Vintage Watch Thread (Pre-1990's watches only)

[DavidLane]

Hey folks, I am started this thread because there seemed to me to be a hole in the SF community for vintage watch enthusiasts. Please feel free to post about all things vintage watches: movements pics, cases, straps, drooling and such.

I chose the 1990's as the cut off because, well, its 30 years ago and was the mainstream introduction and use of sapphire crystals.

Also if you have a piece to sell, we could also use this thread as a B/S/T for those looking to unload or add to your collections, source for vintage straps and parts if need be.

I am excited to see what you are collecting!

-DL

 

[DavidLane]

As an inaugural post I am posting a very recent acquisition of a 1970's Gallet Chronograph with an EP-40 movement and what I am dubbing a Andes Mint Chocolate dial.

-DL

 

[RogerP]

IWC cal 8541 from 1969

 

[Opethian]

My contribution to this fantastic thread!
Omega constellation piepan 168.005
Gold capped beauty

 

[LA Guy]

Not selling right now, but I have a handful pre-90s, and that's really what I love. These pictures have all been posted in the regular watch thread, but:

Omega 145.017 with the 860 movement:

Omega 105.005 on a custom fob by @DavidLane My picture taking skills are poor, and I didn't capture the mint sunburst main dial and concentric circles in the subdials, nor the warmth of the dial:

IWC from the early 70s with the Pellaton 8541B movement:

 

[emptym]

Great thread idea. I'm a big fan of vintage watches, mainly because of the smaller size. Perhaps not in the same league as the watches above, but I really like older, US-made watches, particularly ones by Waltham, since I lived in the town Waltham and my grandfather wore them:

 

[Michigan Planner]

I've got a thing for older dive watches... here are a couple of mine:

Early '80s:


Late '80s:


This one is from '92, but I think that it's close enough:


I no longer have this Heuer Night Diver, but it was a great fitting one:


And a Zodiac Night Diver from the same time period as the Heuer and with the same Monnin case:

 

[Opethian]

I've got a thing for older dive watches... here are a couple of mine:

Early '80s:


Late '80s:


This one is from '92, but I think that it's close enough:


I no longer have this Heuer Night Diver, but it was a great fitting one:


And a Zodiac Night Diver from the same time period as the Heuer and with the same Monnin case:

I love vintage Zodiacs.. Great watches really

 

[DavidLane]

My contribution to this fantastic thread!
Omega constellation piepan 168.005
Gold capped beauty
View attachment 1344016

Love the Pie Pan dials. Super sharp case too.

 

[Opethian]

Love the Pie Pan dials. Super sharp case too.

The condition on this watch is amazing! I will try to get a better shot.
Omega logo etched in the Plexiglass and super sharp case.
Thanks for the thread too, I have a few vintage pieces that I will be sharing over the next few days

 

[DavidLane]

I've got a thing for older dive watches... here are a couple of mine:

Early '80s:


Late '80s:


This one is from '92, but I think that it's close enough:


I no longer have this Heuer Night Diver, but it was a great fitting one:


And a Zodiac Night Diver from the same time period as the Heuer and with the same Monnin case:

The lugs on that Heuer Night Diver are awesome.

-DL

 

[DavidLane]

The condition on this watch is amazing! I will try to get a better shot.
Omega logo etched in the Plexiglass and super sharp case.
Thanks for the thread too, I have a few vintage pieces that I will be sharing over the next few days

Awesome, the more images the merrier. I just bought a lot from an estate that has panned out incredibly. Including the Gallet above along with a couple of Helbros and another Gallet with the Valjoux 72.

-DL

 

[DavidLane]

Great thread idea. I'm a big fan of vintage watches, mainly because of the size. Perhaps not in the same league as the watches above, but I really like older US-made watches, like these Walthams:
View attachment 1344055

Waltham is a great company with a cool history as well. They had the contract for the Fifty Fathoms, and there are a few out there. Awesome stuff. I agree on the smaller sizes as well, I have a larger wrist nearly 8" and much prefer 36-38mm watches.

-DL

 

[DavidLane]

Not selling right now, but I have a handful pre-90s, and that's really what I love. These pictures have all been posted in the regular watch thread, but:

Omega 145.017 with the 860 movement:
View attachment 1344023

Omega 105.005 on a custom fob by @DavidLane My picture taking skills are poor, and I didn't capture the mint sunburst main dial and concentric circles in the subdials, nor the warmth of the dial:

View attachment 1344024

IWC from the early 70s with the Pellaton 8541B movement:
View attachment 1344035

Fok, you have found some beautiful stuff. The condition of the black dial Omega is insane. Fits your wrist well. I definitely have a thing for chronographs, not sure why. Its tough to make a complex dial work, and the 60's-70's chronos are the best imho.

-DL

 

[LA Guy]

Fok, you have found some beautiful stuff. The condition of the black dial Omega is insane. Fits your wrist well. I definitely have a thing for chronographs, not sure why. Its tough to make a complex dial work, and the 60's-70's chronos are the best imho.

-DL

And it will look awesome on my new stingray fob as well!

Ands thanks. Yeah, it's a beauty. What I love about vintage watches is a combination of the vast array of amazing choices plus the actual scarcity of some of these rare references that makes the hunt all the more enjoyable.

Getting something that is single owner (the gold plated one), or NOS, maybe with some history, is just really, really, satisfying.