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

[scottcw]

I'm still looking for a Reverso from the 1930s. Any comments on this currently available from Robert Maron?

 

[cchen]



Anybody have any bidding/buying advice in regards to buying a watch from one of the large auction houses?

I'd recommend seeing the watches you're interested in in-person at the previews. Helps you get a better sense of the condition especially if you're going for vintage. You may also find that in the previews you'll try on watches that didn't appeal to you on-screen but in-person are very interesting.

 

[robw]



Anybody have any bidding/buying advice in regards to buying a watch from one of the large auction houses?

I have bought at auctions and if you can go to the showings it' can be a great way to see lots of different watched under one roof at one time. As for buying it's very easy to get carried away during the bidding. The adrenaline starts pumping and you forget about things like the buyer's premium and sales tax and some other fees that get added to the hammer price, with the result that you end up paying more hat you intended to. I speak from experience. I'd say the less fun way but more sensible way to buy is let the house bid for you so you set a limit and won't go over.

 

[cyc wid it]

-weird pic quality edit-

 

[mimo]

Any comments on this?

Wow.

(That's a comment, right?)

The black 1931 is absolutely my favourite current JLC, and its original incarnation does not disappoint. That's really something. Depending on the cost, I guess it all comes down to how much you want to invest in a complex tiny machine that's nearly a century old. As an objet it's wonderful, but I would be wary of using it as a watch. Rightly or wrongly. Maybe you should get this for the display case, and its modern twin to remind you of it while you're working - or playing polo.

 

[culverwood]

Anybody have any bidding/buying advice in regards to buying a watch from one of the large auction houses?

I have bought at auctions and if you can go to the showings it' can be a great way to see lots of different watched under one roof at one time. As for buying it's very easy to get carried away during the bidding. The adrenaline starts pumping and you forget about things like the buyer's premium and sales tax and some other fees that get added to the hammer price, with the result that you end up paying more hat you intended to. I speak from experience. I'd say the less fun way but more sensible way to buy is let the house bid for you so you set a limit and won't go over.

+1

As has been mentioned in a recent post the photos on the auction house website though useful do not always show the watches size and proportions, all watches whatever their size will fill the picture frame. It is definitely worth going to the viewings, Many auction houses will send you a PDF condition report on the watch/es you want to bid on which provides more information than the short catalogue listing. .Unless it is a grail watch the safest thing to do is to keep away from the auction and as robw says set a limit and let the auction house bid for you.

 

[scottcw]



Wow.

(That's a comment, right?)

The black 1931 is absolutely my favourite current JLC, and its original incarnation does not disappoint. That's really something.  Depending on the cost, I guess it all comes down to how much you want to invest in a complex tiny machine that's nearly a century old.  As an objet it's wonderful, but I would be wary of using it as a watch.  Rightly or wrongly.  Maybe you should get this for the display case, and its modern twin to remind you of it while you're working - or playing polo.

Thanks. I would be buying to wear it in regular rotation. They are asking $9K, but "entertaining all offers." I am thinking of offering $4800. Worst that can happen is they decline.

 

[mimo]

It's a fair principle, and one I apply a lot: I set a price in my head that something is worth to me, offer it, and it's either meant to be or it isn't. Best of luck!

 

[Kaplan]

Any recommendations for nicely designed lady's watches?

It's for someone attracted to this 26mm Rolex

as well as the smaller Nautilus models like the 4700/1.

Below $10K, what other (non-Rolex) models would you suggest looking at? Clean and simple designs are preferred, relatively subtle precious stones like on the Rolex are fine, as is quartz movements.

(I've already suggested smaller JLC Reverso and Cartier Tank models.)

And at the cheaper end, are there any lady's watches you like, say around $500?

 

[bdavro23]

You already have the Cartier Tank, which I personally think is the way to go. However, at the lower end of the spectrum, you could get a vintage manual wind Cartier Tank that will have history on it's side. A 50 year old Cartier is as old Hollywood as it gets and exudes class.

 

[Michael81]

But it probably wouldn't exude reliability.

 

[Dino944]

And at the cheaper end, are there any lady's watches you like, say around $500?

Not sure if you could get one for $500 but maybe under $1,000 - the old quartz Les Must Cartier Tank. Usually they have a sterling case that has been gold plated. These were their entry level watches I believe roughly from the late 70's and into the 1980s.

 

[Kaplan]

Thanks. She did have a smaller Tank which I believe was both gold plated and quartz (not sure if it was a 'Must'), which got stolen at a break in. Might be interested in something like it again.

 

[Renault78law]

I bought my wife a similar watch but 31mm and silver dial. Diamond dial, fluted bezel, jubilee bracelet, you can't go wrong. I enjoy looking at it as much as she does!

We didn't find anything comparable.

 

[mimo]

@Kaplan I've made some suggestions in the other thread for the PMW options, but here I have another comment: if she was attracted to a Rolex with a fluted bezel, maybe you should hold out a while and get her one?