When does a watch become ‘vintage’? What’s your take?
In 2001, I worked in an office building that stood a parking lot away from a sprawling K-mart — its prominent red and blue signage beckoning to all blue-light shoppers everywhere.
During lunch, after downing my tuna and diced-pickle sandwich on marble rye, I’d stroll across the tarmac, into the fine establishment and wander the isles…breathing-in the pleasant aroma of newly-stocked merchandise…giving a smile to the occasional bibbed associate and enjoying a light shuffle up and down the polished tiled-floor aisles.
My favorite spot, often standing next to a well-dressed patron, was either the Nintendo and Sega game section, or the watch case. It was the latter where I spotted my now 22 year old Armitron Allsport ani-digi watch.
This watch was expensive — about 50 bucks. So it took me a couple of weeks going back daily to look at it again and again until I decided to take the plunge. In fact…to my recollection…this may be one of my watches on which I spent the most time and energy deliberating its purchase. But, when the frizzy-haired, horn-rim glass wearing gal finally rang it up…I wore it back to the office in pride and have never looked back.
To finally get to the point: 2001 really wasn’t that long ago in the great scheme of things. And my Armitron looks new, works new, has an alarm, chime, dual time, is stainless steel and sports a relatively-timeless design. Is this watch now considered vintage because it’s over 20 years old?
Or is my Armitron just another victim of ‘accelerated decrepitude’?
When do you consider a watch should graduate to vintage status? Or is the tick, tick, tick of a watch timeless?
Time dictates my linear path to its bitter end. My watches keep me one step ahead of time…and one foot out of the grave.
That’s a logical formula.
When you take it off the lot…just like a car. 😂
The older you get the longer you view the number of years required to be considered vintage.
I have a number of watches that I bought in the 70's,80's, and 90's and I don't see them as vintage watches even though they probably are.
When I hear vintage I think 60's and earlier.
The older you get the longer you view the number of years required to be considered vintage.
I have a number of watches that I bought in the 70's,80's, and 90's and I don't see them as vintage watches even though they probably are.
When I hear vintage I think 60's and earlier.
That does make a lot of sense. Life in itself is not immune to relativity.
Vintage to me is pre-quartz.
I bought a Quartz Seamaster back then. I miss that watch. I had a Quartz Longine and a Quartz Movado. I acquired a collection of vintage solid gold watches (Movado, Longine, Onega, Doxa, Eterna,…), which I sold in 2009-2010 after my first marriage ended and I involuntarily left Wall Street. I would never again make anything like that kind of money again, but I never imagined that watch prices would go nuts like they are today. I seem to have a knack for getting in and out too early. I was big into Bitcoin, and sold out at $10 (it just seemed like such a high price). Now I just want to get that Seamaster back.
I use the antique dealer definition, 20 plus years is neo vintage. 40 years or older is vintage.
A Seamaster 2254 is neo vintage but a Milsub is vintage.
Agree with most of the above, except for me I split it at the end of the quartz crisis.
So, pre-1980s to me is vintage. After the 1980s, then I guess you could call it neo-vintage up until about 20 years ago.
Weird to think the Apple Watch is almost 10 years old...
Dating like a classic car seems pretty logical. Have grandpa's vintage Citizen WindTimer from 1985 all cleaned up and working, love it!! And a long time favorite is my lovely 1994-95 neo vintage Swatch Irony chrono. Yeah, I dig it👍
About 20-25 years is generally considered vintage.
@SurferJohn is correct.
The sand castle that you built will eventually be lost to the tide. The watch that you bought when you were volunteering for the Dukakis campaign is now vintage. That's how time works.
Retro is a style. Neo-vintage is a contradiction in terms trying to cope with getting older.
Your 20 year old watch is yesterday's style. At 25 years call it vintage.
Bring back the flip phone!!
Just like I can say with my fossil, your armitron is the most 2001 watch I've ever seen. Embrace it!
Just like I can say with my fossil, your armitron is the most 2001 watch I've ever seen. Embrace it!
All the way down to the integrated bracelets.
Bring back the flip phone!!
I would actually love it. I miss the physical keyboards.
Dating like a classic car seems pretty logical. Have grandpa's vintage Citizen WindTimer from 1985 all cleaned up and working, love it!! And a long time favorite is my lovely 1994-95 neo vintage Swatch Irony chrono. Yeah, I dig it👍
Nice! Even the original band with the knots table hasn’t perished.
I use the antique dealer definition, 20 plus years is neo vintage. 40 years or older is vintage.
A Seamaster 2254 is neo vintage but a Milsub is vintage.
I haven’t heard of neo-vintage before…but it seems sound.
Nice! Even the original band with the knots table hasn’t perished.
It's a replacement rubber strap and I was completely shocked I found it with the knots. I couldn't be more excited to have it and just may have become a bit over protective of it🙄
I bought a Quartz Seamaster back then. I miss that watch. I had a Quartz Longine and a Quartz Movado. I acquired a collection of vintage solid gold watches (Movado, Longine, Onega, Doxa, Eterna,…), which I sold in 2009-2010 after my first marriage ended and I involuntarily left Wall Street. I would never again make anything like that kind of money again, but I never imagined that watch prices would go nuts like they are today. I seem to have a knack for getting in and out too early. I was big into Bitcoin, and sold out at $10 (it just seemed like such a high price). Now I just want to get that Seamaster back.
Oh man…that’s a helluva story.
First of all, Pris is hot. I never forgot her.
A vintage watch to me is 15 years old or more.
So from what I’ve gleaned here: Anything before 1983 is vintage for us—using the 40 years ago formula.
TLDR but I was just looking thru my ebay feedback as a seller over the past forever and remembered I sold most of those items in the OP!
when everyone remembers it, but no one knows how to get it as its off the market 🙂
Mostly pieces which were not so popular during their time of release but somehow, we still recall it (nostalgic value)
I calibrate with @SurferJohn and @Aurelian's comments.
when everyone remembers it, but no one knows how to get it as its off the market 🙂
Mostly pieces which were not so popular during their time of release but somehow, we still recall it (nostalgic value)
That’s a solid observation.
Bring back the flip phone!!
Oh god no! I remember the wait until 9pm to hit up the females or else you would run out of minutes and 20 cents per SMS message was a nightmare.
I bought a Quartz Seamaster back then. I miss that watch. I had a Quartz Longine and a Quartz Movado. I acquired a collection of vintage solid gold watches (Movado, Longine, Onega, Doxa, Eterna,…), which I sold in 2009-2010 after my first marriage ended and I involuntarily left Wall Street. I would never again make anything like that kind of money again, but I never imagined that watch prices would go nuts like they are today. I seem to have a knack for getting in and out too early. I was big into Bitcoin, and sold out at $10 (it just seemed like such a high price). Now I just want to get that Seamaster back.
My son now 23 as a teen traded some bitcoin for a gamer name he wanted on Xbox.
This was very early days of bitcoin and I certainly knew nothing of it. He didn’t either as hindsight is always 20/20.
At its height before the crash the bitcoins he let go of for a gamer tag would have garnered him $500k.
Amazing, I want stories like that
Perhaps one that is iconic to a generation or simply brings nostalgia.
20 years #armitron