Today's bargain watch that I'm not buying

Northern Monkey

CarltonBrowne wrote: »

Never mind the watch - you probably can't afford the postage. The box that comes with these is huge.

Yeah, I thought about buying a new one before at the airport and the size of the box put me off as I was flying out and didn't fancy lugging it around with me! I'm sure they probably would have kept it until I got back, but it was enough at the time to talk myself out of it!

I'd also prefer the non-date version, but it seems to only have been produced for a few months after (re)release.

Eoin

CarltonBrowne wrote: »

Never mind the watch - you probably can't afford the postage. The box that comes with these is huge.

As an aside, parcel motel is a godsend when it comes up tz. Removes all the hassle with the "uk only" sellers.

pepe the prawn

So after seeing one on this thread last week, I stalked eBay and just won this beauty



So much for this thread being about "the watch that I'm not buying this week" ;-)

Wibbs

mickc

Really enjoyed sifting through Wibbs ebay finds.
Opening a potentially expensive door into vintages!

Mredsnapper

Did anyone here pick up the Gold GP? My snipe was too low

Eoin

250 in the end, right? Wasn't me anyway - I went for a different one he linked to!

Wibbs

Wanna get into Trench watches? Here's an early Electa with Movado movement

Movado movements are usually v solid and check out the movement pic, the regulator is sitting smack bang in the middle. A very good sign. Unlike most you see that are sitting at a jaunty angle, it should mean that internally the movement is a good un. No hairlines in the dial either. 13 quid, one bidder 5 days to go. I'd punt 150 at it and cross fingers.

How about another Trenchie? Are you into steampunk? Does your beard tickle the ladies and your chest? Do you keep your Japanese selvedge denim in the fridge? Then this may be for you This time it's a Longines. Now to be fair, this one has been through the wars. Two of them, both global, so looks like it's been dug outa Godzilla's footprint. Still, personally speaking I love the look. I also like puppies with bandaged paws, gammy eyes and crooked ears.

OK it's got the wrong crown, the minute hand is a replacement, the dial has more dodgy hairlines than a wig convention and the caseback… I have no idea what's goin on there, but I LOVE it. It wears its years for all to see. I would wee myself uncontrollably if I got that through the letterbox. The movement while dirty again has the regulator in a good position and all the numbers match. 30 quideroonies, 1 bid, three days to go. With the Longines name it could get a few bidders, though I'd reckon 200 or so would get it. I do so love that watch.


Another one ending today. A 1960's Eterna-matic.

Different styling, good movement and it's an Eterna, which have a large following. Over a 100 quid with 9 hours to go. It might go north of 250, but I doubt it'll pass 3, but I could well be wrong.

Another in the bargain basement bin. An automatic Longines Admiral with display back(aftermarket? Never saw one before).

Photos aren't exactly David Bailey level, so may be passed over. Has some wear yes, but I reckon would tart up pretty well. 25 quid, 1 bid, 3 days to go.




How about a pocket watch? A UK issued Helvetia in a cool case.

Nice piece of kit, historical too. Solid movements in these. The nuclears on the dial are in great nick. 9 hours to go, 40 odd quid. Bit of interest though. It could see 200 + hard to say.


Well there ye have it. Snipes at the ready!

893bet

pepe the prawn wrote: »

So after seeing one on this thread last week, I stalked eBay and just won this beauty



So much for this thread being about "the watch that I'm not buying this week" ;-)

Mine says hi (and is for sale now)!

Mredsnapper

@Wibbs, regarding the Movado from the ebay sellers description:'The hands are pear shaped light emitting..' I presume that means it has Radium on the hands? Doesn't that normally cause degradation of the hands? Or do you think it's been relumed?

Wibbs

Oh it's defo been relumed Mr Ed and very well too IMH(shoulda mentioned that above). Looks like some sort of luminova that requires external light to charge. Radium at that age generally degrades to a dirty brown colour. EG



The Helvetia pocket watch shows the ageing a few years on from WW1.

It looks like the watch has been restored at some point and I reckon very well too. EDIT, hadn't noticed it has a blue 12 too. Rare enough to see.

pepe the prawn

893bet wrote: »

Mine says hi (and is for sale now)!

Ya you bought the one that wibbs linked I thibk, beautiful watch! Why selling so soon though??

893bet

pepe the prawn wrote: »

Ya you bought the one that wibbs linked I thibk, beautiful watch! Why selling so soon though??

Mental issues....

Kintarō Hattori

Hey Folks,

Haven't posted in this forum for a long time, the watch collection hasn't seen any new additions in ages. Guess I stayed away as I bought so many of Wibbs feckin recommendations from eBay. I have a whole watch box of old Russian watches that I still haven't worn yet- thanks a lot Wibbs!

