So you want to enter to world of vintage watches? Because it is my passion I will talk about Seikos, those fantastic timepieces made in Japan, and focus mainly on the joys of 1955-1980, when seikos were more accurate than Switzerland. When buying a vintage timepiece it is essential to learn as much about them as possible before you begin looking. There are many forums dedicated to all sorts of vintage and moden brands, so check them out first. Next you need to make a few notes on how to recognise various models, you can also bookmark a few pages that tell you how. this is really impotant because we are all looking for a bargain, and it is the incorrectly listed watch that will be cheapest. So if you can recognise a watch from a few badly shown images or written clues, then you have a better chance of spotting the best deal. Finally, watch what is selling and for how much. Search the style of watches you want to buy, and then watch what they end for. Unfortumately with Seikos, the start price and the end price have very little relationship and the price normally goes up in the last 2 minutes. Don't worry about feelong like you have missed a deal, relax and tell yourself that you don't know if it is a good deal yet! After you have watched a few sales go down, and you feel that you know what you want, start with setting a price. This way you don't get caught up with auction maddness. A few tips on which watch is worth it... A dmaged face is almost impossible to repair. A re-dial is very hard to do and there are loads of cowboy watch reapirers who will just paint the face and think that this is ok. There is one guy in the US who has all the Seiko templates and can re-create the factory face, but he is the only one I know of. I live in Australia, so I try and avoid needing him. A damaged mechanism is much easier to fix. Sometimes there are problems finding parts, and this is where the watch with a wrecked dial but a working mechanism comes in handy. But you need to find a good watchmaker. The best policy I know of is to bring in a watch and get a quote. Talk to the watchmaker about what he/she can and can't do, and avoid all requests to touch up the dial. If you have a good feeling about them, go for it. If possible, talk some other watch heads about who is a good repair shop. Check online for reviews. And remember a job done well is worth more than the job done badly and cheaply. Make a choice about your style. With Seikos there are fashions that affect price. Seiko dive watches are very in, as are chronos (rightly so if you ask me) and automatic alarms. But don't get carried away by what other people are buying. It is good to know what fetches a good price, as a quick buy and sell can help finance you other purchases if you see a bargain, but really look at what it is you want. A watch is made to be worn, so look for watches you want to wear. Bid late. I hate this, but it is true. Most bids come in the last minute or two, and my reasoning is that if you bid early, you are bidding against your own earlier bid. I never bid before there is less than a day to go, and try to bid as late as possible. Check out feedback! This is really important with watches, because they are small and easily confused. If you think that the description does not match the picture, ask why. Ask questions. this is a tricky one, becasue any questions will be posted for all to see, that way you loose an edge over the other bidders, but a few dollars more on the sale price is better than getting a watch you don't want. Don't give up. Don't wait and wait for the watch you want only to give up and buy something you don't really love. Relax, your watch will be for sale at some point. If you are getting desperate, check out sellers who have a store, and ask them if hey have the style or model you are looking for. Make a bit of noise about wanting one. If that doesn't work, wait a bit more. That's about it from me, the most important thing about buying vintage watches on ebay is to know what you are looking for, and know how much you are willing to pay. And remeber, you don't need to know everything about a watch, just enough to recognise the one you want.