So, who is "going" to the Watches of Knightsbridge Sale today?

cchen · Mar 28, 2020

well, it's a rarely seen model, and it's 36mm, and i believe this reference was actually sold as a women's watch. perfect for my small wrists, but probably not appealing to the general market that is considering fpj. don't think it went low, if you look at previous auction results for this watch sold prices have been fairly flat for almost a decade. so hope to see this pop up again some time in the future, under better circumstances

kov · Mar 28, 2020

Hey @Spacefruit, curious to know if you gave WoK any watches for this auction? Happy with the result if so? 😀

KingCrouchy · Mar 28, 2020

cchen
well, it's a rarely seen model, and it's 36mm, and i believe this reference was actually sold as a women's watch. perfect for my small wrists, but probably not appealing to the general market that is considering fpj. don't think it went low, if you look at previous auction results for this watch sold prices have been fairly flat for almost a decade. so hope to see this pop up again some time in the future, under better circumstances

Thanks for your imput, I don't follow the F.P Journe market closely, but noticed in the past weeks some YouTube Channels pushing F.P Journe and was curious if it would show on current auctions. But I based my assumptions on the wrong Reference it seems. I was bit surprised that it went for this amount, since I also wear smaller Watches so this could be a future contender.

MikeMan2727 · Mar 28, 2020

ICONO
Suspect a major re adjustment of the vintage Market is showing here

That would be great! A nice opportunity to purchase some watches at reasonable prices.

Cozmopak · Mar 28, 2020

These auction results are completely unsurprising given the current economic state. Watch prices across the spectrum will be readjusted accordingly in the coming months.

stevec14 · Mar 28, 2020

Cozmopak
These auction results are completely unsurprising given the current economic state. Watch prices across the spectrum will be readjusted accordingly in the coming months.

Try telling the poor sod who paid nearly £12.5k for a 4 year old BLNR that

Cozmopak · Mar 28, 2020

stevec14
Try telling the poor sod who paid nearly £12.5k for a 4 year old BLNR that

Which lot number?

ATWG · Mar 28, 2020

stevec14
Try telling the poor sod who paid nearly £12.5k for a 4 year old BLNR that

WOW, a sucker is born every seceond.

stevec14 · Mar 28, 2020

Cozmopak
Which lot number?

Lot 169. 9.8k plus the 24% add on

Peemacgee · Mar 28, 2020

padders
A constant stream of passed now but I bet the deluxe Connie sells. Is it me or does 124 have a whiff of redial?

Sold for £2728 inc comm so clearly some thought it was fine.

padders
Wow was surprised about that. Didn't look too closely so maybe the deluxe had issues but I would have taken that over 124 all day.

I don’t think the dogleg was a redial, possibly a relume as it was a bit too newish looking.
The case wasn’t that bad, I’ll bet those lugs look better in the metal than the pics -and it was rose gold, not many of them around. so under three grand not too bad but a good result for the seller in these uncertain times. (Although that crown did stick out like a sore thumb. )

I don’t think the de luxe had issues, just the case was a little soft and if the lower estimate was the reserve it was way too much.

padders · Mar 28, 2020

I will gracefully accept I was likely wide of the mark there then. I was making a snap judgement based on the low res pics on the live bidding page, I hadn't studied the pieces in detail. I recently berated a prolific contributor for doing the same and making a similar gut feeling call on a redial so I should have perhaps been more circumspect since casting aspersions on a piece like I did can have unforeseen negative consequences.

In my head, all things being equal a deluxe version adds maybe £500-1000 over a steel dial so as you say there may be been other factors, but maybe that is just me.

Peemacgee · Mar 28, 2020

padders
In my head, all things being equal a deluxe version adds maybe £500-1000 over a steel dial so as you say there may be been other factors, but maybe that is just me.

I agree, I actually liked the unusual deluxe dial a lot - and the watch was generally a very nice dress watch - just not £3,500 of very nice, at the lower estimate, IMHO.

padders · Mar 28, 2020

Yes. That was optimistic I guess.

