Buying guides
Read one of these before you buy. They cover the Speedmaster’s 321 and 861 calibers, the great chronograph movements, how to spot a redial, radium and tritium lume, the numbers inside a caseback and what to check in an eBay listing. If you’re new to all this, start with the first-watch guide.
Your First Vintage Swiss Watch: What to Buy and What to Check
Which vintage Omega, Tissot, Longines, Movado and Zenith references make a good first buy, what to check in the photos, and why to plan for a service.
Read the guide →Speedmaster Cal. 321 vs 861: How to Tell Which One You're Buying
How to tell a cal. 321 Speedmaster from an 861 in the movement photos, which references carry which, and how to avoid a swapped caliber.
Read the guide →How to Spot a Redial, Relume or Franken Vintage Swiss Watch
The printing, logo, Swiss text, lume and dial-feet tells that separate an original vintage Swiss dial from a redial, relume, service dial or franken.
Read the guide →El Primero, Lemania and the Rest: Vintage Chronograph Calibers Explained
Which movements sit inside vintage Zenith, Movado, Omega, Tissot and Longines chronographs, column wheel vs cam, and what each means when you buy.
Read the guide →Swiss Watch Reference, Caliber and Serial Numbers Explained
How to read case references like 145.022-69, caliber and movement serial numbers on vintage Omega, Longines, IWC and Zenith, and which archive extracts exist.
Read the guide →Radium, Tritium or Relume? Vintage Watch Lume and How to Handle It
How to tell radium, tritium and modern relumes apart on a vintage Swiss watch, what the T markings mean, and what radiation-safety sources advise.
Read the guide →What to Check in a Used Vintage Swiss Watch Listing on eBay
How to read a used Swiss watch listing on eBay: movement and case back photos, reference and caliber, serviced claims, old divers, gold markings and returns.
Read the guide →