I purchased the identical watch 3 years ago from a pawn shop here on Ebay. It was in considerably better condition with no patina on the markers and virtually no marks to the case. I used "Buy it Now" for $600. It's kind of comical as this watch is worth nowhere near this ($1470).

This is the last watch I purchased and it seems that anything with an "Omega" logo now commands a large asking price. Actually it seems most vintage wristwatches are going for a higher price tag. Have some sellers just gotten greedy or has the vintage timepiece market gone up in value?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Omega...-34mm-in-Box/202464664075?hash=item2f23d59a0bPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

 

I saw that one too. I guess people can ask what they like for a watch, it doesn't mean it will sell and I certainly wouldn't pay an €800 premium just for that dial!

 

Ebay is rife with optimistic sellers hoping for a sucker to come along. Occasionally our very own sales corner suffers this too. The listings with 3 months of bumps and no price drop are a clue to a seller like you describe. If anything the market is correcting, not continually rising.

 

Here is my example...okay his is a date model. I didn't see the case number, but yeah.

 

asking and worth is a big difference....

 

I have the same with date…but don't think they are over 1k.

 

No. The entire vintage watch market is identical to three years ago especially Rolex and Speedmasters

Say... is your name in real like Rip Van Winkle?

 

Actually, you are both wrong. A large portion of the market has been under downward price pressure for some time.

 

Which portion of the vintage market is that? Not trying to be a smartass, I genuinely don't know and am interested to find out, if the question's not too massive and complex to be easily answered.

 

But ... but... maybe the premium is for that grey distressed strap!

 

Prices are higher in Europe plus, he's in London so likely higher still. It also has an attractive finish on the dial which your one doesn't appear to have. Agree though, it's an ambitious price.

Cheers, Chris

 

First, I am excluding Rolex, as I do not follow that market, though I do have a dealer friend who claims that certain types of vintage Rolex have been declining in value.

Omega is a bit of an outlier, in no small part thanks to this forum, and their values are generally more steady than most across the board. However, I have seen some desirable Omega models, such as the early Genève, and even some chronometres, face downward price pressure, and this is a microcosm of what has been happening more broadly in the market.

A high percentage of vintage watches other than the most fashionable, e.g. chronographs and the most desirable sports watches, etc., have been facing similar, downward pressure. Other than those in outstanding condition, and/or with particularly desirable dial variations, time-only models have been going down in value. This can even be seen in some of the popular niches, such as Longines. The best of them continue to bring strong prices, but the more flawed examples are no longer being snapped up, and often languish for sale at optimistic (or unrealistic) prices for weeks or months.

I have long collected "mid-range" vintage brands that have never been the height of fashion, and have seen better opportunities in recent months than over the previous two or three years. I refer to brands such as Alpina and Certina, etc.

So, as I have maintained for some time now, there is an accelerating bifurcation of the market. On one hand you have the most fashionable and desirable models and brands, which largely continue to bring very strong prices. Then you have the less fashionable brands and models, along with those with condition issues. The latter category includes a huge number of watches, and I can assure you that they are almost all facing downward pressure.

None of this is difficult to explain, as the "middle-class" continues to struggle, resulting in more fresh watches coming to market, coupled with a decreasing pool of buyers with disposable income.

Oh, and the trend will accelerate as the economy deteriorates further, which it will.

 

This has been discussed many times in other threads, but empirically I do not believe there is a strong correlation with the economy and watch prices. Some people have even told me that prices go up as people look to put their money into other things than stocks/banks etc.....

 

Really? Do you not believe that there is a strong correlation between the economy and more mature collector markets, such as cars and Fine Art?

There is, as evidenced by previous cycles, and the watch market is not fundamentally different.

 

Here are some better photos of my watch. I always sucked at photography. I'm looking to buy a new watch- an Accutron, Omega 1940- 1960, Doxa, or WWII military. If I was patient I could usually find a watch and nab it for below market value because of a poor listing, photos, description, and a bit of a gamble. This doesn't seem to be the case anymore. I just seems asking price in general has gone up. I haven't paid attention at all to what has been for sale, so yeah you can call me "Rip Van Winkle."

 

Thanks for taking the time to write that interesting assessment. As in all fields of collecting, condition remains paramount.

 

Your watch looks nicer than the one that is for sale. Less faded dial and intact lume.

 

There was a big surge in older "bubble back" models a while back, and now the bottom has dropped out of that market. The vintage sports models are still seeing rapid price increases, some more than others.

But I agree about your larger point, the prices for many brands are stagnant if you are careful to look at actual sales.