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Ed Black
·I'm going to the UK over the weekend. Where can i find some cool vintage speedmasters or chronographs i London? Is there a "mecca" area for vintage watches?
London advise
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Spruce
··Sunburst dial fanI’m not sure about Speedies and chronos but some nice vintage boutiques in Burlington Arcade off Piccadilly - but no bargains
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wilderbeast
·As @Spruce said, Burlington Arcade if you want to gaze at some lovely pieces, but they will certainly be at the expensive end. You’re better off looking at independent antique shops (I saw some nice pieces the other week in one on Gloucester Road), but chronos rarely come up there - it tends to be older dress watches. Have fun whatever you do!
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Togri v. 2.0
··Wow! Custom title... coolI have never been treated so arrogantly as when I stepped in the door of one of the watch boutiques in Burlington Arcade. Perhaps it is not the norm but they seemed like exceptionel a#%holes 😀
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Dash1
·There used to be quite a few watch dealers on a Saturday in Portobello road market inside some of the antiques centres between Westbourne Grove and Elgin Crescent. It’s been a few years since I’ve been so not sure of the current state of play.
I bought my first Speedmaster (a 145.012-67 as it turned out, I knew nothing about them) there for £500 back in 1999 and frequented the market up until a few years ago. It’s a good day if nothing else.
I bought my first Speedmaster (a 145.012-67 as it turned out, I knew nothing about them) there for £500 back in 1999 and frequented the market up until a few years ago. It’s a good day if nothing else.
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wilderbeast
·I have never been treated so arrogantly as when I stepped in the door of one of the watch boutiques in Burlington Arcade. Perhaps it is not the norm but they seemed like exceptionel a#%holes 😀
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eugeneandresson
·I’m not sure about Speedies and chronos but some nice vintage boutiques in Burlington Arcade off Piccadilly - but no bargains
Also potentially no nice watches…
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Donn Chambers
·There used to be quite a few watch dealers on a Saturday in Portobello road market inside some of the antiques centres between Westbourne Grove and Elgin Crescent. It’s been a few years since I’ve been so not sure of the current state of play.
I bought my first Speedmaster (a 145.012-67 as it turned out, I knew nothing about them) there for £500 back in 1999 and frequented the market up until a few years ago. It’s a good day if nothing else.
Definitely worth the trip, just be aware that most of the watch dealers have small booths and tend to primarily put Rolexes out because that’s what most people want - at least that was my experience the last time I went in 2019. But if you are looking for something else, they’ll pull out trays their “lesser” items - when I asked about Omega, one of their lesser trays had a vintage Railmaster and Seamaster 300!
But they were still more than I was willing to spend.
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Spruce
··Sunburst dial fanDefinitely worth the trip, just be aware that most of the watch dealers have small booths and tend to primarily put Rolexes out because that’s what most people want - at least that was my experience the last time I went in 2019. But if you are looking for something else, they’ll pull out trays their “lesser” items - when I asked about Omega, one of their lesser trays had a vintage Railmaster and Seamaster 300!
But they were still more than I was willing to spend.
But they’re only there on a Saturday.
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Spruce
··Sunburst dial fanAlso potentially no nice watches…
Well, whenever I go, there are always lots of nice looking vintage Rolexes, categorised by 'birth years’, the shop at the end on the left has a decent selection of vintage dress and pocket watches, mostly gold and generally pretty; Omega, PP, JLC, and others. There’s a Bell & Ross boutique and, round the corner in Bond Street the usual high end luxury boutiques.
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MCC
·There are certainly fewer places than there used to be. Burlington Arcade has the largest number of shops in one area but their prices as others have noted are very high and the watches are not always “correct “. If you go to Burlington Arcade it is also close to New Bond Street where in addition to the usual brands there are a couple of other shops that occasionally display interesting watches.
The other option is Hatton Garden, lots of jewellers there a couple that carry older watches ( not necessarily vintage)
The other option is Hatton Garden, lots of jewellers there a couple that carry older watches ( not necessarily vintage)
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nkhandekar
·The Burlington Arcade has Somlo (at the Cork Street End) which has some nice and recherce Omegas. There was also a nice vintage watch shop in the Picadilly arcade the last time I visited London in 2020. Bond Street has lots of boutiques, well worth a look. This is old information - the small streets that run between Charing Cross Road and St Martin's Lane: Cecil Street and St Martin's Court had some vintage watch shops amongst the book dealers. Have a great trip.
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spacemission
·In general, be careful with the dealers.
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MCC
·The Burlington Arcade has Somlo (at the Cork Street End) which has some nice and recherce Omegas. There was also a nice vintage watch shop in the Picadilly arcade the last time I visited London in 2020. Bond Street has lots of boutiques, well worth a look. This is old information - the small streets that run between Charing Cross Road and St Martin's Lane: Cecil Street and St Martin's Court had some vintage watch shops amongst the book dealers. Have a great trip.
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MCC
·Not sure about Somlo. Nice to look at but they have definitely seen some display items I have thought had incorrect elements. I have never enquired so they might well be be completely transparent about that or I could be wrong but prices in the arcade are generally very high.
I am not aware of any vintage watch shops around St Martin’s Lane but I could be missing something. Now that Austin Kaye is closed the area beyond Leicester Square appears to be empty until you get to Holborn.
I am not aware of any vintage watch shops around St Martin’s Lane but I could be missing something. Now that Austin Kaye is closed the area beyond Leicester Square appears to be empty until you get to Holborn.
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RoadRunner73
·Plenty of those in London…! Though not me or @Spruce, of course…
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Danwales
·The Burlington Arcade has Somlo (at the Cork Street End) which has some nice and recherce Omegas. There was also a nice vintage watch shop in the Picadilly arcade the last time I visited London in 2020. Bond Street has lots of boutiques, well worth a look. This is old information - the small streets that run between Charing Cross Road and St Martin's Lane: Cecil Street and St Martin's Court had some vintage watch shops amongst the book dealers. Have a great trip.
I don't believe they are still there.
There are a couple of dealers in Clerkenwell that have slightly more modest watches than that of Mayfair too.
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Franco
·At Gray's antique market there are quite a few shops in the arcade who have a selection of vintage watches. At 58 Davies St, London W1K 5LP
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Fallout Boy
·Look at C24 (and other platforms) and search for "London"...
48 speedmasters listed in UK (1960...1989)
eg
https://www.chrono24.de/omega/omega...-black-dial-ref-1450022--1992--id27989643.htm
48 speedmasters listed in UK (1960...1989)
eg
https://www.chrono24.de/omega/omega...-black-dial-ref-1450022--1992--id27989643.htm
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Ed Black
·Thanks for all your comments! I appreciate it.
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