The Watch Appreciation Thread - Part two (Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Jaeger LeCoultre,

[steveoffice]

Has anyone have experience with Everest rubber straps? Is it worth the price?

I am considering getting one for my Seamaster Prof 300. Everest straps are made for Rolex, but I think it will work for Omega as well.

 

[Dino944]

Hello all!

Seems like the OP FAQ is mostly about step 1, "how to decide what watch you like." What I'm interested in learning more about is where to find it [used] once you do, how to spot fakes and unreliable sellers, how to figure out fair values, and that sort of thing. Anyone have any good links or resources (or just comments) to get me started on that? General advice welcome, but in particular I love the classic simplicity of many Girard-Perregaux and plan to start there for my first piece.

Its really about doing your homework and unfortunately, there isn't a dealer or one website that covers all the bases. You really need to get to know the watches you are considering, both from photos and in person. Are there local watch shops in your area that you could visit? You can learn a lot from visiting very good shops with a knowledgeable staff (when I say that I don't just mean people at a jewelry store that carries watches, I mean people that are really into watches).

Search the name of dealers and seller on watch websites see if anyone has good or bad things to say about them. Watchnet.com has section where people can post good experiences with sellers/buyers etc called "Good guys" and "Deal Watch" for sellers or buyers where there have been problems. I haven't looked at those sites in a while, but you could certainly search out sellers you may consider working with, be it brick and mortar or online sellers. Also, if you find a watch shop with a good reputation near you, you could ask them to look for a certain type of watch for you. If they are a solid place, they will know what they are looking for and looking at, and they won't bring in fakes.

GP makes very good watches. One can usually get a good deal on used pieces as they just don't hold their value relative to their MSRPs when new... but that's good for people who want a nice pre-owned watch at a good price. Also as interest in them isn't as strong as say for Rolex, Patek, AP, Panerai, Omega, Cartier, IWC... so there are probably fewer fakes out there, but one still needs to be vigilant and make sure what you are looking at is even a real model. I've seen some horrible fake junk watches that are at best a $25 watch that have high end makers names on them and they don't even resemble anything that the brand ever made. Actually, my "Favorite fakes" if one can have a favorite , are the ones with subdials that have a day, date and maybe month markings on them and pushers for a chronograph function but its not a chronograph so the pushers don't appear to do anything!

Wishing you luck with your wrist watch journey!

 

[LA Guy]

Anyone ever bid on a Watches of Knightsbridge auction? They usually offer a great selection of vintage watches.

https://issuu.com/atgpark/docs/wok_3_nov_catalogue?e=33745500/64962344

Their watches are nice, but they know their stuff too well, so there is really no element of gambling in their auctions, which is 80% of the fun. Otherwise, why not just buy a watch...

 

[Andy57]

A question on AD purchases: has anyone ever used the duty free shops at airports? Rolex and Watches of Switzerland have boutiques at Heathrow, and while I haven’t hassled a sales associate re details on pricing, it appears to be a bit lower than normal US retail. Also, for manners: can you work with a London sales associate and get that person a commission if you pick up at the airport?

I have not purchased from an airport duty free, but I have browsed extensively at Heathrow T5's Rolex boutique, the Watches of Switzerland, and also Cartier. I agree that the prices are definitely below US retail and get better as the pound sinks lower. I wouldn't hesitate to buy from one of them, but it would not be an impulse purchase.

 

[Lee Saxon]

Looking for some ideas, folks! I'm looking for a guilloche but otherwise plain/reserved dial (maybe even without a date). Sub-40mm. Leather band. I've previously owned a Tissot Le Locle but I want a less busy dial (and probably something a little higher-end). Can be new or vintage. Budget ~$1500.

I'd planned to look for an older pre-owned iteration of this Girard Perregaux, which is almost perfect (excepting the price), but it turns out there isn't one. Oh well, maybe one day when I win the lottery.

Wishing you luck with your wrist watch journey!

Thanks for taking the time, Dino!

 

[cchen]

Anyone ever bid on a Watches of Knightsbridge auction? They usually offer a great selection of vintage watches.

https://issuu.com/atgpark/docs/wok_3_nov_catalogue?e=33745500/64962344

I've bought a few from them before. I would advise checking out the watches you're interested in person as the majority have some condition issues that usually aren't captured in their pics

 

[Texasmade]

Looking for some ideas, folks! I'm looking for a guilloche but otherwise plain/reserved dial (maybe even without a date). Sub-40mm. Leather band. I've previously owned a Tissot Le Locle but I want a less busy dial (and probably something a little higher-end). Can be new or vintage. Budget ~$1500.

I'd planned to look for an older pre-owned iteration of this Girard Perregaux, which is almost perfect (excepting the price), but it turns out there isn't one. Oh well, maybe one day when I win the lottery.



Thanks for taking the time, Dino!

Cartier. I’m sure you can find a used quartz model for a really good price.

 

[cchen]

Their watches are nice, but they know their stuff too well, so there is really no element of gambling in their auctions, which is 80% of the fun. Otherwise, why not just buy a watch...

huh??

 

[LA Guy]

huh??

Oh, Watches of Knightbridge. They really know their watches, so their are never any real surprises or hidden gems in their selections or prices. Basically, the sport/fun is not there.

 

[cchen]

Oh, Watches of Knightbridge. They really know their watches, so their are never any real surprises or hidden gems in their selections or prices. Basically, the sport/fun is not there.

that's not true, I have gotten deals there. They are a volume oriented auction house, so every auction has a large catalog and there are always sleepers in there

 

[Medwed]

that's not true, I have gotten deals there. They are a volume oriented auction house, so every auction has a large catalog and there are always sleepers in there

Any recent example of a bargain you have seen or snatched? I have not seen any bargains from watch-oriented auction houses for years. I simply ignore their mailers now. German auction houses occasionally let some bargain slip in but the rest UK/NL/FR I had no luck with.

 

[cchen]

My UG polerouter was around £550 from WoK. Haven't bought anything else recently as interest has been so high.

Looking back there are definitely gems I passed on that I would gladly buy now.

The issue has nothing to do with the auction houses. It's that interest in watch collecting and vintage watches has never been higher, so with more people searching auctions all over the world, the bargains are disappearing.

But clearly dealers are still unearthing rare and collectible watches, so the inventory is out there, just not at prices that would be considered a bargain.

 

[Medwed]

My UG polerouter was around £550 from WoK. Haven't bought anything else recently as interest has been so high.

Looking back there are definitely gems I passed on that I would gladly buy now.

The issue has nothing to do with the auction houses. It's that interest in watch collecting and vintage watches has never been higher, so with more people searching auctions all over the world, the bargains are disappearing.

But clearly dealers are still unearthing rare and collectible watches, so the inventory is out there, just not at prices that would be considered a bargain.

Thanks for sharing, that is a great price for micro rotor. Congrats.
I think, since auction houses have very little of their own inventory and rely mostly on consignments, in order to attract the sellers they offer ridiculously high mandatory Starting Prices or straight Reserve Price, which was not the case before. You are correct in saying that this is what the market of used watches turned into thanks to the internet.
Watch business became a snake that eats its own tail, when Reserve Prices are not in place the bargains are plenty, but when euphoric sellers and greedy auctioneers find each other the price bubble inflates with alarming speed.
The landing will be hard.

 

[atia2]

I saw a most peculiar Rolex submariner in the wild recently. It was entirely black and, when viewed from certain angles, a moving image of the hands was projected somehow onto the surface of the crystal. Anyone familiar with this?

 

[Dandy_dapper]

Very nice watchs, very thanks for the info