Market Watch(ing): Pumpkin Spice Edition

heuer autavia bund

If there’s anything New Englanders love, it’s fall. Barbour jackets, flannels, pumpkin spice everything, and on and on. It’s pretty much the best time of year. And what better to bring on fall than a sweet selection of watches for sale to match your basic bitch attire? Well, we’ve got that sweet selection, so strap in, and enjoy another week of Market Watch(ing)!

Neil’s Picks

Omega Flightmaster, NOS

Omega Flightmaster

Here is one outstanding Flightmaster, probably my favorite vintage Omega. These don’t come up for sale too often, especially good examples.  This thing is one of the best I’ve seen, and really does look incredible. I almost never believe anyone that claims “new old stock” with a watch this old, but this time, I’m inclined to believe it. It’s priced as such too. Part of me says to keep it in this condition but my philosophy is that watches are meant for wearing, especially vintage ones as awesome as this.

$5,800

 

Sinn 142 D1

Sinn 142 D1

More cushion case goodness, this time from the Germans. Here is a watch that shows Sinn’s often overlooked aviation and space history. This comes with the robust Sinn bracelet, as well as the NATO pictured. It looks to be in worn-but-not-abused condition. Sinn’s bead-blasting is tough and ages quite well. The tritium markers have also aged nicely. And did I mention it has an inner rotating bezel? If you’ve been looking for a Sinn that’s historical, unique, and one that showcases the Lemania 5100 then this is the watch for you. The first second automatic chronograph in space can be yours at a great price.

$1,450

 

Isaac’s Picks

Seiko 6215-7000

seiko 6215-7000

Seiko’s first 300 meter rated dive watch was introduced in 1967. Known as the 6215-7000, this monocoque-cased piece was powered by the watchmaking powerhouse’s 35-jewel, self-winding Cal. 6215 movement, which featured a date function. The other night, I came across one of these Japanese dive watches on eBay, and couldn’t help but include it in my picks.

If patina is your thing, this one ought to do it, seeing as the bezel insert has faded to a nice light grey tone, and the luminous compound found in the hands and markers has aged to that oh so dreamy, custard color. As for the dial, don’t worry about the present lack of text on this example’s dial. While not ideal, it’s not uncommon to see faded text on 6215-7000’s, though I will say that this newfound sterility does give the watch a stealthy look that suits it well.

$8,000 or Make Offer

 

Universal Geneve Compax

universal geneve v72

When discussing vintage watches with modern watch collecting friends, I am always repeatedly informed of the small size of most collectible vintage pieces, in comparison to the hulking yearly novelties from our horological overlords. So here’s one for the naysayers, and those that happen to like ultra rare, oversized, V72-powered UG Compax’s.

At 40mm, this piece is perfectly suited for daily wear. Not too big, not too small, and on the wrist there’s a great deal of depth to this watch, thanks to the multiple scales and tracks that surround the matte black dial. The seller, Menta Watches, has also made a note regarding the rarity of this piece, seeing as this is only one of three examples to come to market in recent years.

Bid Now

 

Dean’s Picks

Longines Legend Diver

longines legend diver

Sometimes the watch world feels a little sluggish. You know, the Datejusts and the Speedys and the like keep selling, as they will till the sun explodes or some such, but it just seems like nothing with real JUICE has been coming down the pike. Maybe it’s a function of the time of year, and the lull in auction action but here we are and I’m kinda bored with the selection of stuff that’s out there at the moment. So I’ll give you a known quantity/safe pick and one that’s a little interesting, from an academic standpoint.

The safe choice this week is a nice reissue, and a watch we all know and love. The Longines Legend Diver. The cherry on top is that this one is the no date version, or the first edition. The no date is def the one you want here, as it has a much cleaner aesthetic. This one comes with all the accessories and will run you a buck shy of $2,200.

$2,199

Rolex Explorer Dial Submariner

rolex explorer dial sub

Alright, sorry; that was a little boring. You can find LLDs on Watch Recon all day long. Here is an interesting one though. When was the last time you saw an Explorer Dial Sub for sale on the internet? Exactly. The folk(s) at “Worldly Watches” have one listed. Now, there are a few troubling things about this listing; namely, you get one low-res picture and no further details about the serial number, or inner caseback or anything. So, already not exactly reassuring, but beyond that it looks like the dial may be water damaged. There is a certain class of watches that does not make it to retailers web shops. These watches are so rare and or in such high demand that they sell by word of mouth before your neighborhood watch photographer even has a chance to upload his images. Explorer Dial Subs fit this description, so clearly you aren’t going to get the cream of the crop online for public consumption, but it’s still an interesting thing to take a look at. Price is of course, on request. Please do your homework on this one, folks.

Price on Request (duh)

 

Shane’s Picks

Omega Seamaster “Anakin Skywalker” Ref. 145.023

omega anakin chronograph

I’m with Neil this week, funky cushion cases all around. My first choice is one we’ve written about before, the Omega Seamaster ref 145.023, nicknamed “Anakin Skywalker”. With a tungsten case that honestly looks like something out of Star Wars, it’s one of the wildest chronographs Omega made in the ’70s. With it’s legendary Caliber 861, this example looks to be all original, down to the included box. This listing will last another week, but it has no reserve. I say keep an eye on this one.

Bid Now (or in the last 15 seconds of the auction)

 

Heuer Autavia Arabic Bund

heuer autavia bund

As we’ve discussed, there are practically endless variations of vintage Heuer Autavias, all to varying degrees of collectibility. This one here, rounding out my cushion case picks, is one that’s grown on me recently. It’s known as the Arabic Bund, because of the Arabic numbers (no kidding), and because of its connection with the German military. Notice that the number typeface is exactly like the revered Heuer Bundeswehr Flyback. These watches are not easy to come by, especially in good condition. The seller notes that the chrono hand was relumed, but it’s otherwise original. If this is your thing, I definitely recommend splurging for the GF bracelet, as it’s awesome, and can always be re-sold later if you end up not liking it (those bracelets sell faster than cheap beer).

€8,400 with bracelet

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