It's been a feature over the last 5-7 years or so that many vintage watches of any quality have fast appreciated beyond what was once an enthusiast hobby that could be carried out on a modest budget. This becomes harder the more common and popular the models are. The days of a nice pickup for a couple of hundred pounds are probably over...
For example, having personally missed the boat on the Speedmaster moonwatch a few years ago, pricing on anything from the Tritium era is now above current retail and anything nice with the old column wheel movement in serious collector territory.
Having said this - with a little hunting off the beaten track there is still much to find I think. The 60s and 70s was a fertile era for design and many names that have been positioned in the mid range by the current brand owners used to have a far more illustrious past (I'm looking at you Swatch)
It's with this in mind that I've been hunting for a nice 70s chronograph that wouldn't break the bank. Although my preference was for a panda dial these are quite sought after too, so I widened my searches and came up with something this week.
I posted this in the incoming thread and arrived on Friday and as mentioned I probably overpaid for it even taking a good chuink off the sellers price by sending an offer, however "New Old Stock" 70s chronos are relatively hard to find and bar a couple of very light scratches on the case back, this one is immaculate.
A quick change onto a nice Hirsch Ranger strap in black and I'm seriously impressed. Thinking it might work on a tan strap too. I have to say the level of detail would shame many manufacturers now. Nice patterned subdials, applied and filled markers etc.
My photos don't really do it justice but see what you think?
Dial detail
In the sun
Last edited by Scepticalist; 15th October 2017 at 14:12.
I think that's a great find. Did it really come with the original box? Even if you think you possibly overpaid, I think it's always better to pay slightly too much for a really good example rather than save a few quid and end up with a dog's dinner of a watch. What's the accuracy like?
It came with the box, though there's no way to prove it's the original it does seem to be from that era. According to the movement serial number this watch is from 1974.
It seems to be gaining a few seconds a day, which for the age seems amazing. The Valijoux 7734 movement doesn't have a great reserve (45hr when new) and it's a little inconvenient to keep setting the date which is not quickset but I think that's a small sacrifice.
It's worth mentioning that the marker surrounds and the subdial tracks have a reflective finish which catches the light in a lovely way. From what I've seen these markers were changed at some point later to simple painted markers as there's a few for sale like this.
Edit: Couldn't resist picking up this advert from eBay for £3. cost was £75 in 1978. Around £410 in today's money. As a guide, an Omega Speedmaster Mk2 was around £120 at the time from what i can tell.
Last edited by Scepticalist; 15th October 2017 at 15:19.
What a fantastic looking watch and it is always a pleasure to have one that is NOS or in very fine condition. Well done.
That is sublime. Love the 70’s look to it.
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That is stunning! I've been trawling eBay myself, looking at stuff from the 70's. There seems to be so many brands who were churning out automatics back then. Some pretty hideous stuff at that time too....but some real gems as you've found.
My favourite chronograph is my Picard. Valjoux 7750 movement and visually very similar to the far pricier Heuers and Porsche Designs of the era.
There's also an almost identical Briel on the forum.
Very affordable very retro and very accurate
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Wowser I’m liking this ❤️Originally Posted by Dave+63
My favourite chronograph is my Picard. Valjoux 7750 movement and visually very similar to the far pricier Heuers and Porsche Designs of the era.
There's also an almost identical Briel on the forum.
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
That looks absolutely fantastic in my opinion and I'd be well chuffed with it , unbelievable condition.
This is my sort of thread!'Affordable vintage' is getting harder to find (as you say).
Here is mine, a 1950's Longines Conquest:
Looks great. I’ve been tempted with a few similar Tissot watches myself. I think they really have a certain something.
Here’s mine, I love it and wear it probably more than my others to be honest!
My vintage gem is also my birth year watch. I bought it from a TZ good egg for a very reasonable price.
It is branded "Norina" and also marked "Chronographe Suisse" which is also a sub-marking on my Eberhard Mareoscope which makes me wonder if they are linked.
First dibs :p that tissot is an absolute stunner Nos or not.
There ate still some real gems out there at affordable prices, provided they don't hqve Omega on the dial. Having said that there are still some very affordable Omegas around but usually they need a few £££ spending on them.
Tissot watches don't fetch big prices but they're usually very good quality.
Some of the less fashionable names can be picked up v cheaply. Gold Avia, Rotary and Accurist watches can be found at good prices and the quality if the mivements is good. I have a gold-plated Avia dress watch in the projects drawer that will make a nice watch at a modest price when it's sorted, these watches are out there and as an occasional qear dress watch they hit the spot nicely.
