I'm the kind of guy who doesn't wear watch, and can't really read analogs, but am interested in knowing the world of watch collection. I hope watch gurus can come in and share their knowledge & preferences.

All i know is some watch are worth collecting while most are not. What are the brands, models, price range etch that's more likely to be sought after.

Also if buying old watches online, how to tell if the watch is genuine or not?

In the future i'll be posting questions about jewerries, since obviously most things in this world can be seen as collectibles, I collect toys, even though there's alot of toys, it's still possible to have a record. But things like Watches & Jewerries, there's just too many models around the world, quantity per model isn't that many, so i don't even know what's out there.

I have some watch collection to share..love collecting them....

I think there are quite some amount of watch 'Sifu' in LYN for sharing & contributing infos here.

yeah hoping for ppl to share.

no problem to share... which price range you guys collecting?

None of those expensive Rolex-lol. Mine mostly self-winding & automatics which can still be reliably used.

datejust rolex is beginner range..

No budget, so Rolex for me. Omega okay-lol.

ops.. I meant, "entry level luxury model"..

Omega is not bad, which range you got? speedmaster? nice..

Have a 70's Speedmaster Cosmic & another 60's Speedmaster.

cool retro omegas..

the latest speedmaster models getting overpriced IMHO (approaching 20k retail LOL)..

Try vintage for luxury brands like Rolex, Tudor, Omega etc

can get good deals for good condition ones.. even better if you managed to get NOS

What's the meaning NOS ?

NOS = nitrogen oxide?

anyone know what is the price range for chopard? if buying watch for collect purpose, which brand of watch is worth to spend a lot on it ?

I'd always prefer Omega vintage for collections as it's not too expensive & having a few will not drive a hole in your pocket, no point only having 1 or 2 watches which is a norm for vintage watch collectors.

Depends on range. 10k to few hundred k for chopard.
I have the mille milgia chrono 04 limited was my daily watch. But now i am mostly wearing cartier santos 100 xl.

how much u pay for both?

New old stock, meaning the watch is an antique but you are the first user..(new) how great is that?

you wont have to worry about some unrest souls haunting the watch..

If it's new old stock, how vintage can it get than? I'd say most is 10yrs old; not that of a vintage value than. How do you guys classify these old watches? 10 to 20yrs old & say 30 to 40yrs old or maybe more than that.

i think the cheapest Omega speedmaster date...cost around Rm10K.... and the entry level Omega
seamaster is RM8K,,,, thinking of getting one....

do u think it will hold value say after wearing for a few years ?? can still fetch certain value ??

i have a tissot PRS and a Seiko 5 automatic....thinking of selling it to fund my new Omega...
but I doubt there will be any taker !

wow..a watch collector's thread....

there are a few collectors in LYN, the ones i know lah....i'm sure there are a lot more...hehhe....

will wait for the sifus to post here first before i show my stuff...hehe....

Can post some pics here as there may be certain parties interested.

nobody like panerai here?

i'm eyeing for these..


http://www.bernardwatch.com/item/PAN63

If my TH Carrera & Rolex Perpetual? Any Idea. interm of price range, design......

Hi. Couldn't resist posting on LYN. Let me introduce myself. I'm a horological geek myself. I used to collect new watches (Rolex, Patek Philippe etc.) but now, recently, I have been collecting vintage swiss watches.

My collection ranges from really expensive ones (Patek Philippe 5076A Aquanaut series) to cheap vintage ones (Longines, manual wound movement circa 1970's). the first thing that you really have to understand about watch collecting is that even the cheapest vintage Omega Seamaster (Seamaster 300, circa 1970's) with bumper automatic movement will set you back at least RM1,500 ringgit for a good condition one.

