I know this is OMEGA Forum but i'm sure with the rising prices many are looking at other brands. I personally have become quite engrossed in early Seiko dive watches from the 60s and 70s. Although these were mass produced and very affordable the watches were made to very high standards.

As a kid in the 80s I remember Seiko very well...everyone knew a friend, uncle or father who had a Seiko dive watch. In the last 3-4 months i've managed to pick up some 6105s, 6217s and a pretty rare 6306 Scubapro.

I was lucky enough to gather a fair collection of Speedmasters and a few Seamaster before the prices really took off. Searching around the Seiko market feels quite similar to when I started looking for the Speedies around 3 years ago, I wonder how long this will last as others cast the net further a field.

Here is my latest 6217 MAS from 1967, had for under £2k. A perfect vintage diver!

 

Very nice 6217 MAS!
I did the same, but dippped my toes in the vintage seiko chronos, and bought a nice 6138-8020 panda last year.

I also started to look left and right from the speedmaster line into other vintage omegas, such as early seamaster chronos and as of late a little c-shape constellation.

The speedy marked has gone crazy, but you could look at it and say that it finally gets the appreciation it deserves. Sadly, everything 321 in decent condition is now out of my reach price wise.

Another interesting brand I found worth looking into is vintage Dugenas, they had some sort of collaboration with Heuer back in the day when heuer was struggling.

So it's possible to find Heuer produced Dugenas, only difference is the script on the dial, they used the same Valjoux or Buren calibers, the inside casebacks are even marked "Heuer" in some instances.

Although prices have gone up recently for those Dugena/Heuers , they can still be found for around 1-1,5k in some instances even less.
Take a look at this one (seller obviously didn't know what he had)

https://m.ebay.de/itm/NOS-Dugena-Ch...hl-Datum-unbenutzt-Swiss-ca-1970/173000462427Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network



Happy hunting!

Cheers,

Max

Here's a pic of my 6138-8020:

 

Thanks Max. That's a lovely 6138-8020 you picked up, especially with the paperwork.

Whats next for you then? There are plenty of them!

 

@smitty190373 thank you!

Actually I'm going to sell some of my watches to fund another project, it'll be hard but worth it I hope.
But with one eye I'm looking at Enicar at the moment.
Great heritage, good quality and apart from the early chronos they can still be found for reasonable prices.
I missed out on that one just recently, seller decided to side with local cash buyer. I was a bit bummed, but I understood that it was an easyer deal for him that way.




Minty Sherpa Super Jet.

Cheers,

Max

 

Enicar always offers good value...at the moment. There seems to be plenty of Dugena love on the forum too.

https://omegaforums.net/threads/dugena-chrono-crazy-dial-valjoux-7734.65649/

 

With 10 brands in the first post in the below thread. That's a Yes for me......

https://omegaforums.net/threads/found-it-fun-without-a-date-or-a-brand.38423/

 

Yes, been going after more Rolex

I was really diverse early on because I could not afford then stuff I really wanted.

After buying and selling so many cool watches, I I have been lucky to trade up into pieces that I cherish, and really have no business affording.

What sucks is while I love finding and buying Seiko, Enicar, and so many others, they get no wrist time and are a distraction.

My goal for 2018 is to shed a few more pieces and get 1 maybe 2 additional pieces or upgrade references I already have.

What makes the hobby fun is that you can pivot at any time.

Killer Seikos!

 

Diversifying into vintage gilt and fuschia GMTs doesn't really count

I'd like to do it though, good idea.

 

I started diversifying after I’ve got a 145.013 Flightmaster on my wrist for the very first time, about 6 months ago... (I call diversifying when more than one watch of a family enter the collection)

Before that, it was quite easy, I was in Speedmasters exclusively with some accidental impulse purchased Zenith chronos.

Now the collection is 60% Speedmasters, 30% Flightmasters, 10% Zénith, Heuer and Alpina.

 

I've been going the other way round
I used to buy into "oppportunities" of getting watches that I loved if the price for the condition was right, and I've never been too picky about condition either.
Gave me the chance of trying a lot of stuff out (Zeniths, Enicar, Dodane, Leonidas, many Heuers, many Seikos, etc.) before I realized that there's nothing I like as much a Speedmaster. So I'm focusing 90% on them at the moment...

 

I've always been an omnivore so I have a pretty balanced collection. Right now I'm diversifying into nothing, nada, zip....Just servicing what I have not serviced and enjoying what I have.

 

Neither is right or wrong And my heart belongs to Speedmasters anyway.

The problem is that they are getting more and more difficult to source based on my very own purchasing rules.

 

The price increase has been insane on vintage speedmasters. In addition price on new Omega watches has elevated as well. For example, the retail price of the seamaster diver is $4400. Wasn't this under $3k a few years back?

Still eyeing a Breguet type xx and gold speedy and then I am out of the watch buying game.

I will hang back and enjoy wearing my watches, and without a desire to buy more. Hopefully this is possible.

 

At the end of the day it's about what makes you happy. Waiting to spot an incorrectly listed 2998-1 pop up on ebay with a BIN for $5k isn't really making me happy. Finding nice Seikos divers I remember as a kid is.

And anyway, i'm sure @watchknut would snag the $5k 2998 10 seconds before I saw it anyway!

 

My wishlist actually looks quite similar, always good to know

Still, if you've been lucky enough to buy some nice pieces in the good old times, you can afford something else today by trading up today. For example I will be handing over this one this week to the new owner. Still have to make a thread for this watch before it leaves my collection...

 

Having other watches but Omega is not only an option, it's compulsary! A few vintage watches of mine

 

I've always liked the YEMA Superman. Nice.

 

August 16th, 1971
A day before I was born.
Just today I was thinking about a birthday watch
But affordable, not this beauty.

 

yes, the shot was made before service. That's why it looks crappy. Their prices have rocketted... The good thing is that the parts (FE movement) are rather cheap.

 

that is a 1971 watch. My birth year too