Speedmaster Auction Frequency

AHW · Thurs. 9:00am

Hi all,

I have only started observing watch auctions within the last few months with the aim of purchasing a 105.003, 105.012 or 145.012. I have seen a few 105.003, but very few of the others coming up.

Of course I understand it is completely random, but for those of you who have been looking for a longer period of time on average how often do these references come up?

I don’t want to catch auction fever and overpay for a watch in the fear that there might not be another opportunity for many months. And I do enjoy the hunt, but am impatient at the same time!

Thanks.

Caliber561 · Thurs. 9:08am

It ebbs and flows. Some months there are a good number of auctions, other times there are hardly any. In terms of online auctions, I feel like each month I’ve seen typically one or two decent examples of a fresh to market 321 Pro, globally. This will vary a lot based on how wide your net is. It’s not something you can control, you just need to keep your eye open and have some firm standards to keep yourself from overpaying or buying a bad example. The patience is worth it when you find something that checks all the boxes.

If you aren’t looking for something fresh to market, there are a lot of options out there for you.

cristos71 · Thurs. 9:09am

It's possible to wait years for the right watch to come up at auction, that's why having having multiple references ( as you do ) is a good idea.

ZWD · Thurs. 9:23am

Tariffs have certainly siloed a lot of eBay auctions as of late. Feels like the rate is still pretty consistent - ill echo others here, just need to hold out for one worth putting your money toward.

AHW · Thurs. 9:25am

Caliber561
It ebbs and flows. Some months there are a good number of auctions, other times there are hardly any. In terms of online auctions, I feel like each month I’ve seen typically one or two decent examples of a fresh to market 321 Pro, globally. This will vary a lot based on how wide your net is. It’s not something you can control, you just need to keep your eye open and have some firm standards to keep yourself from overpaying or buying a bad example. The patience is worth it when you find something that checks all the boxes.

If you aren’t looking for something fresh to market, there are a lot of options out there for you.

That is good information, thanks.

I am targeting fresh watches on auctions as that seems to offer the best value, even if there is slightly higher risk. There is no real local market where I live unfortunately so I will have to factor in 25% import tax.

It looks like I will mostly be limited to European auctions as many in the US seem unwilling to ship internationally without using a freight forwarder, which I am not too keen on given the value. I have asked several if I could arrange for DHL/UPS to collect the watch, but even then they didn’t want to. I assume they have bad experiences in the past/unsure about tarrifs.

AHW · Thurs. 9:28am

ZWD
Tariffs have certainly siloed a lot of eBay auctions as of late. Feels like the rate is still pretty consistent - ill echo others here, just need to hold out for one worth putting your money toward.

Is it correct that there tends to be a premium on watches in the UK compared to the US/other markets? Or have the tariffs changed that?

Dan S · Thurs. 9:33am

A AHW
I am targeting fresh watches on auctions as that seems to offer the best value, even if there is slightly higher risk.

I find it ironic to read posts like this one, and then see good watches sitting in the Private Sales listings for weeks or months.

It might make you feel better to buy at an auction because you see other people bidding on the watch so it feels desirable. But most watches sent to auction have issues that need to be addressed, and once you factor in the fees, shipping, and addressing the issues, they may not be such a great value. For a first purchase, you might do better buying a watch that has already been in the hands of a collector. The market is soft, and good watches are available for fair prices.

AHW · Thurs. 9:48am

Dan S
I find it ironic to read posts like this one, and then see good watches sitting in the Private Sales listings for weeks or months.

It might make you feel better to buy at an auction because you see other people bidding on the watch so it feels desirable. But most watches sent to auction have issues that need to be addressed, and once you factor in the fees, shipping, and addressing the issues, they may not be such a great value. For a first purchase, you might do better buying a watch that has already been in the hands of a collector. The market is soft, and good watches are available for fair prices.

To be fair I have searched the Private Sales on here (and have an alert) and unless I am doing something wrong there is only one watch of these references for sale currently and the price is rather high and beyond my budget.

SOG53 · Thurs. 10:24am

As @Dan S advises, Keep looking on OF Private sales they come up fairly often and members generally disclose any issues quite honestly.
You won’t find a good watch that’s a bargain with no issues on EB or other auctions and it can be difficult and costly to fix them. For the references you are looking for it’s often good to pay more up front for a good example IMO.
Patience

Dan S · Thurs. 10:39am

A AHW
To be fair I have searched the Private Sales on here (and have an alert) and unless I am doing something wrong there is only one watch of these references for sale currently and the price is rather high and beyond my budget.