It does seem taken as a whole that the market is much softer at present. I know there are those that try to stifle such talk but it was notable how many items were passed since the low estimate was unrealistic in the current climate. I would be very surprised if it were otherwise. At times like these people look to tighten their belts and conserve cash, or if they are buying expect a discount as they assume the seller is distressed. It may be a temporary fillip and normal service may resume in 3-6 months of course. Look at the stock market, most instruments are down 33-50%, it would be odd if other asset classes didn't feel some pain.

Here is a point that William will appreciate, Rapaport have recently suspended publishing their diamond price sheet, since the dealer community refused to accept any downward movement which would effect the apparent value of their inventory. Prices were off ~7% on the last sheet which drove the sector into panic.

cchen · Mar 28, 2020

I'm not sure if you can use WoK as a gauge for how the market is doing. Their inventory and auction results have ways been uneven. It's a signal, but still unclear how things will become.

padders · Mar 28, 2020

cchen
I'm not sure if you can use WoK as a gauge for how the market is doing. Their inventory and auction results have ways been uneven. It's a signal, but still unclear how things will become.

Agreed, which is why I related it to the stock market and diamond market. I wouldn't like to quantify anything, just making the point that it may be currently harder to sell something at the levels prevailing 3-6 months ago. I am not suggesting that a given watch is currently worth X% less, just that there are signs of waning demand.

jeppehh · Mar 28, 2020

How does one see the hammer prices? Doesn’t seem to be published on their website. 😕

Shabbaz · Mar 28, 2020

I know I will keep my money in my pocket the coming months...

stevec14 · Mar 28, 2020

jeppehh
How does one see the hammer prices? Doesn’t seem to be published on their website. 😕

I’ve still got the auction open in my browser. If you log in now you can’t see it

Spacefruit · Mar 28, 2020

Well I think it was an interesting sale, with far more sold watches that I anticipated.

I was going to bid on the blue dial calibre 860 but decided against it last minute. So many of the watches seem to have been estimated right on the value, and this might be why only one bidder appeared on the sale so often.

I would have loved to hear and see an auctioneer, and to hear the bidding start much lower, and to see the bid history as the item was sold.

I will say it again, I think WOK had a good selection and I think they did a good job of bringing that selection to market. You cannot have an auction full of one owner barnfinds and NOS watches.

I do think their interface needs work, and also I would like to see more activity - I found the process dry, distant and unexiting compared to all the big houses.

I have not done the analysis, (and frankly I am not going to) but my feeling was that the lots passed was about the same as previous sales.

I liked the NAAFI speedmaster and the SW and the 105.012 was a true fixer upper but a bit rich.

As for the future, I doubt there will be any B&M auctions for a while. Indeed the B&M auctions might wonder if they have a future, other than viewing galleries.

Now we can look forward to the autumn season - that is going to be interesting, as a lack confidence might prevent consignors and frankly there are a lot of big houses that will be scrambling to find stock, let alone customers to sell to.

I do not have a crystal ball, and I would like to know who in six months will feel good from this sale, the buyers or the sellers?

Aludic · Mar 28, 2020

Spacefruit
I was going to bid on the blue dial calibre 860 but decided against it last minute. So many of the watches seem to have been estimated right on the value, and this might be why only one bidder appeared on the sale so often.

That’s a coincidence. I was looking at that same watch and also decided against bidding on it. Mainly due to the dial damage at 2 o’clock and to the 10 o’clock subdial. I like this reference, though!

So, who is "going" to the Watches of Knightsbridge Sale today?

cchen

kov

KingCrouchy

MikeMan2727

Cozmopak

stevec14

Cozmopak

ATWG

stevec14

Peemacgee

padders

Peemacgee

padders

cchen

padders

jeppehh

Shabbaz

stevec14

Spacefruit

Aludic

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