MoT's WDF

valuewatchguy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 31, 2020 8:48 am My entire collection turned over this year so i could list them all but these two standout

That Aquastar- cool shot of a great looking watch!

I bought and sold a ton of watches this year, but easily my two favorite purchases were my white Eterna Kontikis. The diver would not have been possible without the help of this forum and user @whoagorgeous selling me his

This year I focused much less on "buying the deal" and instead on buying watches I have always really wanted and would wear. They have since become my #2 and #3 favorite watches I've owned. My favorite is still the sbgx085 [emoji57] Hopefully in 2021 I sell more, buy less, build more, and buy more meaningful watches.

Honorable mention to the Ball Trainmaster I bought fully expecting to sell the day I got it. It pleasantly surprised me, and for now it's a keeper.

This has been a fun thread to read through. A lot of the posted watches bring back memories of when their owner acquired or was trying to acquire them. [emoji1]

I was able to get two watches I’d wanted for a while in 2020, at good prices, but neither one was necessarily what I’d call a deal, so I’m going to post a couple of others here. My favorite deal of 2020 was one I didn’t even buy — the $2250 Frederique Constant perpetual calendar. You just never see a perpetual calendar available for even double that. If I hadn’t gotten disciplined into my consolidation efforts this year, I don’t think I could have resisted trying to make it work to buy one.

My fav deal bought this year was the Eterna Tangaroa complete calendar chrono. Really unique design, great deal found here at Ashford, and wore it a lot during the first few COVID months. Eventually sold it in my consolidation efforts, but was glad that it went to a great member here, BruceR.



Also was glad to be able to get a deal through River Edge on the IntraMatic chrono, which is one I’d been wanting to try for a while. Wore it on a lot of weekend drives through the countryside before passing it along to a new owner.

Thank you [mention]Split-Time[/mention] and [mention]AndroidIsAwesome[/mention] for the mention.


Every year my collection goes through some changes. I had to give up a big boy but ended up with my current favorite.

Saw this on Toppers weekly preowned selection and pulled the trigger pretty quick (even after posting the deal here). Justified it as a birthday gift to myself.

Old logo GS SBGA085



Honorable Mentions:

Sinn 104 ST S A B E
I have always wanted a Sinn and got on this during their pre-orders.
I have a love and non-love for this watch. It gets very limited wrist time due to how highly polish it is and I always want to sell it - until I wear it again.




Seiko SLA021
Initially, I was going to buy my friends sbdx017 but he took too long to decide. I was able to snag this at Marquis Jewelers when they had their 35% off. I've yet to see another one on sale again.
It's a big boy and has handle all the abuse I can throw at it at the moment. I love this watch.
but I also hate the cheap bracelet and the bezel could've been better.



Eterna Bronze KonTiki
With the help of [mention]AndroidIsAwesome[/mention], I was able to grab this watch. Granted, it's a high price to pay but it has been on my radar ever since Ashford dumped them a while back and I snoozed out of the deal.
It's a HUGE BOY. It even has a dust under the crystal (yes, you heard me. This one too.)
But I love it. It gets very little wrist time until I can find a proper strap to handle it.



BEST BARGIN DEALS HIGHLIGHT

Common, you had to know its non other than the Tjmaxx deals.

Victorinox Swiss Army Airboss Chrono
I was one of the first to find them after they were posted. Absolutely best deal for a 7750.
I really wanted to like it. But decided to let another member have it who may enjoy it more.



Citizen Quartz GMT
Brought this alongside with the VSX Airboss on impulse.
What's funny is that it cost as much as the Airboss, lol.
Pleased to say, I am very happy with the purchase. It's become part of my quick grab-n-go watches rotation.



Hamilton Khaki Quartz
Another pleasant impulse purchase from Shopworn. I thought it was so cool and had never seen this version posted before. It is also now part of my grab-n-go rotation.

My favorite watch purchase and deals for 2020 were the Hamilton Intramatic chrono limited edition from River Edge and FC Worldtimer from Citizen online outlet.

For microbrand, the Direnzo DRZ03 made the honorable mention.






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Well this was my favourite purchase of the year, got it for 58% off list price and although it’s more than I’d normally spend I don’t regret it at all, I liked it so much that when the jeweller offered me the silver version at 60% off I couldn’t say no!! I sold a few watches I didn’t really wear and I didn’t really have to apologise to the wife.
£160 from eBay, unworn with full documentation- Chronometer, powermatic 80, silicon spring and it really surprised me; if they had added lume it would be perfect!!

