Vintage Watch Brands for under $500? What's on Your List?

Some lovely peices you've got,and at reasonable prices. Great collection 

Many thanks! You have to look at a lot of dogs to find the good ones.

Damn it. You paid less for your blue AVIA Chronograph than me and still in a better condition. But I got my Certina DS2 for $350.

• Smiths - go for Smiths De Luxe, Smiths Astral, “Made in England“ on the dial, 15 jewels plus. Avoid “Made in Great Britain”, “Britain”, “Swiss” ones such as Smiths Empire, and some Smiths, they are either low jewelled movements, pin-pallet, low quality ébauches, or end-of-life models that just don’t have the quality that the calibres that were made in Cheltenham have.
• Cyma / Tavannes
• Vertex
• Rotary up to the 1970s, avoid the quartz and beyond, the earlier ones are special.
• Roamer pre 1970
• a slight contradiction, but you can luck out with Enicar if you are careful when not considering the Sherpa or other complications. Avoid Ocean Pearls as well, too many franken. A decent 1940s 17J Incabloc Waterproof can actually be found for very little money, dresses up lovely.
• Gruen - love me a Gruen but not common this side of the Atlantic. You can get some nice pieces for very little.

That is a beauty! Congrats!

I wanted a wristwatch from every decade, so I went for a 1928 Hamilton Barrel watch, 1938 Hamilton Reagan, 1946 Bulova President, 1955 Hamilton Brent, and a 1965 Bulova Spaceveiw Accutron. All were purchased (off eBay) for $200-$300, and all were recently serviced 👍

This was my first NOS vintage watch I purchased. It was still in the box with tags. So 120.00 and then 250.00 to have it gone through top to bottom. It was worth it, as I just loved the sunburst dial. It's hard to capture just how cool it is. 

But at the same time it was a lesson in cost and finding a quality watchmaker

Now knowing I have someone I can take new finds to and trusting them is everything when it comes to Vintage watches.

So I'm on the hunt but being very picky on condition. Basically everything you just showed caters to my taste... As usual🙄

Great selection of watches.

Love that 1955 Hamilton Brent! Awesome mid-century modern design and looks like fantastic condition. Congrats.

Always a big fan of the Accutron.

Thanks! The Brent is my favorite of the bunch too!

You have a great vintage eye, as your collection is fun and in great taste!! - some of the coolest pieces I’ve seen!👌

Great topic — thanks for sharing!

Great acquisition! Such a fantastic looking watch!

Thanks for sharing that shot - that dial is awesome!

Love the strap as well.

Holy crap. I thought I was going to wear out the mouse wheel scrolling through that list 😀

That's a pretty amazing collection you have there.

Thanks! Glad it was enjoyable to view.

I tried to make it an interesting list rather than just dumping out the kitchen sink.

Which was your favorite?

Beautiful pieces. 

I really don't have much to add. If you want to dive into vintage in the low risk/low reward type of way, you really can't go wrong with pre-1968 Elgin. There are so many that you can buy three and two can be duds and still be well under $500 (including a service). I am also of the belief that a collection of pre-Citizen Bulova, and nothing but Bulova, is a fine collection.

I don't think I could pinpoint a favorite, but if pressed, it would probably be the Orfina chronograph. Many of the case designs remind me of watches featured in the book "Retro Watches", and as much as I like those quirky designs, that Orfina chrono is timeless.

Your Hamilton Trent has an “imaginative“ dial refinishing.  There were a few variations that came in the Trent case.  I think I have a leftover stock dial if you think you want it. If I can find it.

Here’s a few of mine.

Congrats! Another beauty. Looks like you are taken with those graduated dials.

I'll have to take a spin through my database to see if I have any - I'm sure I have a few in there somewhere.

So I went through my complete picture database and I could only find the following in the collection that could even be reasonably close to being graduated dials...very interesting...hadn't realized I was missing a whole segment of dial type...

the two I have are like a sunburst, really hard to get a shot to capture it. That Enicar is amazing!

Have you ever heard of the watch company Ritz? 🙄  Swiss made

Actually this one does have a really nice 17 jewel Swiss movement. Came on this beautiful vintage Aigner Italian bund strap.

That bund strap is really cool - probably worth the price of admission by itself.

Now you need to find a nice military field watch or officer's watch to put on there.

One of my favorite purchases was a complete unopened package of US Military Zulu straps from the Vietnam War era from October 1965 that I acquired from a dealer in the UK...

There were ten 16mm straps in the package, so I could pass along several to my watch collecting buddies who are also into vintage watches and, in particular, vintage military field watches like this cool 35mm Benrus disposable infantry watch made of resin with a 1-jewel movement...which saw action in Vietnam and it still works like a dream...  

Benrus Military Issue March 1965 ref. MIL W 46374

Benrus Belforte Caliber 11 K1F

Yes it was an auction where I wasn't sure what I was attracted to more. The watch or the strap?

The Benrus is stunning! I love the straps, I was born in 65

Bit late to the discussion here... But as soon as I read the title I had a feeling #omega might be the launching off point. 

I attend a lot of auctions for work and see a lot of well looked after and #nos #vintage Omega #deville, #geneve, #constellation, and #seamasters sold in the USD$200-$500 range depending on year, model, condition etc. 

I have yet to find my Constellation or Seamaster, but I know it's out there somewhere...😋

I was happy to see people started to mention Japanese timepieces in the comments. I guess it also depends on your definition of "vintage", but for me, #seiko pieces from the 50s and 60s fit the bill: 

1964 Seiko Skyline 16001E all original, AUD$220 (barely $150 of your United States Dollars).

1967 Seiko 6602-9981 Sportsman (new strap) AUD$210

1970 #citizen#cosmotron X8, all original AUD$240 

And my personal favourite:

A 1956, all original Seiko "Extra Flat" (replaced crown) AUD$180.

There is definitely some vintage value in #japanese pieces 

If "Vintage" stretches to the 70s then I'd add my #grail  Seiko #speedtimer 6139-8040 which I'm wearing today:

New Strap because my hairy arms don't get along with metal bracelets (USD$450)

Along with the #seiko5 6119-8490:

This bracelet, strangely, doesn't give me any trouble (USD$120)

And #1972 DX 6106-8629

Before changing the bracelet 😂 (USD$100) 

Both also from 1972.

Photos: 

• First 3 Seikos and the Citizen - my... Ahem... "Dealer".
• Last 3 from the 70s - Me 😋

Yeah, #benrus for an authentic WWII watch. Classic!

What year is the #zodiac?

I don't have the exact year but it is early to mid-1970s. Here are the details:

Zodiac SST 36000 (1970s)  ref. 862-968  Movement: Zodiac cailber 86 (based on AS 1687/1688) automatic  Case Size: 36mm  Crystal: Mineral Glass

I picked mine up with it's original integrated and signed bracelet including original hang tags in NOS condition. Price was a little steep at $1,140, but it's such a beauty. 

I have another with a more standard deep blue dial all the same details and this one also was NOS with original signed bracelet and hang tags, but was a little less expensive at $920.

The interesting function about this A. Schild movement is that you advance the date by pushing in the crown. So you first set the day of the week, then advance to the date by pushing in the crown.

Fantastic watch selection! Thanks so much for posting. That Speedtimer is awesome!

BTW - send us all the link to your "dealer" - some really nice pieces there

Some really nice pieces I really like the Festina.

Thanks! Some really good deals to be found on quality Festina watches from the 1960s/1970s. You just have to be careful where and who you purchase them from.

Such a great thread to scroll through! Thank you to everyone contributing and showing what amazing gems can be picked up for under 500. 👏

Awesome dial