Vintage watch for my 40th

Mr Boom Boom

Hi am thinking of a 1974 watch for my 40th. Anything interesting from the year ? Also where would be best place to purchase?

Orlaw3136

Budget ?

Would you go for something like this ?

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/OMEGA-GENEVE-AUTOMATIC-MENS-WATCH-STAINLESS-STEEL-CASE-VINTAGE-1974-/251425752317?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item3a8a2484fd

I personally would get this rather lovely Seiko Chronograph.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/1974-Seiko-7016-8001-Automatic-Flyback-Chronograph-/231140536738?pt=AU_Watches&hash=item35d10cb1a2

Mr Boom Boom

Orlaw3136 wrote: »

Budget ?

Would you go for something like this ?

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/OMEGA-GENEVE-AUTOMATIC-MENS-WATCH-STAINLESS-STEEL-CASE-VINTAGE-1974-/251425752317?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item3a8a2484fd

I personally would get this rather lovely Seiko Chronograph.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/1974-Seiko-7016-8001-Automatic-Flyback-Chronograph-/231140536738?pt=AU_Watches&hash=item35d10cb1a2

That Seiko looks nice aside from the day display. Budget 200 lids either side of 750

Orlaw3136

Do you like Seiko Divers ?

Classic piece, said to be in original condition -

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/All-Original-Seiko-6105-8110-8119-July-1974-Collectible-Vintage-Diver-/191016386563?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item2c7976c003

Mr Boom Boom

Orlaw3136 wrote: »

Do you like Seiko Divers ?

Classic piece, said to be in original condition -

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/All-Original-Seiko-6105-8110-8119-July-1974-Collectible-Vintage-Diver-/191016386563?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item2c7976c003

Would like something less chunky I think

Orlaw3136

Mr Boom Boom wrote: »

Would like something less chunky I think

Longines made nice watches in the '70's. Slim too. Good luck with it.

Wibbs

Omega

Another omega this time an early "electronic" watch(not quartz), whose values go up year on year.

Longines Conquest in 18 karat gold. VERY nice. Nice size too at 35mm. No date, just a classic elegant dial. Bit more money than your budget but bloody lovely



Now this one is 1972, but if it was my money...

Longines 72 Munich Olympics edition chronograph. Very good price for one of them and they've gone up in value again year on year and were made in limited numbers.

Mredsnapper

Does the Longines take standard straps? Those lugs look different. Looks lovely.

Re. The Electric Omega, I have read that electric watches lead very little maintenance.

Re the Seiko diver, beautiful. I'd love one of those myself.

Mredsnapper

Btw, if you want to purchase and you are not really sure what you want then you could do worse than go to one of the dealers in Powers court Townhouse center and try on a few watches.

Wibbs

Mredsnapper wrote: »

Does the Longines take standard straps? Those lugs look different. Looks lovely.

AFAIK yep standard straps, it's more a case design than the lugs themselves.

Re. The Electric Omega, I have read that electric watches lead very little maintenance.

Generally yep they're pretty robust. I've a late 60's Lip Nautic "electronic" dive watch and it keeps on ticking and I've a couple of years out of the battery so far too. That said it's a very simple movement(more an electromechanical type) with no printed circuits to dry joint/corrode over time. Depending on the design of movement battery life can be an issue with the early stuff. EG the Omega Marine Chronometer would barely get 6-8 months from a battery. The other issue is when they do need maintenance, there are very few guys out there who have the expertise to maintain/fix them. There is a very good chap in the UK though, and reasonable with it. Depends on the model too. I always hankered after the aforementioned Omega Marine Chronometer, but in the end never bought one as I found out over the years that Omega wouldn't really deal with them and if something went wrong you'd need to source parts yourself. They're a real oddball though, the rest are fine.

Lex Luthor

Wibbs wrote: »

Longines Conquest in 18 karat gold. VERY nice. Nice size too at 35mm. No date, just a classic elegant dial. Bit more money than your budget but bloody lovely

+1

Mredsnapper

I think the OP has been scared off.

Menas

I need to stop coming in to these threads when I am not 'in the market'. It is like going to a pub and drinking water all night.

Mr Boom Boom

bedlam wrote: »

Forget vintage, go for piece #40 of a limited run model

Hmmm shoulda like a pricey option !!!

Mr Boom Boom

Wibbs wrote: »

Omega

Another omega this time an early "electronic" watch(not quartz), whose values go up year on year.

Longines Conquest in 18 karat gold. VERY nice. Nice size too at 35mm. No date, just a classic elegant dial. Bit more money than your budget but bloody lovely



Now this one is 1972, but if it was my money...

Longines 72 Munich Olympics edition chronograph. Very good price for one of them and they've gone up in value again year on year and were made in limited numbers.

They are nice watches. I do the the idea of a forty year old watch on a forty year old me but what's reliability like?

Wibbs

Mechanical watches of that vintage are generally gonna be pretty solid performers compared to watches from the 40's or 30's. Now you can't treat them like a Casio G-shock and water resistance would not be a given(unless you get a divers watch from that time and have it overhauled with new seals). That said I wouldn't be treating a brand new mechanical watch like a g-shock either.

Of the two pictured the gold fella would probably be the most reliable. Less moving parts than the chronograph(built in stopwatch basically), so a simpler movement. That said either will be reliable enough and with a movement service every few years you'd be fine(there's a fantastic guy in Scotland that does this at very keen rates). Potential investment wise? Well 18k gold will always be a draw, but IMH the Olympic one will climb more. Both have common enough Longines movements so parts shouldn't be an issue in the future.

Put it another way MrBB, the majority of my watches are pre 1945, going back to 1910, so over the century old, only one has shock resistance and not one of them has given up the ghost on me and I'd rotate them on the wrist on a regular basis. Keep em away from water and you'll be fine IMHO.

Wibbs

PS here's a page from a UK seller with the Longines Olympic chrono with it's original bracelet and box only one previous owner http://www.theoldwatchshop.com/other.html (scroll down) IMHO the better bet than the ebay one though slightly more expensive. Ticks all the boxes and you're buying from an established shop as it were(and within the EU so no duty/VAT).

Mr Boom Boom

Ended up with a new st imier Longines instead !

Mredsnapper

Mr Boom Boom wrote: »

Ended up with a new st imier Longines instead !

Nice choice

Menas

Sweet

Wibbs

Nice one MBB