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Incoming "Watchco" Seamaster 300

  1. blubarb Sep 9, 2019

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    So some Frankens hold or can even gain value over time - that's good isn't it? Doesn't this mean you can buy a watch you like the look of when the cost of the original is out of reach and not lose too much (maybe even get a small win) if you sell in a decade or so?
     
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  2. bikehomero Sep 9, 2019

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    In gereral, no! The Watchco is a special exception.
     
    JanV likes this.
  3. jaguar11 Sep 9, 2019

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    Looks great. Enjoy and wear in e best of health!!
     
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  4. Poday Sep 9, 2019

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    I think in general a franken will hold and gain value over time, just like any other vintage watch (though at a lower level, obviously). The problem comes when you buy something that you think is all original for $XX, and learn down the road that it's made up of parts, thus dropping the resale value. Had it been priced as a franken when you bought it, the value would likely have maintained or even risen (depending on what it was). I'm sure we can all agree that an Ed White franken is worth more today than it would have been in 2005.

    That being said, buy what you like, and you can never go wrong (as long as you know what you're buying). I bought my watchco because I wanted an SM300 that was in good shape and that I wouldn't have to worry about. Whether or not I'd be able to sell it at a profit never crossed my mind. I have a small collection of 9 pieces that I've acquired over the past decade. Some have risen to (in my opinion) absurd levels (Rolex 1680), while others have remained relatively flat (Omega 176.0014). And it doesn't matter. I bought what I wanted and enjoyed looking at, and that's what I have.
     
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  5. bikehomero Sep 10, 2019

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    I usually think Franken are offered as originals and priced accordingly. With that you have a very good value loss as soon as you realize you have bought a Franken. Of course, the original parts contained retain or increase their value.

    Of course, it looks quite different if you know in advance and the price was correspondingly low.

    A Watchco is still much cheaper than an old original and so must be.
     
  6. cholack Oct 13, 2019

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    Superb! Adam is a legend
     
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  7. xantiagib Nov 6, 2019

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    'watchco' are like if you stupidly sent an old patina'd SM300 to omega and got them to change the 'serviceable' parts - i.e. case, dial, bezel, bezel insert, crystal, hands and crown - the movement will be on the archives saying it was from an sm300 but then again a subset of the 'watchco' ones will be too.

    they have keot good value and are priced at what you can make one up yourself if you buy the parts off cousins or ebay.

    Watchco down under were doing watchco speedmaster pros too from parts at one time too.
     
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  8. Davidt Nov 6, 2019

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    I can’t imagine many or even any of the ‘WatchCo’ type Seamaster 300’s started off life as a 300.
     
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  9. BlackTulip Nov 6, 2019

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    Watcho are a great alternative to stupidly paying 10x for old crusty radiation burned dial and hands. There I fixed it for you.
     
  10. rhodes_96 Nov 10, 2019

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    Watchco was a Franken, is a Franken , and will always be a Franken!

    If you purchased an original classic, and had Omega service with NOS then this is not a Franken.

    Any watch that cannot be authorised by Omega should be considered a REPLICA . Got rid of mine a long time ago. The fake watch market killed off the nostalgia for me.
     
  11. JimInOz Melbourne Australia Nov 10, 2019

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    I don't consider Watchco SM300s to be frankens.

    There, another POV.

    Should we conduct a poll?
     
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  12. rhodes_96 Nov 11, 2019

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    Why not.:)
     
  13. DeepBlue Nov 11, 2019

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    Nice one!
     
  14. BradleyJ. Nov 11, 2019

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    According to Forbes....

    Frankenwatch is the poetic term watch industry insiders use to describe a vintage watch that is sold as authentic in mint condition, but has been “pepped up” by replacing a part or two from another watch or even faked components.

    I'm not saying this is set in stone but it has always been my understanding that franken means parts from one model watch being used on a other model. I'd argue that a watchco style watch does not use improper parts and especially not faked components (If it's a well built piece) I understand how some people may not care for a watchco build, but I wouldn't consider one a Franken just because it didnt come from omega that way.

    I'd love to see the results of a poll lol.
     
  15. Poday Nov 11, 2019

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    I’ll join the chorus that disagrees with you on this one. A lot of it has to do with intent. A franken is a watch made up of various bits and parts with the intent to deceive and be passed off as original. A watchco, assuming it is disclosed as such is nothing of the kind.

    Again, no. A replica isn’t made from correct and genuine parts. If I had an original 300 that was thrashed, and omega replaced everything with service parts, would that be a replica? The only difference here is WHO assembled it, not what it’s assembled from.
     
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  16. BradleyJ. Nov 11, 2019

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    This is the point I would use to say the term Franken does not apply. A "watchco" is not an original 300 and I would say most people are not trying to pass one off as such.... but it's not a Franken.
     
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  17. NyCSnEaK Nov 11, 2019

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    I got one and really enjoy it. I personally wouldn’t spend a dime on a vintage/thrashed one. I’d rather get mine beat up on my own adventures. Hey if Omega will service it, then it’s good in my book.
     
    Edited Nov 15, 2019
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  18. BlackTulip Nov 15, 2019

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    So what happens when a "real" SM 300 gets serviced by an independent watchmaker ? Does it automatically become a Franken because it wasn't reassembled by Omega ?
     
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  19. padders Oooo subtitles! Nov 15, 2019

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    Nope because it would still presumably get an extract as an SM300. A Watchco will not. Why is it so hard to accept that a watch thrown together from random spare or replacement parts isn’t the same thing as something original and repaired or updated. It seems pretty clear to me. It’s funny how you only see these discussions on Watchco SM300s. Any other watch made wholly of replaced or remanufactured parts would be called out without reservation on the calling a spade a spade principle.

    These things are like Trigger’s broom.
     
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  20. BlackTulip Nov 15, 2019

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    Not necessarily. Omega allows you to convert any Omega model that came with a 552 caliber into a SM 300.

    They're not random spare parts. They're authentic SM 300 factory service parts. Exactly the same parts if you were to completely overhaul an old SM. The only difference is who put it together.
     
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