Speedmaster “Ultraman” EBay Gamble

Well, it obeys one rule: Question: What's better than a Tachymetre bezel ? Answer: No bezel at all 😁

Well it can happen, I bought mine on an eBay gamble like this last year 😁
Bas pictures but very helpful seller, heir of the original owner. Right range, right shiny dial, right orange hand
But I ended up being the only bidder for a bit more than the one discussed here 😁

I was watching that one also. As usual, a lot of late action … it just about doubled in the last 20 minutes. The first six days and 23 hours of a seven-day eBay auction are just to give everyone time to notice the listing 😉

I was surprised at the result given the poor dial and lack of extract, but I guess the serial number was enough. FWIW, it was hard to make out the serial number in the second photograph - but it didn’t look like 2607xxxx. Then again, my eyes aren’t what they used to be.

I was also keeping an eye on this. Funny enough, this watch first popped up in a bid or BIN/best offer listing for something cheap…i think it was $3,350. Somebody immediately bought it. It seems like somebody then told the seller it appeared to be an ultraman and it got relisted for $14,999 BIN.

It sat for a month I think before being relisted in the auction linked above. The seller seems to be a pawnshop/reseller. The poor sap who sold it to them probably got a few grand at best. Neither likely knew what they had originally.

Definitely seems to be a washed dial. I have a washed glossy 145.012 dial and I’ve seen quite a few others. The lume on those dials seems to crumble off more easily and the dial surfaces often clean up nicely. So I wouldn’t be surprised if the dial surface is actually relatively nice under the scratched crystal and a good relume would make it look mostly original.

Add in a bezel and service and you are still well below any other ultraman listed on the market. The same goes if they have to add in a donor watch for a DON and better dial. Definitely a gamble though.

I wouldn’t put much faith in these being confirmable by extract even if the service comes back, given how arbitrary the mention of the orange hand seemed to be originally. Thus, the extract-confirmed Ultramans that currently exist are probably it. I doubt people will stop buying these when they pop up in barn find condition and they will likely continue paying a premium.

That being said, I would still much prefer paying a little more and getting an example like the one @Dsplash has.

Ahah 20$?? And here I thought I made a good deal 😁

And thanks for the nice comments!