A few things that you must know before embarking on buying a vintage watch :

a) Always check the inside of the case. Look at the condition of the watch, pay special attention to the balancing staff and wheel. These will suffer the most wear and tear. Then, check the crown, as it is the next to go if the watch suffers years of manhandling. Use a loupe if possible. Check for engravings. Usually, most vintage omegas have the words "Omega Watch Co." engraved on the movement if it is original.

b) Next, check the dial. If the dial is water damaged, no point buying the watch. The Dial is the most difficult part of the watch to repair. It will set you back a couple of thousand ringgit to do redailling or touch ups on the dial.

c) Ask the seller when was the watch last serviced. A swiss watch should be serviced AT LEAST once every 3-5 years. Depending on the age. Servicing is not cheap. Especially if the watch is a vintage (eg. my 1961 Zenith). An overhaul (usually is the case for vintage movements) will set you back between RM650 - RM10,000 depending on the damage and the rarity of the spare parts. This is because all vintage watches are no longer in production and thus, spare parts must be individually produced (usually by using a customised mold) by the manufacturer itself (if it is a rolex, then send it back to RSC (Rolex Service Center)).

I will post pictures of a few watches in my watch collection soon.

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Added on September 24, 2008, 4:55 pmAs promised, some pictures of watches in my collection.

First up, is a Rolex Datejust in SS with a silver dial and Oyster Bracelet. It belongs to the Y-series family.


This is the front view. Just serviced last month at RSC. Cost of service + Overhaul = RM2,500


This is the complete set. Plus box and papers.


Next up, is my Zenith circa 1961. A very rare vintage watch with a vintage caliber 2532.



It's in silver (not SS) which is rarer. Take a closer look at the dial. No water damage. It's in pretty good shape for a 47 year old watch.


Other watches in my collection are a Patek Philippe 5076A Aquanaut (SS), Tag Hueur Lady Link series (Automatic, Special Edition in SS), Vintage Longines Lady Manual wound (10K gold filled), Rolex Submariner with date (SS), Vintage Lady Girard-Perregaux (Manual wound movement)(White Gold), Vintage Omega SeaMaster (Bumper Movement, Automatic) and a Vintage Rolex OysterDate (Manual Wound)(SS).

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Added on September 26, 2008, 4:24 pm

Panerai's are not really favoured by collectors as they do not make their own movement until recently. Before this year, they were using the ETA movements which were also fitted into other luxury watch brands like Tag Hueur's, Tudor's, 98% of the IWC's and pre-2007 Maurice LaCroix.

When a collector buys watches, we want watches which have :

a) Their own in-house movements (Patek Philippe, Zenith, Rolex, Longines (Pre 80's)) etc.

b) Quality finishing.

c) Not overpriced.

Panerai does NOT have its own in-house movement (the manufacturer just buys one off the shelf), looks really ugly (quite coarse and not refined), and is steeply overpriced.

a, not necessary, older rolex daytona comes to mind, not rolex movement (valjoux & zenith) but still highly collectable.
b, this one quite true.. especially for s.steel models, much harder to sculpt and provide a high quality jewerly finish.
c, this one is arbitary.. could be 10k or 100k and still considered not be overpriced depending on specs/brand name/resale value..

as for panerai, dunno, I also never liked it, looks like a fugly watch for that asking price..
a cheaper chronofighter or swordfish Graham looks much better.. IMHO..

Yes. true. But a Zenith movement is much better than an ETA movement, which is what Panerai uses. Also, when you buy watches, you buy the movement. Why spend 10x-100x more on a Panerai when a tag hueur has also the same movement at a fraction of the price?

A Rolex Daytona Cosmograph (Zenith movement) however has the award winning, world famous El Primero movement. Even though the Rolex version is already derated to 28,800 beats but still an El Primo is still an El Primero..

Take a look at the Zenith El Primero based Zero-G watch. It retails for USD$200,000. While an old Rolex (with the same El Primero Caliber) can be bought at USD35,000. Quite a steal if you see it that way actually.

My next purchase will be an Omega Seamaster with date (SS, hacking mechanism, circa 1950's). I'll post the pictures up once I finalised the deal with a private seller from Malacca.

Anyone know where i can get Blancpain watches? I haven't seen or heard any in Malaysia.

Any clues about Blancpain Moon Erotic Series?

all expensive watches...

i only eyeing on those i might afford in future... maybe omega or tagheuer...

Maybe you could try Starhill (ground floor). I saw a Blancpain gallery there.
Or you could always try Cortina Watch or Sincere Watch. They carry Blancpain watches.

