Community Stories

Help with possible Tre Tacche purchase

thedave
Posts
12
Likes
19
Hi all! I have been offered a glossy black dial 35mm Tre Tacche with extract that I'd love to own. I'd like to humbly ask for your help before I pull the trigger on what is to me a rather expensive purchase.

I currently own a white dial 35mm Tre Tacche (photo attached) and would love to add a black dial. I'm looking for any red flags anyone might see. Also, at around $9500, I'd also be interested in opinions on price.

I thank you all in advance - here are the pictures I was given: edit: removed, because people are people.

Thanks so much in advance!
Edited:
 
IMG_7172-EDIT.jpg
X350 XJR
Posts
13,385
Likes
31,523
Please post the photos not just the link as they become part of the history of the discussion and it makes it easier for members offering their free advice.
 
thedave
Posts
12
Likes
19
X350 XJR X350 XJR
Please post the photos not just the link as they become part of the history of the discussion and it makes it easier for members offering their free advice.

This totally makes sense - I'm just not sure these pictures are mine to post in perpetuity.
 
Dan S
Posts
20,323
Likes
47,046
Looks like a nice watch, but at $9500 there is a pretty large opportunity cost.
 
thedave
Posts
12
Likes
19
X350 XJR X350 XJR
IFIFY

Perhaps you missed where I was explicit about not being comfortable posting these pictures. You didn't fix it, you put me in an uncomfortable position.
 
X350 XJR
Posts
13,385
Likes
31,523
You posted a public kink.
 
thedave
Posts
12
Likes
19
J_pilot J_pilot
I’ll refer you to an earlier thread, below, where this subdial configuration was discussed at length as possibly being an indication of a convex sei-tacche dial being fitted later in the watch’s life:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/longines-tre-tacche-35mm.137899/page-3

It is hard to tell from the pics, but does the dial have downward curvature at its perimeter?

Thanks, this is great. I'm going to read through this whole thread and ask the person holding the watch, it will be easier for them to see. I'll let you know what they say.

I took a look at my sector dial TT and the dial is flat. It was also cool to see the logo treatments and compare them to both my TT and the one I'm considering purchasing.
 
thedave
Posts
12
Likes
19
X350 XJR X350 XJR
You posted a public kink.

To an album I could edit and remove when done. I don't know that the owner would want these pictures here in perpetuity. That's why I didn't attach them.
 
Tony C.
Posts
7,648
Likes
26,516
The same watch was "passed" (i.e. unsold) in a 2022 Antiquorum auction:

https://live.antiquorum.swiss/lots/view/1-6OWIS8/longines

I don't know what the reserve was, but it may have been the low estimate of ~€7600

Even if the dial and hands are completely original (as claimed by the auctioneer), and I am not certain of that, I would consider the asking price to be well inflated.
 
thedave
Posts
12
Likes
19
Tony C. Tony C.
The same watch was "passed" (i.e. unsold) in a 2022 Antiquorum auction:

https://live.antiquorum.swiss/lots/view/1-6OWIS8/longines

I don't know what the reserve was, but it may have been the low estimate of ~€7600

Even if the dial and hands are completely original (as claimed by the auctioneer), and I am not certain of that, I would consider the asking price to be well inflated.

Wow. What a find! Thanks for this. I've been quoted in the ballpark of $10k for a few different 35mm TT recently, I don't know if that's the premium that's been added in the past two years, or if it's just dealers inflating prices and hoping.
 
seekingseaquest
Posts
2,474
Likes
6,483
thedave thedave
Wow. What a find! Thanks for this. I've been quoted in the ballpark of $10k for a few different 35mm TT recently, I don't know if that's the premium that's been added in the past two years, or if it's just dealers inflating prices and hoping.
I would think prices should be down vs 2022? Haven’t followed tre tacches specifically though.
 
Tony C.
Posts
7,648
Likes
26,516
thedave thedave
Thanks for this. I've been quoted in the ballpark of $10k for a few different 35mm TT recently, I don't know if that's the premium that's been added in the past two years, or if it's just dealers inflating prices and hoping.

You're welcome. In my opinion, dealers have long been taking advantage of the "oversized tre tacche" craze. I'm not suggesting that they aren't nice watches (though 35mm isn't really oversized), but the premiums added for a particular type of case back, are, in my view, absurd.

