I am in Japan at the moment and rather spontaneously bought myself a stainless steel constellation pie pan 168.0065. As you can see from the bad photos the watch case has a little damage on the bezel and on the bottom left lug. The glass also has some scuffs and one large scratch. The dial as far as I can see is genuine and in perfect condition. The movement is working but obviously needs a service. I am very new to antique watches and am not sure if I will keep it or sell it hence my asking for advice here. If I were to sell the watch should I have the watch case repaired and the glass replaced before selling, or sell as is? Where would be the best place to sell it? I am wary of selling on eBay since I've never done it before and suppose there are just as many sharks buying as there are selling. I was wondering of going to a traditional auction house, but of course then there is the seller's commission and other extras. As for selling it privately, I'm not really sure of the watch's worth. Thanks in advance for any help that is forthcoming. I'll try and add some clearer photos later. By the way, the watch looks far better in real life than in these photos!
What exactly is the damage? Apart from the mark on the lug, the case is pretty sharp. The 0065 is not a common watch as a bevy of owners on this forum will tell you, and so generally it's worth keeping. Depends on how much you paid for the watch and how much it would cost to repair the lug. The crystal could probably be polished with Polywatch. Case back gasket should be replaced by the look of it and of course it must be serviced. If you don't want the piece and can specify the damage clearly on the lug, you may be better off offering it for sale rather than spending money on it. I have seen excellent examples of this model go for as much as 1400 USD. Cheers Desmond
I would recommend letting a watchmaker give you an estimate for fixing it up. Then you'll have the information to decide what you want to do. Most advanced collectors would rather have the watch in "barn find" condition, so long as it is original. They can decide what to do or not to not in restoring it for wrist duty. I see a very nice looking dial under the scratched crystal. The crystal is original and might be worth a professional polish, but it can be replaced with an OEM one if you want. A full service and a gentle case polish would make the marks much less noticeable. You could go either way on this one, depending on what you paid for the watch and the cost of the necessary service. gatorcpa
Thank you so much for the replies. The damage to the lug looks to me like a tiny chip which has discoloured slightly. I'll get some Polywatch and give the crystal a clean, and then I'll post some better photos. Gatorcpa, yes, the dial is very nice indeed. Thanks again for the advice.
Polywatch and a blue Blitz cloth should clean it up very nicely. http://m.ebay.com/itm/Blitz-Jewelry...x-14-Blue-and-White-Color-Piece-/331180017399Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network gatorcpa
gatorcpa. Followed your fantastic advice and used a stainless steel buffing cloth and Polywatch and the watch has been reborn! As you can see from the photos there are a few small nicks here and there, and one large scratch on the back of the case. The lug which I thought was damaged was not. it was just some sort of gunk which came off with a quick wipe of the cloth. I think I'll put it up on eBay for auction with a reasonable reserve and if it doesn't sell I'll keep it because it looks so good! Thanks for your help.
Why not ask for what you want here first? Get the post count up or PM the moderator of the Sales Forum with references. I'm sure there are plenty of members who would love to own that particular watch. You could always go back to eBay. gatorcpa
I had thought of selling it here and had a look at the rules, but I am nowhere near 200 posts. I've never done any selling before, so no references either. It's probably best if I sell through eBay. Again, thank you for your help and advice. I really appreciate you all taking the trouble to respond to my questions and helping out a newbie like me. Thanks.
Anyone who is interested in the watch, you know where to send your PM's. Good luck with the sale. gatorcpa
Very nice and sympathetic clean up of that watch! Glad you leaved those lovely and natural wear marks on the case! Makes it a living vintage timepiece rather than a dead polished ditto
Thanks marturx. I followed gaorcpa's advice with the buffing cloth and just cleared off the dirt really (the cloth was filthy by the end!). The big surprise for me when cleaning was the Polywatch on the crystal. It took a while but the transformation was unbelievable! Once the crystal was clean the watch dial just sparkled through. Even now, a couple of days later, I keep picking up the watch and just gaze at it (I sound like an addict already!).
very good clean up job! i would keep it and take it to a " clock and watch swap mart" sell or trade it in on a new project. vinn2
Thanks gatorcpa. Yes, I am open to offers on this watch by PM till the end of August (I have already had one serious inquiry and offer which I am minded to keep).