Learning How To Fish: The Under $50 Collection

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Looneytoons

·Jan 23, 2018

[QUOTE="Vitezi, post: 880595, member: 21324"]If hunting for watches is fun, hunting for cheap watches is even more fun. Snagged this one off the 'bay a couple of years ago for $9.99...cost more to have it mailed to me than to buy it:


Picked this invisible crown "Futura" model for $50...but it did have a busted balance. Found a parts watch for $39, so does this one count twice? 😜


Fished a grungy Nuevo Horizonte model for $50...but it is still in the queue for a service and a good scrubbing:

[/QUOTE]

👍👍👍 @Vitezi. You have hit the nail squarely on the head. Hunting for cheap (inexpensive) watches is really fun.
Your Futura is exceptional and yes it counts twice LOL.
Thanks for sharing them.

 

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jimdgreat1

·Jan 24, 2018

Bought 2 for the wife at $6 each.

 

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ConElPueblo

·Jan 24, 2018

jimdgreat1

Bought 2 for the wife at $6 each.

That Mido was a steal!

 

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Tet

·Jan 24, 2018

How did I miss this thread until now, love seeing what bargains folk have managed to nab.

I have this one to share which at the cost of £30 would qualify for under $50. Definitely my best ever bargain, arrived to me pretty beaten up, but movement ckean as a whistle! Has a special intetest to me as the logo is just as I used to always draw jets when I was a kid(my old school books were full of them), that was what caught my eye when I saw it.

The stainless steel case is rather beautiful to my eyes.

 

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jimdgreat1

·Jan 24, 2018

ConElPueblo

That Mido was a steal!

I know. Didn't know about it when I bought it. Recognized the name but that's about it. Was at an estate sale, last day, 50% off. Need to look up the serial number. I'm guessing late 70s though could be earlier. About flipped when I looked them up on the bay. Wife likes it so that's most important.

 

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ConElPueblo

·Jan 24, 2018

jimdgreat1

I'm guessing late 70s though could be earlier.

Try 1940s/50s... 😀

 

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jimdgreat1

·Jan 24, 2018

ConElPueblo

Try 1940s/50s... 😀

Is it an older men's watch?

 

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ConElPueblo

·Jan 24, 2018

jimdgreat1

Is it an older men's watch?

Young men can wear it too

 

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Professor

·Jan 24, 2018

A lot of more recent women's watches are in the size range of the older style Boy's watches.
My small square ( tonneau ?)case Ingraham style watch was marketed as a gent's , boy's or ladies watch, only difference being the type of band. As men began to prefer larger watches and women preferred smaller watches the older style of Ingraham was marketed as a children's watch with super hero characters on the dial.

 

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kyle L

·Jan 24, 2018·Grasshopper

Years of checking out random antique shops and shows finally paid off. 😉

 

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Professor

·Jan 24, 2018

kyle L

Years of checking out random antique shops and shows finally paid off. 😉

You weren't by any chance wearing a mask and holding a gun when you snagged this one were you? Be honest now.

 

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Looneytoons

·Jan 24, 2018

kyle L

Years of checking out random antique shops and shows finally paid off. 😉

I need to up my game. That's a seriously nice watch for <$50.
Thanks for posting it.

 

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Tet

·Jan 25, 2018

kyle L

Years of checking out random antique shops and shows finally paid off. 😉

😲😲😲

That is all.

 

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ClarendonVintage

·Jan 25, 2018

kyle L

Years of checking out random antique shops and shows finally paid off. 😉

what is this...'random antique shops' you speak of? And surely it must be around every corner in the mighty city of London isn't it 😁

 

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redpcar

·Jan 25, 2018

A friend of mine was wanting a groovy TV dial. Picked this one off ebay for $14 delivered. Chromed case so only polished the crystal. Not bad, if you're into this sort of thing 😀
Takes a honking large battery to run the electro-mechanical movement. Runs like a charm...........luckily.

 

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STANDY

·Jan 26, 2018·schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector

kyle L

Years of checking out random antique shops and shows finally paid off. 😉

Steal at $50 😉


Nothing like a small town with a few antique shops.
About $50 US in a antique shop in Tasmania last year

 

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voere

·Jan 26, 2018

I have several at or under the $50 limit Some watches we pay very little money and others we pay too $$ much for. Speaking for my self it all equals out in the end. Only work done on the watches is I had a spare crystal and gaskets for the Seiko 200m. I had the crystal coated by a friend. Sometimes you just get lucky I also refinished the other Seiko bracelet On the Gruen I removed a twisto flex band and installed a strap.

Edited: Jan 26, 2018

 

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Flatfoot

·Jan 27, 2018

Looneytoons

I thought it might be interesting to show what a “noob” can do with a VERY limited budget, some research, and a passion for finding bargains and value.

I love vintage watches, but currently don't have the financial resources to chase $$$, or $$$$ watches.

What to do?

Fish the shallow end of the pond.

There are GREAT vintage watches available, that have many of the characteristics of their more expensive brethren, and they can be purchased for less than $50. So I set $50 as my max purchase price and began looking at Ebay listings.

Bravo, Looneytunes! I really enjoyed reading this post, and hearing of your mad fishing skills. The Seikos are really cool. The 7006 on the BOR bracelet is just simply cool. However, I particularly like the Bulova Tank watch along with its period pigskin strap. All of them should stand the test of time in your collection - not only for the watches itself, but for the story on the way you found them.

 

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Professor

·Jan 27, 2018

For those interested in the Seiko Quartz movement chronographs there are several very nice onrs up for bids on ebay right now. I just got a ebay email alert on these.
Never saw one before and don't care much for quartz watches but these do look tempting.

 

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Looneytoons

·Jan 27, 2018

Flatfoot

Bravo, Looneytunes! I really enjoyed reading this post, and hearing of your mad fishing skills. The Seikos are really cool. The 7006 on the BOR bracelet is just simply cool. However, I particularly like the Bulova Tank watch along with its period pigskin strap. All of them should stand the test of time in your collection - not only for the watches itself, but for the story on the way you found them.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm really enjoying the hunt and I'm wearing everything I buy.
Join the fun and the hunt and show us your <$50!