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What are the top few brands to look out for?

Rman
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Mr.Bliss Mr.Bliss
Why are Omegas so popular? I assume in the 50-60's there were better brands or at least as popular.

They’ve been in the game a long time and have produced just about every style of watch from chronometer clocks to the first industrially produced dive watch, beautiful dress watches and watches for wartime and have also been progressive and not afraid to try new things. So as a collector there’s a deep well to draw from.

In the 30’s 40’s and 50’s Omega was at the top of its game and priced higher and perceived by many as higher quality than Rolex. The variety of watch dials and cases from these eras is truly impressive, but they were not making handmade watches like Patek and Vacheron.

In the early sixties, Omega was worn on JFK’s wrist and their famous chronograph went to the moon on the wrists of many astronauts.

How do you define “better?”

Look around and see what style, technical aspects or ties to history appeal to you from different brands and have your own adventure. Folks around here really celebrate all kinds of watches.
 
Sherbie
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For bang for buck, vintage Seiko and Tissot are well worth searching for IMO
 
Mr.Bliss
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We are very far from having a thriving vintage market over here and vintage watchmakers are very hard to come by. Any service would have to be done abroad.
 
gbesq
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Mr.Bliss Mr.Bliss
Why are Omegas so popular? I assume in the 50-60's there were better brands or at least as popular.
Actually, Omega was considered to be one of the very best brands in the 50s and early 60s and enjoyed a superior reputation to Rolex.
 
Archer
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JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
Differs by brand. As far as I’ve seen, Omega actually seems to be among the best for supplying parts for most watches they have produced over the last 70 years. Rolex is hit or miss for parts for vintage pieces.

True, and given that Omega made so many more models and movements than Rolex has, this is quite a feat.

JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
Bulova as an example, sent massive caches of parts and specialty tools to their service providers and were very consistent in using the same movement across several lines, not to mention their watches were made in the millions and rough but running watches can be had for lunch money, so parts are abundant both NOS on eBay (from watchmakers estates), or from donors. For that reason alone I have no problem collecting Bulova’s- no fear of running into a parts issue.

I think it depends on the watch a bit with Bulova. There are different eras that present different challenges in my experience.

Talking about movements, the older US made movements are decent, but you can still run into parts supply issues on those - these are more the older manual winds I'm thinking of. For the autos, they made a large number of different movements, and one thing I really like is that they produced charts to give you parts compatibility across the lines.

Then the later era that used Swiss movements, these were largely mass produced so parts not an issue there.

Accutrons - well these have issues with things like coils, index wheels, etc.

Case parts most of it is not easy to find new if you have a popular model. Finding a NOS Snorkel crown for example, is not always an easy thing. Crystals are hit and miss...I buy them up for the divers when I see them.

Cheers, Al
 
janice&fred
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Mr.Bliss Mr.Bliss
We are very far from having a thriving vintage market over here and vintage watchmakers are very hard to come by. Any service would have to be done abroad.

I forgot where you are located? I'm in the tri-state USA area where finding vintage watches via boots on the ground is easy-peasy.
 
janice&fred
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Sherbie Sherbie
For bang for buck, vintage Seiko and Tissot are well worth searching for IMO

I agree and especially Tissot. I think Tissot, Benrus and a few others are going to be the next ones to watch.
 
Spruce
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janice&fred janice&fred
I agree and especially Tissot. I think Tissot, Benrus and a few others are going to be the next ones to watch.
I’m sorry to disagree and hope that you’re right and I’m wrong but I’ve got/had a few Tissot and don’t see this happening.

They’re a great entry level vintage watch. I’m a fan of the Visodate Seastar Seven as a lovely looker - akin to the Deville, but the dials, hands and cases don’t compare with, or last as well as, say, Omegas of a similar age and size.

Spares, such as new hands are hard to locate and, unless they’ve been kept in the box, or are NOS, they’re generally tired looking, in some aspect or other. Depressing really but there you are.

