Are vintage watches worth it?

[Tototacoro]

Maybe I'm asking the wrong crowd, here. Are vintage worth their first impression charm, or does wearing a vintage get old? No pun intended

[whofeelitknowsit]

Depends on you, really.

[MorningTundra]

Originally Posted by Tototacoro

Maybe I'm asking the wrong crowd, here. Are vintage worth their first impression charm, or does wearing a vintage get old? No pun intended

This is potentially a deep and existential question... for me it’s a clear, Yes they’re special and worth it. The more interesting question is, why is vintage so attractive?




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[springer]

Originally Posted by Tototacoro

Maybe I'm asking the wrong crowd, here. Are vintage worth their first impression charm, or does wearing a vintage get old? No pun intended

Yes, they are charming, cool and elusive -with most models being discontinued decades ago. It doesn't matter what you collect, covet or drive, vintage will always be cool.

As to whether wearing vintage ever gets old, I'd have to say never.

[Dino2000]

Buying a new Rolex could mean you have the money and have good taste for watches. But purchasing a Vintage Rolex, if an original correct one, means that you have also knowledge... Besides that, all new watches are equal among the same reference, but vintage ones are all different, special, with its own history to tell you if you know how to listen to it.

[007Sub]

yes

[Beelzy]

They do have their charm. The old matte dials and creamy plots never become boring to look at.

[exador]

Vintage watches are from the "Golden Age" of watchmaking.
You can substitute music, fashion, furniture, architecture, whatever takes your fancy 😎

[PinotNoir]

first time into Rolex never lay my eyes into vintage but after lurking and learning from vintage section and wanting birth year Rolex and finding the correct watch and got "a must buy" conditions that's the satisfactory and worthed factor in vintage watches.

[mmmmp]

Vintage watches can be very cool. However, you need to factor in extra expenses like maintenance costs. In most cases it is more expensive and more *work* to address even the smallest problem. Parts can be hard to track down and when you find them it could be costly.

That's *if* you can find them.

More worrysome is finding a watchmaker that will service your watch for reasonable prices. They're out there, but you'll probably have to Fed-X the watch to them.

Although I'm painting a bleak picture if you can afford it, go for it as it adds an extra dimension to a great hobby.

I wish you luck,
Nark



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[mui.richard]

Originally Posted by Tototacoro

Maybe I'm asking the wrong crowd, here. Are vintage worth their first impression charm, or does wearing a vintage get old? No pun intended

Personally it's definitely worth it, and not limited to the Rolex/Tudor stable. There's an "old school" charm about them that's just not present in the newer models.

Worthy or not is too personal for anyone other than yourself to answer, as some already mentioned the higher maintenance etc could be tedious to some. But when you do track down that special piece the reward is gratifying.

[1William]

I have been down the vintage road with both cars and watches and have found that while they are cool to look at, ownership is another thing. Service, parts and materials of original construction and being able to find technicians to complete work is a challenge depending on the item. I do not believe in the value of the market on a lot of items and they are driven many times on hype and you can get hurt financially if you get a lot tied up and the market tanks. Look at the vintage Corvette market or the current market on some watches. To each their own but it is not for me.

[statsman]

Remember, the only vintage watches people collect are ones that have a lot of the design really done “right”. 40 years ago, Pulsar (for example) sold a whole lot of digital display watches. Nobody is collecting them unless they are making an ironic statement.

I suspect that vintage collectors are more discerning with new watch purchases- they have an eye for the “timeless”.

[blowfish89]

Tritium patina is the best color on a dial.

[J!m]

It is very much worth it.

I do a lot of my own work (no all of it- yet) so I have a handle on that end of ownership and can address small problems before they become big ones...

But I think the best description of vintage watches is: "Warm". They have been worn, which eases the edges. We like sharp cases but not to be cut on them. Plexi crystals are literally warm to the touch, unlike the cold of sapphire. Divers have high dome or "top hat" crystals reaching to the stars... Aluminum bezel inserts fade in all sorts of interesting ways- and no two are alike. Seeing, learning and interacting with the intricate details of construction and all the different dial variations... The way lume plots change color over time; always warm, creamy colors (in endless variation), never stark white. There's a lot going on.

And slow-set date non-hacking movements have a high level of owner interaction. Pulling a quick-set off the winder and slapping it on just doesn't do it for me. Might as well get a Quartz (not that there's anything wrong with Quartz)

I've loved watches my whole life (first one in grade school) and always will.

And Statsman nailed it: in modern watches, I look for "timeless" appeal. I have a first-gen Planet Ocean, in black (the most modern watch I have). That's a timeless design and the secondary market seems to support that. The "improved" ceramic versions are really garish in my opinion, and like the first gen PO orange variants, will fall from favor I think.

