My First Watch...Longines?

[HistoryTeacher]

I've been watching with envy all of the watch posts, and after months of deliberating, I decided to give watches a try. Realizing that it will take years of experience and many mistakes along the way, I went ahead and bought my first TS watch yesterday. The face said "Longines" and the case was marked 14K (white gold though the pictures look yellow) with a mark I don't recognize. I know Longines could be very good and 14k is always good.

When I got it home, I looked closer at it and took it apart. The band is a Champion 1/20 10 K GF. The face is toast and the case is missing the crystal. The movement appears to be genuine and has a serial number that seems to indicate the 40's or 50's? It doesn't work but the crown still turns the hands. I don't know where to begin with the mark on the case as it doesn't appear to be Longines. The $22.00 T/S tag was marked "14K" so they saw the mark too. Did they know something I don't? The only way to learn is to be willing to make mistakes. Did I make a mistake?

Thoughts welcome. If the case and movement are genuine do I sell them separate?

 

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[trdking]

Time for the teacher to get their first Historical Lesson?
Historically Ladies watches are the kiss of death. Resale is terrible coupled by the fact that your watch does not work is probably why it had not sold. It is gold have the case weighed up and sell it for scrap I think there may be enough there to get your money back. The ladies movement will more than likely not sell even for parts. Check it out on eBay. Use eBay as a guide (The sold section) when out picking. It is an absolute real time on the pulse of the market. When you do find the pot o gold Make sure you understand what a fake looks like. There are a bunch of them out there especially Rolex and Omega . BTW a ladies rolex this size is worth a couple hundred dollars A mans Rolex in this 1950's age is worth 2K and up to the sky the limit The more they are worth the more they are faked. I have been collecting watches for 40 years Trust me I have seen it all

 

[tamrock]

These small gold ladies watches are generally not worth more than the 3.+ grams of scrap gold, but in recent times I have sold some more modern ladies watches for some good profits and they've been brands like Bulova, Raymond Wiel and others. If the name and style of ladies watch is advertised in publications like Vanity Fair, there's a market for that ladies watch. Most of the nicer made ladies watches I've sold have gone to Asian buyers and some European. Some time ago I'd shop off this little vintage jewelry place along Broadway in Denver and the fella that ran it would cut those small gold cases in two and re-fashion the lugs and diamonds in them into gold earrings. He'd turn those gold cases into a pair of earrings with prices of $300 to $400 dollars. I thought that was so clever and a great way to get the most out of the elements he would obtain out of those small gold watches.

 

[HistoryTeacher]

Time for the teacher to get their first Historical Lesson?
Historically Ladies watches are the kiss of death. Resale is terrible coupled by the fact that your watch does not work is probably why it had not sold. It is gold have the case weighed up and sell it for scrap I think there may be enough there to get your money back. The ladies movement will more than likely not sell even for parts. Check it out on eBay. Use eBay as a guide (The sold section) when out picking. It is an absolute real time on the pulse of the market. When you do find the pot o gold Make sure you understand what a fake looks like. There are a bunch of them out there especially Rolex and Omega . BTW a ladies rolex this size is worth a couple hundred dollars A mans Rolex in this 1950's age is worth 2K and up to the sky the limit The more they are worth the more they are faked. I have been collecting watches for 40 years Trust me I have seen it all

Thanks for the quick and helpful reply. "Ladies watches are the kiss of death" will go in my book as rule number 1 in watch buying--I'm taking notes. It is too bad about the movements not selling; I was surprised how cool it looked when I opened it. I can see why people love them.

I just did my first acid test on the gold (learning a lot this week), and it looks like it tests as 14k and weighs 5.85 grams so it turns out I should more than make money back.

The number of fakes has had me really reluctant to buy watches without any knowledge.

 

[niffler]

Great score on the gold. Also, you take excellent pictures!

 

[Drmad7]

Ladies gold watches (14k) are usually at least 3g, so I knew that $22 was a great price. I expect to get at least $70 minimum for a 14K small ladies watch. Great job!

 

[JimDon]

5g seems heavy. Did you take the movement out when you weighed it. Should be under 3g. Tamrock is right but I have had great luck selling Longines. Especially the long thin rectangular ones. Seems Longines is a popular brand over in China and people buy them here to send over for sale in China. Go ahead a list it. You might be surprised.

 

[HistoryTeacher]

5g seems heavy. Did you take the movement out when you weighed it. Should be under 3g. Tamrock is right but I have had great luck selling Longines. Especially the long thin rectangular ones. Seems Longines is a popular brand over in China and people buy them here to send over for sale in China. Go ahead a list it. You might be surprised.

Thanks. I took out the movement to weigh it. The two end pieces where the band attaches are kind of chunky and gave it some weight. They tested 14k too. If you listed it, then would you put it all back together and sell it that way? Any actual repairs are way beyond by experience.

 

[trdking]

Make sure the case doesn't have a steel liner where the movement goes into the case back. This case does seem unusually heavy. Repairs are out of the question for this. It would cost a minimum of 75 - 100 to repair even a minor thing.
Longines is a name brand and the rectangular cased watches from the 20s and 30s do fetch a premium. They are mens watches as a rule even though they are small. I too have sold women watches, you just need to do your homework before pulling the trigger.
There are many sites you can visit online that will compare the real deal to Faky mcFake Fakes. If you find a Rolex (The most highly faked watch on earth) All you need to do is pay close attention to detail. Real Rolexes are FLAWLESS The slightest thing crooked or out of place should send off the alarm bells Things not centered rough edges they should wreak of quality or they are junk. If you have special tools you can open the screw back and the movement alone should send you away. Omega the second most faked could be as simple as the Omega symbol missing from the case back or features and buttons on the watch that do not function. This is not broken they never work on the fakes.

Look up Cooksey Shuggarts watch guide. It is a great place to start to learn values. eBay Sold items look up is fast and reliable as a rule. Don't give up. There are some great finds out there. Trust me I have made Thousands of Dollars finding valuable wrist and pocket watches. Take it Slow. Do your Homework. Plan on getting burned a few times but try to make it a few dollars not thousands! Do your Home work friend

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very interesting thread...thank you for schooling!

 

[Kace]

I agree with everything said...The only things I would add that if you happen on an Authentic Vintage or Antique Ladies high end watch with the original box and papers.. Japanese buyers are your BFF's. I've found several at different places and they sell Really Well.

Buy or Keep Old Empty Watch and Jewelers Boxes/papers whenever you run across those too.

I don't use eBay anymore but when I did, I got to know this guy in Japan who bought a lot of things from me for way more than they sold for in the US and we've stayed in touch. He lets me know what's hot over there and buys from me to either keep or re sell.

He only got upset once and that was when I wouldn't sell or get him a car and told him I never would send an American Made Muscle Car over there. He got over it and anything but cars or old American MC's I'll sell him.

Kace

Kace

 

[trdking]

whats his number? Ill sell him some of my muscle cars!

 

[A2coins]

I want some sold all mine