My collection focusing continues and I am feeling good about it. Fewer watches with more attraction, means I am enjoying the ones I have more. I am also aware that this forum is about sharing our watches, and I have been so focused on other projects that I have not shared a part of the collection for a while. I am often asked, why do I sell a particular 2998 - well its because I have these, and just how many watches does a man need. The ones I sold are really special, but these happen to be more pleasing, to me. As this is a sharing forum I want to show you my favorite 2998's, the ones that get to stay in the box. A lovely black dial - the bezel could be nicer, and in fact I could have swapped a fine bezel from a watch I am selling but I did not - where possible I like to keep watches as they come to me. I would happily fit a part to make a watch correct, but optimizing has never fitted well - I can always see it. (I tell myself!). This one I found in Italy, and of course always I check watches, especially browns, very carefully from that part of the world - no offense. This one is one of those watches that wears much better than the photo. In the photo you can see little damages on the dial, that dont show at all on the wrist. Its a killer brown, only threatened by the next: This one I bought in Paris about 10 years ago, and at the time the most expensive watch I had ever bought. Since then luckily the market has moved and I don't feel like I over paid. Note the dial is also a little damaged, and this again does not show as much on the wrist as on the photo. The BASE1000 bezel is really tough to photograph. They are of a different characteristic than the DO90's and do not reflect light the same way. So there are my three keepers in the 2998's. I do have watches that when examined are technically more perfect condition, but these three are my favorites, and give the most pleasure in wear. To be honest while I appreciate perfection in a watch, I prefer to wear a vintage watch with some character. The really challenging thing is to find a watch that is flawed, but even more attractive than perfection....To me. We have seen a lot of scrubby 2998s' recently, and some will be attractive wearers. Condition Condition Condition. Yes sure. But only if you really really like it. I would rather have a watch I really really like than one that is perfect and doesn't make me twitch inside when I see it.
I heard that collectors always try to keep their best watches and sell the lessers. That's why we should buy from their widows, not from them. Is that correct to all of us here?
I too have 3 and keep 1 in boxed in the safe and wear these two which as @Spacefruit said are not perfect but attractive to me: 2998-1 with the chocolate dial: 2998-4
Thank you for sharing. Having been lucky enough to have seen these in the hand I can agree that they really are very attractive examples and I hope my envy wasn’t too obvious!
I have been lucky enough to afford one 2998-4. this ticked two boxes for me, Birthyear watch and deliviered to the Military (NAAFI). Cheers, Buster
Aouch....Brilliant Holly thread and pics... Thanks gentlecollectors ! (amazing chocolate colors of @Spacefruit one's... never seen that)
Pretty watches. The 2998 is the epitome of Speedmasters for many. The bright trim ring under the crystal, dauphin hands, and the radium patina that is the most attractive aging in Speedmasters, for my money, all combine to make for a favorite. I’ve only kept two after trading a few others over time. Here’s the one that lives at home. And the dial does not have even a tiny flaw. Anything seen in the photo is on the crystal. Crown and crystal are original.