Looking to buy this 1978 Submariner 1680. Opinions please

agee · Feb 11, 2025

Looking for opinions before I decide to buy this 1978 Submariner 1680. I have not seen it in person only the following pictures
Has a full size 93150 bracelet with 580 ends
Correct 1575 movement unserviced
Some tritium corrosion on the hands
Correct engravings between the lugs
Case looks good to me
Price below $10000 via bank wire
Please let me know if you think it’s a buy or pass. Thanks in advance

Screenshot 2025-02-06 at 10.08.55 PM.webp

southtexas · Feb 11, 2025

Dial looks nice minus the staining on the tritium and hands. Nice insert. Case looks good. Serial number photo needs to be in focus to further confirm it’s good. Can’t tell if date wheel is correct, but if truly never serviced (how could you know that to be true), then it would stand to reason it’s good. How stretched is the bracelet, what is the clasp code?

You can do better for ~$10,000.

Dan S · Feb 11, 2025

It has obvious condition issues, but the only thing that's really bothering me is the mold on the hands. I'm finding that a bit distracting at first glance. But everyone's taste is different, and for $10k, you're not going to find a perfect example so you probably need to pick your poison. Just keep in mind that the dark spots could continue to grow with time, but the worst case scenario is that you might eventually decide to have the hands re-lumed. Or maybe if the hands became more uniformly dark, they would actually be more attractive.

spacemission · Feb 12, 2025

Do you have photos of the clasp?

agee · Feb 12, 2025

No clasp or bracelet photos

agee · Feb 12, 2025

Thanks for the help
Because of the corrosion on the hands and some indices I decided to keep looking

watch_my_six · Feb 12, 2025

Dan S
It has obvious condition issues, but the only thing that's really bothering me is the mold on the hands. I'm finding that a bit distracting at first glance. But everyone's taste is different, and for $10k, you're not going to find a perfect example so you probably need to pick your poison. Just keep in mind that the dark spots could continue to grow with time, but the worst case scenario is that you might eventually decide to have the hands re-lumed. Or maybe if the hands became more uniformly dark, they would actually be more attractive.

If it is mold, is there a risk that it could further spread to the dial lume though?

Dan S · Feb 12, 2025

watch_my_six
If it is mold, is there a risk that it could further spread to the dial lume though?

I can't say definitively, but I haven't seen this happen. And I've seen many watches where mold spreads to cover one hand and not others, or even sections of one hand but not the rest of the hand. So my impression is that mold generally grows locally.

Faz · Feb 12, 2025

Money is tight these days. Somebody will certainly let you have a much better one for that kind of money. This one would be a hard pass for me at that price point.

DeepBlue · Feb 13, 2025

Faz
Money is tight these days. Somebody will certainly let you have a much better one for that kind of money. This one would be a hard pass for me at that price point.

I don’t think you will find a much better 1680 for 10k. The good looking examples are more expensive.

Looking to buy this 1978 Submariner 1680. Opinions please

agee

southtexas

Dan S

spacemission

agee

agee

watch_my_six

Dan S

Faz

DeepBlue

Similar threads

Looking to buy this vintage watch

Looking to buy Sea Dweller 16600 this look okay?

Looking to buy this vintage Omega Constellation 168.009, Need Help

Looking to buy this vintage Seamaster, Need Help

Newbie looking to buy this constellation

Looking to buy this 1963 Tudor Rose gold but?