Was anyone fortunate enough to pick this up from Matthew Bain?

I'm not absolutely sure that they clocked the fact that it was a Polarouter rather than just a Polerouter. Sadly I was a day too late.

The crown, although signed, is a later replacement and the chapter ring may also be a replacement as I would have expected narrow hour markers on a Polarouter but that chocolatey dial!

http://www.matthewbaininc.com/watch-details/2682

 

Stunningly beautiful Polarouter. What were they asking??

 

There was never a price specified.

I have a horrible feeling that it was much less than I would have been wiling to pay.

 

I choose to believe they must have priced it in! They call their Polerouter Sub a "Polerouter" too.

If not.. sometimes dealers offer up some good deals too!

 

The dial and the case, a real beauty!

 

Worry not, I am sure it was exceedingly expensive. Mr. Bain does not skimp on his prices!

 

They IMHO MB are over priced on every watch they sell !

 

This.

One of those dealers creating a market out there and rising their prices weekly.

 

My guess $3500 - 4000. Every time I ask them for a number they knock the air out of my lungs.

 

higher!

 

5-6k ?

 

Wow.

 

I

Ive been collecting for 40 years, when I started collecting UG was about 18 years ago. Nobody really thought much about these polerouters, you could get mint ones, they weren't very rare.
Its a time only with no complictions, why anyone would even think this is worth more than a UG with compliations Ill never understand ! For that kind of money I can think of MANY vintage watches from a multItude of brands I would rather have than a brown dial three hander !
MB probably paid little for it from an estate,
and he gouges people who are obsessed with certain brands that are currently in vogue. I think in the long run this watch won't hold its value IMHO . I PAID LESS MONEY FOR EACH UG PICTURED THAN THE MONEY THEY WANT FOR THAT POLEROUTER !

 

I've seen some LUDICROUS prices on Polerouters recently..... even a few here.

 

Well, that is way overpriced.

 

I remember it was only last year where some Polerouters were trading hands in the forum for $500USD or less.

Now you go to eBay and they are just ridiculous and in worse condition.

A $5-6k Polarouter is like...making the rest of the market see an upward surge.

 

It's hard to say what is a correct price for one, 5-6k is absolutely awkward pricing. But 500 or under was also really underpriced. Nowadays I can't really find/see any worthy one under the 1,3k mark (not counting garage sales or things like that with huge luck). Imho when it comes to Bombay lugs, an unpolished case worths a big premium, because polishing can seriously ruin the case.

 

Watch collection is very much about destinction imho. "Very early" or "first generation" examples catches the eyes of many collectors.
To add one of the very first pieces (Speedmaster, Autavia...) to a collection is often combined with hefty premium.
To be honest, if I had to sell my collection, my "Polarouter" would be one of the very last to go!

The Polerouters were a big success for Universal Geneve, so the Polarouter is where it all started. Serial numbers and casebacks make make it easy to identify "franken watches". As @gatorcpa pointed out, this pure monocrome brown dial makes me wonder. But it might be just bad light/foto...

That said I think the price is far to high. But it will be interesting to see where the Polarouter will stay in five years.
Even the asking prices here at OF have gone up quickly and sometimes are quite ambitious.