Zenith expensive? No, it's pretty cheap actually. The entry level model (Zenith Elite Class) is only RM40,000 for a stainless steel with leather strap. A bargain if you ask me.

Try Patek Philippe and you will be in a world of pain. An entry level Calatrava in Stainless Steel is RM70,000. The PP Aquanaut 5076A (my watch) now retails at RM85,000.

A Tag Hueur is not that reliable. Yeah, it's cheap in the short term but can you afford the service costs in the long run. I bought a limited edition first generation Aquaracer in SS (Automatic) for my mum in 2005. And I have sent it for service 3 times already (end 2005, 2006 and just yesterday). Each time I serviced it, it cost me RM1,200 as it was a complete overhaul of the mechanism.

An Omega is a much better investment. But get the Speedmaster (James Bond version) as it has better ROI.

Anyone has unique type of watches?
For example those 24 hours type or those like tokyoflash watch?

24 hours watches:
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?act=ST&f=11&t=681641
Tokyoflash watches:
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?act=ST&f=21&t=794121

I'm very interested in getting those weird weird looking watches.

I am using an old 4000-series TAG (automatic) and i had it serviced back at Wisma Genesis for about RM600 after 5 years. I think its pretty ok where cost is concerned.

yeah... for an average joe earner... it is not cheap to the wallet.. unless i have a high income job. RM40k isnt that small amount; its already the cost of my car. ! but i dont feel bad about it since i am still in the lower stage. in future, i will get one of those watches...

but then again, its not bad to set it as a goal. start a small one like a tag heuer then move to omega.

yeah.. patek is a world of pain, but like the advertisement said, you merely looking after it for the next generation.

It depends. If the watch needs an overhaul, it'll cost more. If it is RM600, then it is just regular oiling and servicing. An Overhaul is when the watch is taken apart and then cleaned. Some parts (which suffered wear and tear) will also be replaced. An overhaul (of course) costs more. A lot more.

There is a difference between servicing and a complete overhaul. My mom's Aquaracer has been through 3 overhauls in 4 years.

By the way, the Tag Hueur service center is in Plaza Central (lot number 2305-06) and not Wisma Genesis. If you have it serviced via 3rd party, TG service center will refuse to service your watch in the future. Which is not good as in the near future, when the watch is discontinued, you will have problems finding original parts for the watch.

Well, I'm an average Joe. I only drive a Honda Accord (2006). You see, the secret is in negotiating for a better discount. In order to do that, you must get to know the shop owner. And in order for that to happen, you must always buy your watches from the same dealer. That way, you can ask for a better discount when buying watch.

Also, always pay by cash as it'll net you a better discount than paying via card. I bought my PP 5076A by cash and I got a generous 30% discount (came up to RM35,000 after discount). But that was 5 years ago. Nowadays, you can't get a Patek Philippe for less than RM70,000. All my watch purchases were done by cash as it gives you better negotiation power.

apart from same movement, there is a huge difference in build quality/finishing between a panerai and a tag, that's why it could costs few times more, not until 100x dont exaggerate la.
anyways, different people will have different priorities and taste when choosing a watch, not every one is into solely movement..

All serious watch collectors will first look at the movement, then only the quality/finishing. The quality of the finishing is secondary.

The movement is very important. As serious watch collectors, we look at the movement (caliber). Even if the quality/finishing is superb, there is no point in buying the watch if the watch uses an ETA movement.

I suspect that you are not yet in the serious collector category yet. Only newbie collectors look at the finishing. Remember movement first then finishing. Grace before beauty.

I'll take an excellent condition movement watch to a one with a beautiful dial but less than stellar movement any day. Especially true with vintage watches.

The higher end Panerai costs RM100,000 and above. Isn't that 100x more than a RM1,000+ Tag Heuer.

Wow you are not just average joe man, your in the mid upper class of the society.

How do you pay rm35000 by cash? Bring a shoe box?

If the only way to get good discount is to make your way up by buying more watches from them, it's a long way, 10 years maybe. The owner might even changed. Best way is you take us there la keke.

