What level of Used is acceptable?

[Chronopolitano]

Assuming the watch works perfectly, I am not bothered by normal signs of wear on the CASE.

But the crystal and the bezel insert - if there is one - must be flawless.
This would necessarily mean the insides - dial and hands - are pristine also.

[Der Amf]

Watches I've bought new I wear for several days at a time, vintage watches I only wear for a couple of days at a time - don't want to get the chance to get too preoccupied with their roughnesses

[Seriously]

I'll buy any crap..

We've seen


I buy new , almost without exception **, unless it's a absolute steal/bargain... think it depends on the 'damage' level and the buy in price.... and the desirability level.


(** same goes for other 'stuff' in my life too), just bought a pile of (new) lenses, then bought a 2nd hand one last week which was misdescribed as errrrmm "perfect' ... and it wasn't so back it went and I bought another 2nd hand one, which surprise surprise, could have been new to all intents and purposes.

I can accept 'marks' as long as they were described and then I buy into the item or not, I'm expecting the described marks and nothing else.
When I buy new, I demand flawless.

[FuzzyB]

If it is the type of wear I would expect to show on my own watches, then I have no problem with it. I typically think of it this way: If I had bought it new, that's what it would look like now anyway. I have no problem with a watch showing its age.

However, I draw the line at dings and gouges in the case. Such hard knocks can't be fixed easily and also indicate that the movement suffered some rough treatment.

[DM71]

I bought most of my watches new, but I don't mind a very good condition pre loved one. I have saved some money by buying watches that some people purchased thinking they would like it and didn't. All the use watches i bought were like new or close to mint and I was totally fine with that.

I'm not into vintage watches, but if I was, I would be more forgiving on the condition. If it can be restored the way Mr. Henry Krinkle does it, then I would be good for it.

[Matt]

I'm a buy it new kind of guy. Any marks/scratches are mine. Also I see how much crud I clean off my watches, I am not a fan of other peoples crud!

But surely that's why cleaning other people's crud off is so damn satisfying. It's funny, when people decide to fake a nice watch, they'll simulate pretty well anything but thirty years worth of blood, sweat and tears. When I see a crud smeared beaten up watch I know I'm looking at a straight bargain and not some clever franken.
With the amount I save on shop prices I can sort out the first bit and pay a pro to get the movement straight and still save money.

Here's a couple:



Note the brand new minute hand. It might look foxed, but this is the only watch that will give a Gshock a run out - there's a fully functioning isolastic mount in there and despite the minor fogging, the watch is accurate to around a second a day on the wrist. pressure tested to 200M and has dived to thirty. From the back, it defies expectations:



Or perhaps



That's after a lot of TLC, mind you, but not as much as this one:



There's a lot of watchmaking heritage floating around ebay covered in gunk and in need of some lovin'

[Andrema]

A well worn vintage or modern watch is easy to refinish, if needed. I mainly search for the characteristics and model that I desire and go from there.


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[Seriously]

But surely that's why cleaning other people's crud off is so damn satisfying.

There's a lot of watchmaking heritage floating around ebay covered in gunk and in need of some lovin'

,
I your enthusiasm for them, but .... , old watches look like old watches to me, not appetising at all.

One thing I am curious about is whether they are watches you could have owned in the past when they were new?, or does that now even come into your choice ?, you just buy any old that takes your fancy?

[scottjc]

,
I your enthusiasm for them, but .... , old watches look like old watches to me, not appetising at all.

Does this really look 53 years old?

[Andrema]

Does this really look 53 years old?

Does this look 40 years old?




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