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Watches I (regretfully) sold

  1. Canuck Sep 8, 2015

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    I see a lot of watches changing hands on this message board. Over my 40 years as a collector, I have bought and sold my share of watches. In retrospect, most of them I now regret having let go. I am certain there are others on this message board that likewise, have done the same, only to regret it later. Here is a list of my mistakes.

    Two Rolex Prince Observatory (doctor's watches), one NOS Rolex Explorer 1, one steel Rolex GMT Master, one Rolex Submariner (steel and 14-karat), one Steel Rolex Submariner, one Rolex Oyster (no date) gold shell chronometer, one 1940s Oyster Explorer, one Rolex steel and 14-karat hooded Bubble Back, one genuine Rollex Daytona Cosmograph (Paul Newman dial), one steel Rolex Oyster Bubbleback, one sterling 1915 vintage Rolex with hunting case, one Rolex Oyster, steel, cushion shaped, one Heuer Autavia, one UG Polerouter, one GP bumper automatic with up/down indicator, one pristine Elgin B W Raymond grade 571 pocket watch, one Hamilton 992B (steel case), one 16-size Waltham Ball pocket watch. ::facepalm2:: These are a few of my mistakes. Then there's the ones I coulda had, but let go!

    I had forgotten the (Not Pavel Buhre, it was Hy [Henry] Moser) manually wound "jump-second" wrist watch I let go. Only one of its like that I have ever seen.

    Tell us about a few of your mistakes!
     
    Edited Sep 9, 2015
  2. emilio Sep 9, 2015

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    The first speedy I sold was something I regretted.

    The first sub I sold was something I regretted.

    The sigma dial 1603 I sold was something I regretted. Past months however I was able to replace them all with something even nicer:
     
    image.jpg
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  3. lillatroll Sep 9, 2015

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    I hope I keep all my watches, I suppose it's tempting if you have loads of them, but I plan to only have 10 or so. I hope I won't have to regret selling any of them.
     
  4. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Sep 9, 2015

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    I'm not an impulse buyer, so I rarely flip watches. When I buy one, I intend to keep it long term. The few I have eventually decided to part with I have no regrets. I enjoy seeing one of them posted here from time to time even...

    Cheers, Al
     
  5. Hijak Sep 9, 2015

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    Only one I really regret selling. Had this for about a year and at the time thought it was too small (33.6mm)...silly Hijak!:( It is in such fine condition, miss it alot...
    Crown.JPG
    Original Omega strap and buckle...
    Case Back & Strap.JPG
    Omega 14k #8.JPG
    Watch was pristine in every way...
    Face, 1.JPG
    It even came with original inner and outer boxes and papers...
    Full Set.JPG
    On a positive note it went to a fine upstanding Forum member here on OF!:thumbsup:
     
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  6. TheRalphieJ Sep 9, 2015

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    My list of regrets is long, but the biggest I'd have to say was my all original 1970 Rolex 1016.

    Also sold my Patek 5165- but can't call that a regret since I had to sell at the time...but I miss that most.
     
  7. MikiJ Likes songs about Purple spices Sep 9, 2015

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    Mickey's original 145.022-69 with an almost perfect faded blue DON bezel and tropical dial is the sorely :(
    The good news is it went to a well respected Forum Member that will take better care of it than I did :)
    John's photo skills are much better than mine and maybe he'll post a scan showing just how beautiful it is ;)
    [​IMG]
     
  8. Davidt Sep 9, 2015

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    Yup, miss my old 1969 as well.

    Went to a great new home though.

    image.jpg
     
  9. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Sep 9, 2015

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    I'm sorry I sold my Genta. The Explorer 2 polar and perhaps the smp300 which was a great beater to have. That said I'm pretty happy with what I got in return.
     
  10. Time Exposure coordinates his cast with his car's paint job Sep 9, 2015

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    Wow, 40 years collecting! Got me beat by 10 years!
    Over the last 30 years, there were plenty I sold and wish I had held on to. But in the 80's and early 90's, flipping was profitable. It all went to funding the next expensive watch desire.
    My only regret at the time (early 90's) was selling a beautiful LeCoultre chrono in stainless steel with a 3-register Valjoux 72 from the early 60's. Bought it for $125, thought I had to sell when I was offered $550. Years later I replaced it with another in better condition. But my interests changed and I sold it to fund the next watch. By then I regretted neither the first nor the second example, so my heart was content.
    No other watches made me feel the regret of selling that first Le Coultre chrono, and thankfully its replacement cured any lingering melancholy.
    The only watch I want back was sold to fund a better watch, all of which ultimately led to my Grail watch (Patek Nautilus chrono 5980). No regrets letting go the first time, but it was admired enough to linger in my memory: a 116520 steel Rolex Daytona black dial. The only other I wanted back I already bought: IWC Porsche Design Titan chrono, this one a reference 3700 from 1982:
    [​IMG]