Dr No[Moderator Omega - Wristscan]
34925
If this forum was a college . . .
Sep 11, 2013,11:30 AM
. . . your post would be a class titled 'Purist 101'. Thanks very, very much for putting together such an excellent primer, Nilo. An article like this was sorely needed.
Let me add a few observations of my own regarding vintage watches. Firstly, the importance of cultivating a relationship with a watchmaker cannot be overestimated. The services - and more importantly, expert advice - of an experienced watchmaker have the potential for making or breaking the foray. No matter how experienced a collector may be, there are pitfalls waiting for you to fall in. I'm now learning, much to my chagrin, how difficult it is to source parts for a very highly regarded vintage movement.
Second, a vintage collector has to have a sense of how important originality, or to put it more precisely, how important the relative level of originality is to him or her. If it's of paramount importance, then the investment in time and effort taken to learn about the field is critical. So many refinished dials and cases, as well as replaced movements, crowns, hands, and crystals, abound that it's likely to stumble onto an example that's not 'correct'.
Finally, there's a great deal of truth in what Nilo says about the canniness of vintage dealers. They always know the shortcomings and market value of their wares, which works to your disadvantage. The best place to scour for vintage watches isn't at professional dealers (they're at least as sharp as you are), on the internet (so many potential problems, particularly outright fraudulence), or even flea markets (much the same as professional dealers, with the added shortcoming of not being accessible after sale), but at pawn shops. Most have little horological knowledge, so unless you're shopping for a very well known brand, you'll have at least an even chance of bargaining on an even level, with the intrinsic benefit of having a brick-and-mortar establishment to deal with in the event of a problem.