My Zenith El Primero A386 Story - Experts, Please Critique!

cristos71 · Jul 14, 2015

dsio
The hunt and research is the best part, imagine how boring Indiana Jones would have been if he'd just ordered the artefacts he found from an online dealer.

He was a something of a WIS you know,

here´s just some of his box collection ( a substantial number are said to be containing ``strap fails``)

dsio · Jul 14, 2015

cristos71
What a dealer says should not be trusted, period.

As with any purchase, watch or non watch, be it cheap or expensive, it is 100% up to the buyer to make their own informed decisions.

And as @MMMD points out if the learning and knowledge came for free then it wouldn´t be so highly regarded.

Key thing is that the assessment of any piece needs to be made by someone that isn't making money off of the deal.

One piece of wisdom a businessman from the Gold Coast once gave me is he always has two accounting firms, one to invest his money and another to count it and make sure its all there. You can never get impartial and honest assessment from someone who stands to benefit.

nicolas07 · Jul 14, 2015

Sorry to read that Luzer... 🙁
But I would give you same advice than others: send it back to Mr Bain.
I am pretty disappointed as I was thinking Mathew Bain was someone of trust...
As @dsio said, it is difficult to trust in someone who is trying to make money on you... 🙁
Good luck

LouS · Jul 14, 2015

nicolas07
I am pretty disappointed as I was thinking Mathew Bain was someone of trust...

I doubt very much this was an intentional deception on Bain's part. The case number business is a pretty abstruse piece of knowledge.

Darlinboy · Jul 14, 2015

nicolas07
I am pretty disappointed as I was thinking Mathew Bain was someone of trust...
As @dsio said, it is difficult to trust in someone who is trying to make money on you... 🙁

luzer · Jul 15, 2015

3 days now... have not heard back from MB

E-diddy · Jul 15, 2015

luzer
3 days now... have not heard back from MB

I'm surprised. Figured they would be responsive. Tried calling them as well?

Stewart H · Jul 15, 2015

luzer
3 days now... have not heard back from MB

Assuming you didn't go outside of eBay/Paypal, start a complaint.

LouS · Jul 15, 2015

Give them a phone call. In my experience, they are a pretty professional outfit.

luzer · Jul 15, 2015

will do

cicindela · Jul 16, 2015

Another return vote. Every time someone asks you about it or complements it, you will always regret that watch is not what it supposed to be and feel a need to explain.

luzer · Jul 16, 2015

Anyone here think - "keep the Mark 1, see if you can wear it safely. buy a caseback when you find one"?
Just curious

cicindela · Jul 16, 2015

luzer
Anyone here think - "keep the Mark 1, see if you can wear it safely. buy a caseback when you find one"?
Just curious

Unfortunately $7500. is a lot of, "think, if and buy", to swallow. But it is really your decision to make.

E-diddy · Jul 16, 2015

luzer
Anyone here think - "keep the Mark 1, see if you can wear it safely. buy a caseback when you find one"?
Just curious

Not me. 100% return.

nicolas07 · Jul 16, 2015

100% return too
mark i is indeed the rarest of the 3 but if it is not in near perfect or at least original condition you will not valorize it as it should 🙁

Darlinboy · Jul 16, 2015

luzer
Anyone here think - "keep the Mark 1, see if you can wear it safely. buy a caseback when you find one"?
Just curious

Not I. It would eat away at my enjoyment of the watch. YMMV

papaebetu · Jul 17, 2015

Have seen here many A386, many correct yes, but also with wrong or service hands, reaut, crown and sometimes dial,
payed also too much, someone with "correct" serial but reprint too......🙁
Now this from Luzer, payed not so much for the period, 1st case, a bit "lived" but with a discuss caseback is the most franken watch??
Really ?😲
There are Daytonas Paul Newman with uncorrect caseback sold and for 100-130k and now we are all "taliban" with the Luzer's A386 ....
Please...😀

Luzer, how you wear your watches? Upside down? U know Ebay ?
Enjoy your very rare 1st series, and keep open eyes for the caseback. 😉

That's my 2cents

GIGI

wristpirate · Jul 17, 2015

If the only issue with the watch is the caseback then I would just keep it and then start the hunt for a caseback! In the meantime I wouldn't wear it until I found the case no matter how long that took. I'd want everything about such an iconic watch to be spot on.

mahamithra · Jul 18, 2015

A few comments here take the game a bit far. There are some dealers that are responsible and tell you exactly what it is you are buying or not buying. But in truth Mat Bain is selling watches for $1,000,000 sometimes. This is certainly near the bottom of the pile my guess he does not have the intricate knowledge or the willingness to spend the time to find out. However there is no excuse for making an incorrect statement, if he stated it was the correct back!
The reason you buy such a time piece is because you want a piece of watchmaking history. Although not the rarest EP it is one of the most highly recognized pieces and sought after. Speak to Matthew, tell him your unhappy get your money back buy something that you will never have to make an excuse for! My final comment is: is not what you pay, it is the object you own!

luzer · Jul 22, 2015

quick update, MB is responding, salesman was checking with his 'experts', agreed the caseback is from an early universal
and
Everyone I spoke to told me the watch is worth the $7,500 even with the wrong case back.

My Zenith El Primero A386 Story - Experts, Please Critique!

cristos71

dsio

nicolas07

LouS

Darlinboy

luzer

E-diddy

Stewart H

LouS

luzer

cicindela

luzer

cicindela

E-diddy

nicolas07

Darlinboy

papaebetu

wristpirate

mahamithra

luzer

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