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Debating a project purchase that could lead to insanity...help

  1. bazamu wincer, not a bidder Mar 4, 2016

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    Alrighty boys - talk me down (or push me off the ledge). It's not often that an Evil Nina "project watch" comes along, but one has. The price is roughly half of the market for them. The catch? All of the hands need to be replaced. So the question - do you guys think it's a futile enterprise to even attempt to find replacement hands and this will lead to nothing but a hole in my pocket and frustration? Or do you think that at a price in the high-ish four figures, it's worth a home run swing to hold it for a year or two and see if a set of hands magically appears? I've gone back and forth on this probably 20x since the opportunity arose last night.

    Discuss.

    ...and a picture (shield your eyes!!)
    upload_2016-3-4_10-7-13.png
     
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  2. watchknut New watch + Instagram + wife = dumbass Mar 4, 2016

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    Well...at half market value, given that everything else lines up, I would buy. My real question is whether or not there are replacement hands that are close to what you would require for the short term. I know nothing about these, but to me, if the case, dial, bezel and movement are good, it would make sourcing the hands a worthwhile venture.

    Is it possible to have someone make hands?
     
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  3. rarebirds.de Mar 4, 2016

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    hey buddy :)
    the good thing is that, except of all hands, the rest looks good and authentic.
    you allready got my oppinion via email, but again it will be a very tough journey!

    yours andee
     
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  4. Tony C. Ωf Jury member Mar 4, 2016

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    No, you're wrong – it's a rare prototype!

    :rolleyes:
     
  5. watchknut New watch + Instagram + wife = dumbass Mar 4, 2016

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    @rarebirds.de answered your question...

    There are a lot of collectors out there with parts that prefer to buy a watch like that as to a complete one. I was talking to a Rolex collector who has been focusing on collecting parts for years, and seeks out watches with issues that he an sort. At half market value, there is probably still room for a nice profit if your were to sell it now.
     
  6. bazamu wincer, not a bidder Mar 4, 2016

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    The sub-dial hands may not present a huge issue, since the first execution Compaxes used stick hands (the same that are on all of the Tri-Compax models as well). That's not to say they'd be easy, but also not impossible hopefully. The chrono hand and hour/min hands are where it gets tougher though. I suppose somebody could fashion "replica" hands, but I wouldn't even know where to start when it came to that.
     
  7. bazamu wincer, not a bidder Mar 4, 2016

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    Even modern-day Universal Geneve wouldn't put something so ugly together! I mean, those green hands are nausea inducing. ::puke::
     
  8. Darlinboy Pratts! Will I B******S!!! Mar 4, 2016

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    IMO project watches that require parts made of unobtanium (or even rareum) are for the insane WIS ... or perhaps they are the cause of the insanity.

    Chicken & egg kind of thing I guess. :cautious:
     
  9. Diabolik Mar 4, 2016

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    Second counter is correct, hour, min, chrono, and other two registers are wrong. On a big plus, that looks like a transitional evil nina. I recon reference 22706/01 or 02 with a 2,2 mil serial (1962/1963). Only thing that I would say is out of the ordinary on dial is the lack of silver batons. Well worth a punt ...
    With a set of hands, you have a very rare transitional compax and execution (very few made). I really would like to see the case back !
     
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  10. watchknut New watch + Instagram + wife = dumbass Mar 4, 2016

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    Go for it!!!
     
  11. dx009 Mar 4, 2016

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    I'd buy it too if I didn't need the money spent on it, but I imagine a set of hands might be hard to come by.
     
  12. Davidt Mar 4, 2016

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    I wouldn't be wasting time talking to us. Get it bought!

    It's different if it's the dial, or movement or case.

    Do it, do it!!!
     
  13. STANDY schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector Mar 4, 2016

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    Depending upon what market it is half off would have a big influence.

    It's half the market price if it has no issues ( a good buy in this case)

    but

    Is it half the market price of a watch with issues ( lot of piggies at this market )

    You can not use the market for a correct piece because that is a different market.
     
  14. Ray916MN Mar 4, 2016

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    Crap shoot. If you have the patience to wait forever for hands, then of course. I've recently discovered a couple of sources for parts where people bought out entire watch supply houses decades ago. Some people have had luck getting rare stuff from these sources, others have not. A hitch is the sources are not active sellers. Need to know them or have some sort of connection and even then they are slow unless you have something to offer that they want. Without having access to these kinds of sources, I'd say the probability of hands turning up is very low and would pass.

    My access sucks. Took me ~2 years to get an answer on a case tube I wanted.
     
  15. bazamu wincer, not a bidder Mar 4, 2016

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    So, for reference the "roughly half" that I use for the price is less than half of the price for what I would let go of my Evil Nina for (NFS!). If I was somehow able to find correct hands, the only real issue to my eyes is the lack of lume on the dial. Case is polished, but not overly so as the facets are still strong. I'd think with correct hands, this would easily trade in the high teens.

    My baby, for reference ;)
    IMG_8805.JPG
     
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  16. ulackfocus Mar 4, 2016

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    Dot over 90 bezel. There'd be no question if this was a Speedmaster - you'd be buying it.

    Besides, you're already insane if you're deep enough into this hobby to post here and even consider a project watch. Just let go of what little rationality you have left and go full watch idiot savant.
     
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  17. watchknut New watch + Instagram + wife = dumbass Mar 4, 2016

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    So high teens means that you can get the Evil Nina for $7500+...at that number I may pass, but that is me...I know nothing about the UG mkt. That amount of money can get a lot of watch, even in this market.

    Especially if there are the issues with the case polish and lume as you say...a good pickle to be in...at least you have a shot at the watch.
     
  18. Selbo Mar 4, 2016

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    I'm in this camp. I have an ongoing project watch (not as nice as your situation) and it just becomes a tedious, pain in the ass to continue searching for the miracle posting to turn up. What started as "this is going to be awesome when I source the correct hands/dial/pushers etc." is now "why do I have so much money and time tied up in this watch that can not be used/worn". Unless you have connections to people who could find the parts, I'd move on. Actually, buy it, throw up a no reserve auction and don't look back.
     
  19. bazamu wincer, not a bidder Mar 4, 2016

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    Yeah, I don't even want / need to take on the risk of buying it and then immediately putting up a no reserve auction for the value of the case/dial/movement.

    [Begins moving one toe closer to the window]
     
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  20. Davidt Mar 4, 2016

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    He who dares Rodney.