I have a lot of reading and researching to do, but I'm also a little impatient so I'm wondering . . . is it bad form for a new member to start asking about the value of watches available for sale right away??
Thank you for the welcomes and depleting wallet warning!!
I have a lot of reading and researching to do, but I'm also a little impatient so I'm wondering . . . is it bad form for a new member to start asking about the value of watches available for sale right away??
Politeness goes a long way here as everywhere else, so it depends more on your way of asking then the question itself I’d say. Most likely, condition and originality are the two points we can help you with the best. For price comparisons, while it’s ok to ask, may I also point you to the eBay advanced search? There you’ll find the option to click “Sold articles” - this way you’ll see for what prices they actually sold for, as opposed to what people are dreaming to get for them. This works best if you have the reference number of the watch in question. Let’s say you’d like a Seamaster 2846, one of the (if not the) model produced by Omega in the largest number in the 50s. So you search for “Omega Seamaster 2846” on eBay, limit the search to sold articles and then try to find whatever models compare best to the one you’re looking to possibly purchase.
The forum search is also a handy tool for that, you can use it to scroll through relevant ads in the classifieds here - they all still show the asking price, even if they might be sold already. Do note though that prices have increased significantly in the last half decade or so. A priced realized in 2015 might be unrealistic to hope for today.
Enjoy the hunt. 😀
Thanks to my other passions which include Zippo lighters, vintage chainsaws, and whiskey,
Welcome to OF!!
Glad to have you with us… and feel free to tell us a bit more about the type of watches you already have (with pics!) or that you are listing after. 👍
My concern, and the desire to find folks knowledgeable on the topic to learn from, is that these watches seem to be similar in at least one aspect to vintage & rare chainsaws; one small detail that's easily missed or misunderstood by the less-than-expert eye can have significant impact on the value or desirability. I suspect timepieces will reveal the same thing I see on ebay with saws in that many of final sale prices are higher than they should be due to ignorance on the buyer's part, which in turn just artificially inflates 'fair' market values. It's very easy to play dumb or strategically avoid specifically noting or photographing flaws when selling on ebay since you have essentially an entire globe's worth of buyers and some will undoubtedly be trigger-happy and under-educated on the item.
I suppose a better clarification is that I'd be interested, in addition to learning specifics about a given watch, to know what individuals think about the true value of a piece as opposed to what they predict it would bring on ebay or a similar global venue. As with my other hobbies, I strongly prefer in-person (or at least private) dealings but I'm only just beginning here and have not yet established a network.
Thank you again, and I will certainly enjoy the hunt!
I have had an interest in mechanical watches my entire life and have always owned and wore several but never any higher end models. I could never get myself to spend too much on a watch despite how much I appreciate them, and the fact that I obsessively wear one at all times. I even keep a spare in my desk for the rare occasion I forget to choose one of a morning and go to work 'naked'. A bare left wrist will ruin my day...
I would be happy to post some photos of the watches I currently own but they're nothing of value or rarity and I doubt many hear would find them interesting. I'm just getting started down this road and have decided to start with Omega, and focus on educating myself on Seamasters first, and then on to Speedmasters.