I suggest buying them in Swiss, no tax, big discount if you pay by cash. If you are buying watches like RM35k the money you save probably enough for the plane tickets.

well different collectors have different priorities, brand and design/finishing/case material/diamonds are also equally important, to tell people that arent serious collector category just because the movement isn't no.1 priority in choosing shows how condescending and unexposed you are to the world of watches.. and your current collection shows. to pay for one 50+k for a patek (and the rest aint exactly A.lange sohne/breguet class) and wanna be in the "serious catagory"? sure or not?

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Added on October 2, 2008, 1:11 pm

the lower end panerai 20k
lower end tag around 1k+ - 2k, around 10x-15x

higher end panerai over 100k as you said
higher end Tag also 10-15k.. 10x-15x

this is a more fair comparison donch ya think?

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Added on October 2, 2008, 1:18 pm

middle class management type also can buy 20-30k watch no need to be mid upper class.. just have to save for it lor.. if its your main hobby sooner or later you get to acquire the things you love..

to buy a 35k watch, no need to bring cash also can. just write a cheque (if the shop is familar with you, they will let you take the watch) , or if not, come back 2days later when the cheque clear to get the watch. or just swipe CC lor..
not all watches buying in swiss is cheaper, for rolex, even in malaysia can be cheaper than in swiss or SG...if you know the key person well, they might let you get higher than normal discount on certain ranges...

my dad is part watch collector part dealer. He deals 2nd hand original watches as his hobby. He collects potential watches dat will guarantee a profit in future such as Rolex Explorer 2 with orange hand..etc

Here's the Omega Seamaster Calendar that I have just acquired from a private seller. Very rare bumper (hammer) movement and the date window is at 6 o'clock which is extremely rare for an Omega seamaster. This seamaster was only in production for 2 years. The bumper Seamaster with calendar is highly collectible and did I mention very rare. Prices on the internet ranges from USD$895 to USD2,000 onwards depending on the condition and the originality of the parts. To find one without any third party parts is extremely rare. I was offered USD$4,000 for this watch. I'm actually considering the offer.


The front of the watch. I have cross-checked with the omega database and it comes up legit. The dial has gold plated hands & dial even though the case is Stainless Steel. This batch of seamasters have that. As you can see the dial is original. This batch of seamasters comes in two different dial designs. One with numerals (mine) and the other with without.



The inside is a cal. 355 which dates back to 1953-1954. I have crossed-checked with omegawatches and timezone.com. The inside parts are intact and original. Please see my posts in timezone.com under the Omega and vintage watches forums (username : Marcus_Lau)



The back has the words "Seamaster" & "Waterproof" on the top & bottom. This comes up legit too in the www.omegawatches.com vintage database. The earlier seamaster versions does not have the now famous Seamaster logo in the middle but instead have signed top and bottom.



The caseback. Original and signed caseback. I double checked with Omega Service Center and they certified that the case matches the inside.

Well, I'm not sure what do you mean by serious collectors. But most serious collectors I know do value Zenith more than A.lange or Brequet's. It's not the price but the movement. Serious collectors look at rare movements (bumper automatics, hand-wound zeniths, unique in house complications, Zodiac mechanical watches, in house movements etc.) and not the name brand factor.

Brequets, by the way, uses the same movement in most of their watches, barring some minor changes.

Don't you ever wonder why A.Lange has no resale value (resale price is 1/10th of list price)? Because they are overpriced. Their 'limited pieces' sales gimmick can only fool first time collectors but never the serious collectors. Why? Because their movement sucks. Ditto with Jaeger. Imagine a watch that is +11 to -5 seconds per day. It's junk for the masses.

My 50 year old Zenith is even more accurate than a hand wound 31 day power reserve A.Lange, running at +0.8 seconds a day...

By the way, I sold off my Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox for that reason above. It ran around +5 seconds a day...

Ps - Do you want a A.Lange moonphase watch? I can get it for you for RM25,000 from my watch junkie friend. He's selling it. All original parts. He bought it from a datuk. You can take it to the service center and get it checked first before buying..

