Any tips for buying my first vintage watch?

Research,budget,buying,backup. Research the watch,what's the movement,is it serviceable, find pictures of it when new as some have been redialled or got aftermarket handsets,don't be shy and ask the seller questions .

Budget,always factor in servicing costs,now some watches are simple and a service won't break the bank but some high end watches could set you back hundreds.

Buying,obviously bricks n mortar shops are best or specialist sites as you'll have some comeback but you'll pay more,places like ebay not so much and its always better if they put pictures of the movement in the advert,but you can get nice watches for less money,but factor in the service cost.

Backup, have you a local watch repairer who can sort out any problems and service it. If you have go and talk to them,ask about costs and what they can do for you.                                                         Its a fascinating and enjoyable sector of our hobby,but as I've said be prepared for costs,and look for the condition of the watch,some will be described as having patina but keep away from corroded dials and cases as these will only get worse over time and will need a lot of money to put right. Good luck.

Thanks, that was very helpful 😁👍

I'd say to start cheap and just get some cheap Soviet watch, or an HMT or something. Cut your teeth on the low end. For very little money you'll get a stalwart but decently knackered watch on your wrist, and in the event it doesn't run to expectations, you can shop around for a fixer. A low budget watch is how one finds a low budget repair shop.

The simpler and more common, the better. Don't get some rarified brand or exotic chronograph at first. Ideally a simple 3-hander where the same model being sold all over. I guess you can google to make sure it's not a case of "these all die because of the irreparable [x] flaw" but I'd assume most of those have been culled from the pool by now.

Thanks for the tip. Yeah i was thinking of starting out cheap although i have mostly been looking at small second swiss watches.

Even if you don't know what exactly you are looking at, always look at the movement. Any sign of rust or discoloration caused by moisture in the movement, back away. I would echo the advice given above. Start small and work up to better watches. You will make mistakes. It is better if they are cheap mistakes. Also, it is overused as advice, but buy the seller. This is never more true than when dealing without warranties.

If you fancy an inexpensive but reliable entry point message @Gasworks . I have bought a couple of seiko 5 recently, both from the eighties I believe. He is entirely trustworthy and a font of knowledge?

I only take a small commission!

All great advice.  I would try to start a relationship with a vintage Dealer and go from there.  I own about 5 vintage pieces and went the ebay route.  4 are still working and 4 were DOA.   Having said that they were inexpensive so it was a good learning experience.  I did buy my birth year watch 1964 on Chrono24 and that worked out well.  Good Luck!!

P.S. I'm sure you know, but say goodbye to WR in the vintage world

Biggest two pieces of advice I hear is 1) Buy the seller first.    Make sure you are working with a reputable seller. May cost a bit more, but well worth it.    2) Condition, Condition, Condition.  

My only vintage piece is a GP that belonged to my grandfather.  I've also come very close to making a few vintage purchases but decided not to.   For now ... for me, modern watches with nod to their vintage ancestors have been filling that void.