Truly Vintage on a Budget......Please Add Yours

This one I bought at a rural yard sale. I missed it, but my missus found it. I asked the lady what the price was. She thought for a moment, and told me it was 50 cents. I didn’t have the correct change, so I paid he $2.00 (Cdn,) for it. Then the fun began. Rotor post, $45.00, dial re-finish, $90.00 (Cdn., Kirk Dial), crystal, crown, clean, chrome plate case. This Certina has a Kurth Freres (Certina) 25.45, 21 jewel movement in it. The watch was a farmers watch, and the chrome case was a mess. I place this movement on a par with many mid-range Swiss movements of the late 1950s. A good runner!

Of of my cheapest cool watches ever. 1975 (circa) Polara. $2.50!

Mine says HI! This one is virtually new old stock. It was given to me.

Over decades in the watch repair business and retail jewellery, I have accrued so many donor watches/parts watches, that I weight them, rather than count them. So many watches in my collection are the result of resurrecting some of this stuff, and performing “marriages”. In effect, I have far too many that cost me nothing more tha a few parts, and some sweat equity. May I show a few?


I bartered for this Omega bumper, Calibre 351. I fixed three watches for a chap, and I inherited this one. Actually, the watch I bartered for was a basket case, but I found a dial, and a case in my stash, and this is the result. Investment. Sweat equity.



Acquired this one in pieces. The parts were in a tin can of Omega parts that I inherited, 45 years ago. The parts were all there, including the cross hair dial, as you see it. My only expense was for the case. Cost. Sweat equity.



Given to me by a previous owner who tired of trying to have it repaired, elsewhere. Cost. Sweat equity.



1950s vintage bumper automatic. Found in a bow of watches I inherited, 45 years ago. Cost. Sweat equity.



I inherited this one from its original owner. I sold it to him, new, in 1969. It was his only watch, and I maintained it for over 30 years. He called me from his death bed, and bequeathed the watch to me. I lost a friend, but other than that, the cost was sweat equity.



This 1936 J W Benson (Tavannes) in a 9 karat case was given to me 35 years ago, when the owner’s family didn’t want it. I kept it all these years, and recently contacted the family, and the son who didn’t want it 35 years ago, was delighted when I gave it to him. Cost. Sweat equity.



Early 1970s Birks Rideau automatic, found at the bottom of a box of scrap watches I inherited, 45 years ago. Cost. Sweat equity.



Second owner of this rose gold filled jumbo omega from circa late 1950s. The owner wanted to give it to me. We sawed it off as I had a gold chain repaired for him. The repair cost me $5.00.



Given to me 35 years ago by the (then) general manager of Rolex, Canada who had been president of Gruen, Canada, when Gruen folded. He refused any kind of payment, and was furious when I sent him a 26 of Johnnie Walker Black Label!

And I could go on and on, but my iPad battery is dying.