What watch to buy?

[bmsm]

So ... this is all about what you mentally prepare yourself for when you want to collect vintage pieces and custom builds ...

You can have 1 GEN .. a nice vintage accurate piece ... the rest of your funds for nice hybrid builds (or franken as most call it)

I have this type of collection. My Hybrids I do not pretend to pass as the GEN articles ... I do use the most important GEN parts in them (movement, dial, hands, crown). I like to install crystal casebacks on my Rolex, to see the beauty of these tiny time engines, and to show gawkers. That's just me.

Challenge with finding a mint 70's 5513 and 1680 is that the watch is vetted and all the parts are original, including the bezel insert ... that commands the higher end $$ ... the Vintage Rolex Forum is there for that. There is another site which is just dedicated to 1675 ... https://gmtmaster1675.com

Mine ...
GEN 1967 - 1675 Long E dial, fat font bezel

Hybrids:
Phong 1655 midcase .. GEN dial, bezel, crown, crystal ... Priek caseback

A DW 1680 case set for a hybrid 1680 ... GEN 1570, bezel Assembly, GEN white dial (not looking to pass off a Red dial) .. I am looking for GEN hands ATM

don't bother myself with the minute details of whether these are 100% accurate ... because they are 100% custom to me, that's what's cool and unique ... like my Panerai 605 SF240 Build, no one has one like it anywhere! .. so far

Public opinion be damned ... anyone asks, Yes, they are custom builds for me.

There is an amazing look on their face when I show people what a Rolex movement looks like (through crystal caseback)

I'd limit myself with a late 70s 5513 or 1680. The budget I'd spare for that would be not more than 15k.

I know I can buy a lot of very well made reps with that money, the most expensive of which phong ones. Still, they wouldn't be the real thing.

I used to have, and I do now own a gen Rollie, a gen Tudor, a gen JLC etc. Though I love my reps I do love my gens very much too. The reason I am in the homage world is that I can at least have watches from a distant memory, with a heroic historical background. Those gens are never available for those of us that can't spend so great sums of money.

I saw your builds, that are epic.

[kilowattore]

I know you said no chrono, but if I were to buy a gen vintage it would be the speed master, I have seen some with a tropic dial that literally stole my heart.

[TimemiT]

I've always had my eye on this Speedmaster ... if I ever went for one

http://chronomaddox.com/displayback.html

I know you said no chrono, but if I were to buy a gen vintage it would be the speed master, I have seen some with a tropic dial that literally stole my heart.

[kilowattore]

I'd be set up for one with a non conventional hands set like this

Or this

[earloflondon]

I'd be set up for one with a non conventional hands set like this

Or this

+1

I once had a Moonwatch, like 20 years ago, which I had to part with, and regret each time I remember

[tafari]

for a gen I would go for an older rolex,tufor or an Omega.

but is hard for me to buy a watch, I just like my builds and I like building them. if I had this money now, I would go for another angelus 240 6152 build and a cort. 616/618 6154 build

[Yoda]

IMG_3187(2).jpg

Restored this earlier this year. Dark spots on the dial, dings and dents on case, dull hands, scratched plexi. Fixed the issues and cleaned up the 1520 movement and adjusted it to specifications.

[earloflondon]

Now I remember having had a Tudor president date-day which I sold to one of my dearest friends. I now regret... Stupid me

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[jrlmsla]

Because you are looking for something special, and because you like vintage watches I would go for a birth year watch.
I googled adds for omega, Rolex, Heuer etc and saw what was offered in the year I was born and went from there.
Too bad a Red Sub from my birth year is redonculous!

[civic4982]

If I was looking on the top end of your budget of $8k I’d look for the following:
1) Blue Tudor Snowflake of either iteration.
2) Speedmaster 145.012 or 105.012 PreMoon. I have the former and I still see them available around d $6-8k without a bracelet.
3) 16800 or 14060 for a vintage submariner
4) Sea Dweller 16600
5) an 1803 or an 18038 Day Date without bracelet.
6) Speedmaster 300 either 165.023 or 166.024 or maaaaaaybe even a 165.012

In no certain order but all those except maybe the 165.012 and 105.012 are all commonly in that budget for vintage watches.

Good luck!


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