eBay Finds: Wittnauer Scuba-Chron, Dreffa Diver, and More

When it comes to shopping for vintage watches on eBay, it can be a gold mine, but it can also be a minefield. Our very own Christoph McNeill (you all might know him as Instagram’s @VintageDiver) wrote a must-read, common sense guide to buying vintage watches on eBay (check out Part 1 and Part 2). So if you’re looking for a vintage watch, but are still a little nervous diving head-first into those murky waters, then don’t worry—we’re here to help.  Today, we have another installment of eBay Finds, our series where we highlight some great vintage gems looking for a new home. Happy hunting!

Omega
Dress Watch with cal. 1010 Automatic Movement

Any day you find a vintage watch with its original box and papers is a good day, especially if it’s as nice as this circa 1978 Omega dress watch. The unpolished, gold plaque case measures 35mm (not including the signed crown), and the simple dial with its stick hands and markers is as classic as it gets. There’s a neat engraving on the case back, which makes the watch all the more special, and underneath that case back is a cal. 1010 movement that looks clean and ready to go. The strap has been replaced, but the buckle looks to be original, which is a nice bonus on top of everything else. But really, the best part is the box and papers, which I’m sure you already know is tough to come by on vintage watches. 

Check it out here

Bulova
17-Jewel Automatic from 1966

Here is a great little Bulova that should provide a ton of bang for your buck. The cushion case is unpolished and has nice looking lines along the bezel, but the real hero here is that linen dial! I really dig linen dials — they offer some added dimensionality to a watch without going overboard — and this one is executed really well. I’ve never seen this exact model before, but it looks great to my eye, and it appears to be intact with all of its original parts. It’s definitely small at 32mm, but not everyone is looking for a 44mm knuckle dragger!

Check it out here

Dreffa
Diver with Acrylic Bezel

This vintage Dreffa diver has lots of presence. I mean, just look at that fantastic bezel with the black-and-white quartered acrylic insert (it is not Bakelite, despite the seller’s claim). The dial is also great looking with its faceted steel markers reminiscent of those you’d find on vintage Squale divers. The case looks unpolished and it’s a great contemporary size at 40mm. Now, I can’t quite tell if the lume on the hands is original or not, so that’s something to consider if you’ll be bidding on this one, but if you don’t care, then this one is a looker for sure.

Check it out here

Wittnauer
Diver Chronograph SCUBA-CHRON

Here we have another great watch with box and papers! This vintage Wittnauer chronograph is a real stunner and definitely worthy of a spot in the watch box. In fact, I used to have one of these, and I loved it in the time it was in my collection. I ultimately sold it because I’m just not a huge fan of the Landeron chronograph movement, but that’s really more of a personal thing, and the Landeron is a perfectly good movement. Regardless, the dial, hands, and the awesome red bezel combine for a fantastic look, and the 42mm steel case looks to be as close to original as you’ll get. Oh yeah, the signed crown and vintage tropic strap are nice finishing touches. Again, with box and papers, you can’t beat this full set.

Check it out here