Vintage pieces

Define trouble, and let's toss in service history while we're at it.

Expecting decades old stuff to work like new, or really at all, without having seen any maintenance is going to be a problem. Otherwise, these are durable goods. Having a local and reasonably priced watchmaker is key, I'd say.

I do have a relative with a pair of ~1960's Omegas from Ebay of unknown service history. They apparently run and keep good enough time for his occasional use.

I absolutely love vintage watch design though perhaps as important as the makers you are drawn to are the specific movements within and their condition. Certain calibers have a well earned reputation as being more robust and easy to service than others. A watchmaker searched for over two years for a part I needed before he gave up and returned the watch. I ended up paying for a laser wielding repair that failed before another watchmaker found a similar part that he modified. Though the watch now works I'm concerned that the replaced cannon pinion may fail again. Passing this along so that you may avoid fumbling around as badly as I did in the beginning. Happy Hunting!

I assume I will always need to get any vintage watch serviced as soon as I buy it so I factor that into purchase price. Having a reasonable watchmaker is very useful.

Sometimes a vintage watch turns out to be unserviceable so I never by anything so pricey that I would really regret it if that turned out to be the case.

You can reduce the risk by buying watches with common movements where spares are plentiful. E.g. most ETA, Unitas, A Schild. Omega more challenging but OK, Longines can sadly be a total nightmare. Chronograph movements also tend to be more problematic spares-wise than time only so I go for common movements like the Landeron 48/248 and the Valjoux 7750 family in neo-vintage 80s/90s.

The condition of the case can be helpful in determining whether the watch was worn much - I only shop in the very low end of the market where cases are less likely to have been polished in the way that Rolex do with every service which makes this a bit easier to judge.

I like small (34mm) gold dress watches. They were often presentation watches for 25 years service at a company and then only worn by the employee only on special occasions in their retirement. They tend to have very little wear and are something of a bargain in my view.

The more "hyped" or "on-trend" the watch the greater the demand and the greater the incentive for people to try and revive lemons for a profit - see e.g. the Seiko Pogue.

I started with non complicated 3 handers on the dressy side. I like the look of dress watches from the 50s and 60s. I also imagine they have had a non dramatic life before the came into my posession. Most of them I have bought from retailers that seemed legit and high rating. It’s only the last year I have dared to get some sport watches.

This is the best part of the hobby. Research. Research. Research. For Omega and Tissot I would buy from a reputable dealer. There are bargains on eBay, but only for what you didn't know that you wanted.