What were your favorite acquisitions in 2023 (watches)?

Andreas-am · Dec 25, 2023

A nice idea Matthias. 👍

While I'm sitting with the children, who are having trouble falling asleep, I've just looked through the photos on my iphone. I had a lot of new acquisitions this year, although I also sold a few watches. I'm happy to show my personal highlights here:

IWC 1810 in gold

IWC 810 Cal. 89 with matt dial

2 C-Shape Connys

4 Dog Legs

GuiltyGear · Dec 25, 2023

This was my first year into collecting and it's hard picking one or two. However, these three were all bought after joining OF and asking for opinions. I'd say these are my favorites for the year.

Seamaster DeVille 166.020, Seamaster 168.022 in 18k, Speedmaster 3590.50.

BrunoCodispoti · Dec 25, 2023

I pushed my Omega collection with these pieces.
I will hope a similar situation next year 😀

padders · Dec 25, 2023

My incoming stuff this year.

Aroxx · Dec 25, 2023

This was my biggest year of watches yet. Completed the Omega trifecta with the Constellation and Seamaster (in addition to the Speedmaster). The Elgin was also a notable pickup, found in a pile of junk watches.

Canuck · Dec 25, 2023

Aroxx
This was my biggest year of watches yet. Completed the Omega trifecta with the Constellation and Seamaster (in addition to the Speedmaster). The Elgin was also a notable pickup, found in a pile of junk watches.

There was a recent thread on an Elgin model like yours which has the luminous pip at 12:30. You aren’t asking about it, but in case you want to peruse that thread, here it is.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/the-case-of-the-mysterious-dot-at-12-30.164142/#post-2241377

Davidt · Dec 26, 2023

One of my favourite threads of the year.

Before answering for 2023 I reflected on my summary of 2022.
“Basically, too much noise and not enough focus”.

Along with my aims for 2023.
“My aim for 2023 is to have a proper reassessment of my current collection and where I want it to go, finish selling some pieces that don’t fit in, highlight a concise list of watches to be on the look out for and avoid of the cuff, reactionary purchases that don’t fit in with this approach.”

So, did I reassess my collection, set clear objectives and stick to them? Well kinda. Also kinda not.
I moved on several pieces I bought on a spur of the moment and wasn’t really wearing and decided I wanted to focus on:
- Vintage Speedmasters
- Heuer Camaros
- Rare/uncommon dial Seamasters (specifically including a black dial 166.010).

Now, invariably there were detours along the way but here are my favourite acquisitions of ‘23 that kinda fit into the above.

Speedmaster 145.022-71
This is an excellent example, shape case, perfect dial and very original (crown, crystal and 1039/516 are all period correct and very likely original). It even has the red dot on the caseback.

Heuer Camaro 73343
Again, beautiful original condition. Unlike many of this dial variety, the dial is flawless and the case razor sharp. In common with the Speedmaster above, it has a commemorative engraving on the caseback and I do wonder whether some of these gifted watches often lead a sheltered life, perhaps seeing very little wear as they aren’t quite to to owners taste.

Seamaster 166.010 with Black Gilt Dial
I’ve been hunting one of these for a few years. Bought one a year or so ago which ended up being a good redial. Then I bought one earlier in ‘23 with a beautifully patinated dial which I decided wasn’t quite right (then regretted selling it). Thankfully, a few months later this one showed up at an auction not far from me so I took the opportunity to pounce.

Aludic · Dec 26, 2023

Aludic
And a few more, which I’m happy to share later. But first; cooking time.

This one also arrived this year, and while it may be considered a heresy on an Omega Forum like this, I’m very pleased with it… 😟

HamDoctor · Dec 26, 2023

It's been another great year for my collection. 2023 was the year I "discovered" Omegas and joined this forum ... not that I didn't know they existed before, but my focus had been on U.S. made watches of the 1930s to 1950s before, Swiss watches only came up later.

I bought "a few" more watches than these, but quite a few of them still need to go to my watchmaker ... So I guess I will have them in the 2024 thread. I love what my watchmaker does with my acquisitions, so I don't mind the wait, it's actually a bit like "getting a watch for the second time" when it comes home from the spa.

My top watches for the year are:

1) Zenith Respirator X from 1969 (model no. A7632) with the 2552PC movement - bought at the tail end of 2022, but went to the spa and rejoined the collection this year:

2) Longines Ref 7823-15 from 1974 with the 847.3 movement - bought on the 29th of December last year, but got it & got it serviced this year - I love the C-case shape!

3) Hamilton Wesley-B from the late 1950s, a 14k solid gold watch with the 770 movement (considered to be the best movement made by Hamilton in their U.S. manufacturing days). This was a bit of a surprise find, and a throwback to my old collecting habits, but I certainly didn't mind it!

