OK, I know this may be a bit esoteric, but let's see if this resonates with any of you die-hards out there.

Sometimes parts are cheap and easy to find, sometimes they are expensive but readily available, and sometimes you have to be a bit patient.

But then ... there is a part that you could wait a lifetime to find.

- Every "parts watch" you can find has been stripped of it.
- If you had an extra one, you wouldn't know what price to put on it.
- Half of the watches you see on IG or WRUW have a missing or incorrect part.
- If someone makes a batch of reproductions, they sell out immediately.
- The only examples you can find using Google were sold 10 years ago.
- There are heated debates about whether the correct part is really correct, or whether the watch may have been issued with other variations.

I'm not talking about parts that are expensive, or difficult to find in perfect condition. I'm talking about parts that are just not available. Here are some obscure examples to start with.

- Crown for Longines Czech Pilot "Majetek"
- Rotating red indicator ring for Enicar Super Dive
- Dimpled crown for Benrus 50717
- Fluted pusher caps for Mido Multi Center Chrono

 

Gold Minute hands for oversized UG chronographs. Mido crowns and +1 on fluted pusher caps.

 

As I was reading this, all I could think of was Enicar bezel parts... And then you said it. Not Just the Super Dive! Divette single crown ring is just as hard to find and they are all missing and contested.

Adding to the list

- Bezels in general for less mainstream vintage divers (Certina, Croton, Calendar Auto Orient Swimmer, Gruen Oceanchief)
- Parimeter crowns for early divers (AKA canteen crowns). First gen. Titus Calypsomatic 5913, Elgin, etc.
- Original signed crystals for Polerouters, including sub

 

Sometimes unicorns parts are nice ... when you have them . I was able to trade a 2998 case with base bezel with a complete 105.003 once, I think everyone walked away happy. I'll try to transmogrify my NOS 165.014 bezel into something nice too.

(seriously, I wonder what % of those old sm300 have have an intact bezel)

Adding to the list original crystals with nice profile; even if Omega still produce crystals, they don't have always the same profile.

 

You made me think of the plastic bezel for the Longines Nautilus Skin Diver. So few survive.

 

Yes! And 50% of what still exists are cracked.

And Adding to THAT - how about the original bracelet for the Nautilus. The JB Champion double beads of rice. But I guess they show up once in a blue moon.

 

I agree 100%. Rare parts are better traded than sold.

 

LOL! I honestly, wasn't thinking about that when I started the thread, but you're so right ... I'm an enabler of stealth WTB posts!

But seriously, it just seemed like a fun topic, to enumerate the most legendary unobtainable parts.

 

- Scalloped crown for Longines Conquest 902* references. They’ve been custom made, but I haven’t been able to find an original..

Some 14381 and 14393 references too.

 

I've started to slowly hoard parts in the fear that I need them one day. I get the impression a lot of other collectors do this and hence create the unobtanium you speak of

 

When you mentioned Unicorn parts, I thought you might be looking for parts for an actual Unicorn watch! I believe that a Unicorn was a brand name used by Rolex decades ago.

 

You're right, I didn't think about that. We can open the thread to UNICORN(tm) parts as well.

 

I’m after so many unicorns. Blancpain bund bezel, LeCoultre DSA case and bezel, Lemania Majetek hands, original Mido multichrono crystal, IWC dirty dozen crowns, and the list goes on

They’re out there... only you have to buy more than just the caps

You think that’s hard.. try and find them for an E857 !

 

The Lemania stamped bracelet for the 11019 (yup, wtb...)...