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sheepdoll
·The chances of finding a ratty rust bucket 166.0324 cheap are probably similar to winning the lottery or any other low probability activity.
I focus on the cheapest rattiest rusty basket cases possible. Targeting job lot auctions. This works as far as the movement side of things since there were a lot of 565 movements made. I even got other 56x parts, to the point where I now have half a dozen or so caseless movements, that really want nice cases, hands and dials.
I self service, so the costs of finding someone else to do the work are a bit moot. There are also the YT entertainers who are driving others to get ratty watches.
There was a window in august where prices and demand was down. I did not win any job lot auctions last week. I am a bit super cheap, and have more projects than time for. It mostly comes down to luck and what parts wind up in the mix. Example paylac and oFrei do not list any balance staffs. 550.1321 These tend to sell for around 30USD. There is an aftermarket suppler though who sells quantity 3 supposedly NOS for much less. Even searching for the bestfit reference staff 100-1970 has few hits. I went with the aftermarket NOS, as this was a part a watchmaker was expected to manufacture in house. Why they were called makers.
The point is that two weeks ago I had no balance staffs. Now I have many. Similar for 34x bumper parts. I wound up getting a bunch of what look like NOS ratchet wheels with a bunch of 28.10 staffs and stems. Even some wastepaper in the lot.
In a sense the evolution of this design is one of the flagships of the company. Not quite in league with the chronograph, still one of the more popular upper end three handers. So the demand is fierce.
Given the movements I have, I looked a bit into the gray area of aftermarket cases. These, even the ones that are counterfeit fakes, sell for as much as a ratty example. This would imply that the demand is great.
The other grey area I have been considering (and in some ways for the last 30 years or so) Is remade or reprinted dials. With modern equipment like fiber lasers cutting these out and making the printing templates is a lot more accessible.
I think with restoration/replica there are many types of collectors. One is the quick turnaround flipper, who is more into performing the minimal effort for the fastest reward. These seem to be not the most honest of people. Although in their world standards are different. Most of a time this is equivalent to a loosing hand a poker,
Another is the hobby collector who is mostly working for themselves to have something nice. Willing do put effort into the restoration, knowing that it is not perfect. Back when I got into this repainted dials were standard and not frowned upon. A bit of a gray area as well as some accept mods and fantasy, others find Frankenstein abhorrent. (although in the book Victor's monster had a good heart, even if the brain was a bit rotten.)
Many here though are the connoisseur collector. Where originality and perfection is the rule of the day. Perceived scarcity with moderate availability seems to drive this. I think this works more with a wine or fine drink analogy than to the car analogy as only the best is tolerated.
Anyway I digress as this is more about the watchco thing which I came to late to the party on. I think that ship has sailed.
I focus on the cheapest rattiest rusty basket cases possible. Targeting job lot auctions. This works as far as the movement side of things since there were a lot of 565 movements made. I even got other 56x parts, to the point where I now have half a dozen or so caseless movements, that really want nice cases, hands and dials.
I self service, so the costs of finding someone else to do the work are a bit moot. There are also the YT entertainers who are driving others to get ratty watches.
There was a window in august where prices and demand was down. I did not win any job lot auctions last week. I am a bit super cheap, and have more projects than time for. It mostly comes down to luck and what parts wind up in the mix. Example paylac and oFrei do not list any balance staffs. 550.1321 These tend to sell for around 30USD. There is an aftermarket suppler though who sells quantity 3 supposedly NOS for much less. Even searching for the bestfit reference staff 100-1970 has few hits. I went with the aftermarket NOS, as this was a part a watchmaker was expected to manufacture in house. Why they were called makers.
The point is that two weeks ago I had no balance staffs. Now I have many. Similar for 34x bumper parts. I wound up getting a bunch of what look like NOS ratchet wheels with a bunch of 28.10 staffs and stems. Even some wastepaper in the lot.
In a sense the evolution of this design is one of the flagships of the company. Not quite in league with the chronograph, still one of the more popular upper end three handers. So the demand is fierce.
Given the movements I have, I looked a bit into the gray area of aftermarket cases. These, even the ones that are counterfeit fakes, sell for as much as a ratty example. This would imply that the demand is great.
The other grey area I have been considering (and in some ways for the last 30 years or so) Is remade or reprinted dials. With modern equipment like fiber lasers cutting these out and making the printing templates is a lot more accessible.
I think with restoration/replica there are many types of collectors. One is the quick turnaround flipper, who is more into performing the minimal effort for the fastest reward. These seem to be not the most honest of people. Although in their world standards are different. Most of a time this is equivalent to a loosing hand a poker,
Another is the hobby collector who is mostly working for themselves to have something nice. Willing do put effort into the restoration, knowing that it is not perfect. Back when I got into this repainted dials were standard and not frowned upon. A bit of a gray area as well as some accept mods and fantasy, others find Frankenstein abhorrent. (although in the book Victor's monster had a good heart, even if the brain was a bit rotten.)
Many here though are the connoisseur collector. Where originality and perfection is the rule of the day. Perceived scarcity with moderate availability seems to drive this. I think this works more with a wine or fine drink analogy than to the car analogy as only the best is tolerated.
Anyway I digress as this is more about the watchco thing which I came to late to the party on. I think that ship has sailed.
