Looking back, looking ahead...

[automatico]

Almost all of my better genuine watches will cost less to buy today than a pretty good 'store bought' replica (not a high $$ project watch).  I am not counting rolex watches because they are out of whack with the universe.

'Pretty good' replica = the way it looks, not the running gear because many of the movements are junk imho.

 

Looking back 10 to 20+ years, a few examples:

Five or six 1960s Zodiac Sea Wolf...$0 to $100, a couple were free (late 1980s/late 1990s).  Now going for $300 and up in good condition, non runners around $150.  Main drawbacks are the 'offset' CP and snap backs.

Steel Omega Seamaster automatics...$90/$125 (2010).  Around $250/$300 now.  Try to stay with screw backs, front loaders are a hassle.

Gold top Omega Constellation...$80 with date setting trouble (2010).  Around $450 now.

Steel Eternamatics  (1990s)...$40/$60.  About $150 now.

Gold filled UG Polerouter on strap  (1990s)...$140.  About $400 now, maybe more.  Hard to find microrotor movement parts though.

Bulova Oceanographer dive models  (1990s)...$40 to $100.  From $200 to $400 now.  Vintage '666 Devil Diver' modes are hot today.  Caravelle made Dev Dvrs too.

Bulova Oceanographer dress models  (1990s)...$30 to $100.  From $100 to $250 now, many have 10k gold bezels.

Steel Girard Perregaux automatics  (1990s)...$60 to $100.  From $100 to $300 now.

Obscure steel dive watches from the 1960s/1970s...(1980s until now)...$0 to $100.  Hot now and going for $200 to $400+.  Some very good deals still out there, got a steel 200M Croton (ETA 2451) for free a while back, excellent case/dial, needs c/o and crystal.  Someone gave up on r/r the crystal, it had rubber bands melted all over it.

The lower prices are what I paid and the dates are when I bought them.

The prices now are reasonable prices to pay, not jacked up 'collector prices'.

 

What is this all about?

Instead of blowing $$ on an unreliable replica, maybe buy an Oceanographer, Sea Wolf, vintage Omega, GP, steel diver etc next time around and have it serviced.  Bulova movements are plentiful as are Zodiac SW because the Zodiac cal 72 is basically an A/S 1687/88 with an 'in house' a/w assembly.  Many of the rest have ETA and A/S movements.

You won't lose much $$ on a 'vintage classic'.    

 

From www.ranfft.de:

"The (Zodiac 72) family is based on the manual wind calibre AS 1687/1688."

"The automatic mechanism is a joint development of Doxa, Eberhard, Favre-Leuba, Girard-Perregaux, and Zodiac."
 

 

[alligoat]

I've got a TT Zodiac red point dive watch- picked it up about 15 years ago for $250. The dial says Automatic, but it's a quartz, so it must have been at that point when Zodiac was switching from mechanical to quartz- maybe early 80s is my guess. It did fine scuba diving 10 years ago- down to 125 feet. 

 

[Nanuq]

That's great advice.  Looking over vintage dive watches on eBay it's like a kid in a candy store.  Genuine robust well made dive watches as far as the eye can see.  No need to worry about wonky Asian clone movements.  My problem is, how many round face, black, domed crystal dive watches can a guy justify having?  So I'm learning to look and admire, and remember I don't HAVE TO own it, to admire it.

 

So I just went and looked... FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!!  A Jenny/Philip Caribbean 1000m diver with complete bakelite bezel for $337.  ARGGHHHH!!!  You did this to me!  YOU!!!

 

Must have... must have... my precious...

 

[automatico]

"ARGGHHHH!!!  You did this to me!  YOU!!!"

 

I did it to myself too...   

One favorite if anyone runs across one is the manual wind Devil Diver Caravelle with a Citizen movement.  Tough as nails.  Bulova made one too.

There is a Caravelle on eBay now but it is about $350 too high.

eBay item number  293368595512