Watch Hunting - Mexico City
This past week, I went watch hunting in Mexico City. Between the amazing food, striking architecture, and great people, I managed to find some very interesting vintage watches. Let’s start with the main reason for the trip: an Omega Speedmaster Ref. 2998-62.
I first saw this watch a couple of years ago in photos. The owner—a collector and friend—wasn’t ready to part with it until last week. By pure chance, I now have four Speedmasters in stock, and this one is by far the rarest and most special.
To the untrained eye, all Speedmasters might look the same. But this particular example dates back to 1962. It's powered by the legendary Caliber 321 and features a different case and dial from later models. The "non-professional" dial and dauphine (or alpha) hands are key details that set it apart, along with the 39.5mm straight lug case. I wore it from the first day of the trip, and when the Mexican sun hits the dial, the tropical matte finish and aged lume truly shine. The straight lugs and alpha hands give it a slightly dressier feel than later Speedmasters—something I’ve really grown to appreciate.
On the second day, I visited Mexico City’s historic center. Mostly window shopping, but I stumbled upon an early Zodiac Aerospace in excellent condition. That same day, I picked up a lot of NOS JB Champion bracelets and various spare parts—not bad at all. The Zodiac sold quickly, even before making it online. It didn’t have the “Aerospace GMT” text on the dial, giving it a cleaner look. The bakelite bezel was flawless, and I really liked the unique color combo—not the usual red and blue you’d expect. Though it sold in a matter of hours, I enjoyed it while it lasted.
A day before heading home, I spotted a Cartier Tank Louis in a jewelry store and asked to see it. Upon closer inspection, everything checked out: original Paris dial, correct crown, an unpolished case, and even the original strap with deployant buckle. I’ve been looking for a Tank for my personal collection for a while, and this one just fell into my hands. You often find the best pieces when you’re not even looking—or at least that’s how it seems to happen.
As the trip came to a close, I had planned to meet some friends to buy a Speedmaster 145.022. It looked great in pictures and we had even agreed on a price, but they sold it before our meeting. I guess it wasn’t meant to be. Since I’d already withdrawn the cash, I looked around for something else and ended up picking up a vintage Audemars Piguet. It had a beautiful ultra-thin automatic Caliber 2120 and sold before I even had a chance to list it.
All in all, Mexico City was a great place to find cool watches, eat well, and connect with passionate, knowledgeable people. That said, out of the 20+ watches I saw, fewer than half were all-original or unaltered. Many had incorrect crowns, repainted dials, or were heavily polished.That being said, as is always the case with vintage watches: you have to be very selective and careful when buying. One great spot I can recommend for parts is Lux Store, located in the Historic Center. Overall, the trip was a reminder that with the right eye and a bit of luck, there are still gems waiting to be found.