I think it's time to add something new though so back watching the goings on here

Wibbs

mickc wrote: »

Really enjoyed sifting through Wibbs ebay finds.
Opening a potentially dirt feckin cheap door into vintages!

FYP

Wibbs

Oh and there's more…

Here's a 1950s Leonidas chronograph.

38mm minus crown. Might be a redial(Leonidas added?), bit of wear to the plating, but looks pretty good to me. 230 quid for a vintage 50's chrono? And open to offers at that? be the hokey Ted. Can't see that lasting too long myself.

mickc

Wibbs wrote: »

FYP

true

but multiple dirt cheap impulse purchases might will add up

LorMal

Mredsnapper wrote: »

Did anyone here pick up the Gold GP? My snipe was too low

Turns out my slightly optimistic bid of 25 quid missed out

Pottering

Wibbs wrote: »

Oh and there's more…


38mm minus crown. Might be a redial(Leonidas added?), bit of wear to the plating, but looks pretty good to me. 230 quid for a vintage 50's chrono? And open to offers at that? be the hokey Ted. Can't see that lasting too long myself.

Item 301569233946 is also a 50's chrono, but this time a Titus and with a Valjoux 92 movement (despite what the listing says). Like the Leonidas I think the dial is suspect, but it is at EUR246 with just a couple of bids and 7 hours to go. Might be worth a look.

Wibbs

Well the Eterna closed at 215 euro. Damn the exchange rate! Still not bad. The Helvetia pocket went for just under 150.

So what have I got for ye today?

First up a vintage diver, a Dichiwatch(nope never heard of them either) in a super compressor case. The name brand seems to get majority Italian hits in a googling, so a Swiss brand for that market?

Autowind ETA 2782, tritium dial and hands in nice condition. With a known name on its mush that would go for big money. Compressor cased watches have really zoomed in price in the last two to three years. Five days to go 30 odd quid in bids. I'd reckon *throws bones* 280-320.

What about a Tudor Oyster? T'is a small watch at 32mm but elegant enough in its own way. If had the R word on the dial…

80 euro, 4 odd days to go. I'd reckon with the number of Tudor buyers out there it'll likely go a bit mad. 300?

Let's strap on the velour underpants for a spin. Yea baby! Early 70's Zenith with the Mosaba tuning fork movements as found in Omega f300's and Longines Ultronics. The thing is though the Zenith is rarer than either of them, it'll get far less interest(the XL tronics tend to be either electronic balance movements or early quartz, the hummers are seen far less). Even Eternas with the movement get more. Silly IMH but there you go.

It's in fantastic nick and a very unusual design. Four days to go 229 euro opener, no bids. I'd fire 300 at that all the day long. Go back in time three years. The average price for an Omega f300 was around 200-300 quid, the Longines were generally less, Eternas were less again. Today? The Omega's have stayed much the same(there are loads around), the Longines have gone nuts, double, even triple the price and selling at that. IMHO this Zenith is a sleeper in this humming company.

Possible "bargain" IWC? Okeydokey then. The soul seekers will avoid this as it has a battery, but it's still an IWC, so maybe their loss is your gain? Very elegant with the ickle fishy on the crown.

Nice size too, never mind the quality, feel the width. Four and half days to go, 130 euros. Seems to have 4 or 5 bidders in the game and with those three letters on the dial, who knows? Still I'd reckon 400-450 should get it on your wrist.

Now the last item won't end up being cheap, but they very rarely show up as an open auction so might be the time to buy if you've got slightly deeper pockets. Thought I'd fire it up because of that. It's the Tutima chronograph. These were issued to the German armed forces, an update if you will of the Heuer Bund. Cracking little movement in these. Big chunky fecker on the wrist.

This one isn't an issued piece, but it does have a relatively recent 400 pound service under its belt(about right for one of these). They usually fetch at least 1500 euro, more like 1800. Being a "civvie" with an English date wheel (which seem rarer?) that might put the milwatch dudes off. You might get it for say 12-1300? It may well go for less. As I said this is an open auction where "real" values come out in the wash.

For now anyway…

Deep Thought

maybe we should have a new thread on Vintage watches?

Also, I believe that due to Wibbs postings, and alerts, that he is the cause of the bidding wars

Wibbs

Deep Thought wrote:

maybe we should have a new thread on Vintage watches?

Also, I believe that due to Wibbs postings, and alerts, that he is the cause of the bidding wars

That's why I was hiding in here, to avoid the non member lurkers. *EDIT* that aside, it's highly unlikely my posts are causing any bidding wars. The traffic is so low around here and mostly "locals" and it's buried in a thread. Plus in the majority of cases the numbers I reckoned items would reach were on the ball or lower. None went for over the odds that's for sure. By comparison the "Hodinkee" effect is strong with the what's selling where feature and items on ebay regularly go for far more than they would otherwise.

