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Share your treasure find's here from a buck and up

2K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  lumhechati 
#1 ·
What's your great find from swap meet's to flea market's....I'm a professional AMERICAN PICKER and earn a good living.And would love to see your great find's.Here's a start 9.99 and is (to me gem in the rough)
 

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#6 ·
Other find's

alwsome find's,i have 2 other bulova's i found in a goodwill junk jewelery vase for 12.00 bucks.One is a bulova automatic (need's crown)17j.-movement is a 11 aoacb,---n4 1974/other is a manaul wind 17j n7--mov.11 anc,bulova IMPERIAL.I found any info on the imperial.both run 100% correct.I also have a newer michele w swiss 7 jewel quartz.I' fornd 2 month's ago a 18kt gold LECOULTRE MEN'S 1968 PAID $5.25,AND A 9.00 AT GOODWIL FOR A 14kt solid gold men's omega seamaster deville(non-running).Just to start...
 

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#7 ·
$ 5.45 18kt men's LeCoultre,working 1968

:001_tt1: found this for 5 dollar's at another thrift store,was working but knocked over my gold acid on movement,a 1968 men's LE COULTRE.
 

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#11 ·
A couple of "finds" over the past year. The first is a Ladies 221 that was just serviced and came with its watch box. I installed a new black leather band and it runs like a champ. $10!


The next is a Ladies 230 with a beautiful black dial with diamond. Does not run but at $5.50, a service will not exceed the value of the watch. The band was unique but sized for a 3 year old! Like the above watch, it now sports a new black leather band.


In addition to those, I also picked up a few other Ladies 221s, all in the $20-$30 range and all running. A couple even had boxes. That was last year before the prices took a jump.
 
#12 ·
I just noticed this is the Bulova forum, so I'm sorry for posting a Rolex find, but I was lucky to find it! I couldn't sleep one night for some reason, and was very anxious for some reason, so I got out of bed at about 3 AM, and went on my computer. Checked out my normal ebay searches, looked at how my current auctions were doing, etc. Well, after looking for about 10 minutes at Rolexes, I came across a listing that said "STERLING BOLO, CUFFLINKS, AND WATCH BAND. I was wondering why that showed up in my search, but clicked on it anyway, read the description, etc . The ad stated a watch was on the watch bracelet, but it didn't work, and was included for free. Also, the seller said the watch was a Rolex that he bought new in 1967, but didn't know anything else. Awesome! These are the ads I love! So the starting bid was $9.99 with a reserve, but didn't get my hopes up do to the reserve.

I sent the seller a message asking more about the watch, and wrote me back that he spent about $300 on the watch new, wore it all over the world, and stopped working about ten years ago, so it sat in a drawer. He said the reserve of his auction was $450, and the watch WAS included. I wrote him back asking if he would separate the watch from the set. Heres the great part! He wrote back and said I could have the watch, as long as I take good care of it and "treat it right". I wrote him back and told him I would happily pay him, but insisted on giving it away.

I go look at the listing again, and it's now bid up to $49. The seller contacts me saying that he doesn't want to end the auction now due to bids, but if it doesn't meet the reserve, the watch is mine, free of charge. So all week I'm watching that listing like a hawk! Down to the last second, when it was just $5 shy of the reserve. I couldn't believe it didn't meet the reserve. So before I could even message the seller he messages me asking for my address. This guy was top notch!

So he sent me the watch, free of charge! When I got the watch in, I was able to get his address, and sent him $80. Thats the story, but I really regret selling it. I was happy though that I was able to get it running myself, though! There was just a tiny speck of rust on the balance wheel holding it in place, but ran great after that was removed!
 
#13 ·
Thank you for the story WATCHES4ME, I enjoyed it. I have a few Rolexes but have stayed away from Ebay for them because one hears horror stories about all the fakes. Apparently you can discern the fakes better than I can.
I started this hobby with a job that involved travel so I checked pawn shops for Accutrons and got lucky a few times. I got a friend started and he was in a very old pawn shop in a small river town south of here and asked about watches and the old man owner pulled out a box with 10 watches in it and there was an Accutron in it. He would only sell the whole box so my friend paid $50 for all 10 to get the Accutron and then took the Accutron to his local jeweler for a battery. He showed to the the jeweler the box of watches.
One of them said Rolex on it but it had not occurred to him that it wouldn't be fake but he found that it was real and was from appox 1947.
Also in the box was a tuning fork Omega.
It's amazing the things that are out there. I could take you to a barn norht of here containing 2 complete 1958 Corvettes and a Smokey and the Bandit TransAm. They have been there for over 20 years of which I am aware but can't be bought.
 
#16 ·
Another good find for only 4.52 $ a Rado swiss 7 jewel day/date nm cond.

Here's another find,it's not a bulova.It is a good one for the price of 4.52 cents a 7 jewel swiss ''RADO'' with day and date and one scratch on the back lid.Put a battery in it and work's mint,and almost mint cond.
 

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