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Omega 2915-1 “Speedmaster” at UK Auction

jaegodylan
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Dan S Dan S
It's naive to think that publicizing an obscure auction on the world's largest forum for Speedmaster collectors doesn't affect bidding. It only takes one additional serious bidder to greatly inflate the hammer price. But there's no forum rule against it, so I hope you had fun.

also rather naive to think the eventual buyer learned about it 3 hours ago here..

The horse had bolted the stable.
 
Dan S
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jaegodylan jaegodylan
also rather naive to think the eventual buyer learned about it 3 hours ago here..

The horse had bolted the stable.

Either you don't understand how auctions work, or you are just making silly arguments to defend yourself. It's obvious that any additional bidder can inflate the hammer price, whether or not they are the eventual buyer. You should accept that you quite possibly cost the buyer (who may be an OF member) several thousand extra. Of course, if you are connected to the seller, then you did them a favor.

And the "3 hour" comment is particularly ironic. If the auction is almost over, why not just wait a few hours before starting the thread.
 
Mark020
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jaegodylan jaegodylan
I think thats what a lot of people were hoping for.. but a good result for the seller I imagine… though they could have likely done better taking it apart and listing it here.
That's not what I mean. For 2k I would consider this a long term project and be prepared to cough up the money
 
jaegodylan
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Dan S Dan S
Either you don't understand how auctions work, or you are just making silly arguments to defend yourself. It's obvious that any additional bidder can inflate the hammer price, whether or not they are the eventual buyer. You should accept that you quite possibly cost the buyer (who may be an OF member) several thousand extra. Of course, if you are connected to the seller, then you did them a favor.

And the "3 hour" comment is particularly ironic. If the auction is almost over, why not just wait a few hours before starting the thread.

There is nothing to defend because as you stated it was and is not against the rules. I haven’t argued any point other than the impact of discussing it was limited.

Whichever parties had bid this up to £9100 with two unclear photos before the auction clearly were in it for the long haul. There were many others (including many members of the forum) lurking in the shadows. I am fully aware how auctions work, this wasn’t going to be “cheap” though it still ended up relatively so.

Regardless of all that it is and was worth discussing. While the discussion could have possibly alerted someone to the watch and to become a bidder and increasing the price, it could have also made someone that needed some component of it aware and assisted them.
 
tennjed
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As a relative newbie, I have already benefited greatly from the free offering of information, by forum members, already saving me countless dollars, and sparing me considerable aggravations, related to mistakes associated with the purchase of junk. I had never fully given any consideration to the financial harm I could do to those advanced, experienced collectors through simply throwing attention to a active auction for a significant collectible watch, Ebay and others. This thread has been a benefit to me.
 
size11s
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I think all serious bidders who had seen the listing had requested and received additional pics before the auction, obviously. So the additional pics that you posted were not likely to be of interest to anyone who had already spotted the auction, but would be good info for any potential bidders who hadn't yet seen the auction and were too late to ask for pics. So, potentially, your thread could have inflated the price. I agree with Dan S that although not against the rules, it would have been better etiquette to have waited a couple of hours.
 
jaegodylan
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A rousing discussion of forum etiquette… thanks.

So back to the watch.

What are your thoughts on the movement? Just heavily repaired with whatever parts from a time when the collectibility wasn’t a consideration?

How did it end up with this dial?

The bezel is original and correct? Why on earth was it put back on upside down?

It seems clear that both the consignor and the auction house were unaware of the value. The auction house also handles estate liquidations so perhaps it just was a drawer find.

Do you think this was a watch built from spares or a watch that was well used and repaired without consideration?
 
Archer
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Dan S Dan S
You should accept that you quite possibly cost the buyer (who may be an OF member) several thousand extra.

Unless the buyer was forced to bid under duress, this is nonsensical...

Dan S Dan S
Of course, if you are connected to the seller, then you did them a favor.

Even putting this up as a possibility, seems a little off...
 
