Bob’s Watches ‘Fresh Finds’ Vintage 60s Auction Results

Yesterday was the last day of bidding for our ‘Fresh Finds’ vintage 1960s sports watch auction. Thank you to everyone who participated and a big congratulations to the new owners of these four remarkable vintage timepieces! 

While last month’s ‘Fresh Finds’ vintage auction featured 16 incredible watches all produced by Rolex, this month’s edition featured just 4 lots (3 Rolex watches and 1 Omega). Additionally, all of the watches featured in this ‘Fresh Finds’ auction were vintage sports models produced during the 1960s – the final decade from the golden era of mechanical watches, right before the advent of the quartz timekeeping. 

Each of these vintage 60s sports watches was designed from the ground up to serve a specific task, whether that be diving, flying, or mountain climbing. Additionally, while all of these sports watches first emerged during the 1950s and still exist in their modern forms within their respective brand’s catalogs, these historic 1960s models represent the point in history when these legendary purpose-built tool watches first started to take on their contemporary forms. 

Sixties Watches Net Nearly Six-Figures

All four of the remarkable fresh-to-market vintage sports watches featured in our ‘Fresh Finds’ auction received numerous bids, surpassing their reserves and netting a grand total of $98,700 for the auction. Additionally, our ‘Fresh Finds’ vintage auctions never have any buyer’s premiums, so the final sale price of each watch is actually the total amount that the lucky winners will pay.

The most expensive lot sold in this month’s ‘Fresh Finds’ vintage auction was the Rolex Submariner ref. 5512 fitted with a gilt dial with both chapter ring and exclamation point markings, which achieved a final sale price of $30,200 and received a total of 9 bids. This was closely followed by the Rolex GMT-Master ref. 1675 (also fitted with a gilt dial), which reached a final price of $30,000, also with a total of 9 bids. The third Rolex featured in the auction – a vintage Rolex Explorer ref. 1016 – also fitted with a gilt dial with chapter ring and exclamation point markings – achieved a final sale price of $21,000 with a total of 6 bids.

All four of these vintage 1960s sports watches are rare variations of their respective models, and they are entirely representative of the 1960s. Purchased directly from the families of their original owners, these four vintage sports watches collectively represent the golden era of mechanical timekeeping, and all of them are highly desirable additions to any serious watch collection. 

Strong Results for the Omega Speedmaster 

Omega Speedmaster 105.003 “Ed White” Key Features:

• 39mm case diameter
• Stainless steel construction
• Omega Cal. 321 movement
• ‘Stepped’ dial with tritium hands and markers
• Black ‘Dot-Over-Ninety’ bezel
• Case with straight lugs

Click here to learn more about the complete history of the Omega Speedmaster.

While strong auction results for vintage Rolex watches are nothing new, it is worth noting that the vintage Omega Speedmaster “Ed White” ref. 105.003 featured in our auction also achieved impressive results, with a final sale price of $17,500 with a total of 5 bids.  

For years, many collectors have maintained that the Omega Speedmaster is one of the most undervalued watches in the entire industry; however, that has started to change in recent years. Celebrated throughout the world for having a truly timeless and purpose-built design – and for being flight-certified by NASA and the first watch worn on the moon – the Omega Speedmaster is a true fixture of the world of watchmaking.

However, compared to other vintage chronograph watches such as the Rolex Daytona, which can frequently sell for prices that reach well into the six-figure territory, prices for vintage Speedmaster watches have typically remained comparatively affordable. While modern Omega Speedmaster watches can often be found for around $5,000, prices for vintage models – particularly those fitted with Omega’s legendary Caliber 321 movement like the ref. 105.003 featured in our auction – have been steadily on the rise for a number of years now.

Whether or not vintage Omega Speedmaster watches will appreciate to the same levels of value and collectability as vintage Rolex Daytona watches remains to be seen. At the present time, there still exists a fairly large gap in value between the two watches. However, few watches can claim a stronger pedigree than the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, and many collectors believe that prices for vintage Speedmaster models will likely continue to rise as an increasing number of collectors become aware of the excellent value proposition of these historic chronograph wristwatches. 

The Next ‘Fresh Finds’ Vintage Auction

One of the greatest advantages of buying our inventory directly from the public is that we get to see watches that have been in the same family for generations, and that have never before been offered to the public. These ‘fresh finds’ watches are not timepieces that have passed through the hands of numerous dealers, but rather they are honest watches that each have their own story to tell.

We have another ‘Fresh Finds’ vintage auction in the works for next month, so be sure to stay tuned for our upcoming announcement where we unveil the incredible vintage watches that will be made available to the public for the very first time since they originally left their retailers many years ago.