Anyone collect watches?

[RISP]

I have a small collection of vintage watches. My most prized possession is this 1962 Omega "pie-pan" Constellation, reference 167.005:

 

[Roman]

I have a small collection of vintage watches. My most prized possession is this 1962 Omega "pie-pan" Constellation, reference 167.005:

Wow! This is awesome. Keep it in good condition!

 

[Roman]

This is my one and only 'Omega Vintage' from early 60s.

 

[RISP]

View attachment 61537
This is my one and only 'Omega Vintage' from early 60s.

Very nice. Most of these were sold as Seamasters, Genèves, DeVilles, or any combination thereof. Blank dials are more unusual, but it's a very clean, elegant look. That no-date one of yours has a really nice symmetry to it. Are the hands and indices gold? It's kinda hard to tell from the picture.

Here's my steel 1969 Seamaster Automatic, a 166.002:

 

[starry night]

It’s all about the experience.
Back in the 1980’s, I was on vacation in Switzerland and wanted to come home with a memorable watch.
I visited the 1888 flagship building/shop in Lucerne of Bucherer, a luxury brand that was acquired by Rolex in 2023.
I was lovingly attended by a charming old gentleman, who treated me so beautifully, helping a young American woman choose a quality watch that I could afford.
Loved my choice. It is still my one-and-only, and each time it needs a battery replacement, the jeweler comments on what a beautiful timepiece it is.
Loved my experience.

 

[Ronstar]

My Hamilton khaki came in the mail today. I like it. It’ll be my daily driver. My Apple Watch will only be for hikes, yard work, etc. The collection begins

 

[SecondCor521]

My son is starting a watch repair business.

He has been a collector for about six years now, and already has been repairing his own collection and done some work for family and friends.

He's going to apprentice himself to one of the other few watch repair guys in the area.

He is selling his Grand Seiko alluded to above because he says it doesn't have soul / history / character. He really wants to revive old timepieces that are just tucked away and not being enjoyed because they need some servicing or help in some way.

He already owns his own business in a similar but unrelated line of work where excellent customer service, attention to detail, and caring for discerning clients are central to his business model. I think all of that will translate well to his new endeavor.

 

[Koolau]

Since we’re sharing pictures, this is my Omega Seamaster Titanium.
View attachment 61398

I really like this one. Beautiful

 

[jastew]

Not really a collection but what I've worn over the years.

The Speedmaster is from 2007.

The metal banded Seiko is from 2002.

The alligator banded Seiko is from 1986.

 

[Roman]

The Squale (means 'shark') from Charles Von Buren - case design approx.1959 with a long diver history. This model is limited and very new. Also available in the states (build in Switzerland) from Island Watch.

 

[Roman]

New Old Stock (NOS) form Swiss Manufacture: Technos, model 'Technomatic' from the early 70s. Very rare piece and look more or less brand new and runs very accurate, approx. 1-2 sec/day.

 

[Roman]

Another Squale (shark) model "Militaire" from 1521 Series

 

[DrRoy]

I did it again. Picked it up yesterday.
.

 

[Roman]

Omega Seamaster 300m "Nekton Edition"

 

[Pointby2]

A couple watches I wanted to buy but never pulled the trigger on. I bought my Omega moonwatch instead.

Seagull 1963 Hand Wind Mechanical Chronograph

And this U-Boat watch. Not loved by watch snobs however.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I posted very early on in this thread, and lack the ability to post a photo.

Does anyone here have any experience with the gold watches produced by Longines in the 1940's? Just after the war.

I have one that my dad bought in his younger days. Between his service in WW2 and Korea. It is a beautiful gold watch. Golden band with a rectangular watch. I don't think it is worth a whole lot of money, but it is a classic gold watch from a classic golden age. I don't care what it may be worth, I just like the fact it is a cool watch from it's era.

Does anyone here know anything about Longines watches ?

 

[ClippedWings]

Got this for myself last fall. Have a couple of Christopher Wards and a Laco pilot watch that I really like too, but this was my first big purchase.

 

[Turbo29]

I have an old Omega watch with a real radium dial that was my father's. Unfortunately I held a Geiger counter in front of the crystal many years ago and it pegged the needle. Haven't worn it since. Every once in while I'll take it out to look at it and just the motion of handling it gets it running again (it's a self-winding model).

 

[Luvtoride]

And this U-Boat watch. Not loved by watch snobs however.

It doesn’t matter… as long as you love it! Great watch!

 

[Roman]

I posted very early on in this thread, and lack the ability to post a photo.

Does anyone here have any experience with the gold watches produced by Longines in the 1940's? Just after the war.

I have one that my dad bought in his younger days. Between his service in WW2 and Korea. It is a beautiful gold watch. Golden band with a rectangular watch. I don't think it is worth a whole lot of money, but it is a classic gold watch from a classic golden age. I don't care what it may be worth, I just like the fact it is a cool watch from it's era.

Does anyone here know anything about Longines watches ?

Without pictures it is difficult to judge. A watch from the 1940s made of gold from that era could sound very interesting, but mostly for collectors.

At that time it was quite common that a thin layer of gold was applied over stainless steel. You can often see this best on the back of the watch between the lugs (where the spring bars are inserted). If it is solid gold, then the value is already partly determined by the pure amount of gold itself. The watch itself usually has mainly collector value, especially if someone is interested in watches from the World War II period.

Keep it with care — it is probably the best memory of your Dad, and think about everything he must have experienced while wearing it. If it is still running, maybe give it a service at some point. The oils inside the movement dry out over time, but these movements are generally very durable if they are maintained. I guess, a Longines from that time is most likely a manual wind watch.

It’s hard to estimate the value without pictures, but unless it is solid gold you will never get the real emotional value anyway. Sorry for my imperfect English.
Roman (from Switzerland)

 

[Roman]

These Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso watches were originally created for polo players in the 1930s. British officers in India wanted a watch that could survive the rough conditions of polo matches.
The name “Reverso” comes from the reversible case design — you can flip the watch case over to protect the crystal during the game.

 

[corn18]

Well, 10 years ago I went nuts and bought and sold a LOT of watches. Retired in 2021 and hadn't worn any watch at all until a couple weeks ago when I got an Apple Watch. I use it for health data monitoring and it also tells time. It's super comfy, so it has stayed on my wrist.

Here's my current collection that I never wear:

These are watches I bought and sold:

If I had to pick just one nice watch to own, it would be the Speedmaster. And a Casio G-Shock.

 

[Roman]

And this U-Boat watch. Not loved by watch snobs however.

The U-Boat is a great watch. I like this brand. It’s an Italian manufacturer from Tuscany, and the strong military look gives the watches a very distinctive character. They don’t look and feel like just another copy of something else. Good choice, in my opinion. Inside you’ll usually find an ETA movement – I actually live quite close to where they are made – and they produce very reliable, well-proven movements. If you ever run into problems, you can easily find spare parts or even replace the entire movement. A durable, strong look that’s not “everyday” — and it will last forever.

 

[corn18]

View attachment 62419
View attachment 62420
These Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso watches were originally created for polo players in the 1930s. British officers in India wanted a watch that could survive the rough conditions of polo matches.
The name “Reverso” comes from the reversible case design — you can flip the watch case over to protect the crystal during the game.

I think the Reverso is the perfect dress watch. I love my wife's.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

What...nobody has a Timex or Casio in their collection?