[Xelorpepsi]

It is a very much a function of what you like and are after. I personnally enjoy the patina, knowing that my watch has a long history, and maybe even more importanly that I won't see it on every single wrist.

At the end of the day, it's a very selfish and sometimes guilty pleasure... but definitely worth it!

[watchyou]

Originally Posted by J!m

It is very much worth it.

I do a lot of my own work (no all of it- yet) so I have a handle on that end of ownership and can address small problems before they become big ones...

But I think the best description of vintage watches is: "Warm". They have been worn, which eases the edges. We like sharp cases but not to be cut on them. Plexi crystals are literally warm to the touch, unlike the cold of sapphire. Divers have high dome or "top hat" crystals reaching to the stars... Aluminum bezel inserts fade in all sorts of interesting ways- and no two are alike. Seeing, learning and interacting with the intricate details of construction and all the different dial variations... The way lume plots change color over time; always warm, creamy colors (in endless variation), never stark white. There's a lot going on.

And slow-set date non-hacking movements have a high level of owner interaction. Pulling a quick-set off the winder and slapping it on just doesn't do it for me. Might as well get a Quartz (not that there's anything wrong with Quartz)

I've loved watches my whole life (first one in grade school) and always will.

And Statsman nailed it: in modern watches, I look for "timeless" appeal. I have a first-gen Planet Ocean, in black (the most modern watch I have). That's a timeless design and the secondary market seems to support that. The "improved" ceramic versions are really garish in my opinion, and like the first gen PO orange variants, will fall from favor I think.

I very much agree to this

[FTX I]

Originally Posted by springer

Yes, they are charming, cool and elusive -with most models being discontinued decades ago. It doesn't matter what you collect, covet or drive, vintage will always be cool.

As to whether wearing vintage ever gets old, I'd have to say never.

This

[thomaspp]

Originally Posted by J!m

It is very much worth it.

I do a lot of my own work (no all of it- yet) so I have a handle on that end of ownership and can address small problems before they become big ones...

But I think the best description of vintage watches is: "Warm". They have been worn, which eases the edges. We like sharp cases but not to be cut on them. Plexi crystals are literally warm to the touch, unlike the cold of sapphire. Divers have high dome or "top hat" crystals reaching to the stars... Aluminum bezel inserts fade in all sorts of interesting ways- and no two are alike. Seeing, learning and interacting with the intricate details of construction and all the different dial variations... The way lume plots change color over time; always warm, creamy colors (in endless variation), never stark white. There's a lot going on.

And slow-set date non-hacking movements have a high level of owner interaction. Pulling a quick-set off the winder and slapping it on just doesn't do it for me. Might as well get a Quartz (not that there's anything wrong with Quartz)

I've loved watches my whole life (first one in grade school) and always will.

And Statsman nailed it: in modern watches, I look for "timeless" appeal. I have a first-gen Planet Ocean, in black (the most modern watch I have). That's a timeless design and the secondary market seems to support that. The "improved" ceramic versions are really garish in my opinion, and like the first gen PO orange variants, will fall from favor I think.

[Thegr8one]

In my opinion....

Modern = Sterile
Vintage = Character/Charm

[indigo993]

Originally Posted by mui.richard

This is a fantastic shot!

[gman5515]

IMO, vintages are special, as the watch industry has shifted.. in a nutshell, back then when they used radium and tritium, which are probably no longer in use. with new technology with luminova and superluminova, doubt they would age as gracefully as the vintage watches with radium/tritium.

[motoikkyu]

As many others have said, vintage means many choices, as opposed to this year's product line. With a greater pool to choose from, you can get what really moves you.

[gt0279a]

Personally, I like the idea of buying new watches to pass down that will have a story to tell in 20-30 years.

[dhknola]

I got into vintage because they 'used' to be cheaper...my how times have changed.

[Frogman4me]

Can't beat the charm and beauty of vintage. Also I find that the vintage community of people are just awesome!

[mattedialdoc]

New watches suck


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[HERITAGE82]

It’s all about the charm...

We need more pics :)




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[MorningTundra]

I like the old design aesthetic...

I like that they’re a tangible piece of history...

I like the way they age. Some gracefully, some gnarly but seldom the same.

I like the personal memories and achievements they remind me of.

I like that they were built by craftsmen rather than robots.

I like that they become more scarce with each passing year.

I like the historical human achievements they bore witness too and celebrate.

I like the people that like them (mostly).

That’s why I like vintage.



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[lucevan le stelle]

Personally I like vintage and patina. But increasingly I think vintage ( the affordable pieces) will become the only way for many to gain entry to Rolex as they move the brand upmarket. So it will not only become more popular, but necessary.