I just wanted to start a series of posts on relatively inexpensive vintage watches that I think are a good way to begin collecting and provide great bang for the buck. I may go into these makes & models in more detail at a later date but for now here’s a quick example with pix.

Vintage Longines Admiral, circa 1970

Vintage Longines are, for the most part, grossly undervalued in terms of the quality they deliver relative to other “sexier” brands. Take this nice blue dialed Admiral from the early 1970s that I recently sold (with a tinge of regret).

Not a big watch at 35mm, it is nevertheless a nice casual dress size and the face looks large due to the narrow bezel. Plus I am a big fan of blue dials and this one is a beauty.

It has a water resistant two-piece all-stainless steel case and screwed back, which makes it ideal for daily wear.

But best of all, its “super power” is that it features a rare in house Longines cal. 431 25-jewel chronometer-grade movement adjusted to temperature and 4 positions that beats at 36,000 bph, which gives the second hand a pleasingly smooth sweep.

This deluxe version of the 431 was arguably Longines’ most technically advanced movement (the more commonly found version is detuned down to 28,800 bph), an engineering pinnacle of sorts before the quartz revolution nearly destroyed the mechanical watch industry. People like to debate about high beat vs. lower beat movements in terms of accuracy (higher beat) vs. durability (lower beat). That notwithstanding, one has to take their hat off to Longines’ commitment to pushing forward with then-cutting edge mechanical watch technology in the face of the rapidly changing world of tuning fork and quartz module competition.

 IMO, this watch is a stylish steal at around $600-$750.

Just a (not so) brief primer for the beginners on the kinds of things to think about when you start looking for a vintage watch.

First off, most of the watches that us vintage buffs are into have plastic crystals.  This can be alien to a lot of people who are used to modern timepieces with their ultra-hard synthetic sapphire crystals.  And yes, acrylic crystals are prone to scratches. But you can polish those out easily with some cotton balls and a neat little product called Polywatch.  It’s a light abrasive that will smooth out scuffs & nicks. In a pinch, even toothpaste will do. Once you become accustomed to the warm look of an acrylic crystal you won’t be so hung up about it, I guarantee you.

In fact some watches are so iconic, like this mid-1960s Omega Speedmaster Professional (aka “The Moonwatch”), that the companies still put plastic crystals on them today despite the superior hardness of modern crystals. They know very well: don’t mess with a classic!

Secondly, what to buy? And my answer to this is: buy what you like. Continue reading →