getting a sub the year of your birth silly?

[Bhutton]

Just looking for opinion - I was born '81 - to my knowledge, nothing particularly special about sub's in '81.

I think it'd be kind of cool instead of a new LN, has some character etc. (if i can find a no date all the better being a diver I appreciate the lack of Cyclops)

this silly? My first venture into the vintage world... (and just the recent dissolving of my goal of the holy trinity of modern sport watches... Getting married - sacrifice i'm glad to make :) so need to be focusing on cool and unique over 45k patek's.

Thoughts? or am i better to go for a single red sub and say screw the '81.

also - full kit for vintage - is this super important? Paper/box.. obviously a plus but seems like it's a lot less important in vintage.? again new to this appreciate the feedback

Thanks!

[AS1]

not silly, many people like a birth year watch.

[linesiders]

Love 'em

A rare advantage of being older and having more to chose from ;)

[Bhutton]

But is it a better call to go right for the grail Red sub?

or is it one of those "its a nice novelty" thing, but Red is the smarter money etc

Like i said pretty new to this whole thing :)

[jdmi32]

Go for the Red Sub as it seems like that is what you really want. Box and papers are important to some folks but don't have much value to me. It's all about the watch.

[Bhutton]

Oh i'm just learning and asking questions - like an '81 sub is cool and i like the idea. But if it's silly and i'm better to just get an LN i appreciate the feedback or go for a red sub.. like i don't know what value to place on this other than sentimental - trying to read through all the great posts in this forum and it's some serious reading.

[brandrea]

I think birth year watches are cool.

Here's mine from 67

[jdmi32]

Originally Posted by Bhutton

Oh i'm just learning and asking questions - like an '81 sub is cool and i like the idea. But if it's silly and i'm better to just get an LN i appreciate the feedback or go for a red sub.. like i don't know what value to place on this other than sentimental - trying to read through all the great posts in this forum and it's some serious reading.

An '81 maxi 5513 or matte dial 16800 is not silly at all. Would certainly be cheaper than a Red Sub. You're certainly doing the right thing by reading up and trying to figure out what you really want before pulling the trigger. The hunt's half the fun.

[Dr.Smellody]

Get a birth year! 1974 for me.

[bzabodyn]

'81 here too but 1980 watch was closest I could find:



BZ

[omitohud]

Sooner or later, u will get both. 😁 IMO get the red sub first as its harder to find n getting more expensive everyday. 👎🏻


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[DCheeta]

Birth year watches are cool. It's fun to wear something that's been around for as many years a you have.

I'd get a 16800 if I were you. Damn cool watches. But then, red Subs never did anything for me.

[cajuntiger]

Silly no...but personally I would prefer to get a watch that I really wanted over focusing on a specific year. Especially if that year was 1981...much better options from the 70's

[QueueCumber]

Originally Posted by Bhutton

Just looking for opinion - I was born '81 - to my knowledge, nothing particularly special about sub's in '81.

I think it'd be kind of cool instead of a new LN, has some character etc. (if i can find a no date all the better being a diver I appreciate the lack of Cyclops)

this silly? My first venture into the vintage world... (and just the recent dissolving of my goal of the holy trinity of modern sport watches... Getting married - sacrifice i'm glad to make :) so need to be focusing on cool and unique over 45k patek's.

Thoughts? or am i better to go for a single red sub and say screw the '81.

also - full kit for vintage - is this super important? Paper/box.. obviously a plus but seems like it's a lot less important in vintage.? again new to this appreciate the feedback

Thanks!

It's not silly if it is a Comex 1665 from 1981. Those are pricey though, so perhaps consider a 6263 Daytona instead....

[omitohud]

Originally Posted by QueueCumber

It's not silly if it is a Comex 1665 from 1981. Those are pricey though, so perhaps consider a 6263 Daytona instead....

U r a funny guy, Q. Lets show em. 😜


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[joli160]

With a birth year you can grow old together and see who ages better

[QueueCumber]

Originally Posted by joli160

With a birth year you can grow old together and see who ages better

Or you can trade up for a younger model every few years, no need to get conjugal. Trust me!

[lhanddds]

Buy the one you like.

[Toronto Soup King]

You wouldn't be the only one, if you did buy a birth-year watch. Lots of people like to do that (me included)

[Tools]

If you're a youngster then perhaps a birth year watch can be found in a style you like - folks buy things for a variety or reasons.

Personally I don't see the point in it; but they didn't have Subs, GMT's, or the like when I was born.



Hmmmmmmmmmm they didn't have Nike or Reebok either, and telephones had a dial on the front... maybe I could find an old Timex and some Levi's that old that still work..

[Beelzy]

It is, if you were born in 1963......Lol!

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Tools

If you're a youngster then perhaps a birth year watch can be found in a style you like - folks buy things for a variety or reasons.

Personally I don't see the point in it; but they didn't have Subs, GMT's, or the like when I was born.



Hmmmmmmmmmm they didn't have Nike or Reebok either, and telephones had a dial on the front... maybe I could find
an old Timex and some Levi's that old that still work..

Same here Larry and its almost impossible to get the exact year when any 1980s Rolex was made.

[Franks07]

Not silly...1954 was a great year.

[Mark020]

If only I had one.





I mean: I have more than one :-)

[Michael M.]

Nothing wrong with getting a birth year Submariner, I just helped a collector complete his 'birth year' set (5512, 1675, 6263,). Just know that some years may be slightly more difficult to find than others, but 1980/81 shouldn't be too difficult. Best of luck with the search!

[Bhutton]

It's all interesting - i may grab an 81 sub - just because honestly i can get it and a JLC MUT 39 both within my budget & have 2 completely different looks and then save up for a red or double red.

seems that it's incredibly difficult to find and will take some time to find. Esp in a Mark 1-3 dial & with papers.. (Found one already but missing pearl, 3 spots of water damage on dial & date wheel replaced (biggest issue IM0) and even with that they want 15k (whole budget :()

[ratty]

Not silly at all to me.

I would really like a 1963 Sub, does anyone have a picture of a 63 Sub?

[roh123]

I would say it's silly if it's only to have a watch from that specific year. First decide what model and year you like and if that correlates to your birth year it's a good idea if you can find a great example matching your preferences. Personally I had a perfect birth year 6263 which I let go as it just wasn't me. I prefer earlier models and even if the one I had was great and probably the best possible watch from 1979 I just didn't enjoy it as much as others. It therefore had to go.

Best of luck with your decisions.

[bigsmall]

How to date a vintage watch? By on of the serial / year of production lists, that differ from one another. Or by the papers? Watch could be produced the year before.

While it is difficult to date a vintage really precisely, a watch from your birth era would be a smooth approach.

[Storky]

Originally Posted by Bhutton

It's all interesting - i may grab an 81 sub - just because honestly i can get it and a JLC MUT 39 both within my budget & have 2 completely different looks and then save up for a red or double red.

seems that it's incredibly difficult to find and will take some time to find. Esp in a Mark 1-3 dial & with papers.. (Found one already but missing pearl, 3 spots of water damage on dial & date wheel replaced (biggest issue IM0) and even with that they want 15k (whole budget :()

Hi... Interesting thread!
If you bought a Red up to your budget you'll always be hankering after birth year watch. So, IMHO get a feet first lovely Red that hits the spot (probably with no papers) and an '81 16800 or a 5513. There ya go, I've had my little say! Let us know what you do and post us pics of both the watches!!!!