The top pusher looks odd... a little long, or maybe just the angle the photo was taken? The case looks in some photos to have a brushed finish almost.... and the dial lume looks a bit too "just-so" to my eyes, but I have a feeling this will still fetch a nice high price!
crystal has a few scratches and it needs a visit to the spa, but I like it enough to bid on it (I won't). I'll definitely watch it.
Looks pretty nice. The lume looks ok, maybe a little puffy, but I understand that can happen. Lume is always my blind spot. I'd bit on it (but also won't). Any betters? Closest without going over? $7900 USD / £5200
Well this watch does look interesting. Nice to have the papers as these days more and more Seamasters seem to end up in straight lug cases.... This watch has one of the best DO90 bezels I have seen on the market for a while. The dial seems clean and in good condition. The plots are a little wobbly, but I see this on several 105.003's so I do not think it is altered. I think there will be debate on this. The hands on the other hand (oops) I am slightly put off by - the minute hand has an unpleasant discoloration and the hour hand is perfect. the Chrono lume is a little sloppy but it all may be perfectly original. I think one or more hands are replaced - certainly the subdial hands are new looking to me. (It is not a deal breaker). It really seems to me the 105.003's of this era have sloppy lume all round. The case seems good, although the photos of the rear show the case back not seated - probably just removed although there is no movement shot. No movement shot but number is (unsurprisingly given the papers - except they can be faked) in range for the reference. The crystal is scratched, indicating it might be a private watch - brought to market by a dealer, given the other factors. The papers are a nice touch. Unlikely to be the original box - a hunch. The bracelet does not look like it was the one that came with the watch - look at the lower endlink, it is off on so many ways - it looks like it came from another watch entirely. The top link doesn't fit either. What would I pay? Well a "good" one on the chart is $8000. Add for bracelet, papers, box $2000 So $10,000 - if I was a buyer The last one I bought head only was $8500, and had in my opinion a better dial - for me as it had a slight brown hint. I do prefer a watch with character and not too much disguise of its past - in this case new sub hands and added bracelet. My GUESS is that this is a dealer sourced watch, that he found the head and papers. Did some work on the hands, found a matching bracelet and box, deliberately left the crystal, and gave it to Phillips. It will sell for more, no doubt. Auctions have a habit of making us go "just one more..." My guess is all in with premium it will be $15,000
My experiance tells me that phillips always sucsead to be one of the worlds best payed actionhouses so 20+ Euro
It'll be very interesting to see where this goes. The minute hand is discoloured, but you can also see this starting at the base of the hour hand, so I think the hands are original. The lume on te hour markers would hold me back however. If you were buying direct from the original owner, or had it in hand, you could try the flash test, to see if it all matches but obviously this isn't an option with an auction. I think it may well go high as enough people will be confident that it's all original. However, I assumed that a strong price would be around $10k. If it goes as high as some of the prices suggested then things have certainly changed in the last year.
I think they have topclients that are buying what they like and dont have to think of the price,so this price wont have anything to do whit the normal market. To get a Idea of Phillips check final prices on design 1 of Okt last year they sold a walclock designed by Arne Jacobsson for 4500 £ normal price in scandinavia is 500€ on a god day. Any auctionhouse vould be happy whit this clientel and watchauctions normaly dont have this.
My gut feeling tells me that the hourmarkers have been relumed/ refilled. The one who did it made a decent work though. The chrono sec hand looks to have been filled with the same mass that was used on the dial. IMO this is what gives away the redial. The watch looks to worn (see the back) to have a minty dial like that Furthermore I think the Tachy-insert looks odd. Numbers 60-75 looks cut on top, even so the dots above numbers 110-190, as someone had to adjust the insert to fit the bezel I think the buyer with the deep pockets it is going to take to get this piece, will deserve it. IMO the money this person will invest in this piece could buy him a much, much better piece if he was willing to put in that little extra effort that it takes to do the homework that will get him real value for money
