A tale of 2 Auctions; Speedmaster content

[140dave]

Well, I waited a full 24hrs for @hansaboy to do this review but none has come so I guess I'll have to do some typing lol

2 auctions I wanted to compare, contrast, and discuss opinions.

First is the "Mystery" watch Hans reviewed recently, sold for $7445: https://omegaforums.net/threads/ome...or-145-022-68-on-an-auction-yesterday.163849/
I call it Mystery because of the no movement shots; is it a 145.012 or a 145.022-68? (My bet is a .012 based on the hands)

...more pictures of Mystery in the thread linked above

Next, a 145.012-67 that sold Saturday for $6000, we will call it "6K"
https://jones-horan.hibid.com/lot/165861999/omega-speedmaster-pre-moon-cal-321




Looks unpolished, clean hands, clean bezel, looks complete & correct, but not a dirty "barn find". It does have a bit of lume loss to the 9:00 marker, both have tool marks to the caseback.

Which would you rather have at the price paid? Or would you pass on both?
Does the slight bit of missing lume ruin watch 6K for you?
Do you pay more for dirt? (You know what I mean)

I like 6K personally, but thats also factoring in cost to replace whats needed on Mystery and the gamble on the dial and reference. After crown, crystal and pusher you can bring Mystery up to a bit over $8000. Mystery may have the better dial, or I would be crossing my fingers that it did from the pictures, but overall I find myself more drawn to 6K, looks a solid buy for the price.

Thoughts and opinions?

 

[BlackTalon]

'67 has a better bezel than the one I paid $6,700 for ~6 years ago. And a slightly better dial. Prices sure are down these days.

 

[studeb]

Is it me or is the bezel font on $6k squished to the edge?
Mystery photos were less than flattering, I wonder if it looked better in person and the high bid was someone who had eyes on?

 

[hansaboy]

Cooool post @140dave !!

I have to work a couple of days now...but I will reply soon!
And can't we call the Speedy I did a post on the:
Mystery Antarctic Speedy (wrote this in my post, and adding Mystery makes the watch even better!!)

Cheers!

 

[Aludic]

Cool. I like this exercise. Thanks @140dave !

Hands down the 6K for me. Case looks good, dial and hands solid, and movement is clean with serial in the correct range.

Compared to the Mystery watch, it adds more certainty on the condition as well as a correct crown. Bezel looks very good too, as @studeb pointed out, the numerals seem to sit close to the edge. Not uncommon for original DON’s.

A solid buy as a head only, with a later service bracelet accompanying it as a bonus. If I would have seen it in time, I probably would have bid.

This doesn’t mean to say the Mystery watch isn’t a good buy. It could very well be (too). Other than dirt, the only real advantage I’d see of this piece over the 6K one is a load more excitement and adventure. To each his / her own. 😁

 

[Davidt]

Watches aside an important factor is location. The Antarctic Speedmaster was in the UK and the 6k in the States?
For a UK buyer, once import duties are included costs will be the same (I’m assuming the 6k is total price - if there are any fees to add on top that makes it the more expensive). This is important to note as I’ve said previously that there’s current a dearth of unprepared 60’s Speedmasters available, certainly in the UK.

With the 6k watch you’re getting much more certainty as to what you’re buying. With the Antarctic you’re gambling on a better dial (a gamble I think will pay off) and the history.

Equally, I was very interested in the Antarctic watch and was a bidder, but I set my max objectively at 400-500 below the hammer price so I agree, when the unknowns/risk are involved, it went too high. That said, at least two other disagreed and I think they’ll be happy with what they bought.

TLDR: I believe both a decent watches, but the 6k would not have sold for that price in the UK. It would have been at least £1k more.

