It's not you. It's me.
I do think you are very pretty.
I love your face.
I forgive your mismatched ends links (which don't appear original).
I just am saving this kind of money for a 2998 (not the 2016 LE), who I know I will find one day, and in return I know will love me back.

I know you will get over this and most likely find someone else very soon

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272406550420?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:ITPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

 

I have to agree, she is a beauty

 

definitely a nice Speedy; priced at collector's grade, is it?

 

Look at that bezel! Nice one.

 

Yeah. Throw in the bracelet and that is indeed being priced at collectors grade.

There is a lot of love for this. The bezel for sure.

 

Coming from a Vintage Rolex background, for me a collectors piece HAS to be unpolished. I am not saying that refinished cases cannot be collectible or collector grade, but I look for original chamfers and the normal wear found on a watch that is 50-60 years old.

Next for me is Originality. How much of the watch is still original as it was the day it was sold. Of course, crystals, tubes, crowns, gaskets and in some cases pushers are all acceptable parts to be replaced during service. To expect an original crystal (for example) on a 60 year old watch is ridiculous. In fact, I have seen untouched sealed 60 year old crystals that just shatter when installed due to the brittleness of the hesalite after all the time. Crowns are another part that are "acceptable" to be replaced because the threads ultimately fail (Rolex). Speedmaster crowns can last "forever" in theory because they actually do not thread on to the tube, they only thread onto stems which may never fail either and are easily replaced.

I am a sucker for Tropical Dials. So much so that I only buy Tropical dial watches. I am not interested in any black dials because I find them to all be so common and with tropical dials each one is different and unique. Don't get me wrong, if I find a fantastic piece at a great price with a black dial I would buy it, but I would always be on the lookout for that chocolate dial to replace it with

 

Have we seen an Ed White break $20K? I know the brown dial adds some $$... will be interesting to see how it ends.

 

Its nothing I have seen. Am intrigued for that pure reason myself. I get the dial. I get the bezel. I get the bracelet. The plus $20K I haven't seen. Given there are no papers. No astronauts engravings. I am with you. A stack of followers on this. Keen to see if someone pulls the trigger.....

 

There was an OF member who sold one to a Dealer I know who re-sold it for 26k. No bracelet, Incorrect Bezel, incorrect pushers, replacement crown...See attached

 

Doh. That dial and and lume are stunning. Bezel not so.

 

We need to ask Spacefruit to chime in on this topic because his site actually gives a price reference of 20k for a "collectable" 105.003. He doesnt specify the year (63,64,65) or if the dial is Tropical, which I assume will also effect value. I think it is an excellent resource and reference to use to get an idea of where prices should be.

 

I might be way off the mark on this, but while I think the dial is interesting and attractive to a degree, it's not in the same league as the genuine 'warm' brown tropical dials.

Don't get me wrong, it's nice. It's just not making me go weak at the knees like the dial on the watch @Varnado posted.

 

I would agree that the dial in the watch I posted is probably more attractive due to its uniformity and lighter lume (personal opinion) but, if you add the bracelet and the perfect DON you have to agree that at the very least they should be priced the same. I dont think the dial I posted commands a 4-5k premium over the eBay watch (cost of DON and Bracelet). That watch sold for 26k so for 22k the watch on eBay is a bargain, so to speak

 

I do like the watch. I think it has some nice qualities. Am not sure on the price. It does seem high to me. But the market in recent months seems to surprise.

 

Not for me. If I had the option of the watch you posted, head only, incorrect bezel, vs the ebay watch, DoN and bracelet for the same price, I'm going for the brown dial, even at several grand more. I can always add a DoN. It's in a different league altogether IMO.

 

That's a good marker!

 

I don't know brown / tropical enough to say much myself... I do like how some of these get those white rings around the subdials..

 

Well then, let me show off one of my chocolate wonders. I call her my Paul Newman Tropical with Ghost DON bezel.
Can we agree that my watch is the loveliest of them all? I wouldn't sell her for 50k if you were wondering..

 

Every one is different, which is why they are all so interesting. ANY tropical in nice condition is worth more (to me) than its non Tropical equivalent. Thats why putting a price on them is so difficult, because what makes one person "go weak in the knees" may not make someone elses knees go as weak

 

Agreed!