Second hand market

AI much?

I notice somethings hanging around longer or priced more sanely I don’t think the bottom fell out. I do get a lot of news articles saying it did. They also tell me the housing market is about to drop then I scroll down find another article saying it will remain overheated.

Throw a dart

I'd like to find a SM300 case for one of the 56x/57x movements I have been indulging in.

Spent the morning calling around material houses yet again for an escape wheel. Almost bought a date set jumper quckset Seller wanted 70 I countered 35. Seller counter 60. I countered 45. Seller countered 60 I called a material house to confirm if the 45 was the yoke or the jumper. (I need the yoke.)

Possible I could cut the yoke with the fiber laser and use a beading needle as a pivot.

Also wondering if I should short sell some of the 33x/33x bridges to see if I could get 55x tick tock parts. I'd also think about taking on some simple cleaning jobs edit : in exchange for parts : edit if it was not for the liability. Customers are too demanding about the plank width alignment of the date wheel. And the quantum foam timing accuracy of the METAS certificates. On the other hand I can honestly say that my services are more exclusive than rolex. Only the most discerning customer (myself) is good enough to work for. That no one can afford my time.

The junk and garbage is out there. There is no evidence that the manufactures would ever return selling vintage spares into the market. Does remain probably of 100s years supply in the chains and estate sales. What is picked over. Some of this comes random. I spent a lot of a a clutch wheel. Then a bulk seller had a bulk of wheels. So it really is a game of chance.

Needed a spring barrel cover. Now I have half a dozen barrel completes.

No barrel bridge becomes another half dozen or more barrel bridges.

Scraps of pipe organ leather becomes watch straps.

Seems sort of like it is a weird place at the moment. I did avoid this sort of thing cold turkey for 18 years. Back in the day it was what showed up at the NAWCC marts Goodwill charity shops or pawnshops and flea markets. When I started collecting Omega in the late 1989s early 1990s it did not renaissance. There were a lot of fakes. Hayek turned it around. Could have gone the other way.

Watchco and the other Victor Fs probably helped with this. If only I had known about these designs back then. I was finding seamasters and connies. Plus the ladies junk what has not changed in value over 30 years.

Now I want to know where those recased 565s are? 'cause I want rusty scrappy looking pitted cases for my 551 and 554 ratwatch frankens.

... and I am not the only one targeting these spares online.