Sure, at the moment, maybe there's only one, but as I peruse the listings over the months and years, they come up all the time. 5-7 years ago they sold quickly and for a lot of money, but now even good watches sit with fair asking prices, and MOST sellers (though not all) have become more realistic about the market.

If you're looking for a bargain at an auction, you're probably focusing on small obscure auction houses, and that's where collectors often go to dump watches that they don't want to be associated with because they don't want to deal with complaints and returns. So just keep that in mind. If you're sitting on a lot of spare parts and have a great watchmaker who is prepared to fix things inexpensively, a watch with issues might be a true bargain. If not, then you're hoping to get lucky.

AHW · Thurs. 10:58am

Dan S
Sure, at the moment, maybe there's only one, but as I peruse the listings over the months and years, they come up all the time. 5-7 years ago they sold quickly and for a lot of money, but now even good watches sit with fair asking prices, and MOST sellers (though not all) have become more realistic about the market.

If you're looking for a bargain at an auction, you're probably focusing on small obscure auction houses, and that's where collectors often go to dump watches that they don't want to be associated with because they don't want to deal with complaints and returns. So just keep that in mind. If you're sitting on a lot of spare parts and have a great watchmaker who is prepared to fix things inexpensively, a watch with issues might be a true bargain. If not, then you're hoping to get lucky.

Thanks Dan. That is good advice and not something I had really considered. I assumed that these more obscure houses were mostly estate sales or just people that did not know any better, rather than a deliberate tactic. That is something I will definitely keep in mind.

The Private Sales here has always been my preference, but it must have just been a quiet patch in the three months I have been looking as I haven’t seen any come up.

But I will stay patient and the right watch will come up!

Dan S · Thurs. 1:22pm

Estate sale auctions are basically the same idea, just dumping stuff that you don’t want back. And a typical watch from an estate of a non collector is often heavily tampered with. I have bought several complete collections, and if I want to keep one out of five, I’ve done well.

I have bought many watches at small auctions and they have more than their share of issues. If you see one that looks really great cosmetically, that’s maybe a good reason to buy, but after taxes, shipping, and addressing issues, they’re not always a bargain compared to a private sale from a collector.

ibis888 · Thurs. 3:53pm

I've been looking for an honest 145.022-68 or 69 Speedmaster for several months, through private sales, WTB posts, reaching out directly to forum members, Instagram dealers, Instagram collectors etc. and my biggest takeaway is that getting a good Speedmaster is not as cheap as people think it is. Finding a Very Good condition Speedmaster at the "very good" price point on the S101 price chart is very difficult. People want premium dollars for very good examples of their Speedmasters.

The Private Sales forum is one of the best places to buy - as others have pointed out. There's a very nice 105.012-66 CB on there right now that I am shocked no one has picked up.

Take a look at the watches for sale right now on Speedmaster 101's sales site. Some very nice watches at very strong prices.

AHW · Fri. 4:39am

Dan S
Estate sale auctions are basically the same idea, just dumping stuff that you don’t want back. And a typical watch from an estate of a non collector is often heavily tampered with. I have bought several complete collections, and if I want to keep one out of five, I’ve done well.

I have bought many watches at small auctions and they have more than their share of issues. If you see one that looks really great cosmetically, that’s maybe a good reason to buy, but after taxes, shipping, and addressing issues, they’re not always a bargain compared to a private sale from a collector.

All good points again. I will just have to decide if the risk is worth it. It is also true about the fees which are a bit of a kicker. ~25% auction fees and then another 25% import tax and I have almost paid as much in fees as for the watch itself, which is a bit insulting.

AHW · Fri. 4:43am

ibis888
I've been looking for an honest 145.022-68 or 69 Speedmaster for several months, through private sales, WTB posts, reaching out directly to forum members, Instagram dealers, Instagram collectors etc. and my biggest takeaway is that getting a good Speedmaster is not as cheap as people think it is. Finding a Very Good condition Speedmaster at the "very good" price point on the S101 price chart is very difficult. People want premium dollars for very good examples of their Speedmasters.

The Private Sales forum is one of the best places to buy - as others have pointed out. There's a very nice 105.012-66 CB on there right now that I am shocked no one has picked up.

Take a look at the watches for sale right now on Speedmaster 101's sales site. Some very nice watches at very strong prices.

I am actually happy with a watch that would fall into the good condition category as I want to wear the watch regularly without worrying about causing damage, but of course it still needs to look nice to me.

The one currently for sale is very nice, but beyond my budget particularly as I have to factor in 25% import tax. If I lived within the EU then I would strongly consider it.

Speedmaster Auction Frequency

AHW

Caliber561

cristos71

ZWD

AHW

AHW

Dan S

AHW

SOG53

Dan S

AHW

Dan S

ibis888

AHW

AHW

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