JLC, breguet, lange, etc all declared as junk? wow!

there is more to watches than just great movement, even a Harry Winston or Chopard diamond studded "Quartz watch" can be considered really serious watch IMHO.. if you think otherwise i.e. junk cos the movement is crap, then no further comment.. different strokes for different folks is all I gotta say...

That I have to agree. Different strokes for different folks.

The watch enthusiasts are grouped loosely into 2 groups :

a) The quartz group

b) The mechanical group

I fell into the latter group (mechanical) as a mechanical watch has more 'soul' than a battery operated one. Even the newer Seiko kenetics (operates without the need to change batteries every few years) fails to impress me.

The quartz group values accuracy, first and foremost. Then, the finishing of the watch is secondary but also important. Do a search online and you would probably see them discussing and comparing accuracy + finishing on their watches. The bling-bling factor is also important in this group. They usually prefer diamond studded with 18kt rose gold watches, and mother-of-pearls dial.

The other group, however, values watch movements above all else. Watches with beautiful engines and rare calibers are highly regarded in this group of horological geeks. Among the rare calibers are the 355 & 353 (omega), Omega Seamaster 300 (military style), Cal. 2532 Zenith, Rolex bubbleback, and Rolex Daytona Zenith. This group also loves complicated mechanical timepieces- from perpetual calendars to minute repeaters to moonphase function.

There is another sub-group of the mechanical branch whom collects vintage watches. This subgroup has recently gained a lot of momentum among the younger set (including myself).

Hope this helps.

well, actually there is nothing to "help" in your above comments.. what you mention does show there are many categories in watch collecting/hobby.. so by putting down one category to promote your subcategory shows your bias towards that certain category..
and by labeling other categories as junk just because the other types of watches don't prioritize "movement as ultimate criteria when making that watch" shows you are not really "helping" the watch enthusiast community at all when you input your ideas especially in this thread.. but merely trying to promote your particular preferences as supposedly the absolute right choice for watch collectors.. which I beg to differ (I am open to all the categories you mentioned above and my watch collection is as such, a few items in each of those categories).

anyway, of coz each and every collector has their own preference and entitled to their opinions.. but labeling some of the decent watches listed above as being Junk is not so good la.. for I would take a Rose Gold diamond studded Harry winston over a entry level 35-50k patek anytime.. no matter how good your movement is...

Dear all,

Glad to see you guys the watch expert here in LYN. Couldn't argee more on your comments that the calibre is more important than the brand and finishing.

This is the only Omega that fascinated me. Calibred by Lemania 1861 which is the little brother for Lemamia 321 that famously used by NASA for the first spacework and moon landing on 1969. So much so that I wanna own the 321 piece but really can't afford it.


Omega Speedmaster Professional Apollo 17 Limited Edition

Hello there,

Sorry if wrong group,

I'm looking for a watch repair man/ friend.(Horology)
People call him AH Lee. (Chinese man, Height about 5ft 6ins,Wear spec,Age about early 50).
In the early 80's he used to rent a small lot in the Glass,Mirror and Frame shop
at Jalan Pahang,Setapak, KL Just beside the Setapak KFC (Jln Pahang) main road.

During those days he stays in Wangsa Maju,Setapak,KL.
If i not mistaken, In year 2001 or 2002 he shifted his business to Greenwood,Gombak.

Now i think he is still in Gombak but dont know where.

Anyone who knows him.Please forward my HP 019-3861982 and email coffas@streamyx.com to him.
OR pass me his contact number.

To me he is honest,exprience and his price is very reasonable.

Please help.

Thank You

Yes. Thank you. That's what I've been drumming into ar188's head but he insist on flaming me.

But anyways, back to your topic. If I'm not mistaken, correct me if I'm wrong, the speedmaster apollo is a hand wound movement and has hexaplastic or something glass compound. The reason for this is that in zero gravity, the sapphire glass would shatter. Also, it's kinda hard for the watch to self wind in zero gravity.

This Speedmaster is highly prized for its reliable movement and good accuracy (NASA specifications). If you want to get it, I'll pass the word around my friends at timezone.com, watchnet.com and locally in the watch collectors circle here in Malaysia. We should be able to find you one in good condition with minimal wear and tear at a reasonable price. There's always someone selling something, you just have to know where to look.