4) My first Omega, and the reason I joined this forum - it was just so helpful to find out everything I needed to know, otherwise I may not have taken the step into Omegas... so thank you! It's a 1971 Omega Constellation C-Case 168.017, with the 564 movement and the original 1040 brick bracelet.

Omega Constellation 168 017 wristshot 01.jpg

5) Last, but not least, a very late service this year for a watch I already bought in 2021 - a Lord Elgin "Dunbar" from 1961. Another U.S. styled model, this one ticks so many boxes for me ... asymmetric white gold filled case, free-sprung balance (730 movement), black dial. Can't believe I waited so long to have it serviced.

There were more, but I'll not bother you with watches that haven't been to the spa yet ;-)

May our collections grow in ways we want, and in unexpected & welcome ways in 2024!

Zapatta · Dec 26, 2023

Definitely these 4! Pair of black Seamasters with waffle and hobnail dial & pair of early pre-Constellations. 🥰

sci · Dec 26, 2023

I have two acquisitions this year (one birthday gift from the wife) and I love them both.
Citizen Tsuyosa (my first Citizen):

Omega Railmaster (my first Omega):

Rudi99 · Dec 26, 2023

Cheers, dear Matt, for the thread and for the kind words at the beginning. I was happy to help out getting the black golf dial 2577 to Germany and to you. I believe very few people appreciate it for what (truly rare) it is as much as you do. Your joy is my joy.

Much like @Dsloan and @Waltesefalcon , I have been having a passion for vintage sporty Seikos recently (dibs on the 6105-8000! 😉 been craving this reference and the 6105-8110 for a while).

Two of my purchases this year are these 6139 chronos, the second one (Bruce Lee with a black dial, foto taken by my dad) still being in Brazil, where I sourced it. Waiting for a friend of mine to bring it over to Europe the next few weeks.

This (7 months) is by far the longest I waited between purchasing and getting a watch but I was the one who didn't want to risk anything. Looking forward to mid January, then I can switch the shot to a proper one on my wrist.

And last but not the least, the watch that has had probably the most wrist time this year for me: a Seamaster 300 "2913" Trilogy.. what a cool design and execution. Perfect for any day, any weather...

And even though we are talking 2023, this purchase at the very end of 2022 was also meaningful to me: a birthyear Speedy 145.0022. Sincere thanks to @iamvr for passing it to me. Love that slightly blued bezel under sunlight...

Enjoy your holidays, guys!

xaraxes · Dec 26, 2023

MtV
Another year is about to end, and once again I’ve started to reminisce about how the horological side of the year has gone.

I produced the same topic the last years and loved to see which arrivals the members here were excited about, so with another year gone, let’s see what’s new.

Which ones are your favorite new arrivals? Have you found a grail, either new or vintage? What was your surprise-of-the-year purchase? Share as many as you like.

My personal choice:

1. The "deluxe" 2853 / 7077

Completely over the top, gold on gold on gold and a box in solid Sterling silver, and yet there's an elegance to those... I'm very happy to have found one and it gets more time on the wrist than I would've expected. It's a little flashy, but definitely classy.

2. The 18k WG 14381

Bit of a contrast to the 2853 above, admittedly, but I've always been intrigued by the understatement of white gold watches, which are simply steel to almost anyone out there. I am very thankful to @TheGreekPhysique for his support, without him I wouldn't be the happy owner of this lovely example:

3. The black "golf ball" 2577 Seamaster

My passion for this particular reference has grown massively in the last year and I hesitated of only including one in my personal top 3, but, this one just has to be in their. A special thanks to @Rudi99 for his support with the purchase, without him it wouldnt have been possible. Black dial, rose gold furniture, and that golf ball structure and those fonts are just so freaking funky. Makes me smile everytime I see it. 😀

I'm over the moon to share that I've recently acquired the OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000M Ultra Deep from online platform for luxury watches buy This timepiece is a pinnacle of innovation and engineering, designed to withstand extreme depths, showcasing OMEGA's prowess in horology. Its remarkable 6000-meter water resistance and cutting-edge technology make it more than just a watch; it's a testament to human achievement and technical excellence. The sleek design, coupled with its robust build, reflects both style and functionality, making it a prized possession. Acquiring this exceptional timepiece fulfills a dream and stands as a testament to OMEGA's legacy of pushing boundaries in watchmaking.
Enjoy the holidays, whatever kind of occasion you might be celebrating. 😀

wow its impressive. My dream to buy OMEGA SEAMASTER PLANET OCEAN 6000M ULTRA DEEP

PerJ · Dec 26, 2023

These two. A minty Patek 2508 in rose gold and a Omega Speedmaster 2915-3 from 1959.

