What watch to buy?

[bmsm]

Hi there,


In a couple of years it will be a special date and I want to celebrate the moment by acquiring The watch!

I just can’t decide what to buy!!

Imagine that you have 6 to 8k to spent on one or more watches what would you buy? I like does vintage Rolex with 3-6-9 or Tudor, or any other brand but it must be a watch with soul. It doesn’t need to be new. Don’t like dials with too much information and chrono watches are always tricky, specially when talking about vintage.

So my question is with that budget what would you buy?

[earloflondon]

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.

[TimemiT]

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.

[Yoda]

I have a few gen watches, but I like my own builds better. I know that this is hot helping you much.

I like the Air King (1510/1520/1530 movements), the Perpetual Oysters from 1950/1960, there are not too much going on on the dials and they are great dress watches and reliable. The pain in the ass is to go to a Rolex service center and pay for a service that easily will land at around $600-$700...

[TimemiT]

service is always a challenge, getting competent service on genuine Rolex movements and parts (and not touch or mess up the vintage pieces: dial, hands, etc)

On Ebay (US) I've found a guy in California that is former Rolex service guy .. full service about $199. There is a local Miami "Swiss" service center owned by a former Rolex manager ... service there is $300+ though. I am sure Europe has very competent Rolex service guys, with access to genuine Rolex parts.

Sending to Genuine RSC is definitely going to cost much more ... I'm just wary of what they do with vintage parts. I have heard from Panerai that working on watches with Tritium us banned .. and those parts have to be replaced with Luminova parts.

I have a few gen watches, but I like my own builds better. I know that this is hot helping you much.

I like the Air King (1510/1520/1530 movements), the Perpetual Oysters from 1950/1960, there are not too much going on on the dials and they are great dress watches and reliable. The pain in the ass is to go to a Rolex service center and pay for a service that easily will land at around $600-$700...

[Thrasher]

Omega Speedmaster lots of variety at good prices. Zenith Pilot. Rolex Explorer
https://www.jomashop.com/hsearch/#keywo ... peedmaster
https://www.jomashop.com/hsearch/#keywo ... th%20pilot
https://www.jomashop.com/hsearch/#keywo ... 20Explorer
Pre Owned Rolex Sea Dweller
https://www.hqmilton.com/timepieces/q05 ... dial-A2654
Omega Seamaster You want variety
https://www.jomashop.com/hsearch/#keywo ... hor=139067

[bmsm]

Those Perpetual Oyster from 50/60 were in my mind while I was typing the post. I know the service it is a real problem, but I know an ex-Rolex service guy that can do it cheaper than Rolex.

I consider buying one gen and a custom built. I admit that the 6152 that was now sold at the forum would be on the list for sure.

I also like some JLC or IWC.

Those vintage watches from most of the brands habe way more character than the new ones.

[Thrasher]

I have a few gen watches, but I like my own builds better. I know that this is hot helping you much.

I like the Air King (1510/1520/1530 movements), the Perpetual Oysters from 1950/1960, there are not too much going on on the dials and they are great dress watches and reliable. The pain in the ass is to go to a Rolex service center and pay for a service that easily will land at around $600-$700...

I would skip the Rolex service center. Misiekped in New York, Tickleshoes in Boston and our own Dave @U[mention]unreformed66[/mention] can rebuild pretty much any vintage movement. For Europeans Adrian ADO213 in Manchesteer England is Brilliant. For Omega Archer in Canada. IMHO

[Yoda]

I do rebuild and service most movements as well, I have parts and I have good supply sources.

I will look for some pictures of a recent restoration..

[earloflondon]

Yeah. The service thing. My datejust stopped, and doesn't wind. So, I was told a complete overhaul would cost me somewhere around 2k. I decided to wear it, and go to Switzerland with the money, stay there a couple of days and hand it over to Rolex where an ex girlfriend of my pal is currently working. I suppose, a factory treatment would be better than having doubts about what would happen in the service. I've heard some bad stories in the past that's why I had postponed the regular service. Now I am to pay much higher. The same happened in an unauthorized service to my pretiger Tudor chrono. The reset button had fallen off, and had it replaced with an aftermarket one, having forgotten to reclaim the original button. Damn me. Anyway, the watch doesn't wind and I have to do it manually. I'm thinking of taking that one along with me to the Rolex factory while on the planned repair tour. I'm also thinking of having my JLC serviced since it didn't have one for the last 14 years.
Once I was in Switzerland, and I stopped by a Bucherer shop. I asked about the original JLC ostrich bands. They were three times cheaper.

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