What is the best value in Vintage Rolex/Tudor?

[Gina Marie]

Big block? 16800 matt? 16550? Spider dials? 16660 glossy?

Let's be honest....the mid 80s glossy dials are now priced like the mid 70s matt dials from 3 years ago. Where is the most upside?

[greekbum]

IMHO this is not the stock market and you should not buy thinking were is the upside. Buy what you like and its priceless.

[Gina Marie]

Agreed.....but that does not answer my question.....this is a business....look at all the dealers around....they are, for the most part, doing pretty well. Where do you see the biggest upside? Which watches are going to be priced out of contention like a 1655 or floating zenith. Which watches should I look to add that don't require selling a car or a gaggle of stock to purchase?

[springer]

Curious, as to why you keep promoting the defective, cracked spider dials? While you and a few others might like them, they are not a collector item in my opinion. As long as I've been around these vintage watches, I've never had anyone ask me for a spider dial.

As far as other mid-1980s glossy dials, I haven't noticed anything substantial regarding them in the collector market.

[springer]

Originally Posted by Gina Marie

Agreed.....but that does not answer my question.....this is a business....look at all the dealers around....they are, for the most part, doing pretty well. Where do you see the biggest upside? Which watches are going to be priced out of contention like a 1655 or floating zenith. Which watches should I look to add that don't require selling a car or a gaggle of stock to purchase?

Dealers buy below retail and make a profit at retail, just like in any other business. No secret here regarding potential future profits. Most dealers do not buy and hold, they are making a living and need to keep turning over inventory.

[greekbum]

Originally Posted by Gina Marie

Agreed.....but that does not answer my question.....this is a business....look at all the dealers around....they are, for the most part, doing pretty well. Where do you see the biggest upside? Which watches are going to be priced out of contention like a 1655 or floating zenith. Which watches should I look to add that don't require selling a car or a gaggle of stock to purchase?

Gina in the mid 80s I bought my 1st Rolex GMT and shortly thereafter started buying almost all i found. I was a collector then I turned into a dealer selling some off buying some etc. IMHO I never saw watches as an investment. I was in the investment business for almost 20 years. I always tell people buy what you like and will wear with money you don't care about. Its a watch. If I were to speculate id say this. Buy the best example of a desirable reference for the best price.

[alwayshere]

Originally Posted by Gina Marie

Agreed.....but that does not answer my question.....this is a business....look at all the dealers around....they are, for the most part, doing pretty well. Where do you see the biggest upside? Which watches are going to be priced out of contention like a 1655 or floating zenith. Which watches should I look to add that don't require selling a car or a gaggle of stock to purchase?

Another way to answer your question is no one really knows - do you think when they first release the Milgauss in the 50's, it would have been an investment watch?

Like the others have said, buy when you like - on the flip side, if we did know which ones were good investments, we wouldn't share that information with you either

One last thing, I have noticed you buy quite a few vintage tudor submariners - I myself think these are great investments! (thats just my view anyway)

[Gina Marie]

I like the spider dials....they speak to me. I enjoy the flaw. Recall that 10 years ago folks were not that fond of brown subs....now look at them.

Regarding tudors......if i want a nice matt 5513....i will need to pay upwards of 9k....a nice blue 94010 or 7016 is in the 6's. When i go onto a site i see 5x the number of 5513s as i do blue tudor snowflakes.....hmmmm....seems to me the blue snowflake is lower thsn it should be as compared to the 5513.....both iconic....both classic.....both unique.

[jvmartin]

Try and stay out of anything too recent but also too vintage or rare. You will want to buy something that you can expect will always have consistent demand from a large customer base... I personally like 70s-90s Datejusts, hence the watches I post in the For Sale section...

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by greekbum

Gina in the mid 80s I bought my 1st Rolex GMT and shortly thereafter started buying almost all i found. I was a collector then I turned into a dealer selling some off buying some etc. IMHO I never saw watches as an investment. I was in the investment business for almost 20 years. I always tell people buy what you like and will wear with money you don't care about. Its a watch. If I were to speculate id say this. Buy the best example of a desirable reference for the best price.

Great advice Nick, and that's what I did thanks to you

[rootbeer7]

these!!

