Show me your very cheap but favorite low cost watch

Posts
246
Likes
1,251
I'll start- this is a mall purchased inexpensive generic quartz Watch but the heavy bracelet makes it a keeper. 83CE1DD8-4E8B-4615-BF6C-8FD783504C12.jpeg
 
Posts
14,027
Likes
40,243
I didn’t actually buy this watch. It came to me as part of a job lot. This is an Ingersoll “Yankee” which, 120 years ago or so, sold for $1.00. If one were to allow for inflation over the last 120 years, this might me the equivalent of a $35.00 watch, today. And things being how they are in an era of throw-away watches, $35.00 ain’t cheap. Much cheaper ones can be had. But with an original purchase price of &1.00, this one will be hard to beat. Check out the guarantee!

87EAB282-BB50-4F9B-B7AC-F72EA26760EC.jpeg 69ACB0AE-96F8-41C2-AC0A-E4276A865E32.jpeg AB2B1AC9-E214-4811-95F7-C3CB32FA0A82.jpeg
 
Posts
5,821
Likes
41,855


The very favorite cheap watch here is this true beater, obtained for $5 at a pawn shop on South Main street in Cleburne, Texas sometime in the early 1980s. Around here, when the going gets tough the Glycine gets going. It's been the hunting, fishing, hiking, chores watch ever since and has soldiered on with accuracy and nary a bobble.



Here's a photo of it from several decades ago. Original lume and some shreds of nickel plating still clinging to the crown. The lume later began crumbling so was replaced at a service interval.
 
Posts
17,454
Likes
26,378
877D3497-C264-4618-90B5-8E684253486A.jpeg
chrome plated Swedish brand from the 60’s on a cheap 5 dollar strap.
 
Posts
246
Likes
1,251
More interesting brands here. Your Lagonda has some resemblance to a few older omega models as well. Nice finds here.

877D3497-C264-4618-90B5-8E684253486A.jpeg
chrome plated Swedish brand from the 60’s on a cheap 5 dollar strap.
 
Posts
3,132
Likes
13,609
This one was fished from the ‘Bay for $9.99 and featured a broken crystal, tarnished hands, and worn-through lug holes. It cost twice what I paid to mail it to me, and twenty times that to service it. Obviously I have the cost-to-value part of this hobby completely backwards...

83556656_248315669484490_5844965039442542149_n.jpg
 
Posts
246
Likes
1,251
Nice result, and it's yours. Congrats.

This one was fished from the ‘Bay for $9.99 and featured a broken crystal, tarnished hands, and worn-through lug holes. It cost twice what I paid to mail it to me, and twenty times that to service it. Obviously I have the cost-to-value part of this hobby completely backwards...

83556656_248315669484490_5844965039442542149_n.jpg
 
Posts
16,510
Likes
148,155
Purchased new for £21 GBP delivered 😀

IMG_7464.jpeg
 
Posts
15,949
Likes
44,045
Paid $35 in an antique store- it was running.

CBB6E2FC-65DD-4456-9611-933C46794541.jpeg

Discovered the auto mechanism was removed, bought parts watch on eBay for $60.
Had it serviced with said parts watch as donor, $150.
Horween strap was $65…maybe this doesn’t qualify anymore.
 
Posts
403
Likes
2,382
Paid $35 in an antique store- it was running.
Discovered the auto mechanism was removed, bought parts watch on eBay for $60.
Had it serviced with said parts watch as donor, $150.
Horween strap was $65…maybe this doesn’t qualify anymore.

That's the spirit! Sounds very familiar to me.

Btw, as a proud member of the local dumpster diver club, I feel unqualified to present anything here, as I have way too many inexpensive watches that I fancy. 😀

In terms of the mileage to cost balance, my all original Australian edition Seiko 6309-7040, that I bought for about 60 USD and had serviced for another 30 USD in an obscure basement shop, has certainly served my the most. It's dead solid, reliable and should I ever ding it (or accidentally drag it behind my car for that matter), I wouldn't even notice.

63097290ho.jpg
 
Posts
5,992
Likes
25,431
That's the spirit! Sounds very familiar to me.

Btw, as a proud member of the local dumpster diver club, I feel unqualified to present anything here, as I have way too many inexpensive watches that I fancy. 😀

In terms of the mileage to cost balance, my all original Australian edition Seiko 6309-7040, that I bought for about 60 USD and had serviced for another 30 USD in an obscure basement shop, has certainly served my the most. It's dead solid, reliable and should I ever ding it (or accidentally drag it behind my car for that matter), I wouldn't even notice.

63097290ho.jpg
You might be in for the shock of a lifetime when you see how much your investment has appreciated 😗
https://omegaforums.net/threads/fs-...ndition-australian-edition-28-000-obo.125027/
 
Posts
7,613
Likes
26,349
Not "dirt cheap", but well undervalued, in my view, and frequently worn.

BulOc7.jpg
 
Posts
999
Likes
11,420
I love this thing and feel bad when I wear it instead of a Seamaster.

20220409_073106.jpg
 
Posts
67
Likes
209
Here’s a Fossil quartz watch I got a little over 20 years ago. Not the best on batteries but it’s been good to me 0ACFDF8C-BBCF-4C98-954D-F67263D6D352.jpeg