# Vintage watches **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 30, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-watches/558853 "2010-10-30T04:04:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-watches/558853/1 "2010-10-30T04:04:02Z")
Inspired by [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=583634). The thing I like about my GMT Master II and Submariner is that they’re chunky and utilitarian. Their designs have changed little over the last 50 or 60 years. But they’re still ‘new’. And even though they used to be reasonably priced, they’ve developed an ill-deserved (IMO) cachet of being ‘luxury’ watches. Today, of course, there are any number of watches that are very plain to _BLING!!!_ I guess the same was true, after a fashion (pun intended) in decades past. I have my dad’s 1974 Seiko Bell-Matic. Stainless steel, blue face, automatic movement, and an alarm. I like it so much, I ended up with two duplicates. I also have dad’s c.1953 gold-tone Zodiac, and his c.1960s stainless steel Vulcain Cricket. Both of those are too ‘vintage-dressy’ for me. I like to try to pick out watches when I watch older movies or period-pieces (e.g., _Apollo 13_). I see Hamiltons, which was a popular brand in the U.S. for a long time, and the odd Omega, which I gather was more upscale (as it is today). I have a Hamilton [Ventura](http://www.creativewatch.co.uk/pimages/hamilton-ventura-watch-h24411732-large.jpg), which I like because it’s funky. Elvis wore one in _Blue Hawaii_, and they were featured in _Men In Black_. So what do you like in ‘Everyman’s watches’? Do you remember the Speidel ‘Twist-O-Flex’ bracelets? (Dad’s Vulcain and Zodiac have them.) Do you like metal bracelets, or leather bands? When you think of a vintage non-luxury watch, what brand do you think of? Are you into '30s/‘40s/Noir classics? Or are you more into the Swingin’ Sixties styles? Do you prefer dressy vintage watches? Or are you drawn toward utilitarian designs like the Bell-Matic? And so forth… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-watches/558853/2 "2010-10-30T04:32:50Z")
I haven’t worn a watch in over 30 years. If I’m not using my phone as a time piece, I use a pocket watch. I own maybe a dozen of them, ranging from cheapo Russian jobs to a couple of antiques. The Russians get more use. [This](http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/russian-gagarin-astronaut-rocket-space-go-pocket) is in the current rotation. As is [this](http://cgi.ebay.com/Molnija-Russian-Pocketwatch-/140470764814?pt=Pocket_Watches&hash=item20b4b5c50e) one. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vintage-watches/558853/3 "2010-10-30T04:40:31Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > cheapo Russian jobs… [This](http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/russian-gagarin-astronaut-rocket-space-go-pocket) is in the current rotation. As is [this](http://cgi.ebay.com/Molnija-Russian-Pocketwatch-/140470764814?pt=Pocket_Watches&hash=item20b4b5c50e) one. Mine’s like [this](http://archive.liveauctioneers.com/archive/1773/0401_1_lg.jpg) [one](http://archive.liveauctioneers.com/archive/1773/0401_3_lg.jpg). (Mine looks better.)