Mention for this- £45 on eBay, have seen similar models going for a lot more, the seller hadn’t listed it as an Antarctic and it was rubbish photos but I gave it a go and it’s awesome- no service needed at all!!

Boourns wrote: ↑Thu Dec 31, 2020 9:08 am

DogOnTime wrote: ↑Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:46 am Easy one for me: Halios Fairwind.
I wasn't a big Halios fan until this watch, it rectified 99% of the criticism I had about their previous models.

Finishing is unreal and makes almost every other brand under 3k look like a joke. Value for this is legitimately unprecedented in my eyes and has truly altered my appreciation for microbrands.

Audiophile analogy: this is the ER2XR of the current watch world... It shouldn't exist but it does.

Excited to hear this. I am going to try my hardest to snag a Universa, but I haven't gotten any emails from Halios in a long time.

Don't worry, Jason plans to launch it once the initial batches of bracelets are sorted through, along with the remaining batch of the Fairwind. I expect early Q2, maybe even late Q1.

For me, it would have to be the Ball Trainmaster Standard 135. Ball had been a brand I had my eye on for a long time but was just out of reach.

Thanks to a smoking deal from our Premier Partner [mention]riveredgejewelers[/mention], I was able to pick it up for a really good price, and I am glad I did!

I absolutely love the enamel dial and the blued hands. It is a good size, thin, and the bracelet is one of the most comfortable I've ever work. This is a watch I don't think I will ever sell.



My "stupid if you don't buy it" watch is probably the Victorinox Swiss Army Air Boss chronograph that TJ Maxx was selling for an absurd $160. Definitely a no-brainer, and what a watch! A 7750 for $160?!



Finally, though I didn't buy this, I have to mention it. Yema Superman Blue Lagoon. I talked up Yema a lot on here and in our chat room, and some people took notice. Just before Christmas this appeared at my door and was a total shock and surprise.

It was a humbling gesture of friendship and I will cherish it.

I think I would also nominate the AirBoss chrono as probably the best deal of the year, followed closely by the Citizen Company store sale that included Alpina and FC.

Some truly smokin' deals. Thanks MoT & Co!

valuewatchguy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 31, 2020 8:48 am My entire collection turned over this year so i could list them all but these two standout

How do you manage with the thickness of that Seiko chrono? I've heard it's the only "weakness."

DogOnTime wrote: ↑Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:29 am

valuewatchguy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 31, 2020 8:48 am My entire collection turned over this year so i could list them all but these two standout

How do you manage with the thickness of that Seiko chrono? I've heard it's the only "weakness."

Best way to explain is with a picture

You can see it is a thicker watch but you can see the midcase is very reserved. The undercut on the bottom edge of the case and the way the top tapers from the midcase to the glass is very important to how it actually feels on wrist. Then finally the glass alone is 2mm of the thickness. Taking all these factors together the watch actually wears about like any 13mm watch I’ve ever owned. So it’s not dress watch thin but far from obtrusive on wrist. Lug to lug is also very short helping this to wear smaller. But ultimately it is a automatic column wheel Chrono and the thickness is part of the territory.

Favorite watch purchase of 2020: Definitely my Fortis Cosmonaut's Chronograph. I have had these on my mind since the very early days of my watch interest, never figured I'd be able to own one, but one came up with a good price and a fresh service and through a bunch of collection culling I was able to call it mine! In person it has been everything I hoped it would be.



Best deal and runner up for favorite watch purchase was the Citizen Nighthawk Blue Angels- $167 on bracelet! This watch has fast become one of my favorites. It really scratches my Navitimer itch for me.

I’m late to the game here, but my two favorite acquisitions this year both happened in December. The WatchRecon alerts I had set-up allowed me to get a jump on two vintage-reissues that I had been wanting for a while...

First, the Zodiac SSW Skindiver in blue:





Then, the Bulova Surfboard in blue/orange:



I got smoking deals on both watches and they have quickly become part of my regular rotation. Makes me even more excited to see what the new year has in store.

An another note, thanks to MoT, the mods, and all of you who contribute and make this place a happy distraction for me throughout the week.

May you all have a prosperous 2021!

Great thread, some amazing pieces acquired by MoT members this year! My personal favorite deal/acquisition of the year was the Hamilton Jazzmaster GMT World on a fossil leather strap (also per MoT deal). Loved it so much I got married wearing it.

TCAL4404 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:52 am Great thread, some amazing pieces acquired by MoT members this year! My personal favorite deal/acquisition of the year was the Hamilton Jazzmaster GMT World on a fossil leather strap (also per MoT deal). Loved it so much I got married wearing it.

Wow, that is quite the endorsement! More importantly, congratulations on your marriage!