Paul
Two things put me off vintage.
One is the size, generally speaking. Omega would be a good example.
A few years ago, when vintage Omega dress watches could be picked up for a couple of hundred quid, I must have tried on almost every one I saw. They were beautiful to look at but on my wrist just looked very feminine and unflattering, especially the gold ones. I don't really understand why this would be as I don't have big wrists and often admire the same watch on other people. Maybe it's because I'm a manual worker and don't wear dressy clothes very often. Or maybe not.
The second is perhaps purely a mis-guided perception on my part.
I don't have a great deal of disposable income and worry that vintage watches may be problematic in various ways, from needing regular attention to poor availability of parts. I fear they may become a money pit or even unrepairable.
It's put me off.
I'd especially like a birth year watch and ironically that is 1974 like the watch posted by the OP, but as I can't afford anything that would be common and easily worked on like a Speedmaster or Rolex I don't know if it will ever happen.
The common Valijoux and Landeron movements used in 70s are probably some of the easiest to get serviced. Maybe more so if you want to use small specialists. Mostly they are available for under £1000.
Far from being problematic if you pick carefully they're probably the cheapest way to own a high quality item.
This was my best bargain vintage from around a year ago, sub £50. Have never managed to find much info on the brand but it's a lovely little thing IMO.
Some really lovely watches in this thread, that Tissot is fabulous.
I've picked up a few in superb condition that I consider to be fit the description of affordable gems. Going up in price:
The £60 Cosmotron,
The £256 Smiths Everest,
And going up another step, the £370 JW Benson.
Found this earlier this year. With original bracelet. Gains about two seconds a day. Had a lot of wrist time recently.
Another find this year. Nos in fantastic condition. I worry about the crystal on this (in case I damage it) so doesn't get worn a lot.
This is mine. It's quartz, it's eighties, it's not very large and it's not a big brand, so no vintage star quality, but I like it a lot.
Quite like that.This is mine. It's quartz, it's eighties, it's not very large and it's not a big brand, so no vintage star quality, but I like it a lot.
I have a Yema on the bench for someone at the moment, an old 660ft with tha oval case. Just serviced it and it runs so beautifully.
That'll be this one thenMy favourite chronograph is my Picard. Valjoux 7750 movement and visually very similar to the far pricier Heuers and Porsche Designs of the era.
There's also an almost identical Briel on the forum.
I'm a big fan of low profile 'vintage' watches.
This Novus is a favourite of mine
M
The Benson is gorgeous, it would cost you a bit more than £370 nowadays too!Some really lovely watches in this thread, that Tissot is fabulous.
I've picked up a few in superb condition that I consider to be fit the description of affordable gems. Going up in price:
The £60 Cosmotron,
The £256 Smiths Everest,
And going up another step, the £370 JW Benson.
Great thread!
Here is one that I bought a good few years ago, even allowing for a recent service by Steve Burrage this came in at under £400. My only Landeron Chrono.
Bulova don't seem to get much love, I think the current perception of them is a fashion brand, whereas back in the day they were taken much more seriously. I must admit I don't know much about them. I picked up this Ambassador recently on eBay, typically they seem to go for £60 -80 which isn't a lot really. It runs about 20 secs fast per day, not sure if it's even worth having a service?
Gold plated and a nice striped effect dial...
Looks nice in the sun...
Indeed it is! I bought it from a seller on Etsy in September 2016, so not too long ago. I have noticed a dramatic increase in asking prices on certain selling platforms recently, bargains like that are definitely becoming harder to find.
Both stunners but the sandy dial of the first is breathtaking.Found this earlier this year. With original bracelet. Gains about two seconds a day. Had a lot of wrist time recently.
Another find this year. Nos in fantastic condition. I worry about the crystal on this (in case I damage it) so doesn't get worn a lot.
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There are lots of interesting watches out there for not a lot of money
Nothing below cost more than the price of a basic Swatch
And these were bought for under £200
Nice selection, love the Tom & Jerry watch!
Could you give a rough estimate of the number of jokes you had to endure because of this watch/strap combo?
While we are on this theme, this cost me £40 (excluding the strap). A quirky and interesting in-house auto movement.
Although I have a collection of more expensive watches I love a vintage affordable gem!
Here's one you may not have seen, a NOS Questar. A real '70's look to it, the indices are incredibly tall..
I guess most people will have seen my Citizen Cosmotron..
Mad Seiko LCD in original box with built in speaker!!
And this Olympic is pretty much a Heuer quartz diver in all but name.
Pity about the scratched crystal, I am pondering getting it replaced as it is a cracking looking watch.
