The proverbial “barn find”

Cozmopak · Dec 23, 2019

Many of you have shown off your barn finds on this forum. I’m curious what constitutes as a barn. Estate sales? Ebay? Flea markets?

One of my dreams is to find an all-original vintage Rolex in rough shape and have a master watchmaker bring it back to life.

Kargol · Dec 23, 2019

That's from Wiki 😀 :

A barn find is a classic car, aircraft or motorcycle that has been rediscovered after being stored, often in derelict condition. The term comes from their tendency to be found in places such as barns, sheds, carports and outbuildings where they have been stored for many years.

The Father · Dec 23, 2019

"barn find": I have a better chance of being struck by lightening while counting a million in $100 bills after marrying some movie starlet then ever happening upon a "barn find"

Cozmopak · Dec 23, 2019

The Father
"barn find": I have a better chance of being struck by lightening while counting a million in $100 bills after marrying some movie starlet then ever happening upon a "barn find"

lol. Ok, my bubble has been burst.

janice&fred · Dec 23, 2019

usually it requires boots-on-the-ground hunting to find hidden watch treasure. we have come across them quite a bit here stateside but were spoiled living abroad in the Philippines for 15 years as those far-flung tropical islands is the place for watch hunting!

I will dig up some pics of our past finds and post some a bit later. we used to post regular "watch hunting reports" over on the military watch forum (MWR).

Canuck · Dec 23, 2019

Almost a barn find. Bought at a rural farm yard sale. It may have been a farmer’s watch, considering the condition it was in when I bought it. She wanted 50 cents for it, but I only had a $2.00 coin. She offered me my change which I declined to accept. Brought it home. Dial was a mess, chrome case showing brass, broken rotor post, broken crystal, worn out crown. But it is a Certina, and where I live, we don’t see a lot of them. So after a re-finished dial, re-chromed case, new crystal, crown, rotor post, and cleaning, I’m into it for about $200.00. Good runner. It has a 21-jewel Kurth Freres calibre 25-651 movement, patent regulator, beautifully finished.

DaveK · Dec 23, 2019

I think of a barnfind as a watch that was either not generally for sale, or maybe it is for sale but you found it somewhere weird or unexpected. Ebay might count if the watch was described as "old watch just needs a battery" but its actually a Speedmaster.

I got lucky this year, my first year in the hobby, by finding this in a barbershop. The barbershop was in farm country, near barns, so there's that.

@Canuck I am happy to report this has been running for the past month at -1 sec per day. I couldn't be happier.

Vercingetorix · Dec 23, 2019

A pawnshop in Riverton Wyoming had a $10 LeCoultre a few years ago. Just have to spend the time to look, someone has to get the barn finds.

janice&fred · Dec 23, 2019

for now I will set aside the Philippine hunting reports and show what we have unearthed over the past 4 or so months just here in Connecticut. not a bad haul for simply part-time hunting around in junk shops, antique shops, pawn shops and garage sales/flea markets. anyone can do it. all it takes is getting out and away from the internet and sniffing around small towns. the trick is once a seller/owner has some watches for sale you must not "cherry pick" and only buy one or two watches that are most appealing. buy the whole bunch and more often than not the seller will either bring out some even better stuff or call you when he/she finds more. now you have networked with the seller and made a good contact. have "watch collector" calling cards ready to hand out with your name and number.

while it looks like some of this stuff is merely forgotten old pieces, there are quite a few in this group that are quite valuable and every single one was bought for pennies on the dollar. everything in this pile of stuff is working, although most will get serviced and a couple chronos are missing pushers. hunting for watch treasure takes work but remember that old saying "the harder you work the luckier you get". 😀

Uniqez · Dec 23, 2019

The Father
"barn find": I have a better chance of being struck by lightening while counting a million in $100 bills after marrying some movie starlet then ever happening upon a "barn find"

Still better chance, than finding SS sports Rolex at MSRP. 😗

watchknut · Dec 23, 2019

Actually sourcing directly from original owner or family can be tricky, and most dealers are buying from pickers.

Many of my “barn finds” come from sellers who sourced from the original owners and they are in as found condition.

Some I did source from owners who found in a drawer, and many came from the original owner’s family.

eugeneandresson · Dec 23, 2019

I wanna be a picker. Anyone know where picker-school is?

watchknut · Dec 23, 2019

eugeneandresson
I wanna be a picker. Anyone know where picker-school is?

Hang out with me 😁

eugeneandresson · Dec 23, 2019

watchknut
Hang out with me 😁

😁

Would love to...bit far...and folk here know how to use the internet...

Cozmopak · Dec 23, 2019

eugeneandresson
😁

Would love to...bit far...and folk here know how to use the internet...

That’s the biggest challenge, I would think. Anyone with access to the internet will likely go online and research their watches and know what they are worth. Or maybe I’m giving people too much credit?

Uniqez · Dec 23, 2019

watchknut
Hang out with me 😁

You should start picker's DIY thread, because your picks are mind blowing!!!

rob#1 · Dec 23, 2019

Did someone say barnfind? https://classicandsportscar.com/gallery/greatest-barn-finds-all-time (imagine finding a Miura in a barn 😲)

My only ‘barnfind’ was a Certina DS in a plastic bag of watches; I was happy with that but will keep looking for a 2915, etc. 😉

watchknut · Dec 23, 2019

Cozmopak
That’s the biggest challenge, I would think. Anyone with access to the internet will likely go online and research their watches and know what they are worth. Or maybe I’m giving people too much credit?

Way...way too much credit.

If it weren’t for uneducated sellers, I’d own no watches.

Cozmopak · Dec 23, 2019

watchknut
Way...way too much credit.

If it weren’t for uneducated sellers, I’d own no watches.

You’re lucky. I wish I knew some incompetent sellers. 😀

Sellers who source directly from original owners would know the value of what they possess, since they sought it out in the first place, I would think.

janice&fred · Dec 23, 2019

watchknut
Way...way too much credit.

If it weren’t for uneducated sellers, I’d own no watches.

oh absolutely. I will add that even when some owners are internet savvy it still makes little difference. ok so you go to a garage sale at joe sixpack's house. ask if he has any old watches. he goes inside and brings out a couple old omegas. you look at them and ask "how much?"
he says he looked online and they're worth about $1000 each. so now what? well you go on as if you didn't hear him and just press him for a decent cash price. joe sixpack knows he can't shake his iPhone and have buyers fall out, and the chances are slim anyone is going to send money to him as a relative unknown in the watch arena.

cash in hand now baby.

The proverbial “barn find”

Cozmopak

Kargol

The Father

Cozmopak

janice&fred

Canuck

DaveK

Vercingetorix

janice&fred

Uniqez

watchknut

eugeneandresson

watchknut

eugeneandresson

Cozmopak

Uniqez

rob#1

watchknut

Cozmopak

janice&fred

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