Does the popularity of the Mitsukoshi mod help or hurt the legend of the real thing?

The Mitsukoshi mod is so broadly appealing now. It’s hard to argue against the beauty of the watches. The case could well be made for the Mitsukoshi being the most gorgeous of all modern Speedmasters. The production run of only 300 watches makes it a rare bird, but does the ease of putting together a reproduction with OEM parts hurt or help the status of the genuine piece?

I used to think it was the former - all of those put together watches cheapening the real thing. I now don’t think that’s the case. A good analogy in the collectible car world is the 1973 911 Carrera RS. It seems that every other small bumper 911 has been converted to RS look and many later cars backdated to the style. All the tribute cars have only enhanced the legend of the Carrera RS.

I think building a mod to pay homage and to enjoy it is great! I don’t think the mods necessarily cheapen the original. Popularity is one thing. But flooding a market full of mods is another. The Mitsukoshi is a beautiful watch. But I’ve seen recent posts on eBay asking high sums for mods. ($2-3k for just the dial). That is madness.
I agree, that building tributes add to the allure of the original. I’ve had a few mods come and go. I’ve enjoyed them and worn them without fear of damaging the “real” thing or hurting the value.

I’m no expert but I think they draw attention to the real thing, which I am a fan of and briefly considered purchasing. But I think the asking prices are ridiculous these days for what is a basic SS watch with no particular history, hence the mod is a more accessible way to enjoy the watch. Yes there are only 300 of the real thing, but rarity does not automatically equal valuable and I’d be bold enough to suggest most people would agree with that. The 35th anniversary speedmaster is also an option for fans of the design