 

[Dash1]

For those that prefer not to gamble the 6k is an obvious winner and it’s a very decent example at that price, but lume loss of any sort is a killer for me, it’s not only unattractive (it’s the one place on the dial that your eye is drawn to) but you have to assume it will continue to worsen.
I would have liked to take a gamble on the mystery Speedy (if I was in a buying phase) but I think my limit would have been 1k lower than the sale price.
So, despite them both being nice watches, I guess I’d end up with neither!

 

[itsjustausername]

I like the looks of that 6k one at first blush, but would be concerned about additional lume loss in the future. The Mystery watch is more intriguing, it looks like a beauty potentially hiding behind that weathered crystal? Bit pricy for a Kinder Egg experience, though

More than anything, though: how on earth do you even find these obscure auctions to begin with?! Is there some underground Speedmaster darkweb auction sniping club that y'all have a secret handshake for?

 

[hansaboy]

I skipped working, this is more fun!

The Antarctic Mystery will be a mystery, so hopefully a post from a happy member would reveal everything?
I do also think that it is a 145.012-67/68,
since it had the drop end chrono, and the 145.022-68 were produced during a few months only.
Even though the seller of the watch stated that he bought the watch new in 1969, they must have had a few years producing these?

And I wrote before that most of us loves these Dirty watches?
There is/was the dial that we have written about….

Had I been really really tempted, I would have booked a flight, just to feel and look at the watch,
and that would have made an assessment so much easier?
But you can't take trips every time to see a Speedy!!

And on to the 6K watch.
Nice pictures from the auction house, but did you ask for more pictures/info @140dave ?
The dial looks clean, but close ups would be nice and important.
Lume had som loss, and might get more in the future?
The hands fits the watch, with nice lume.

The bezel looks almost untouched, I could only find a few small marks on it!

Case and caseback still have nice edges, and the brushing on the sides looks good.
But I do think that a watchmaker has given the watch a ”clean-over”, the edges looks a little bit soft?

There are marks after a watchmaker on the caseback, maybe after a failed opening,
and I do think that the pushers are replacements.
It has a nice flat foot crown!

And they might have changed the bracelet to the one now during service.
It is in need for a total service of course…

I looked at their website, and there where no extra costs/premium.

But as David wrote, there is additional import/customs to have in the balance (to ship it over from the States).
And since I didn't follow the auction, I didn't make any plans for the watch.
Going to the States is a bit bigger journey!

The Antarctic Mystery was in UK, and I could very easy jump on a plane and bring home the watch (after Simon Freeses work)!

So to sum it all up:

I didn't dare go for the Antarctic Mystery,
and the 6K watch would have been too expensive….It didn't even trigger my ”do you like the watch feeling”!!

And the 6K was Not Dirty!

Cheers!

 

[Dan S]

The lume loss ruined it for me, TBH.

 

[ecarpino]

I think that for today's prices it is a bit too much for both of them.. or at least I would have never spent more than 7k on a "mysterious" watch. As per the 6k one, bracelet is not correct and the lume would also be turning it off for me.. Great bezel insert though.

 

[140dave]

Dan S

The lume loss ruined it for me, TBH.

Yeah that is the kicker for sure. For me, a spot like that can be bearable depending on what it looks like on the wrist. Sometimes it jumps out like a wound, and sometimes it just blends right in but cant tell until you see it live.

@Dash1 @itsjustausername : For me, just my opinion, I worry about further lume loss when it is moldy or crumbling but am a bit less worried about that when it is what looks like a clean flake (if that make sense?). And yes, I have nothing to back that opinion up with at all lol. I havent owned any watches that seem to slowly decay, but maybe I just havent owned them long enough for further decay to be seen at this point.

For me personally, dirty adds zero value and is usually a minus for me. Shows it wasnt taken care of and you never know what is under the dirt. Dirt holds things together sometimes, remove the dirt and you can be surprised what else comes off, especially on bezels.

Good discussion, thanks for the opinions! I like to hear differing opinions about watches that are not in the obviously fantastic condition we all desire. Not all watches can be on Ndgal or Spacefruit level but I like to discuss them anyhow. 😀