looking to go, vintage 1979 16800 where to start

[hbombkid]

So I am thinking about getting a birth year watch and the sub is such a classic watch and would be a great start.

Here is the kicker and need some advice. I am not into vintage watches so being 100% original is not a factor actually the complete opposite. So far the ones I have seen have been more original and that brings the price tag up.

I am looking for the following

1979 16800 head only - bracelet not needed as I would swap to a 97200 (heard it will fit an 16800)

Dial and hands - patina preferred but has be be an exact match so the hands are not darker only half the dial etc. I guess at worst when being refinished could ask to have that done or buy a dial and hands that are a perfect match.

inset / bezel - if the thing has any scratches I would replace (I want to be the first to put a scratch on it)

In all honestly I want to make a 16800 1979 brand new. I just want it for the year I was born but I want to add the history to so scratches etc. I want it to tell my story and then one day hand it down to my son.

what is the best way to achieve this? If I could spend about 3500 I would spend the rest of the cash on restoration. Is that even possible? I would love to find one no bracelet, all scratched up, broken crystal etc. Have it restored and start to wear it.

Thanks for the advice

[Gina Marie]

Vintage Kevin on instragram has one but it has papers and a bracelet and will not be cheap. I have one as well.....but it is a full set....and likely outside your price.

[traf]

Why don't you just buy a brand new sub date and put all of your "original scratches" on the watch literally from the beginning? Seems silly to have a birth year watch to restore to give you that brand new feeling with all the drawbacks of vintage and almost no perks other than knowing that it was made circa your birth year


Sent from my  iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

[agsstructures]

I don't see the logic in buying a vintage watch only to restore it to look new?

[dysondiver]

better off buying something tidy to start with ,, or maybe a date just or an explorer , subs carry a premium ,,, especially vintage , or keep saving , often the sum of the parts to tidy up something cheap add up to more than the price , and value of a nice one.

[enginerd]

Originally Posted by hbombkid

If I could spend about 3500 I would spend the rest of the cash on restoration. Is that even possible?

Thanks for the advice

I paid less than that for one last year, but it was in pretty darn good condition and had its bracelet. It was a 1981 IIRC. Maybe a fluke on the price, but I seem to do that a lot with watches. If only my stock market choices went that way. Sigh.

[hbombkid]

Thanks for all the advice. I don't mean completely new. I like the vintage patina look of the dials and hands. I would like to keep that but I would like it to match the entire way around if that makes sense. Also about just buying new I like the cases better on the older ones and I just thought if I am gonna get an older one get my birth year. I could easily get a 16610 add the bracelet and be done but I like the idea of a birth watch and of course patina.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[enginerd]

In that case I would buy the best watch I could find and have it refinished by one of the experts here.

[speedolex]

Originally Posted by knobberboy

I don't see the logic in buying a vintage watch only to restore it to look new?

In my case, I wanted a brand new Explorer as a daily wearer but didn't like the white gold dial markers of the current Rolex offering, liked the all-matte look from the past. So I deliberately sought out the newest and freshest looking 1016 I could find.

I have other watches that look very vintage, this one I wanted looking new. So what the OP is looking to do isn't unique, I did the same back in March.