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Recommended Good Value / Vintage - New Deals On EBAY & other Auctions

alane24
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Dr.Sascha Dr.Sascha
Prices for these manual-wind Sea Hunters do vary a fair but, I'm a bit surprised at how little this is going for at a BiN ($599, though as always, I'd bet they would let it go for a bit less). The average seems to be somewhere between £750-1100, so this seems like a really nice deal, even given the wear on the bezel, spitting on the hands, and slight spotting on the dial.

Vintage 1971 Caravelle Devil Diver Men's 37mm N1 11DP Mechanical Watch 2876 DP!
s-l1600.png

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256333947092?hash=item3baeb1a0d4:g:trEAAOSwKE1lWodd&amdata=enc:AQAIAAAA0OfCVmN0MVTmzNfD7YhZr/nsCa1x8mcadbfFNgrsTk1FxDluvI3vetGqcnQkf8muA4oPKq+qiPoOcA8KoGsBRF5vKdCsnA2fDMXBxiXZaJvjeduI4Z3IUVjrHAlv5BKt9dTC7i7xQEKo9OiFgTwoTXIg5xfOw/ixklDg4Xo6/pc+Ha9Odp15LniwkCfulCCi9PSdJ1OzgRek3OjUTp9JqEf5faGpMCes2ao3xUNbj+emubTGtVr/sJxVagDe18FTgKqtfeyv86baGH/m618ox24=|tkp:Bk9SR7Sjv7CJYw

This one has an incorrect sweep hand, should be a lollipop. Everything else looks to be correct. The bezel IMO is in good shape, the hands and dial are rough. At $499 I think this is still a bit overpriced. Having owned one of these, paying anything more than $700-800 for one in less than pristine condition is over-paying IMO. They are neat, but they don't have the build quality to warrant the asking price that some sellers are.
 
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wagudc
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Nice watch, depending on where the bidding ends, it may or may not be a good deal.

s-l1600.jpg
 
alane24
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wagudc wagudc
Nice watch, depending on where the bidding ends, it may or may not be a good deal.

s-l1600.jpg

I was talking with the owner. It was a one owner watch. $5.8K was a good price, yeah?
 
wagudc
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alane24 Anthony Lane
I was talking with the owner. It was a one owner watch. $5.8K was a good price, yeah?

I am not an expert on these, but I think the price was not bad. Most that sold on Ebay recently went for more. The only exception was one that went for $4.7K, but I think its condition warranted the lower price.
 
Dr.Sascha
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alane24 Anthony Lane
This one has an incorrect sweep hand, should be a lollipop. Everything else looks to be correct. The bezel IMO is in good shape, the hands and dial are rough. At $499 I think this is still a bit overpriced. Having owned one of these, paying anything more than $700-800 for one in less than pristine condition is over-paying IMO. They are neat, but they don't have the build quality to warrant the asking price that some sellers are.

I'm tempted to agree with this (though the 665-1s are a very different story). But the market is what it is, and valuation is always subjective. There seems to be a premium on them b/c of the cosmetic similarity to Tudor Rangers. And the price on these is clearly on the rise, so if someone wants a good example while their are still bargains out there . . .

The sweep second is deffo a replacement--same shape as the earlier models with sword batons, but wrong colour.
 
Vitezi
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Bumping this thread with a small (~31mm) but well-preserved manual-wind 1950s Tissot in a steel case:

s-l1600.jpg

https://www.ebay.com/itm/404811393207

A chip on the dial at 12 seems to be the only blemish. Hands have their lume, handset is correct, even the crown may be original (it's the right style). No movement photos but likely a cal. 27 inside. BIN at €110 is reasonable.

upload_2024-2-21_10-20-37.png
 
upload_2024-2-21_10-20-37.png
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wagudc
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Vitezi Vitezi
Bumping this thread with a small (~31mm) but well-preserved manual-wind 1950s Tissot in a steel case. BIN at €110 is reasonable.

A very cool piece for little money. Nice find!
 
Dsloan
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I would post more to this thread, but I keep buying everything I would post about...

...bought this OG Seiko 5 immediately when I saw it this morning:

Screenshot_20240221-142914.png
 
alane24
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Dsloan Dsloan
I would post more to this thread, but I keep buying everything I would post about...

...bought this OG Seiko 5 immediately when I saw it this morning:

Screenshot_20240221-142914.png

For how much?
 
Dsloan
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alane24 Anthony Lane
For how much?

$290. Does that count as cheap?

Condition isn't perfect (esp the bezel), but I keep seeing roached ones for $300+ and people are asking for $600+ on better condition examples.
 
alane24
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Dsloan Dsloan
$290. Does that count as cheap?

Condition isn't perfect (esp the bezel), but I keep seeing roached ones for $300+ and people are asking for $600+ on better condition examples.

Definitely a good price. Nice catch.

I'll get roasted for this, but I think we collectors put too much emphasis on condition. I'm not speaking about this watch, but those that are in pristine condition. I would counter by asking, why are those 50-60 year old watches in such good shape? Are they true unworn survivors (sure, some are) or more likely an amalgamation of parts to make them present as though they are? I see so many vintage watches come to market that look too good to be true and pedantic collectors obsessing over said condition as if it's the most important aspect of this hobby. Gimme an all original watch that has lived its life over some supposed safe queen that some fortunate collector stumbled upon.

Yours looks like it's an original survivor, and IMO, that's the thing to go for.
 
Dsloan
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alane24 Anthony Lane
Definitely a good price. Nice catch.

I'll get roasted for this, but I think we collectors put too much emphasis on condition. I would counter by asking, why is that 50-60 year old watch in such good shape? Is it a true survivor or an amalgamation of parts to make it present as though it's pristine? Yours looks like it's an original survivor, and IMO, that's the thing to go for.

I think I largely agree. For me, it's a spectrum. On one end, I'm not likely to be interested in truly roached, damaged models. Sometimes I'm willing to pony up for something in very good condition. But usually end up buying the 'upper middle' of condition where there may be more value, and where I won't feel so bad when I accidentally collide with a doorjamb.

And sometimes, the wear is fun. Like, I kinda love how messed up the bezel is on this Willard.

Screenshot_20240221-150159.png


If the seller weren't asking $1.3K for it, I'd be very tempted to pick it up, put on a new crystal, and enjoy the wabi sabi.
 
alane24
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I'm definitely with you. I don't personally seek the pristine safe-queen examples because they are always very expensive, and I actually enjoy a bit of personality and evidence of a life well lived. But yes, I avoid anything that is overtly damaged or beyond repair. It definitely is a spectrum.

That said, I love the Seiko you picked up and think you did well.
 
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