What is your completion watch?

Post by **rkovars** » Fri Dec 27, 2024 3:40 pm

That looks like Goldberger's spread! Graham Fowler has a bunch too.

nbg · Post by **nbg** » Fri Dec 27, 2024 3:55 pm

@rkovars
He is a British collector. A couple of friends of mine have met him a few times at GTGs. They knew he was a vintage Rolex collector, but the 1st time he turned up at the GTG and opened his briefcase they were totally befuddled.

Unfortunately the days of taking that lot to a GTG in a reserved area of a city centre pub are long gone.

Neil

Post by **rkovars** » Fri Dec 27, 2024 4:43 pm

^^^Yep. The Dink did a pretty good interview with him a while ago at the Armory. His store in NYC. He used to pick them up 6-8 at a time as lot at MOD auctions in the mid to late 90's. Sometimes for less than £1000. The same thing happens occasionally here in the U.S. with issued Tudor's and Tornek-Rayvilles. I shudder to think what is still in a dusty box in some store room waiting to be auctioned off as surplus junk.

exHowfener · Post by **exHowfener** » Fri Dec 27, 2024 4:57 pm

This chap has a few amongst his Submariner and Seadweller collection…

I doubt he's finished collecting.

Wis · Post by **Wis** » Fri Dec 27, 2024 10:07 pm

There is always a higher mountain to climb …

robert75 · Post by **robert75** » Sun Dec 29, 2024 9:26 pm

I would say my collection is fairly complete so if there was one large purchase I would consider probably a Dornbluth moonphase, Breguet type xx or Blancpain full calendar.

Edited to say my reasons why.

Dornbluth because they are such wonderful people and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from them

Breguet because I love everything about their designs (except a few of their more recent weird ones). The traditional is another favourite

Blancpain because they did the obvious with their moonphase, there are little buttons under the lugs to adjust the watch so you don’t need a tool to do so

Baser · Post by **Baser** » Sun Dec 29, 2024 10:53 pm

Still looking for a C8 M2.08 which is pinnacle Ward for me.

After that an Omega Planet Ocean, IWC big pilot, Tag Monaco all well outside my budget.

ajax87 · Post by **ajax87** » Mon Dec 30, 2024 3:07 pm

There’s no getting out of this for me. No watch out there would stop me from appreciating and wanting to buy whatever latest new release from any number of brands!

ajax87 · Post by **ajax87** » Mon Dec 30, 2024 4:45 pm

^^^

gwells · Post by **gwells** » Mon Dec 30, 2024 5:11 pm

there is no "completion" watch for me. after 12 years, i've slowed down quite a bit, but i did buy two more this year (and sold 4-5). i don't have a "must buy/grail" watch on my list, but when the cashflow is right and something appeals to me, i'm sure i'll jump on it. like a great deal on an original 2 liner pelagos or a sinn U50 might get me to move a few watches to grab one.

nbg · Post by **nbg** » Mon Dec 30, 2024 6:55 pm

rkovars wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2024 4:43 pm ^^^Yep. The Dink did a pretty good interview with him a while ago at the Armory. His store in NYC. He used to pick them up 6-8 at a time as lot at MOD auctions in the mid to late 90's. Sometimes for less than £1000. The same thing happens occasionally here in the U.S. with issued Tudor's and Tornek-Rayvilles. I shudder to think what is still in a dusty box in some store room waiting to be auctioned off as surplus junk.

The British collector that I meant was the one who owns the watches I posted the pic of. I wasn’t aware of Graham Fowler.

I get the impression that many/most of the big time vintage collectors know each other. For some it looks to be a way of life, travelling widely to find watches that never go anywhere near an internet sales site, often from original owners.

Good timing re your wish for a Milsub.

There is a chap on Instagram selling a triple Milsub set of 5517, 5513/7 and 5513 for £1M (Jedly1).

His Instagram account is interesting and a pleasant change from the typical bling PP/AP/Rolex/RM in front of an EXPENSIVE, did I say EXPENSIVE, car’s steering wheel, insta or facepalm accounts

I reckon that whilst the value of my run of the mill Rolex have dropped since the madness (and continue to fall in value), the top vintage stuff continues to increase.

Neil

Mikkei4 · Post by **Mikkei4** » Mon Dec 30, 2024 7:03 pm

rkovars wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2024 2:50 pm
Jkpa wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2024 2:37 am I’m saving my fun money for a second car which is an even worse way to spend money than watches
You could always buy a boat

I didn't so much buy a 2nd car as not sell 1 when I bought another but each has a totally different look, style and function so similar in a way to buying and owning a few different watches. However, I could buy a decent watch each year purely with the amount that insurance, servicing and VER costs each year.

There's only 2 days that you'll enjoy a boat - the day you buy it and the day you sell it.

I too thought that the Silver Snoopy could be a completion watch but then if I had it I'd hanker for the other Omega Snoopy watches, then the other Speedy versions then the ........... and all the others on an endless list.

Post by **rkovars** » Mon Dec 30, 2024 7:17 pm

nbg wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 6:55 pm
rkovars wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2024 4:43 pm ^^^Yep. The Dink did a pretty good interview with him a while ago at the Armory. His store in NYC. He used to pick them up 6-8 at a time as lot at MOD auctions in the mid to late 90's. Sometimes for less than £1000. The same thing happens occasionally here in the U.S. with issued Tudor's and Tornek-Rayvilles. I shudder to think what is still in a dusty box in some store room waiting to be auctioned off as surplus junk.
The British collector that I meant was the one who owns the watches I posted the pic of. I wasn’t aware of Graham Fowler.

I get the impression that many/most of the big time vintage collectors know each other. For some it looks to be a way of life, travelling widely to find watches that never go anywhere near an internet sales site, often from original owners.

Good timing re your wish for a Milsub.

There is a chap on Instagram selling a triple Milsub set of 5517, 5513/7 and 5513 for £1M (Jedly1).

His Instagram account is interesting and a pleasant change from the typical bling PP/AP/Rolex/RM in front of an EXPENSIVE, did I say EXPENSIVE, car’s steering wheel, insta or facepalm accounts

I reckon that whilst the value of my run of the mill Rolex have dropped since the madness (and continue to fall in value), the top vintage stuff continues to increase.

Neil

Since there are only between 200-300 examples known to be left out of 1500 or so produced I would say that is a good bet. 1M seems steep. Even for a set. The highest I have seen one for was about $450K. Most are between $100-200K. Wind vintage has one for $375K but there is probably some room to move.

atnits · Post by **atnits** » Wed Jan 01, 2025 6:53 pm

I have various possible completion watches.

First, because I have desired one for ever, a 5-digit submariner:

Alternatively, because I generally prefer a slightly smaller watch, a 5-digit explorer:

Alternatively again, to complete the circle of my watch journey:

My final possible completion watch is the last mechanical watch I bought - a Nomos Club. This is a few years ago now. The reason this might already have been my completion watch is that fact that it didn't blow me away. The novelty and excitement of spending lots of money on a watch perhaps had faded. It gets worn occasionally.

Wazu · Post by **Wazu** » Thu Jan 02, 2025 1:25 pm

A completion watch..... right now for me at my current stage of collecting would be a Sinn 356 ii copper dial on the 5 link bracelet.

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