One day at the flea market
Good morning or good evening crunchers, depending on the part of the world you read this post from!
For the first time in my life I tried yesterday to check for vintage watches at a big flea market in Brussels. This was something I always wanted to do but I didn’t know how it will turn out. I have no clue how to identify if a watch is original and no means at all apart from my gut feeling. The experience and the summer heat (37 Celsius) were quite overwhelming. You don’t have the luxury of sitting down at the calm and safe space of your home browsing vintage watches at chronos24 or ebay and do your research. After going through a ton of junk (maybe some were really good watches but didn’t even know how to spot them) I found 1 hand winding Baume et Mercier from 1960 which I could recognise. Without being able to check the mechanism (it is in perfect working condition and hand wind’s smoothly)I decided to go for it and negotiate the best price I could get it for. Initially he asked for 170€ and I finally got it for 110€. I was doing my last rounds in the flea market. I had found a potentially good watch and I was on my way out. I found literally at the exit the 2nd watch which I think is not legit but I took it anyway. The guy was asking for 30€ and I bought it for 10€. On the dial you read Wostok Gagarin. I have never seen anywhere a Bostok or Vostok being written as Wostok but maybe I am wrong. If someone knows anything that can share in the comments about this watch it would be awesome. On top of that the watch has a broken crown and I am not sure if it works!
Do you have any similar experiences? If yes show us the treasures you found. And if you can please share any tips and methods to find out if a watch is legitimate, how to go around and what to look for, how to bargain with the seller and what to avoid.
I will go first and share photos of the two watches I found yesterday. I feel satisfied about the overall experience although I don’t know yet if I got scammed 😅. I am looking forward to seeing your watches and read your stories crunchers! Have a great Sunday everyone.
PS. I wore my trusty Casio for this task. Trust me you don’t really want to go around bargaining with your Swiss made watch on the wrist 😂🤣
My name is Kostas. I love going hunting for watches, finding information, exploring new models and discovering unknown affordable gems. I am getting particularly excited when I manage to find and make...
2:26 AM here. The house is a frickin Sauna
I haven’t purchased vintage in more than 30 years but that Baume & Mercier looks pretty good to me. As for the other watch, not familar with the brand but used to see bags of watches that had cases and dials that are similar. It was 1980s here in Toronto Canada but a fella rented a store in a gritty commercial part of the city and just put the word out that he was paying cash for old watches, straps, crystals junk watch parts clocks that products would give to businesses that supported their services or products whatever. In no time his small store was packed with garbage bags full of inventory. Those days are yesterday and recalling a favourite pop song from the 1960s YESTERDAYS GONE! Actually aren’t watches purchased new 30-40-50 years ago, antiques?
You've picked up 2 nice pieces,so a good hunt. That Wostok is interesting, Wostok is the old spelling of Vostok and Gagarin was one of the early pioneer's of the Russian space program, so could be a commerative watch. Shame its broken, but might be worth fixing up (might be a bit of a rare piece) if I were you I'd put up a post of just the Wostok/Vostok and see if you get any more information as there's plenty of fans and people with knowledge of the brand.
I haven’t purchased vintage in more than 30 years but that Baume & Mercier looks pretty good to me. As for the other watch, not familar with the brand but used to see bags of watches that had cases and dials that are similar. It was 1980s here in Toronto Canada but a fella rented a store in a gritty commercial part of the city and just put the word out that he was paying cash for old watches, straps, crystals junk watch parts clocks that products would give to businesses that supported their services or products whatever. In no time his small store was packed with garbage bags full of inventory. Those days are yesterday and recalling a favourite pop song from the 1960s YESTERDAYS GONE! Actually aren’t watches purchased new 30-40-50 years ago, antiques?
Thanks for the feedback on the watches. I also think that the Baume et Mercier is ok but I will have it checked and maintained by my watchmaker soon and will know for sure. I wish I could be in this guy’s store in Toronto at the time. I am sure he collected some interesting timepieces. How many treasures are hidden or misplaced in houses all over the world? It is intriguing just thinking about it! I agree they can be called antiques too. Especially the ones bought in the 60s 70s and earlier! Thanks for sharing 🙏
Thanks for the feedback on the watches. I also think that the Baume et Mercier is ok but I will have it checked and maintained by my watchmaker soon and will know for sure. I wish I could be in this guy’s store in Toronto at the time. I am sure he collected some interesting timepieces. How many treasures are hidden or misplaced in houses all over the world? It is intriguing just thinking about it! I agree they can be called antiques too. Especially the ones bought in the 60s 70s and earlier! Thanks for sharing 🙏
I left a lot of my hard earned dollars working as the lowest paid grunt in a firm specializing in designing cop shops( they have special design criteria)in that shop. Interesting memories, on one occasion I connected a buyer from a Japanese company to buy old watches by weight, the shop keeper sold 5-6 garbage bags full of stuff. Items could not be picked take as is. I also tried to buy from a true eccentric seller/ hoarder who made the first man look like an amateur. My vintage adventure ended when I gave the remainder of bottom barrel watches that were not worth servicing to a fella that I hired to tutor my two young daughters in math and science. He was in great demand agreed to mentor my girls when he learned that I was a watch enthusiast. Thx for reading about some old memories. I intent to investigate watches for a good long time.
