Vintage is not for me. Anyone else feel the same way?

[Bigsoftee]

I appreciate vintage, but never appealed to me. Nothing like putting on a brand new watch and getting your first scratch :)

[dwjez14]

Same but I will be into
Vintage some day in the future since our new pieces will be vintage someday

[Easy E]

I appreciate everything about my modern watches and pretty much next to nothing in the vintage pieces - cases, bracelets, crystals, movements, design, all of it. I can, however, greatly appreciate the evolution and history of a piece, of a brand. Just have zero interest in owning the old stuff.

I was, not too far back, offered a vintage GMT Pepsi for a smoking deal. Tried it on...it felt like something you would pull out of a cereal box. Hard no from there on out.

[Malum]

I like watches , guitars and motorcycles . My 70’s Rickenbackers and SVT are all I play . I did buy them new . But motorcycles and watches I prefer modern .

[Yobber76]

I was convinced i wanted a Sub 5513 until i started finding some; prices were all over the map,bracelets weren't original, crystal had been changed, etc. I realized i was in over my head. I own the Sub C date and the SubC, bought new from an AD. They're beautiful, they were new, I'm happy with them.

[kieselguhr]

I love the aesthetics and the heritage aspects. Especially if it was inherited from a relative or a dear friend.

But the idea of buying a complete stranger’s 30 year old used watch for the price of a new one or more isn’t for me. I am glad that there are people out there more refined than myself who are able to enjoy these pursuits in my absence.

[Rebel]

I like vintage. Buy vintage. Wear vintage. Heck, I'm vintage.

[KevinP.]

I love watches period. Modern or vintage, I love and enjoy both for very different reasons.

Being on a waitlist is nowhere near as fun as the research and chase of finding the right example of the model you're after.

[cwilson13]

Shine. Weight. Inventive.

Patina. Charm. History.

Both.









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[Doc Savage]

I don't like buying vintage watches for the same reason I don't like vintage guitars or amps. The newest gear is made so much better. Old gear/watches are less reliable and often in need of repair.

Rolex's newest models are their best-made watches. Same with guitars, in my experience.

Originally Posted by dwjez14

Same but I will be into
Vintage some day in the future since our new pieces will be vintage someday

I will be this one day, too.

[rmlovett1]

Love both modern and vintage. Vintage is not for everyone, definitely can be a minefield, but doing the homework/research is part of the charm, at least for me.
Each has its own attraction for my tastes & lifestyle. All personal choice.

[Muxi]

Originally Posted by RCrusoe

I've just gotten back into watch collecting and have picked up a new watch for the first time in a little while. I've recently ended up adding a 6-digit (modern) Daytona to my collection but my intention was initially to find something vintage. I've recently celebrated a milestone and was looking at a "birth year" watch from the late 70s.

In particular I was looking at possibly picking up a Sub or GMT master from this era. I've been looking quite extensively both in North America and Europe, have tried on a number of watches, and have now realized that I don't think that I could ever be happy with a vintage Rolex from the 70s.

After having picked so many up and tried so many on I just can't seem to get over how "light" they feel and how the bracelets don't have any heft at all and feel like scrap metal (tin) to me. I know the price of these watches is often many times what new references cost but I just can't seem to get over the fact that every other modern watch I own feels more substantial than a vintage Rolex from the 70s.

Although I know watch collecting is far from rational, I just can't seem to get over how light some of the watches feel. I can't even imagine paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for a Daytona from the 70s without any of the modern weight/heft...

Are there any others in the same predicament?

I understand your concern. Production process would naturally make the modern references feel tighter and more robust. Another factor may be freshness. If you are like me, then only bnib and lnib might be acceptable and that is very difficult to find in vintage.

[tgyberg]

I owned a 1997 16610 Sub for 15 years and compared to the new stuff, it was inferior in a lot of areas. I like the vintage watches but I would never choose one over the newer models that's for sure

[Rolexavidfan]

Not only vintage timepieces but also pens, cameras, etc.


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[Giangos]

Definitely modern for me.

Once I tried on a vintage GMT and I was completely underwhelmed.

I had no attraction to it at all. The bracelet was the worst part.

So not for me, that leaves more out there for those who appreciate them.


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[HODDS]

The new watches are so much better in every aspect. I understand the collectability of the vintage watches but the quality of the new watches is SO MUCH BETTER

[scombs263]

Although I do like some vintage pieces, specifically a 1970’s Double Red Sea Dweller and Red Sub, I cannot see paying those prices. I would much rather take 2,3,4 or even 5 new pieces vs one high priced vintage watch.

