I am pretty sure it will close above 30k... good luck

 

Good luck OP I think it will go above top estimate

Seems I missed a few replies-

Maybe on the next general SM300 thread, I learnt a lot finding those 8 watches, just wish I hadn't been so good at selling them 4 yrs ago!

Obsessive compulsive disorder - couldn't work out why they would redo a whole case-back just to have the lines of text centred unless it was to do with a regulation regarding the possibility of the off centred A being worn off under use & then not knowing it was a modified item
But you answered my quandary on the 69 case-back markings, very useful observation thanks

Regards
Mr.H

 

Well, it's on the Bonhams site now.
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24232/lot/32/?category=list&length=10&page=4
Fingers crossed
Thanks for everyone's help and knowledge regarding this watch.

 

With the current demand I'm sure you will do pretty well.
Unfortunately, Bonhams will do even better with their buyer and seller commission.
I always struggle to understand how merely acting as sellers (I know they have catalogue expenses, premises to maintain etc.) can justify an overall 'mark-up' off circa 45%.

 

Very true. We have agreed a reduced selling fee, but I think the buyers fee is a complete rip off, and does have an impact on the final bid price. I suppose they justify their fees by their ability to put these watches on a worldwide stage and with credibility.

 

I would suggest that a specialist forum like this one has more expertise and credibility than auction houses which have a a 'general' but not specific knowledge of brands and models.This is illustrated by the number of incorrectly described vintage watches that keep cropping up at major auctions.
Furthermore, I suspect that selling on this and other specialist forums, would certainly 'capture' the majority of interested buyers.
The only problem appears to be ascertaining a current value.

 

very nice watch how many did the RN get

 

Sorry, what I meant by 'credibility ' was meaning it was a genuine watch and sale, and not a potentially dodgy £25k+ sale on eBay, claiming they never received it / it was fake etc. and claiming money back on PayPal.

 

As most of you might already have noticed, Bonhams is offering another two military SM300 in the same auction. Finally some additional caseback and movement pictures are shown now.

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24232/lot/50/
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24232/lot/128/

Lot50 is also a very nice example, everything on it is consistent. Looking forward to the see how that 12h dial will finish compared to kev_c's BT dial.

Lot128 has some issues, the 1964 movement/caseback and the BT dial do not match. Despite its very low issue number it should normally not have been delivered to the MoD 3 or 4 years after production. Although I know another one with a -64 caseback. Did Omega clear some old stock piles or did the MoD watchmaker swap all these parts? Who knows... would like to see the archives extract of that one.

 

Agree. Parts, serial and IMO also reference does not match a MoD watch at all. BUT the worst part, a sure sign of franken, is the movement. 17 jewels!?!? When did you see that on a cal 552. So a US cal. 550 for a UK delivery? But Bonham states cal 552. Can't be seen in the pictures.
And why not any extract on this one, like Bonham usually do on these?
Only parts watch IMO.

 

Good catch! Didn't notice that.
You're absolutely right, even the first 165.024 were fitted with cal. 552 having 24 jewels. Just checked some old pictures of my former 165.024-63 with serial 2030xxxx (that I sold in an act of stupidity a couple of years ago).

 

A little disappointing I think?

 

I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed, the other non BT didn't even meet reserve. I have a suspicion that after some sky high prices, the market has been relatively speaking, flooded with other people hoping to cash in? On the flip side, if we had sold it about 5 years ago, we'd have got a fraction of that price so it's not all bad.

 

I wonder if Christies auction took all the bidders?
Overall a disappointing day for Bonhams imo.

 

Well, not all watches can necessarily double in price every year.

And then one cannot overlook this:

Regards,
S

 

Hmm... I'm not wondering Lot128 didn't meet the reserve... but Lot50? Only issue are the baton hands... extract showed delivered to the Btritish Military... and a reserve of 25K wasn't that much actually.

 

The whole bonhams sale did fairly poorly. Even the several good watches went cheap - for example, one heuer rindt was a real steal. A lot of attention was on chrisities and the bonhams photos were pretty bad (some improvement last minute). Lot 32 went cheap - there are other examples of that dial and it looks like a nice watch. Lot 50 was also nice but suffered from the same problems as the rest of the bonhams sale.

 

Definitely - I was expecting to see that go much higher. I do agree, this auction fell under the radar for some, including me!