Just wondering if anyone caught the episode of BBC Tv's Antiques Roadshow this evening where a guy bought a pre moon landing Speedmaster for £5, now valued by the expert at £5000.

How accurate was this valuation considering the condition.

 

I thought the valuation was pretty spot on considering it was correct, original and in barn find condition, yet there was significant lume loss.

The expert did incorrectly say it was a 67-68 pre-moon when it looked to me like a 65-66 HF, but apart from that I thought he got it spot on.

 

I just wish I could find these watches at a £5, such a great find, wonder if he kept it

 

Maybe he was referring to production dates.

 

I thought it was a 145.012-67 but was only watching on a kitchen TV

It didn't look in great shape; pretty faded bezel and gaps in the lume on the hands, but I thought £5k was a bit pessimistic.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000hrfq/antiques-roadshow-series-42-castle-ward-2

FF to about 36:30

 

I’m always unsure about Antiques roadshow after the conspiracy around the Daytona video

 

The bastards cheat, they get a pre viewing then research the item, usually ring a real expert, usually an auction house, then present as their own.

 

So, in short, “it’s not real, it’s television” shocker.

 

“Conspiracy”

 

I would imagine AR are a little more circumspect on their Speedy values after over estimating the last on on there, the tatty Ultraman, by around 60%.

 

I love Antiques Roadshow. An essential part of a satisfactory Sunday evening, along with Countryfile.

This was the third Speedmaster they have featured in this season of shows!

I think the tatty Ultraman maybe went to the wrong auction house rather than being massively overvalued on the show (though their estimate was punchy.)

Be nice to see a bit more variety of fine watches being brought along to the show.

 

That must be it!

 

I said the same thing last night. It's good they've recognised the popularity of vintage watches - some of which would simply have been second hand, nearly new watches when the program first started, and started to include them in the show.

Hopefully we'll see a few other interesting models in the future.

 

Just checking MWO (how sad are people like us), of course, the short/fat pushers give it away as a 105.012-66HF (as the principal distinction between the 105.012-66 and the 145.012-67 is the height of the pusher cap). Looking at SM101's price chart, a Poor-Fair 105.012-66 would be $5-7K so maybe the £5k estimate for this one isn't too far off the mark.



Still, matey-boy only paid £5 for it at a fair, and immediately declined an offer of £50 from someone who saw him buy it.

You might well be right; if it had gone to Bonhams or Christies etc, they may have had more interest... assuming they didn't turn it down in the first place given it's condition.

Gardiner Houlgate did auction it at £31k, against the estimate on the show of £30-40k that the expert gave it. Same guy that evaluated the one from the OP. Made a better fist of it than the other one when the "expert" got derailed by the 1175 bracelet

 

The £31k was inclusive of buyer premium, the hammer price was £25k. Provincial houses like GH and Fellows routinely charge a seller fee too, often 10-20%. This means the UM seller may have taken home as little as £20k. I had a chat with Mr Fruit about this, it seems the first tier houses usually only charge a buyer fee so are a much better option for selling something like that.

 

Ah yes, right enough - the hammer price was £25k
https://bid.gardinerhoulgate.co.uk/...lot/58239?url=/m/view-auctions/catalog/id/143

GH normally charge 15% to the seller + VAT, though I bet the vendor negotiated that down since it was such a rare and valuable item, with the AR story as well. Even so, if they skinned him 10%, that's £3k in charges. Still, I'm sure if he'd taken the watch to AR and been offered £20k for it on the spot, he'd think he was doing well.

 

So, “the bastards cheat...” you say.
Have you ever been to a UK filming of Antiques Roadshow?

Folks queue up in their thousands with bags full of multiple items.
Some folks pre-arrange a pick up of large pieces of furniture but 99.9% of the things we see on TV arrive on the day, without any forewarning.
The public is screened into sectors and you join another queue to see the allotted expert (who are all experienced dealers).

There are ‘spotters’ looking out for interesting items to show on TV and of course there is always a time-lag giving an opportunity for the experts to consult with their colleagues (which they often refer to )
The expert in question is more at home with centuries-old English grandfather clocks and French carriage clocks than modern watches, so you could forgive him if he did indeed need to ‘phone a friend’ occasionally.

So, yes, experts on a TV entertainment show, who have a broad knowledge of their sector but are presented with a infinitesimal range of things to look at and value and may need assistance from time to time.
Cheating bastards, I think not.

 

Love the Antiques Roadshow, and think Fiona is perfect as the presenter.
Essential Sunday night viewing to end the weekend.

Always nice to see an old Omega turn up like that.

 

It is always nice to see an old watch being shown on AR, it makes me wish that I had bought into this enjoyable but expensive hobby many years previously.