You've picked up 2 nice pieces,so a good hunt. That Wostok is interesting, Wostok is the old spelling of Vostok and Gagarin was one of the early pioneer's of the Russian space program, so could be a commerative watch. Shame its broken, but might be worth fixing up (might be a bit of a rare piece) if I were you I'd put up a post of just the Wostok/Vostok and see if you get any more information as there's plenty of fans and people with knowledge of the brand.
Yes it was Gagarin under the brand which intrigued me to buy it. I know that they developed commemorative models to celebrate his trip to space but wasn’t sure about the name with a W. Good idea. I will ask the question in a Vostok forum and will surely get an answer. Many thanks
I left a lot of my hard earned dollars working as the lowest paid grunt in a firm specializing in designing cop shops( they have special design criteria)in that shop. Interesting memories, on one occasion I connected a buyer from a Japanese company to buy old watches by weight, the shop keeper sold 5-6 garbage bags full of stuff. Items could not be picked take as is. I also tried to buy from a true eccentric seller/ hoarder who made the first man look like an amateur. My vintage adventure ended when I gave the remainder of bottom barrel watches that were not worth servicing to a fella that I hired to tutor my two young daughters in math and science. He was in great demand agreed to mentor my girls when he learned that I was a watch enthusiast. Thx for reading about some old memories. I intent to investigate watches for a good long time.
I am very interested in these stories and thank you very much for sharing them here!! I envy the tutor of your daughters. I can only imagine what was in this bag. I don’t have such stories to tell. Not yet at least. I can say that I like a lot to find old watches and the experience yesterday was quite fulfilling. If only I knew the stories behind these two watches I found yesterday. I wish you keep loving and checking watches for many many years from now! All the best
I am very interested in these stories and thank you very much for sharing them here!! I envy the tutor of your daughters. I can only imagine what was in this bag. I don’t have such stories to tell. Not yet at least. I can say that I like a lot to find old watches and the experience yesterday was quite fulfilling. If only I knew the stories behind these two watches I found yesterday. I wish you keep loving and checking watches for many many years from now! All the best
The tutor who was a gifted Japanese fella of many talents self taught himself the servicing of simple movements eventually sold vintage watches at a weekend antique market. I lost all contacts with that segment of the community but one afternoon when my wife wanted French bistro food instead stumbled into Fish market advertising premium sushi. The young sushi chef is the nephew of an old chum and has bought watches from that tutor. Small world the watch community is not massive.
Best!
@watchguard77, what's the name of the flea market you visited? I'll be heading to Brussels next month and would love to check it out. I know this is WatchCrunch, but do you have any favorite restaurant for moules-frites in Brussels? I have read positive reviews for Noordzee, Le Chou de Bruxelles and Chez Leon.
@watchguard77, what's the name of the flea market you visited? I'll be heading to Brussels next month and would love to check it out. I know this is WatchCrunch, but do you have any favorite restaurant for moules-frites in Brussels? I have read positive reviews for Noordzee, Le Chou de Bruxelles and Chez Leon.
Hello! The name of the flea market is Jeu de Balle (https://www.visit.brussels/en/visitors/venue-details.Flea-market-on-the-Jeu-de-Balle-Square.270993). It is in an alternative area with nice restaurants and cafés. For mussels and fries I used to go to Chez Leon which is in the historical centre. The area is a bit touristic but there are good places to eat and drink. It is very close to grand place which you should definitely visit. I live for many years in Flanders now and with the family there is not a lot of time to visit Brussels lately for leisure but the places they have recommended are nice and the food is good. I would definitely suggest Fin de Siecle https://www.findesiecle.be/fds-en.html which has original Belgian food. I hope that helps but let me know if you need more information. Enjoy Bruxelles!
Hello! The name of the flea market is Jeu de Balle (https://www.visit.brussels/en/visitors/venue-details.Flea-market-on-the-Jeu-de-Balle-Square.270993). It is in an alternative area with nice restaurants and cafés. For mussels and fries I used to go to Chez Leon which is in the historical centre. The area is a bit touristic but there are good places to eat and drink. It is very close to grand place which you should definitely visit. I live for many years in Flanders now and with the family there is not a lot of time to visit Brussels lately for leisure but the places they have recommended are nice and the food is good. I would definitely suggest Fin de Siecle https://www.findesiecle.be/fds-en.html which has original Belgian food. I hope that helps but let me know if you need more information. Enjoy Bruxelles!
Thank you! Appreciate the help!
Thank you! Appreciate the help!
Don’t mention it! I hope you enjoy your time in Brussels