Community Stories

God, I'm nervous ...

jimmyd13
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... I'm going to buy something that is a gem in the rough or simply rough.

I get this feeling every time I do this and, most of the time, I'm right. My gut talks to me and I get the right end of the deal. Then there are the times that I just lose the bet ... find out I was wrong and consign it to the cost of my pupillage. For instance, last weekend I bought a lot for £10 sight unseen ... worth nothing. At the same sale, I bought a lot for £40, total value when I broke it down was £1300. Only, this one is £4000.

Years ago, I read an article that said men treat purchases like this the same way they would have treated hunting mammoth in millennia gone by. That the gut churning feeling and rush of adrenaline is exactly the same whether we're hunting a deal or hunting megafauna. Except, these days, we do it sitting down.

Right now, I think I'd rather be facing a woolly rhino ... at least that way I'd be certain of what I'm dealing with.

Do you all get the same rush?
 
Rman
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In a kind of way.
Whether or not your prey can kill you would make a difference.
Whether you are hungry or whether you intend to hang its head on your mantle(or wrist) makes a difference too.
 
abrod520
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Luck = experience + knowledge + opportunity.

In my experience, sometimes something just speaks to you, and for some reason you buy it. You may not know why at the time but it turns out something about it triggered a subconscious response.

One night, I bought a Speedmaster. 145.022-69 but DNN, slightly banged up shape but it was one-owner and I liked it. Paid what I thought might be a bit too much, but it was on a nice-looking 1039. Later that night, I couldn't sleep, and checked the photos of the watch again looking for problems. That was when I discovered that I'd just purchased a 220 😀
 
Jwit
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Do we get pictures or are you just leaving us hanging on the edge of our seats?🍿
 
Fost
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I do it all the times... I am mainly abusing the Feeling part of my MBTI profile...
My last purchase is the perfect exemple... Nevers seen the same Watch elsewhere... Initiated the deal... And Just had the confirmation at the last minute!
 
jimmyd13
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Jwit Jwit
Do we get pictures or are you just leaving us hanging on the edge of our seats?🍿
If and when I get it, you'll be the first to see.

Actually, if I don't get it then you'll also get to see. The auction photos are atrocious. The description is wrong. And so it goes on. The saleroom is showing a lot of enquiries about it, though ... so it's not gone unnoticed.
 
WatchVaultNYC
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abrod520 abrod520
Luck = experience + knowledge + opportunity.

In my experience, sometimes something just speaks to you, and for some reason you buy it. You may not know why at the time but it turns out something about it triggered a subconscious response.

One night, I bought a Speedmaster. 145.022-69 but DNN, slightly banged up shape but it was one-owner and I liked it. Paid what I thought might be a bit too much, but it was on a nice-looking 1039. Later that night, I couldn't sleep, and checked the photos of the watch again looking for problems. That was when I discovered that I'd just purchased a 220 😀

My own equation is LUCK = OPPORTUNITY + PREPAREDNESS which is basically the same thing
 
Jwit
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Lukeeesteve Lukeeesteve
IMG_6139.JPG
Baseball_pitching_motion_2004.jpg 2190912234287p espnw_e_rodgers01jr_800x450.jpg Grand_Red-Three-Quarter-405x500.png
 
jimmyd13
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timjohn timjohn
The 6610?
That one in the WoK sale? No ... this isn't a Rolex ... this is the watch I told myself I'd never buy ...
 
jimmyd13
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How'd you guess? Of course, you realise that's the "Reserve"? An adjective only used for the finest wines; most exclusive spirits; and, Invicta chronographs.
 
jimmyd13
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OK ... I wasn't the winning bidder. That means I still have £6k in the bank ... but that I'm not the owner of this:

(Auction photos)

s-l1600.jpg s-l1600a.jpg


So, why was I nervous? The watch was described as having been bought new in 1972 from a shop in Wales. It's got Rolex endlinks. The dial isn't the prettiest. It's got replacement hands. Seller was very communicative and it's never been serviced. I was genuinely unsure if this was "brought up to date" in 1972 and sold as new or if it was NOS at the time. The seller says he's never replaced the hands and there was no movement shot, or opportunity to get a look.

It sold for £6300, I was highest bidder until something like 6 seconds from the end ... damn snipers.

Feel free to tell me I suck for not putting in a higher bid or if I dodged a bullet.
 
s-l1600b.jpg s-l1600c.jpg
cvrle1
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You dodged a bullet... I just said that to make you feel better. 😜

Dial looks to be from 105.003 or earlier (cant see the Ts) so it could be NOS in 72. Maybe dial was replaced by someone at some time, but if it was, I would expect to see newer dial (post 72) and not pre 72, if this wasnt Ed White model to begin with

Pics are bad, but in some it looks like case has been polished to death. I dont see a hypo or first watch in space text on the caseback, so that to me is dead end.

DON bezel looks ok in some shots, but not in the 1st one. Looks too beat up.

Movement, who knows if it is 861 or 321.

For me I wouldnt have even bid 6K, let alone more, but that is just me. Too many question marks for me, but then again, I am a newb, so I could be completely wrong
Edited:
 
nonuffinkbloke
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I'm still very new to this game but it amazes me that vendors place an item for sale, that is valued in multiples of thousands of pounds (or dollars), with such poorly defined photographs and expect people to be happy shell out their cash??? No movement shot??? No opportunity to look at the movement??? 😕
Edited:
 
jimmyd13
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nonuffinkbloke nonuffinkbloke
I'm still very new to this game but it amazes me that vendors place an item for sale, that is valued in multiples of thousands of pounds (or dollars), with such poorly defined photographs and expect people to be happy shell out their cash??? No movement shot??? No opportunity??? 😕
The seller had no idea what he was selling. He told me he was a retired PE teacher who bought that new in 1972 and used it to referee football and rugby matches all through his working life. The bracelet was damaged in a football match and a local jeweller repaired it (maybe explaining the rolex endlinks). No idea where the wrong hands came from which makes me suspect the original seller was passing on a used watch as new. This seller was amazed at the interest his "little auction" was creating.

I'm half waiting for someone here to say they got it.
 
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