This is one I'd love, but won't be buying and I doubt it'll end at a bargain price.



It would complete my unholy trinity of GP quartz movements with the "Futuristic" style dials. IIRC the JLC dial is supposed to be an oscilloscope trace.

HDMI

Some class pieces there Wibbs and great recommendations.

Awesome selection in the vintage 35-38mm sizes, I would need some liposuction on my 8" wrists to be able to wear them. :eek:

Eoin

HDMI wrote: »

Awesome selection in the vintage 35-38mm sizes, I would need some liposuction on my 8" wrists to be able to wear them. :eek:

My wrist is about the same size - maybe look for pincushion, square & tonneau styles as they wear bigger than their round counterparts.

CarltonBrowne

Don't get me started on Hodinkee - in the last 12 months they've cast their net in the direction of Universal Geneve and the prices of, in the main, extremely suspect frankens have either shot up or emerged miraculously from "watchmaker's" spares drawers.

There was also a suggestion on the UG forum recently that one of the esteemed and valued collectors that star in the video features (which I admit to enjoying immensely) was involved in some related shenanigans - something to do with a UG-engined Girard-Perregaux and Ebay. Bastardos!

Wibbs

Wouldn't shock me too much CB. There have been a couple of examples from various makes I though were dubious and the hammer prices were definitely over the odds on the back of their bumping. Like hugely over said odds. Maybe they've noted its been noted as I think there is much more of the "this could be fake/don't know the dealer" type comments of late?

Thankfully I'm not operating in areas they'd find of interest. Even the general stuff I've posted recently the only one I could see them show any interest might have been the Omega in the flight master case. They're all about the aspirational stuff and marques that are still in business. Well one can't bite the hand that feeds after all… TBH I don't blame them. If they did start asking pertinent questions of current watch manufacturers and some of their pricing and service practices, their industry access would all but vanish overnight. Ditto for asking questions of the big auction houses. Even if I had all the moola in the world no way would I buy vintage from the big auction houses as a general rule. You're getting hit with fees which is fine, but too many dubious vintage pieces get passed through such places and returns are not really on the table. The joke is eBay and Paypal give better protection to buyers than Sothebys et al. PLus even minus the fees prices are usually higher than sourcing the same pieces through dealers and that's saying something.

Menas

Wibbs wrote: »

Another in the bargain basement bin. An automatic Longines Admiral with display back(aftermarket? Never saw one before).

Photos aren't exactly David Bailey level, so may be passed over. Has some wear yes, but I reckon would tart up pretty well. 25 quid, 1 bid, 3 days to go.

And we are hooked in again!
I am not sure I even like this, but display back on a good old vintage? Yeah- I want that. It could well scrub up well. Will see how the bidding goes.

Menas

Trigger Happy wrote: »

And we are hooked in again!
I am not sure I even like this, but display back on a good old vintage? Yeah- I want that. It could well scrub up well. Will see how the bidding goes.

Outbid at 60. Don't think I will go in again...but ya never know.

Wibbs

It could be all right in the flesh TH. The lens the seller used is crappy. Like he photographed using Action Man's eagle eye(showing my age ), but the same crappy lens is going to show up every blemish under the sun. I reckon it might well be a lot nicer in the flesh. You generally see wear in gold plate more underneath and on the lug edges and they seem OK. The crown isn't original I reckon, but they can be had for buttons on the Bay. 6-10 quid kinda thing.

The crystal is scratched and is likely mineral rather than acrylic so brasso and elbow grease won't do it. Contrary to popular you can polish mineral crystal(not sapphire though). I've done it, a couple of times, but it's long winded and you need a cutting compound for the final polish(t'is cheap though). You can use a dremel but doing it by hand while hard going, is a safer bet. Dremels can cause a hotspot too quickly and then you end up with shards of glass in your eyeball.

The display back has to be aftermarket alright. Never saw one on Longines of that vintage. It's much more a recent thing as a fashion. With unusual movements like the early electrics you see it more often, or with salesman's samples.

Personally speaking TH? I'd snipe it double what it's at now, not much more. Sweet if you get it at that, no loss if you don't. It's "worth" that IMH T, but not more. Just goes to show the gulf between some areas of the vintage market and new stuff though. Where a Longines Admiral with an in house auto movement is around that kinda money.

I am still soooo tempted by that buggered Longines trench. Like a limping kitten mewing it calls to be.

Wibbs

PS for future ref re any watches I may put up on the one to keep a beady on, if anybody here is interested and wants me to delete that description/link, PM me and it'll be gone PDQ.