Back after a long hiatus and the speedmaster itch is back again. Saw this for sale asking price is 35k usd. Was i gone for that long that prices of these watches have gone up significantly?

 

the dial colour is nice, but I don't think that's a $35K watch. hands relumed or service replacements? hour markers smushed? Bezel is DON, but not great condition.

hard do say without more pictures too.. case, movement. what bracelet is that? 7912? #6 end links?

 

Heres a pic of the movement he sent me but thats all i have. Serial number is 19m. I was really interested in it until he told me the price. Told him it was out of my budget. Seems like a nice guy though.

 

Nice guys don't ask $35k for $10k--$15k watches.

 

Good point. So u think the fair market value for that is 10-15k?

 

agree. looks like dial has been re-lumed hastily. h/m hands look like replacements - they do not match the age of watch. like that it has bracelet & end links, but i don't think it's a 35k watch.

 

by the serial, this would be a -61 or -62 which i think are generally considered "less desirable", though it is still a 2998.

here's a 105.002 - basically the same as a 2998-62 - which has been available from a dealer for many months, listed at £24,500 or about $38K USD.

http://www.superlativetime.com/product/omega-speedmaster-ref-105-002-1962

if this nice guy is doing a private sale, then $35K is way high. We have seen nice 2998's (usually -4 or -5's) selling in that $10-15K range over the last few months. I think $22K was the highest if memory serves.

 

While that dial might look an attractive colour in the photo, I would expect that on arrival the colour is nothing like the photo, which has been "warmed" - look at the flesh tone.

And if the seller is who I think it is, then i wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot stick, for a third of the price


Edit: this seller is not who I had in mind when I saw the photos. The photos techniques are identical to a seller with whom I had a very bad experience with. Modified colours, watch held in hand.

 

I have done some photoshopping to bring the tone of the skin ("flesh tone" as you named it) to a more realistic color - I have reduced red and magenta quite a lot - see the pictures for comparison.
The brown (tropical) tone is still there but you are right - the dial will look differently than in the original picture...



regards
Erich

 

Why, if i may ask, would you not deal with this seller

 

Yes i agree. but whenhe mentioned the price i didnt ask for it anymore since it was way out of my budget.

 

I have now investigated and while the photos are identical to a UK based dubious seller, to whom I had to return a photoshopped watch, this seller is NOT who I had in mind when I wrote this.

 

Colour rendition is, to some extent, affected by the screen, you are viewing the image on.

Rather like light meters, no two screens agree, unless professionally balanced,.....& even then they can wander.

On my three screens, the image has a overall blue cast, which, if anything, is dulling, the alleged warmth of the dial.

If you are considering purchasing a watch with significant value - Always ask for the watch to be photographed in natural 'North' daylight, on
BOTH, a mid grey card, & a pure white card, & request the time of Day that the image was taken.

( The colour temperature of light is 'bluer' in the Morning, & 'yellower' in the afternoon, becoming even more warm, in the evening )

Ask for the ( ideally ) RAW, or ( usually ) JPEG image, to be sent, without any post processing.

A comparison of both the grey card, & white card image, ( with possibly minor Photoshop adjustment using the grey / white card as benchmarks), will give the most accurate rendition you can achieve, without holding the watch in your hand.

Dependent on your personal screen !

( Former Advertising / Fashion Photographer 25 years, now University Tutor in Creativity )

 

Better to just look at the watch in person if possible. When buying a watch that expensive whats another $1000 to just fly over and check personally.

 

This is my experience:
http://speedmaster101.com/blog/brown-dial-ebay-photos-vs-reality/

 

Maybe we should start requesting for videos of the watch instead of pictures. Should be harder to edit? I saw that particular watch on his ig account.