Recently, I've been thinking of building a little Speedmaster collection - so I've been looking around at prices. As I'm looking at Mk 2's to Mark 5's, the watches I am looking at are mostly all 70's versions.

Usually I aim to negotiate the price & the thing I'm wondering is: what sort of price difference would you expect to pay on these between a condtion 1/mint watch and a condition 2/good ? My uninformed brain says maybe 10%... and maybe an extra 5% if it has box & papers.

Am I thinking on the right lines ?

thanks everyone.

 

Its harder to judge with MK series, mainly because most of the owners of them price them too high. The MK series watches are plentiful and in low demand compared to moonwatches, but people still ask premium money for them. Rather than go on percentages, I'd just say be picky, and look at a LOT of them and buy the best one you can at the cheapest rate you can.

There are guys asking $3k+ for shagged out MK2s, but you can get a nice one under $1500

 

Thanks Ash. I've tracked down 3 mint/good Mk II's between US$1200 - 1650, so it sounds like those are in the right ball park.

Haven't seen a tempting Mk 4/4.5 at the right price yet, but that's probably better for my bank balance

 

Do you have a moonwatch already?

 

The price difference between a mint and a good watch can be considerable depending on how desirable the model is in the first place. It can be as much as 50-100% or sometimes even more for models like an early speedmaster cal. 321. Of course by mint it should really be mint like rarely worn since purchase, in some cases never opened, never polished with everything original rather than a pseudo mint piece which has had parts replaced and was polished heavily.

 

Yes, a nice c.1985 cal 861 which I love . One day I'd like a 1967 cal 321, but that's one for the future.

Thanks, on closer examination I think at least one of those on my shortlist might be "pseudo mint" - instead of the sunburst pattern there is a bright polished surface...

 

Yea the MK3s in particular are pretty heavily unloved, they do go under $1k

 

Have to say the Mk 3 & Mk 5 aren't exactly my favourites. Somebody definitely whupped them with the ugly stick...

 

Are you thinking 1k in £stg or US$ ? As far as i can see, the 'Marks' are typically priced at £1200-1800 (US$2000-2800) over here, which is much higher than those being advertised in the rest of Europe, where it looks like £800-1500 (US$1250-2300) is more typical. I guess they are even cheaper outside Europe ?

For me the best way to get one under £1k seems to be to buy from a European seller, otherwise everything in the UK seems priced at way over the prices you're suggesting.