hoodwinkee says.

"We've got answers. And we'll keep it simple.

For our purposes, as of 2021, we tend to view watches made prior to 1990 as vintage. Pre-owned describes a watch that was made later, and that has belonged to at least one person. New is new."
 
cvalue13
Posts
3,998
Likes
9,015
kingsrider kingsrider
as of 2021, we tend to view watches made prior to 1990 as vintage

the old “31 years or older” rule 🙄

With cars, I believe the “25 year” rule was somehow born of insurance prerogatives, actuarial tables and such.

I wonder if insurers make any distinctions regarding watch coverage relative to the age of the watches
 
Alex Cheers
Posts
2,358
Likes
41,667
In Germany your car will be officially considered as a classic car (we call it "oldtimer") when it is older than 30 years. You can get a special number plate as long as it is in good and correct condition, I think you safe then on taxes and insurance.

Anyway I would draw the line at 28 years since my vintage Speedmaster is from May 1992 😁
IMG_20210222_142618219~2.jpg


But seriously speaking I would consider any Speedmaster with tritium dial as vintage.
 
Shabbaz
Posts
4,991
Likes
18,535
Funny. I recently bought two 90's speedmasters because of their nice tritium dials. I consider them a bit vintage. Although some call them neo vintage.
 
IMG_20210301_144753_454.jpg Screenshot_20210221-141616_Gallery.jpg
François Pépin
Posts
1,531
Likes
1,087
Watches of the 90’s, I do not know. But of the past century, maybe!

Anyway, to me it depends mainly on the historical and collectible interest of the watches we are talking about. It may also depend on the capacity for watches to last long enough, say, a last a new generation from now. I would not call vintage a particular king of watch that is already more or less dead, because it was supposed to - or was supposed to but could not - last more than 20 years.

One may also argue that there are watches which are born « vintage » because of their old school style!
 
gbesq
Posts
9,541
Likes
52,588
Shabbaz Shabbaz
Funny. I recently bought two 90's speedmasters because of their nice tritium dials. I consider them a bit vintage. Although some call them neo vintage.
I did the same thing. Very good examples of reference 3590.50 can still be had for reasonable prices and their tritium dials and hands age beautifully. I also like the all brushed finish on the 1479/812 bracelet that comes with this reference. It reminds me of the 1171/633, but it’s of better quality.
97BFF32F-32D4-41B8-A8EC-FC1889279C43.jpeg
 
agee
Posts
778
Likes
719
I vote no. To me anything 1980’s let alone 1990’s is not vintage.
 
Screwbacks
Posts
1,716
Likes
5,190
NT931 NT931
Someone once said that anything >25y old would be vintage. So I guess my 1995 GMT II now qualifies! 😁

it was me (and probably another ?) who posted in one thread that, imo, to be considered vintage, the watch must be at least 25years old. hence, at least produced or released in 1996 and prior. some may disagree, since a 20 yr old may seem as old as a 25 yr old one. there is always a reason to celebrate a silver anniversary, especially for a watch to survive that long aside from lots of characters in a watch have changed since then.😉😀
Edited:
 
TimeODanaos
Posts
1,806
Likes
3,661
Different strokes - in California, a 150 year old house is historical; in Europe it's not even unusual. So, I can understand why some of you guys think e.g.1998 is a lifetime ago and therefore deserves a label. But - mediocre + old = mediocre, however much time passes. Surely, vintage = potential classic + user acclaim + passage of time.
Something else that disrupts the cars / watches comparison is the quartz crisis. That for me is the Great Divide, between watches as the essential companion of everyone's daily life, and the self-conscious piece of art and technology we see today. No passage of time can change that, imho, more relevant classification.
(Actually, petrol vehicles may one day be in a similar position, I guess.)
Having said all that, I would be very interested in what folks think makes a modern classic / future vintage, it would be nice to collect some newer pieces with an eye on the future collectors in the family. Thoughts?
Edited:
 
60 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

Watchmutt

At what age would a watch be considered "vintage"?

Watchmutt Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
heavenscloud
heavenscloud
Posts
35
Views
6K