[Jfullm42]

Funny, I'm the other way around. There are only a select few modern Rolex watches I'd wear. Do I appreciate the ceramic bezels, chromalite, solid bracelet with amazing clasps, sure. But to me they've lost the charm and become jewelry.

As some have said the 5 digit is really the sweet spot imo and where I typically stick to, but to each their own, this is what makes the world go around.

[fania123]

5 digits for me all the way! The new ones are nice don’t get me wrong but the 5 digit watches were the last of the tool watches the new ones just fell like jewelry to me. Just give me an aluminum bezel and a light rattling bracelet and I’m all right.

[Rori]

I'm not a collector, I'm hardly a two watch wearer, prefer owning one watch and being related to that one watch until it dies on me or me on him. That being said I prefer new, warranty card on my name, stickers taken off and watch wound for the first time by my own fingers.

[MrKhan]

Originally Posted by Rori

I'm not a collector, I'm hardly a two watch wearer, prefer owning one watch and being related to that one watch until it dies on me or me on him. That being said I prefer new, warranty card on my name, suckered taken of and watch wound for the first time by my own fingers.

Totally agree.

[Tavli3]

I like both. Just got into the watch thing a little more than a year ago. Started with buying my wife a 97 DJ with diamond bezel with box & papers. Found out later it was an aftermarket bezel. Wasn't too upset since my jeweler said stones were good quality and the watch was a minimal purchase. It was however an expensive lesson since my wife couldn't live with the fact she had a "Fake Watch" even though the rest of the watch was fine with box & papers. I ended up buying her a new DJ with diamond bezel and MOP dial. My youngest daughter will get the vintage DJ as a college graduation present. Then I said to my wife if you're getting a new Rolex, I'm getting one. But I had to wait 4 months for my BLNR on jubilee to come in.

Love the patina look of vintage dials! To me its gorgeous. But I get what other posters have said. First you better know what you're doing and if you're not an expert you better do your research here and use the other resources recommended by the resident experts here. Best is if you can post a picture, I find it amazing how just from a picture these guys find the tiniest defects. With the vintage Rolexes there's so many variations of the same watch you need to be like a detective. I find it fun and scary at the same time since vintage can run you some serious coin.

As far as how they wear, agree it's solid vs kind of flimsy. So if you're not into the patina thing then vintage won't feel right to you. I'm trying to do vintage/modern combos. So far I have the Fat Lady MK1 and Jubilee BLNR, 168000 sub and the Hulk and a 66 vintage speedie that I'm trying to pair up with a modern speedie. The braclet on the speedie is very flimsy and very often just pops open. I have kind of soured on the Omega brand so finding my vintage speedies soul mate won't be anytime soon. Think management is a bunch of idiots and have destroyed the value of this once great brand. Paid in full for the 50th back in January of 19 and by Nov still didn't have the watch. I reminded the manager that the Moon Landing was in July as I asked for a refund. And oh by the way 6969 pieces isn't exactly limited edition. And now 14K for new SS 321? Not me. Looks like ol speedie is going to stay single for a while.

[1William]

I like the look and history on a lot of vintage watches but my experience with owning them is less than impressive. So many possible issues that I do not enjoy ownership or wear as much as modern watches. The other factor is that many of these vintage watches are not as robust as the newer versions and if you should have issues, good luck with getting them serviced with all oem parts and pieces. Time moves forward and so do the improvements with products. Better movements, bracelets and materials, etc. Add to that the bloated and overpriced vintage market and it is a formula for disappointment.

[Mlioon]

My preference is modern, as I appreciate the heft and clasp

[Rori]

Sorry for the typos. Corrected

Originally Posted by MrKhan

Totally agree.

[HogwldFLTR]

For me most modern Rolex are oversized, overpriced, and perhaps even over-engineered. I've owned both and still own the majority of what in this thread would be called, "vintage;" they are really what should be called transitional watches. The truth is that they just fit me better. Although I hesitate to call my 16570, vintage, it doesn't really fit in the modern category. My 18238 doesn't fit the modern category but isn't really vintage imho. It offers for me all the advantages of the modern DayDates at a much fairer price, also, imho. The only modern Rolex I own is the 116506 which is perfect on my wrist and is truly a unique watch. It never existed as anything but modern.

[travisb]

I like the idea and look of vintage but am pretty sure I'll always be more into modern. Never know though.

[Judge]

[Gimoozaabi]

I appreciate both modern and vintage.

The vintage ones that I currently own: 4 digits Tudor from 1969, Speedmaster from 1984 and two 'neo-vintage' 5 digit Rolex watches from 2004. I enjoy wearing them equally with the modern references that I have.

[Wingslogo]

I would probably pick up and birth year model but other than that I’m not a fan of vintage either


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