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cristos71
·You know how it is, everybody has certain rules and principles in how they choose to live their lives and play their hobbies. One of my main watch collecting principles has always been to avoid professional dealers. The main reasons for this are price and attitude. Finding most of my watches out in the wild or at auction I generally find dealer's prices way too expensive and I don't like the psychological games that they tend to like to play
Once or twice a year I'll go to a watch fair and maybe buy something there from the part-time sellers and hobbyists on their trestle tables, but for the rest I'd rather bide my time and buy sporadically if and when the opportunity arises rather than empty my wallet on a well presented and over-priced dealer watch.
However, every so often I'll see something that really tickles my fancy on a dealer's site, and, much as it pains me, I'll put my principles to one side and make contact. It is generally a watch that is listed with an annoying P.O.A or "Contact us for price" and I always have a feeling of nervous trepidation as I shoot off a price inquiry.
Why nervous? Well I like to negotiate, in fact I love to negotiate as a general rule, so that's not the problem, the problem is the games that dealers tend to play regarding trade valuation and the feeling they like to give that their watch is perfect, rare and worth every cent and my watch, whatever it is, is a virtually worthless POS. Today was again no exception.
So my price inquiry was on an Italian website for a pretty nice looking Railmaster 2914-3 with an incorrect bracelet. The 2914 is a watch that has been on my list for years but has always eluded me, so perhaps that is why I shot off my message in the first place. Anyway I received an answer back with the price, a not unsubstantial €27.5K 😲
To be honest this was more than I was expecting to hear, way above what I'd be willing to pay for a RM, and way, way above what anyone sane would pay for this example without even a correct bracelet. Even so after thinking about it I thought if the selling prices are so high here then I'd likely get a decent trade in on a 14755 Seamaster 300 I have and could possibly make a deal work.....little did I know...
My 300 I feel is a very attractive one, perfect dial and hands, a nice strong case and an Omega Extract coupled to the US 6th Fleet. It has an Aldo bezel restoration, so perhaps not top, top money but still a fine piece ( IMHO )
I sent a picture with description asking about using this as part of a deal on the RM and first off received a crying smiley regarding the Aldo bezel and was then told the value was to be very low because of this, together with a trade offer of €3.5K for my watch.....😲
Oh yeah, here we go, now I remember 🙄 this is exactly why I never do this! So with a sense of déjà vu I declined the offer and said farewell...
Now I realise I can only blame myself for letting Railmaster lust get in the way of my better judgement, rules and principles. And I guess it's my own stupidity that has left me feeling slightly annoyed and offended at such a low baller, but jeez, was that really a normal offer? Am I so out of touch with the heightened value of a 2914 and the depressed trade value of a 14755?
Anyway, here's my €3.5K 14755 by the way...oh, and the €27.5K 2914 too
2914
Once or twice a year I'll go to a watch fair and maybe buy something there from the part-time sellers and hobbyists on their trestle tables, but for the rest I'd rather bide my time and buy sporadically if and when the opportunity arises rather than empty my wallet on a well presented and over-priced dealer watch.
However, every so often I'll see something that really tickles my fancy on a dealer's site, and, much as it pains me, I'll put my principles to one side and make contact. It is generally a watch that is listed with an annoying P.O.A or "Contact us for price" and I always have a feeling of nervous trepidation as I shoot off a price inquiry.
Why nervous? Well I like to negotiate, in fact I love to negotiate as a general rule, so that's not the problem, the problem is the games that dealers tend to play regarding trade valuation and the feeling they like to give that their watch is perfect, rare and worth every cent and my watch, whatever it is, is a virtually worthless POS. Today was again no exception.
So my price inquiry was on an Italian website for a pretty nice looking Railmaster 2914-3 with an incorrect bracelet. The 2914 is a watch that has been on my list for years but has always eluded me, so perhaps that is why I shot off my message in the first place. Anyway I received an answer back with the price, a not unsubstantial €27.5K 😲
To be honest this was more than I was expecting to hear, way above what I'd be willing to pay for a RM, and way, way above what anyone sane would pay for this example without even a correct bracelet. Even so after thinking about it I thought if the selling prices are so high here then I'd likely get a decent trade in on a 14755 Seamaster 300 I have and could possibly make a deal work.....little did I know...
My 300 I feel is a very attractive one, perfect dial and hands, a nice strong case and an Omega Extract coupled to the US 6th Fleet. It has an Aldo bezel restoration, so perhaps not top, top money but still a fine piece ( IMHO )
I sent a picture with description asking about using this as part of a deal on the RM and first off received a crying smiley regarding the Aldo bezel and was then told the value was to be very low because of this, together with a trade offer of €3.5K for my watch.....😲
Oh yeah, here we go, now I remember 🙄 this is exactly why I never do this! So with a sense of déjà vu I declined the offer and said farewell...
Now I realise I can only blame myself for letting Railmaster lust get in the way of my better judgement, rules and principles. And I guess it's my own stupidity that has left me feeling slightly annoyed and offended at such a low baller, but jeez, was that really a normal offer? Am I so out of touch with the heightened value of a 2914 and the depressed trade value of a 14755?
Anyway, here's my €3.5K 14755 by the way...oh, and the €27.5K 2914 too
2914
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