Trolling classifieds this morning, I came across a 145.022-68 Transitional. I’m comfortable analyzing these but I thought I’d poll the audience on what I should be paying.

First, there are a few evident issues with the watch:

• Very incorrect chrono hand.
• the bracelet
• I’m seeing a hint of chrono creep but it would clearly need a service anyway.
• Photos are terrible. He’s taking more and sending tomorrow.

The good:

• nice looking DON bezel
• Photos aren’t good but I think dial might be nice.
• Case looks decent from limited photos and it has the smell and accumulated gunk of a one owner watch, which it apparently is.
• Serial in correct range.

I think I can get it for $4,200USD, pending additional photos. Older gentleman selling via local online classifies in a small local town who had had “lots of inquiries” but we’ve had a rough chat on price pending good photos and he keeps coming back, so I think that number is clearly of interest to him.

Complete ones on straps seem to sell in the area of $6,500. Factoring in a service at $500-600 and tracking down a chrono hand (price on this i have no idea, but assuming less than $1,500), I think this is a reasonable buy at that price.

Thoughts from the Speedmaster cognoscenti are greatly appreciated!

 

$4200...sure, go for it.

 

If you don't, I would!

 

Dibs if you get it.

 

Have you bought it already? If not, be quick, I'm going to start hunting at break of dawn (being in Canada, it shouldnt be too hard to sniff it out).

 

This is going to look a thousand times better than these awful pictures reflect. A definite buy for me. A chrono hand is not that hard to find. Get it now!

 

Be quick sir

 

Please just buy this!

 

Reminds me of a tropical 2998-3 that I lost in 2015 because I suffered from questionitis on this forum.

 

Gotta start trusting the gut.

 

Buy first, ask questions later. (Just don't necessarily make it your life motto).

If you can live with the Chrono hand then we just need to come up with a name for our 'Exclusive group', sit back and watch the value rocket.
My (one owner, untouched - allegedly) Transitional '68.

On reflection 'your' hand is much longer. You'll have someone's DON off with that thing.

 

I definitely need to work on “buy first, questions later”!!!

I’ve formalized the offer. He’s got some others he’s chatting with as well... he says he’s “planning on making a decision this week”. Interestingly, he said that the price mattered less to him than the “transaction process”.

I took that to mean “I want cash now” - so I said I’d happily meet him at the bank of his choosing with cash whenever he wishes.

Waiting game now, definitely hope I’m the chosen one.

 

He probably didn't mean "First to pay" , but more like 'the one I feel most comfortable with'. There's something to be said for an easy deal, especially when both parties walk away happy.

 

When doing these local deals, I always offer to meet them that day and travel to where they are. Many buyers are flaky and for sellers the saying rings true "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." An offer for 4200 dollars today is worth more than 4750 next weekend.

 

Good luck, please let us know the outcome.

Transaction process could mean either to be honest. If the seller is younger then I'd day cash in hand for quick sale, however if it' someone a bit more mature then I'd say it's seller who'll come through with the readies by mutual agreement.

He's also possibly waiting to see if he gets anymore higher serious offers...?

"a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." - Very true

Good luck anyway

 

Very true @oddboy... 2nd only to getting a good price.

 

You shouldn't have wasted time asking questions on this one, but offered cash for his asking price and driven over to seal it.

With a service and clean etc, it'll be lovely.

 

Just take it.

 

Waiting to see what happens here! Love to see how it turns out

 

The issue on this one was that he didn’t have an asking price.

His ad said “Serious enquirers”. I asked him for a price and he said he’d already had some good offers but didn’t state a price or the amount of the offers.

As I was shooting in the dark, I said, here’s a number I’d be comfortable with given the quality of the photos - $4,200US in Canadian - if this number interests you, message me back. Otherwise, no hard feelings. And he has been messaging.

So I’ve now told him I will meet him at a bank anywhere he likes (his town is about 2+ hours from Toronto where I live) and I’ll give him cash. He keeps mentioning others are worried about “authentification” and what my process would be for that - I keep telling him my eyes from his photographs plus the serial number have already assured me the watch is quite authentic. Perhaps this is why I’m in the running still, not sure.

I wish there had been an asking price to agree to, but it’s blind offers. I’m assuming he’s waiting for others - I’ve told him I dont need further photos and can proceed at anytime but perhaps I should raise my offer... in part this thread was about trying to figure out if I had more room on this one and how much, given chrono hand in particular.