Hi OF,

My name is Hidde, I'm 16 years old and I live in the Netherlands. Having looked around here for a while now I thought it was time to become a member and introduce myself. I'm really into watches and this forum + the speedmaster101 site really helps me to learn about omega. My grail watches are probably a speedmaster 2998 and a rolex explorer 1016, but it will be some time before I can get to that. Currently I'm looking to buy my first 'real' watch. I'd love to buy it from a forum member in the private watch sales section. Thanks OF for the space! Does this make me the youngest member on the forum?

Cheers,

Hidde

 

Welcome to this great place Hidde.

De groeten uit Brabant.

 

I know, but that's where they're grail watches for... Maybe some day. I see some beautiful vintage seamasters for sale on the forum all the time and I think those would be a great first 'real' watch. I'm looking to buy one of those.

 

Back in 1977 when I was 16 I purchased my Omega Flightmaster new, it was the first watch that I’d purchased myself. I paid for it out of the money I earned working in a supermarket, it cost me AUS $385, I was probably earning @ $60 - $70 a week (I already had a Speedmaster handed down from my father in around ‘74……..hand me downs were good in those days)
I no longer have that Speedmaster or the Tudor that I was given for my 8th birthday but I still have the Flightmaster.
It has some other Omegas to keep it company including another Speedmaster.

Its good to have goals and it’s also important to reward yourself for your efforts and achievements, be they academic, sporting or work.
I hope you get your Speedmaster and have many years of enjoyable collecting ahead of you.

 

Welcome Hidde! You're definitely one of the younger ones, perhaps the youngest.

By the way; as a first real watch, an 80s or 90s (tritium) Speedmaster might be a good start. Certainly not cheap, but possibly affordable and there are nice pieces being offered here quite regularly.

Hi from a fellow Dutchman who's a little over twice your age (still feeling young, though) and actively searching for a nice 2998 as well.

 

Welcome and good luck on your search! There are lots of cool vintage Omegas that are more affordable for someone your age and classier than a similarity priced fashion watch. You'll have to update us here and let us know what you find!

 

Hi Hidde,
Welcome on board. You are definitely the youngest I know here
Good luck with your 1st hunt : OF is the best place to start !
Cheers

 

Welcome. You came to the right place to find the right watch.

 

Welcome Hidde, en veel plezier !

 

Really thank you all for your welcoming messages and great advices, this forum is a great place. The advice from @Pastorbottle about rewarding yourself for your efforts and achievements hits me because I was appointed Model United Nations Secretary-General last week after a long period of application where I had to fight hard for. I wanted to buy myself my first 'real' watch to kinda reward myself for that. Buying a speedmaster (fois or tritium) or explorer 114270 still seems out of reach, I am also a guitarist and to this day have put almost all my money into buying guitars, but both watches would form a great second watch to save up for. For the time being I'm looking at (vintage omega) watches in the price range @dsio recommended. Thanks for making me feel very welcome here!

Cheers,
Hidde

 

Oooh, what guitars do you have? Any photos?

 

Welcome! I was at least 30 years older than you before I started collecting "good" watches.

My wife and I made our first visit to Netherlands last month and loved it! Vermeer exhibit was the primary draw, but we also loved the food, canals, museums, and people of Amsterdam so much!

 

Welkom Hidde!

 

Hidde, I’ve absolutely no idea what a Model United Nations Secretary-General is or does, but I’m sure it’s a coveted and prestigious position, so as a reward for your accomplishment, I’ve awarded you a gift subscription to the forum.
Now go and find yourself a nice starter collector watch.

 

@Pastorbottle Wow, no way, that means incredibly much! Really thank you! People like you make this forum such a nice place and that’s why I’m sure I’ll find my watch here…

@dsio my current (starter) budget is a maximum of €1500 but that’s only for a watch that I would really desire to have.

 

I am proud to play a Kauffmann 63 t as my main guitar… Kauffmann’s guitar store is the guitar store where I work to earn my money to buy guitars and watches in the near future. Before I got to work there I bought this guitar. The kauffmann guitars are Dutch handmade custom guitars that are getting more and more popular in Europe. My acoustic main guitar is a martin 000-x2e (from their mexican budget series). The guitars on top of my wishlist are a martin om/000-28, but those are very expensive so it will take some time before I get to that and also the es-335. I’ll attach a picture of my Kauffmann, is there a guitar thread in the open discussion allready? For the non-guitarists: This guitar is aged, like washed jeans, I did not abuse my guitar.

 

Welcome and good luck dealing with this hobby, it's really addicting.