Dash1
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I live not too far away so went to have a look in person. The bezel was genuine imo and in fair condition. Apparently it came from a house clearance and they had no idea of it’s value until the online bids started racking up online.
My pics are even worse than the auctioneers ones though:
F69400D2-D333-484D-B667-CE6B4A2CF1BC.jpeg
 
Dash1
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jaegodylan jaegodylan
Do you think this was a watch built from spares or a watch that was well used and repaired without consideration?
It certainly had the feel of a watch that had been ‘repaired’ a long time ago without consideration. There was plenty of wrist cheese in all the crevices and someone who was putting it together to sell would probably have at least put the bezel on the right way up.
 
Dan S
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Archer Archer
Unless the buyer was forced to bid under duress, this is nonsensical...
It's not nonsense, Al. The winner only bids one increment over the next highest bidder. By calling attention to the auction and providing additional photos, this thread could absolutely bring new bidders into the picture, which could certainly force the winning bidder to pay more than they would have otherwise. Happens all the time.
 
Archer
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Dan S Dan S
which could certain force the winning bidder to pay more than they would have otherwise

No one is forced to bid...
 
watchyouwant
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Looks like you found the Donor movement Speedy for the $ 3 Mio Phillips Fake.... Hand engraved Balance Cock.... Impossible to check the Bezel from that condition. But good case for the next Fake. Seems like 2915-1 references pop up everywhere now and no longer worth collecting....
 
Dan S
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Archer Archer
No one is forced to bid...
OK, I understand your point better now. It would be better for me to say that the winning bidder may have paid thousands more as a consequence of the thread.

In any case, since the OP feels that this is unlikely, the next time the OP is personally bidding seriously on a highly collectible but poorly described vintage Omega lot in an obscure auction, I look forward to seeing the thread he starts describing the active auction and showing the additional photos and information he has received from the auctioneer. 🤨
 
Bernhard J
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Archer Archer
Unless the buyer was forced to bid under duress, this is nonsensical...

Yes, nobody is forced to pay more than he or she wants to pay.

And, for collectors there actually is an interest in good auction results, since this positively affects the value of the own collection as well. Just similar to the stock market.

I have the attitude (in classical auctions, forget rotten eB..) of filing written bids, i.e. the maximum I would like to pay, and NOT attending live on-line. If I get the item, fine. If not, so what, all these things clearly are not essential for life. Just recently I was alerted about an auction of a very interesting precision pendulum clock by a fellow collector. I made my bid. Unfortunately someone else apparently went one step higher. That evening I had a beer, looked at my collection, and the world was fine again. 😀
 
Archer
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Dan S Dan S
OK, I understand your point better now. It would be better for me to say that the winning bidder may have paid thousands more as a consequence of the thread.

In any case, since the OP feels that this is unlikely, the next time the OP is personally bidding seriously on a highly collectible but poorly described vintage Omega lot in an obscure auction, I look forward to seeing the thread he starts describing the active auction and showing the additional photos and information he has received from the auctioneer. 🤨

Whatever was paid in the end, the buyer clearly thought it was worth paying. If by chance this did increase the amount paid, so be it - that's not all bad. I know this is a collector's site and everyone wants a bargain, but I also think of the family who possibly received a "more correct" amount for what the item was actually worth.

I think putting any blame on the OP without any real proof, and then pseudo accusing him of shilling it, is just going too far...

As had been stated, very few auctions fly under the radar, so every time this happens and the usual outrage appears, it seems to be very overblown to me.
 
blufinz52
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Dan S Dan S
which could certainly force the winning bidder to pay more than they would have otherwise.

Dan, why do you care how much someone bids on a watch? Although I think your premise that discussing the auction while the auction is active certainly could raise the price, as potential new bidders get involved, but what difference does it make to you?
 
jaegodylan
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Perhaps he was a bidder? Who knows.

I apologise for causing any offence but I certainly don’t think I can take any credit for the result.
 
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