I've got loads more here but hopefully that will afford a taste of what can be bought at very affordable prices.
Enjoying this thread, great idea OP!
Cheers,
Neil.
I picked that strap specifically to go with the watch purely for the comedy value.Could you give a rough estimate of the number of jokes you had to endure because of this watch/strap combo?
Any chance you could post that in one of the Friday threads? That would just leave us looking for something beginning with X to make a full alphabet of brands this yearAlthough I have a collection of more expensive watches I love a vintage affordable gem!
Here's one you may not have seen, a NOS Questar. A real '70's look to it, the indices are incredibly tall..
In my book, this is definitely a little gem and certainly off the beaten track.
Martin
In my book, this is definitely a little gem and certainly off the beaten track.
Martin
I like it - it looks very much like the Aquastar cases
I agree, here is a pretty Swiss made dress watch from Avia. Very good quality for the price they go for.
Mitch
I am again a one watch person, but left with a lovely hand stitched leather strap for which I needed 18mm lug watch.
Incoming all the way from Ukraine. Hope it won’t be too small.
Wow, some seriously cool looking watches on this thread!
Here are a few of mine.
1915 Waltham Trench watch in silver.
1953 Clipper, boxes and papers.
1960 (c) Exactus.
1967 Tissot Plongeur.
Big (45mm) 1970's Sicura Rally GT4B.
1974 Tissot Seastar Seven.
1979 Tissot quartz PR516.
Last edited by bobbee; 3rd November 2018 at 18:38. Reason: image resurrection
I'm loving that Sicura. Very 1960s Motor Sport.
Thanks (I hope you meant mine!), here is the catalogue page.
Bought this Edox Delfin some time ago. Sticker still on the back. Love the blue dial, big hour markers and thick (!) plexi.
Some lovely additions to this thread but the Opening Post... that is a lovely piece.
I LOVE the shape of those 70's things! Lovely watch sir.
Agreed, that Navigator looks as fresh as a daisy. Here is a nice colour advert of some of the line available tback then.
Last edited by bobbee; 16th October 2017 at 20:41.
These two a 60’s Zodiac Seawolf and an 80’s Heuer 1000 Quartz were sourced for a combined total outlay of approx £1000.
Love em both!
It's been a feature over the last 5-7 years or so that many vintage watches of any quality have fast appreciated beyond what was once an enthusiast hobby that could be carried out on a modest budget. This becomes harder the more common and popular the models are. The days of a nice pickup for a couple of hundred pounds are probably over...
For example, having personally missed the boat on the Speedmaster moonwatch a few years ago, pricing on anything from the Tritium era is now above current retail and anything nice with the old column wheel movement in serious collector territory.
Having said this - with a little hunting off the beaten track there is still much to find I think. The 60s and 70s was a fertile era for design and many names that have been positioned in the mid range by the current brand owners used to have a far more illustrious past (I'm looking at you Swatch)
I just tried on a Speedmaster Racing with this core colouring and look for a mere 7k. These Tissot Navigators are stunning looking ( I actually prefer it ) prices are starting to rise but still fantastic value
It's with this in mind that I've been hunting for a nice 70s chronograph that wouldn't break the bank. Although my preference was for a panda dial these are quite sought after too, so I widened my searches and came up with something this week.
I posted this in the incoming thread and arrived on Friday and as mentioned I probably overpaid for it even taking a good chuink off the sellers price by sending an offer, however "New Old Stock" 70s chronos are relatively hard to find and bar a couple of very light scratches on the case back, this one is immaculate.
A quick change onto a nice Hirsch Ranger strap in black and I'm seriously impressed. Thinking it might work on a tan strap too. I have to say the level of detail would shame many manufacturers now. Nice patterned subdials, applied and filled markers etc.
My photos don't really do it justice but see what you think?
Dial detail
In the sun
I think these 3 all count as affordable and off the beaten track:
A Pierce Parashock which cost me £30
This automatic Wittnauer which I recall was less than £50. Whilst I have seen a few other Wittnauer watches I have never seen another like this:
And this 1930’s (or possibly early 1940’s) Racine which I absolutely love. With a full Brendan service this was less than £200.
Edit: apologies for the terrible quality of the first 2 photos!
Always admire this one but never realised you got such a bargain buy with it! You did really well there, love it.
And this 1930’s (or possibly early 1940’s) Racine which I absolutely love. With a full Brendan service this was less than £200.
The bargain was really the result of an eBay Global Shipping Program total cock up, complaint and unexpected (and unrequested) full refund. Clearly it was my lucky day!
Love the Tissot
My BWC says hello...
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