Post your BEST vintage find!

Posts
237
Likes
422
This 300 I was lucky to find on the forums for sale on Christmas Eve, when traffic was likely low.
 
Posts
574
Likes
1,721
This 300 I was lucky to find on the forums for sale on Christmas Eve, when traffic was likely low.
What did you give for that beauty ?
 
Posts
1,775
Likes
7,717
I bought this 18k gold JLC for a whopping €375 at a clock shop in The Hague in 2009.

 
Posts
2,510
Likes
3,732
Well I thought I did well at the time picking up this Mondia "Chris-Craft" for $35, but some of you are picking up big brother Zenith El Primeros for the same price, so maybe not so hot ;-)
 
Posts
349
Likes
929
this straightwriting I was able to purchase from the family of the first owner for a very reasonable price.

and the one my uncle forgot about 😀 lucky me.
 
Posts
574
Likes
1,721
this straightwriting I was able to purchase from the family of the first owner for a very reasonable price.

and the one my uncle forgot about 😀 lucky me.
What's the ref on that yellow one?
 
Posts
1,775
Likes
7,717
this straightwriting I was able to purchase from the family of the first owner for a very reasonable price.

and the one my uncle forgot about 😀 lucky me.

I wouldn't mind being the 3rd owner.
 
Posts
6,514
Likes
50,382
Best deal for me happened after I joined the Forum, at which time the Speedmaster rose from a lower position on the "want list."



Sentimental favorite though is this rose gold Longines picked up at a car boot sale while vacationing.

 
Posts
2,720
Likes
5,550
The Speedmaster and the Carrera were found in my fathers safe deposit box. We went to retrieve a coin collection I had placed in the box sometime in the mid seventies, when I was in my early teens. The box had not been opened since, so the watches were put in the box probably in the early seventies. My father gave me the watches not know that in the passing 35 plus years their value had grown substantially. I didn't understand what I had until about 2008 when I started doing research.
The Driver I found a few years ago on Ebay. One picture (and a bad one at that) of a foggy crystal and a dirty watch. I took a chance and dropped $192 and crossed my fingers. Thankfully all it needed was a wipe down and a new crystal.

 
Posts
1,187
Likes
1,859
The Speedmaster and the Carrera were found in my fathers safe deposit box. We went to retrieve a coin collection I had placed in the box sometime in the mid seventies, when I was in my early teens. The box had not been opened since, so the watches were put in the box probably in the early seventies. My father gave me the watches not know that in the passing 35 plus years their value had grown substantially. I didn't understand what I had until about 2008 when I started doing research.
The Driver I found a few years ago on Ebay. One picture (and a bad one at that) of a foggy crystal and a dirty watch. I took a chance and dropped $192 and crossed my fingers. Thankfully all it needed was a wipe down and a new crystal.


So, a 2998 with a 7912 bracelet and 6 end links sitting untouched in a safe deposit box for 35 years, and you got it as a gift from your father?? That's truly amazing, plus I love that Heuer as well!!
 
Posts
2,720
Likes
5,550
So, a 2998 with a 7912 bracelet and 6 end links sitting untouched in a safe deposit box for 35 years, and you got it as a gift from your father?? That's truly amazing, plus I love that Heuer as well!!
True story!
 
Posts
2,555
Likes
3,676
Thanks to the exceptional enablers here I picked up this 2367-4

And while I was there just happened to also pick up this 1894 Waltham Model 1888 Riverside.
 
Posts
766
Likes
744
Got this one off ebay from France, for less than 300 euros:

P1030149_zpswbw0tqfy.jpg
 
Posts
574
Likes
1,721
The Speedmaster and the Carrera were found in my fathers safe deposit box. We went to retrieve a coin collection I had placed in the box sometime in the mid seventies, when I was in my early teens. The box had not been opened since, so the watches were put in the box probably in the early seventies. My father gave me the watches not know that in the passing 35 plus years their value had grown substantially. I didn't understand what I had until about 2008 when I started doing research.
The Driver I found a few years ago on Ebay. One picture (and a bad one at that) of a foggy crystal and a dirty watch. I took a chance and dropped $192 and crossed my fingers. Thankfully all it needed was a wipe down and a new crystal.

Love The last one ! Weird but awesome 😀


/H
 
Posts
2,428
Likes
19,756
Much as I love my submariner, I think my long term favorite is going to be this badboy after he's all cleaned up...



What's your favorite vintage Omega score, not the most expensive one necessarily, but the best find!

In terms of outlay, it has to be this one . . .



. . . acquired from the former son-in-law of the original owner for a reasonable sum.

The best part? It came with a JB Champion Longines bracelet that fit . . .



. . . my '56 Conquest.



Art
Edited:
 
Posts
60
Likes
81
April 2014, was browsing the internet and came across an estate auction many states away. Found this Speedy nestled in among a bunch of old junk, obviously in rough shape but still got me excited.
i3R3cgI.jpg

I jumped on the phone and registered right away. The day of the auction was spent checking the clock every two minutes until I got the call from the auctioneer that the lot was about to go off. I remember being outside in my driveway practically running up and down on my cell phone bidding, and I scored it for what was a ridiculous bargain even at the time. I had a fiasco trying to get it serviced ( a story for another time), but this 105.002 remains my favorite watch and the centerpiece of my personal collection.

11950577_816989588417913_302087821_n.jpg
 
Posts
574
Likes
1,721
April 2014, was browsing the internet and came across an estate auction many states away. Found this Speedy nestled in among a bunch of old junk, obviously in rough shape but still got me excited.
i3R3cgI.jpg

I jumped on the phone and registered right away. The day of the auction was spent checking the clock every two minutes until I got the call from the auctioneer that the lot was about to go off. I remember being outside in my driveway practically running up and down on my cell phone bidding, and I scored it for what was a ridiculous bargain even at the time. I had a fiasco trying to get it serviced ( a story for another time), but this 105.002 remains my favorite watch and the centerpiece of my personal collection.

11950577_816989588417913_302087821_n.jpg
Fun story 😀 and how high did the bidding go?😀


/H
 
Posts
2,597
Likes
5,656
Can anyone spot the diamond(s) in the rough ?

The lot cost under 50 euros.