To be fair, stepped cases are quite nice, and are much more meaningful than the number of notches on a case back. But it would be easy to purchase an outstanding chronograph for that asking price, let alone many extraordinary time-only watches.
 
thedave
Posts
12
Likes
19
Tony C. Tony C.
To be fair, stepped cases are quite nice, and are much more meaningful than the number of notches on a case back. But it would be easy to purchase an outstanding chronograph for that asking price, let alone many extraordinary time-only watches.

So it doesn't help anyone that stepped cases are what I'm after, as are a lot of people. I do have a soft spot in my heart for these TT because aside from the stepped case, the lugs are, in my eyes, about perfect. So that leaves me conflicted - I have no idea how to hunt down these pieces on my own, which lets dealers set whatever price they want. Do I suck it up and pay it, and get the watch I want (and potentially be stuck with it) or do I pass? I might be able to talk $500 off the price, but that's nominal at these prices.
 
J_pilot
Posts
143
Likes
635
thedave thedave
So it doesn't help anyone that stepped cases are what I'm after, as are a lot of people. I do have a soft spot in my heart for these TT because aside from the stepped case, the lugs are, in my eyes, about perfect. So that leaves me conflicted - I have no idea how to hunt down these pieces on my own, which lets dealers set whatever price they want. Do I suck it up and pay it, and get the watch I want (and potentially be stuck with it) or do I pass? I might be able to talk $500 off the price, but that's nominal at these prices.
Unfortunately, these are the questions we are doomed to wrestle with as collectors of the old and uncommon. The answer is in your heart! (Or wallet, if you lack the patience)
 
Dan S
Posts
20,323
Likes
47,046
thedave thedave
Perhaps you missed where I was explicit about not being comfortable posting these pictures. You didn't fix it, you put me in an uncomfortable position.
This is not your personal forum. The thread will have no educational or archival value without photos posted. Now there is a history of this particular watch (thanks to @X350 XJR and @Tony C.) that may be valuable for other people's research. If you want private help, reach out by PM.

Regarding finding the watch you want at a fair price, that's called hunting, and we all do it. And certainly not by the quick and easy path of viewing dealer websites. It involves networking with other collectors, looking through countless lots at obscure auctions, etc.
Edited:
 
thedave
Posts
12
Likes
19
Dan S Dan S
This is not your personal forum. The thread will have no educational or archival value without photos posted. Now there is a history of this particular watch (thanks to @X350 XJR and @Tony C.) that may be valuable for other people's research. If you want private help, reach out by PM.

Regarding finding the watch you want at a fair price, that's called hunting, and we all do it. And certainly not by the quick and easy path of viewing dealer websites. It involves networking with other collectors, looking through countless lots at obscure auctions, etc.

Copyrights don't belong to you just because you want them to.

I wonder if everyone realizes you had the option of not commenting.
 
X350 XJR
Posts
13,385
Likes
31,523
thedave thedave
Copyrights

Unless they are hidden really well, I don't see any copyrights on the posted photos.

Perhaps it's time for you to find another forum more to your liking offering free advise by some to the top experts in the world.
 
thedave
Posts
12
Likes
19
X350 XJR X350 XJR
Unless they are hidden really well, I don't see any copyrights on the posted photos.

Perhaps it's time for you to find another forum more to your liking offering free advise by some to the top experts in the world.

In the USA and many other countries, copyright is automatically implied and assigned to the creator, unless explicitly transferred. It does not require a copyright notice. You need permission to use copyrighted content.

I've been a member here since 2018. I'm good. Before tonight nobody has been quite so flagrantly disrespectful. The images were not yours to post. Full stop.
 
5 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

LesXL

Lady Officer Tre Tacche - feedback appreciated

LesXL Longines Watches
LesXL
LesXL
Posts
3
Views
2K
hejsam

Longines Sei "Tre Tacche Case"

hejsam Private Watch Sales
hejsam
hejsam
Posts
20
Views
15K
J

Stunning Longines 30mm Tre Tacche

jbtb077 Longines Watches
Syrte
Syrte
Posts
10
Views
3K
hejsam

Longines Tre Tacche 35mm

hejsam Longines Watches
DirtyDozen12
DirtyDozen12
Posts
128
Views
33K
NicoB

Help with information on watch with possible redial, 2791-6

NicoB Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
chadpowe11
chadpowe11
Posts
9
Views
2K
Kapka

Super weired UG Tre Tacche!!

Kapka Universal Genève Watches
Larry S
Larry S
Posts
18
Views
4K