[onthedial]

@Gina Marie
Nothing wrong with speculating on which References will see big upsides in the future, but it's a risky proposition to commit a substantial amount of $$$ to one's theory. If you're genuinely interested, I'd recommend taking no more than 5-7% of your invest-able portfolio and purchase what you believe will be increasingly sought after in the near future. Consider holding (and wearing/enjoying) those timepieces for a minimum of two years, study the market, and see where you're at (sell/hold). A word of caution: Like securities investing, I would recommend that you do your own research/due diligence rather than listen to other's opinions/tips. [Psst, matte 16800s are definitely the FUTURE!!!].
_________
Instagram: @onthedial

[springer]

Originally Posted by onthedial

@Gina Marie
Nothing wrong with speculating on which References will see big upsides in the future, but it's a risky proposition to commit a substantial amount of $$$ to one's theory. If you're genuinely interested, I'd recommend taking no more than 5-7% of your invest-able portfolio and purchase what you believe will be increasingly sought after in the near future. Consider holding (and wearing/enjoying) those timepieces for a minimum of two years, study the market, and see where you're at (sell/hold). A word of caution: Like securities investing, I would recommend that you do your own research/due diligence rather than listen to other's opinions/tips. [Psst, matte 16800s are definitely the FUTURE!!!].
_________
Instagram: @onthedial

Psst...don't tell anyone, but I'm buying GMT 16710 sets as well as 16700 GMT sets. Six years ago, they were available for around $3200 - $3500 . . . fast forward to Sept 2016, you'll pay around $6500 plus for a nice set.

[harry in montreal]

Beginning in 2000 I was buying snowflake subs. I would find them for $800 on poor bands. 2005; I would occasionally buy broken snowflakes for 800-1000. Fix, wear and sell. 2 years ago, I bought a few at about 1800 and put them away. I just lived how they looked. This is the best advice that greekbum noted above. BUY WHAT YOU LOVE. Never buy a painting because it matches the couch.

[onthedial]

@springer
John, I'll see your 16710 & 16700 sets and raise you with Speedmaster pre-1971 Ref 145.022 and 145.012.
___________
Instagram: @onthedial

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by Gina Marie

Big block? 16800 matt? 16550? Spider dials? 16660 glossy?

Let's be honest....the mid 80s glossy dials are now priced like the mid 70s matt dials from 3 years ago. Where is the most upside?

Too late.

"Vintage" Rolex and Tudor are pretty much all overvalued.

Tudor Sub 79090 are the exception if you can buy nice one under $3k.

It's like rare coins at this point. The money has found the nice stuff and floated it up and away into oncoming stagnation and future deflation as interests shift. Collectors are fickle beasts.

Watches are even worse as the vintage and hipster trend that has been driving prices fades and something else becomes super duper cool.

[eco8gator]

Blue Tudor 79090 and 79190 are good buys under 3k. Much smarter choice than a Black Bay. Easily serviceable, classic look, unique color for a steel sub. I think this will be the next to creep up in price.

Any Snowflake since the hands are unique and cool. I'd stick with black for now since blue ones are at a crazy premium. They look amazing on a NATO. I think these will stay level for some time.

[Vincent65]

It's pretty subjective - you could argue a "Paul Newman" Daytona is the best bet, if you've got the funds to spare!

[brockburst]

Sent you a PM with my thoughts

[harry in montreal]

Blue 79090s seem to never sell below $4k. I think the 76100s are cheaper and have nicer dials.

[Gina Marie]

Great PM!!!!

Originally Posted by brockburst

Sent you a PM with my thoughts

[datejust24]

have to agree with John here....never looked at spider dials as a desireable characteristic at all...I do think that Big Blocks are gorgeous pieces that are still gaining and can still be found for good deals if you're patient..

[Michael M.]

Originally Posted by springer

Psst...don't tell anyone, but I'm buying GMT 16710 sets as well as 16700 GMT sets. Six years ago, they were available for around $3200 - $3500 . . . fast forward to Sept 2016, you'll pay around $6500 plus for a nice set.

This is some sound advice. I recently sold a LNOS 16700 and 16710 and was surprised at how quickly they sold. Maybe I priced them too low?

The 16800 matte is one of my favorites. I think in general the transitional sport models have a strong likelihood of appreciating (16800 matte, 16660 matte). I just purchased two mint condition full sets for my personal collection, one of which is nearly unworn. They represent a great balance between vintage soul (matte dial) and modern reliability (sapphire crystal).

Just my 2 cents. I'm no financial wizard nor do I have a crystal ball. My advice has always been, buy what YOU like to wear - and if it appreciates, that's just 'icing on the cake'.

[norinori]

With the crazy prices of snowflakes and 7928's, personally I think the 7016 small rose transitional, with its unique semi-pcg case, is undervalued given it was only made for 1-2 years. Far fewer available when compared to the number of available snowflakes/7928s.

Though who knows if prices of snowflakes and 7928s will stay up...

[greekbum]

Tudor....investment....imho for me only as a much cheaper alternative to the Rolex version. It was always known as the poor mans Rolex as far back as i can remember. If I could choose over the Rolex equivalent I would always go Rolex for myself. The only appeal i ever have with them is if they are 1/2 price or less than the Rolex equivalent. Parts are very hard to source and they have always been a headache for me. This is just my opinion and I know there are collectors and people who love them but the prices of these has gone way high for what they are imho. I've owned 100s and i like the older subs the best.