Fish70 · Dec 26, 2023

I bought my flightmaster in April and a cheap quartz beater a month or so later.

duffy7 · Dec 26, 2023

This thread is every year a stunner. Thanks @MtV for starting this again 👍

For me it was a very quiet watch year. Only one new income but this one is on my wrist nearly every day 😀

Omega Seamaster 105.004

Before the spa treatment of my watchmaker:

and after:

Happy holidays😀

HamDoctor · Dec 26, 2023

duffy7
This thread is every year a stunner. Thanks @MtV for starting this again 👍

For me it was a very quiet watch year. Only one new income but this one is on my wrist nearly every day 😀

Omega Seamaster 105.004

Before the spa treatment of my watchmaker:

and after:

Happy holidays😀

Definitely an impressive "before-and-after"!

Enjoy your holidays :-D

itsjustausername · Dec 26, 2023

This thread is a lovely celebration of our collective good fortunes, may you all wear your new acquisitions with joy and in exceptional health in years to come!

on my end, after taking a long watch buying hiatus in years prior and accumulating a bit of a war chest, I was able to get not one but several grail boxes ticked this year:

Seamaster 145.024 Flat Jedi. The one and only true Maddox Jedi, in all its silver/steel glory. Absolutely stunning to look at (and fairly crap for legibility), I love this thing for its strong 70’s Space Hilton/THX-1138 space age vibe

Universal Geneve Polerouter Sub. After eyeballing these and reading about all the malarkey regarding Australian fakes for a solid decade, the lust for this grail got the better of me when I spotted this patina monster at a local vintage dealer.

Zenith A3818 Cover Girl Revival. To top off the year (as if I’d been short-changed 😗), this month I got my hands on a second grail! The combo of a legendary movement, unique case shape and mesmerizing dial was only to be addressed one way: get on my wrist!! This piece is one of 100 in steel, and every time I strap it one I feel like I’m getting into a Ferrari. Pure joy!

ken_hodson · Dec 26, 2023

It's been a year of buying watches "in need of repair", but that's ok, because I've taken up the repair hobby!

The year started with this rather iconic Zenith Defy. A quartz movement and non-runner, the movement was replaced and some bracelet and case TLC. My father took rather a liking to it, so I gave it to him.

In return, my father gave me an Avia chronograph - Landeron cal. 149 - which was not running and had a smashed crystal. The wonderful Richard Askham fixed this for me (chronographs being too difficult for me to fix!). I was very pleased with the result:

Next up, another Zenith. The Respirator X, which certainly lived up to its name, requiring a fair bit of resuscitation having arrived in bits from from Venezuela. I particularly liked the blue dial, which was it's saving grace because I spent way more than the watch is probably worth in new parts. The 2552pc movement now runs very well.

One of my online watch buddies then introduced me to ZenMarket, a proxy buying service opening up Japanese Yahoo actions to those who like a bit of a gamble. For me, the glittering appeal of a whole new market of used watches was too hard to resist and a Rado rabbit hole opend up...

Firstly this MkII Rado Captain Cook

Then a few Golden Horses (AS1900 and AS 1700 movements nice to take apart and put back together again)

A Voyager

and a Manhatten

PXL_20230919_102448720.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL.jpg

Some OF purchases....

Not a new watch, but I was delighted to find the 'correct' bracelet for this beautiful Hummer (ref: 198.0031) from @WYO_Watch (thank you!).

And the final purchase of the year... this wonderful Zenith Sporto from @Thommas. the patina on this watch is incredible!

What a successful year, but I just realised I didn't buy a single Omega!...maybe 2024 will be less Zenith/Rado and more Omega.
Happy NY everyone!

Ken

paddymoran · Dec 26, 2023

I really like this feature each year. In 2023 I bought a few Speedmasters - my preferred being an Italy Special (DA 145.022), one of a limited run of 500 units produced in 1987 for the Italian market. In Jan I took a short flight from Ireland to Newcastle in the UK to buy the watch in person. It came on a 14k bezel as opposed to the original 18k bezel - in time I’d like to source the appropriate bezel. My most recent purchase is a 3572.50, which I acquired here on the fantastic OF.

What were your favorite acquisitions in 2023 (watches)?

Andreas-am

GuiltyGear

BrunoCodispoti

padders

Aroxx

Canuck

Davidt

Aludic

HamDoctor

Zapatta

sci

Rudi99

xaraxes

PerJ

Fish70

duffy7

HamDoctor

itsjustausername

ken_hodson

paddymoran

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