For those of you who are really well versed in the vintage Omega market, is there a seasonal factor?

Are prices somewhat higher now due to the proximity of the holidays, and for those who live in inclement weather, additional time to hunt vintage watches?

If I wait 2 months to hunt a vintage 60's entry level Seamaster might a save 10% or more?

In my other hobby/collecting milieu, Lionel Post War Toy Trains, there is a noticeable increase in prices leading up to the winter holidays.

TIA for your input.

 

Chuck Jones lives!

 

There is a theory that the selection of watches is seasonal:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/has-watch-season-started.29985/

 

I agree that in this time of year, people are indoors more, so more people surf the net, and drive up the prices. I should try to sell my Lionel trains.

 

Yep, there is definitely a season. The market is about the crash. You'd better give me a deal on all your vintage watches.

 

Usually when I want to buy anything the price goes up. Not sure if the same applies to watches!

 

For me it’s the opposite - as soon as I sell something, after just enough time for me to regret the sale (and start hunting around for that one again), I find the price has gone ballistic....

 

Whatch season for many is more of buying and selling than price fluctuations.

More "uncle watches" and "what do I have here "pop up after Xmass as many have been home to visit family.


( @Etp095 Don't forget whilst many are indoors the other half of the world is at the beach )


Best bargains for new watches is just before the end of financial year. ( be surprised how OBs discount a few days before )

 

Ha, I agree, Whenever I say "I want one of those", prices invariably rise.

A conspiracy I tell you!

 

Ha! I do agree but I also think that when I want to sell prices fall... drastically

 

this is actually a really interesting question. I've wondered about whether there are "cycles" in the watch pricing market. This means it may expand beyond even the seasonal nature of it.

Like this past year you saw a steady increase in prices across the board for pre-moon vintage speedies. Then sometime in May/June you saw prices stagnating, and then one or two 321s hit the market for almost 30-40% of the value. It's kind of interesting to consider.

But as a fellow collector I think you should just think about where you want your collection to go. I personally am probably priced out of vintage speedies, but only because there are other watches on my list that have priority.

 

For the last few years, I wasn't interested in Speedmaster pros at all. Then, as I've gained interested over the year or so, they've been doing nothing but rising. A larger question for me is, do people feel like Speedy prices will come down at all?

 

I don’t know the answer and I know nothing about vintage speedies but I know if you’re asking a crowd of vintage speedy owners and collectors you might not get the most objective, clearheaded, unbiased answer.

 

What do you think the 50th anniversary of the moon landing next year will do to speedy prices

 

Ninja,

Thanks for the thought provoking reply. Speedies are way out of my price range now and for the foreseeable future. But as to thinking about where I want my collection to go, that is a real issue. I am at the very beginning stage of watch collecting, and own zero Omegas. A situation I will remedy, but as to what I really want, what will satisfy me, and be affordable remain open questions.

So whether it's Wabbit Season, Duck Season, or Omega Season, I need to focus on where I want to go with Omega, and then plan to get there.

 

Thanks for the link to an interesting and relevant thread.

 

I've only been into watches about 1 year and a half and don't own any vintage watches but, as I liked vintage connies and Speedmasters I've kept
an eye on them price wise. All I can say is prices have went up...a lot. To be honest I'm not sure how much longer this can continue and frankly it has me hesitating to buy anything at the moment...new or used. It was eye opening to see the massive price increases vs inflation that the major Swiss brands have commanded that was discussed in the Iatest issue of watchtime. It's clear the industry enjoyed a long run up and i personally feel that prices are starting to plateau. That run in in new has pushed demand up for vintage but if prices start to come down for new then will that flow through into the vintage market as demand moves back to new? I don't know the answer to that. My suspicion is it will as most people prefer new to "pre-owned" as most people think of vintage. What it boils down to is I have a hard time believing prices will continue to rise at the rate they have the last decade or so...you can only outrun inflation for so long. And when/if prices start go down then watch out below...

Of course I could also be totally wrong...

 

I think anyone (depending on local culture and relative wealth) who has a few kids in the family is going to feel the squeeze in the 2 or 3 months leading up to Christmas time and the new year. Then you've got January, February and March to recover some money.

So, maybe the season runs from April to September??? Having said that, judging by the sums of money that have been bounced around on this forum lately, maybe buying a few Christmas presents ain't gonna make much difference. If it 'ticks' nicely, they'll buy it and the kids can wait for the new bike.

 

I think you've got a point
We should also consider this: does the price hike suggest that Speedies (insert iconic non-Rolex vintage watch) are over-valued today, or have they been historically under-valued?
I think that we have to look the market as a whole, and when I look at the most iconic vintage chronographs' production & prices, I can't help but feel like early Speedmasters are undervalued. Will people, in the future, desire the Speedy less than they do today?
I don't think so, but we never know what the future holds...

 

In reality they're not making any more of these so as more people come to be able to afford to buy them the prices will continue to rise. It's seasonal, every season they go up in price.