It's hard to say what it was specifically that triggered the collector in me but it
was a bit of wanting to leave something for the children when I finally go to the happy
hunting ground, and a lot of a genuine liking for mechanical watches.
There was no sign of wanting to collect anything when I was at school, apart from a
minor attempt at stamp collecting, and it wasn't until I was married with children and
sensing the onset of mortality maybe, or perhaps just looking for a pastime, which could
have started the collecting fever.
But I think the catalist was being given my Father-in-laws watch after he sadly passed
away. It touched something inside me. It was an 9ct gold cushion shape Accurist with a
hinged back. I remember sitting and staring at the watch, remembering and missing my
Father-in-law and knowing when I gave it a wind and a wipe with a soft duster I was taking
over responsibility for it.
I also realised that I had been given a piece of history, lovingly cared for,
manufactured in 1952 by a company created in the year I was born.
I remembered my first ever wristwatch, now no longer with me, was a Smiths manual wind
with a black dial, bought me as a birthday present, it lasted thro' my school years and up
until I lost it dinghy sailing, when I was nineteen. I can't remember what I used to wear
after losing this Smiths, but I do remember a two tone dial, I think it might have been an
Ingersoll manual wind. Then my 21st birthday present, a 9ct gold Tissot Seastar seven.
I remember taking stock, I had my watch, the one I was wearing, a 21st birthday
present from my mom and dad, and now this one, my Father-in-laws watch. I remember
telephoning my mother and asking if she still had my dad's watches, yes, was the answer, my
collection was born.
I think the term vintage watches, applies to watches manufactured during the 1940's,
1950's and 1960's. I see watches from the 1990's onwards as new watches and watches from the
1970's and 1980's as retro.
During the 1970's we had some amazing designs, now easily recognisable as a 1970's
watch. We also had some really poor efforts.
Also during the 1970s, we saw the introduction of the "quartz watch". Initially,
these watches had red LED displays and are now very collectable. The quartz crystal in an
electronic watch, provides a more accurate oscillator than the balance wheel of the
mechanical watch.
I've a couple of 1970's Omega watches in the collection, so by my own admission, not
all of my watches are vintage.

why collect Omega vintage watches ?

I've often considered this, there are better watches out there, there are more stylish
watches out there, there are watches whose companies have had more interesting history but I think my answer is, I like Omega. I like the style of Omega watches thro' the fifties and
sixties specifically and I definitely like the craftmanship and quality. Bottom line, a
stainless steel Seamaster from the fifties with heavy lugs looks great on the wrist.
I don't limit the collection to OMEGA, I do try and keep to vintage watches. I prefer
mechanical watches but I always wear a Japanese digital watch when I'm working or swimming.

(Never take a vintage watch to water).