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eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil. If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at [email protected] for potential inclusion!
eBay Finds: A Vintage LED Bowmar that works, A Seiko 6105, & One Sweet PloProf
Vintage Omega PloProf
Starting off this edition of eBay Finds with a bang! This vintage Omega PloProf is the bomb (see what I did there?). The ProPlof is a legendary diver from Omega, a truly purpose-built too watch that is robust as it is unique. It is also a highly sought after diver from one of the most collected vintage watch brands. This ref 166.077 looks to be in excellent original condition. Case has nice sharp edges and factory brushed finish, and looks unpolished. The acrylic bezel, while it has lots of scratches, is in great shape. The dial looks nearly perfect, as do the hands. There are many variations and iterations that were made of the PloProf, and to be clear I’m not fully up on all the nuances. And since this one is not going to be cheap, be sure to do your due diligence and research if you plan to bid. That said, if I were in the market for one of these bad boys, I would definitely bid on this one. Editor’s note: this one qualifies for eBay’s Authenticity guarantee.
Vintage Bowmar LED
On the opposite end of the watch collecting spectrum we have this super cool vintage LED by Bowmar. I’ve said it before, but I’m a sucker for these old school digital watches, as my first watch as a kid was a plastic LED that I loved and wore every day ‘till it died (RIP). Anyway, there was quite the boom when these first came out, and there were so many “no name” brands, including this Bowmar (never heard of it before!). But this gold gem is too cool to pass up despite the lack of brand power. The gold plated case is excellent and unpolished, showing the original radial brushed finish. Classic round dial face with the OG red LED time display that you have to push the button to see. These were such a drain on batteries that they couldn’t display the time constantly. Such a cool quirk of the technology. This one comes with what appears to be the original bracelet as well.
Vintage Seiko 6105-8000
More Seiko? Well, when it’s an iconic diver like the 6105-8000, I just can’t pass up sharing it. While the 6105-811X is the more well-known diver, the older 8000 is a classic in its own right. The sleek symmetrical case is actually my preference of the two (heresy, I know!), and this example has a beautiful, unpolished case with sharp edges and original brushed finish. There are definitely marks from use, but that is to be expected with a tool watch. Underneath the heavily scratched crystal lies a beautifully preserved dial and handset. The bezel exhibits some scratches too but isn’t all that bad and the lume pip is original and intact. It has the original oversized crown signed “Seiko”. These are truly getting so hard to find in original condition, and the 6105 divers are still grossly undervalued in my humble opinion.
Vintage Omega
And now for something completely different. Here we have a sweet little Omega dress watch that is definitely not your usual Omega. The stainless steel case is 26mm square and in great, unpolished shape. The dial features Roman numeral hour markers that are laid out in a stylized, radial fashion that gives it a unique look. The dial looks to be in really nice, original condition. The hands are super slim stick hands that compliment the dial. The caliber 670 automatic movement is clean and seller states it has been serviced. The signed crown looks correct and original as well. This would be a great dress watch for the slimmer wrist, or maybe a perfect gift for a deserving lady in your life.
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Bonus Selection: Omega Renaissance 1894 World Limited
Okay, we couldn’t resist slipping this one in here in addition to Christoph’s selections above. This is a rather rare limited edition watch from Omega released in 1994 in celebration of 100 years since the 19 caliber named Omega (the company took on Omega from Louis Brandt et Frères in 1903). The gold case and dial absolutely sing together, while the manually wound caliber visible through the caseback recalls an earlier era for the brand. Ageless Roman numerals and an oversized subsidiary seconds pack plenty of character into this 35.5mm case. Just 1894 examples of these watches were produced in the early ’90s, and this is among the finest of the lot.
Christoph (Instagram’s @vintagediver) is a long time collector and lover of all things vintage, starting with comic books when he was a kid (he still collects them). His passion for watches began in 1997 when he was gifted a family heirloom vintage Omega Genève by his step-father. That started him on the watch collecting path—buying and selling vintage watches of all sorts, with a special appreciation for vintage dive watches and Seiko.
vintagediver
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