If you look at the equivalent Omega (say a Geneve), Eterna, GP or Longines (and others) they last and look far better for their age.

Of course, there are exceptions but, as a rule, Tissots don’t last as well IMHO.
 
Jonathan40
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Lurk41 Lurk41
Or this...
Renault_21_2.0_GTX_Manager_Nevada_1993.jpg

Coming back to some brand suggestions:
Doxa, Clebar (french slang for "dog"), Yema, Lip, Eberhard, Jenny/Philip Watch, Benrus, Hamilton, Jaeger, Angelus, Enicar...

So much brands that produced very cool watches, it is difficult to list them all. It also depends on what type of watch you are looking for and the budget.
That is amongst the most ugly car I’ve ever seen. I’m sure national lampoons team would have dismissed it.
 
janice&fred
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Spruce Spruce
as a rule, Tissots don’t last as well IMHO.

Maybe that's your experience but even in the harsh sub tropic south pacific environment we found many old Tissots that still looked as good as any other brand.
 
janice&fred
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Jonathan40 Jonathan40
That is amongst the most ugly car I’ve ever seen. I’m sure national lampoons team would have dismissed it.
looks like it's gotta flat tire too.
 
Evitzee
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Jonathan40 Jonathan40
That is amongst the most ugly car I’ve ever seen. I’m sure national lampoons team would have dismissed it.
It's very hard to beat a Wagon Queen Family Truckster in Metallic Pea. "You think you hate it now, wait till you drive it".
Edited:
 
Vacation_006Pyxurz-1024x720.jpg Vacation_039.jpg
Mr.Bliss
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Evitzee Evitzee
It's very hard to beat a Wagon Queen Family Truckster in Metallic Pea. "You think you hate it now, wait till you drive it".

Brings back memories.
 
Marsimaxam
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gatorcpa gatorcpa
Here is a portion of a Consumer’s Report article in watches from 1949.

upload_2020-8-22_11-14-34.jpeg


On the right is a relative ranking of brands at that time based on their expert’s opinion. Note that LeCoultre is conspicuously absent from this list, as it was just starting to be sold in the US market.

Evan

Hope this helps,
gatorcpa
What a great find. The top three really haven't changed that much in my opinion, and Rolex is conspicuously absent in the 1949. There are a few others that need to be added; LeCoultre, Seiko, Breguet, A. Lange & Sohne, IWC, Ulysse Nardin, Richard Mille, and Roger Dubuis to mention a few brands.
 
Dan S
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gatorcpa gatorcpa
On the right is a relative ranking of brands at that time based on their expert’s opinion.

The position of Gruen on the list is interesting, between Longines and Omega. Granted, it was just one expert's opinion, but if Gruen's quality was really in the same range as Longines and Omega, then Gruen watches are apparently tremendous bargains in the vintage market. I think I did inherit one from my father, but sold it at some point and probably only got $50 or so. From the 60s, I think, though, so a later era. But not a bad watch, all SS. I probably should have kept it.

Found a photo.

IMG_9021.jpg
 
Mr.Bliss
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Beautiful watch


Dan S Dan S
The position of Gruen on the list is interesting, between Longines and Omega. Granted, it was just one expert's opinion, but if Gruen's quality was really in the same range as Longines and Omega, then Gruen watches are apparently tremendous bargains in the vintage market. I think I did inherit one from my father, but sold it at some point and probably only got $50 or so. From the 60s, I think, though, so a later era. But not a bad watch, all SS. I probably should have kept it.

Found a photo.

IMG_9021.jpg
 
1st speedy
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JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
And you could buy a Rolex from a military PX for about half your monthly salary as an enlisted. My former boss was Navy in 1961 and bought his GMT from a PX at that time.
Watched a video of a guy getting his Daytona appraised wich he bought in the 70s while he was enlisted. He bought it for 345$..... Got appraised at 500-700....thousand dollars!!!
Edited:
 
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