Agree with Gator and Mike on the symmetry of the non-date pie pans.
Hoi that may be your experience, but I would still argue that the demand in some Asian countries must be balanced with global demand. While, again, yellow gold is generally sought-after in Asia, in western countries at this moment white metals are trendier and so globally I believe an SS will still stack up higher than a gold cap, and looking at auction reports of Connies in the higher-end vintage markets like Dr Crotts, Henry's, Christies, Phillips de Pury, Patrizzi, Southebys Important Watch auctions in Hong Kong, and even Antiquorum amongst others, will show you a different picture than the eBay experience.
Pie pan collecting is not just a recent phenomenon, but has had very strong support for the last twenty years and while Ba Gua may be be responsible for some (although I suspect not all by a long shot) oriental demand for these models, there is strong collector interest in the West for pie pans. I'm a tad mystified how an eight-sided figure can be seen to be alike a twelve-sided figure as they are two totally different pieces of geometry, but I'm willing to accept that some people would buy a pie pan for that reason. But just look at the pie pan roll amongst forum members here for an example - it's almost a right of passage amongst vintage collectors in the West to either own or to have owned one.
So, I would say that while Oriental interest is contributing to upward values of quality pie pans, it is but one contributing factor amongst others and not the singular cause. Over the last few years there has also been, in my experience, flourishing interest in pie pans in the West. Again, while Ba Gua may be the impetus for some Oriental interest in pie pans, I believe (and indeed know of) quite a number of oriental collectors who collect pie pans from the perspective of both horology and aesthetics and are very knowledgeable about what they collect - I would even call some of them experts. A couple of months ago while in correspondence with one HK collector I mentioned what I called the 'Ba Gua phenomenon' and he scoffed back a reply to the effect that maybe it's true for those who don't know much about watches. I would argue that there are many Asian centres where the level of collecting knowledge, sophistication and impetus goes well beyond that of what a dial reminds them of.
Seamonster, I agree with your sentiments, and to love and enjoy one's pieces is very important and, in my opinion, represents the emotional side of the collecting equation. But we are also rational human beings as well, and so issues such as value for money, whether values will be sustained or increased, which models or designs may be good to keep and indeed which models to acquire so as to flip later to fund a desired purchase have their place in watch collecting too. Some of us insist on wearing even our sharpest and most expensive acquisitions, while others will only display them. But in both instances great pleasure (emotion) can be experienced. Some collectors literally have eyegasms just looking at their displayed watches, which, to me, is the same experience of seeing and feeling it on the wrist
There are some emotions, such as the uncontrollable compulsion to acquire, that need to be rationally controlled, and so, to me, collecting is all about finding a balance between head and heart and then going for it!
Cheers
Demsond
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