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The Omega Collection of Mr. Derek Duncan

  1. neilfrancis May 15, 2017

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    Mr. Derek Duncan was an Omega collector, and the uncle of a very good friend of mine.

    Recently I had the opportunity to see a number of the watches that had been in Derek's collection and which are now in the care of his nephew, Jerry. Aside from some of the watches, all good examples of their type, Jerry also has a large file of his uncle's notes, letters, receipts, transaction records, auction catalogues, etc.

    As a relative newbie collector myself I cannot help being impressed and a bit chastened by his record keeping, which spans most of a decade. IMG_6576 (1).jpg It is amazing. He kept all correspondence between himself and STS (he had all his watches serviced there). There are print outs of every ebay auction that he won. There are print outs of every 'chat' concerned with the purchase or sale of every watch. Receipts, postage tracking stickers, photographs, essays and notes of the history of Omega (particularly the quartz era). The whole lot.

    I am pretty sure that some OF members will have known him. (Actually, I know that... your names are in the files.) Derek was also active on other watch forums such as TZ-UK. The file provides a fascinating glimpse into the collecting career of a man who clearly knew what he loved and who assembled a super collection to reflect it.

    Derek died in 2013, and the collection has now been dispersed among his family. A few of the more valuable watches were sold at auction shortly after his passing.

    My sincere thanks go to Jerry for letting me pore over the file and for allowing me to share it with you.

    IMG_6578.jpg
     
  2. Andy K Dreaming about winning an OFfie one day. May 15, 2017

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    Very interesting stuff, thanks for sharing this! :thumbsup:
    I wonder how many among us keep records this detailed. I think early on I tried to be diligent but I abandoned the effort when I was in an insane flipping phase. By the time I updated the documents 2 more would be in and out. :rolleyes:
     
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  3. tapaptpat May 16, 2017

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    Thanks Jerry and Neil.

    Wow, hope Jerry takes over, continuing to add and appreciate what he has available. Newbies or not. (I consider myself one.) That Sir is a collection all of us would be proud of.

    Does Jerry have a favourite one or group?
    What were your most taken by?

    Wear them all in good health Jerry. Thanks for sharing

    Pat
     
  4. neilfrancis May 16, 2017

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    I'll answer on Jerry's behalf (and I am encouraging him to join in here). He has 2 1950s Constellations, 2 Seamaster 'bumpers, and 2 nice hummers, one of which is in a solid gold case made in England, or for the Uk market. I'll see if I can bring them along to a Time4APint gtg sometime soon. I know that he has rapidly scurried around his house retrieving them from the kids' bedroom floors, and the bottom of their wardrobes.
    Suffice to say, he didn't know what he had...
    It really was an amazing collection, eh? See you next week @tapaptpat ? N.
     
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  5. tapaptpat May 16, 2017

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    Hope to see him at a time4pint too. Tell him he needn't bring all of them. He can split it across two months if he must. :D::stirthepot::.

    Y,
    P
     
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  6. neilfrancis May 16, 2017

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    To answer your earlier question... I love this one. But it went to Bonhams. 70s Electroquartz, gold everything. Sold for 2K in '14.
    Screenshot 2017-05-16 21.47.30.png
     
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  7. tapaptpat May 16, 2017

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    The same here, along with the similar shaped one in steel bottom right. I was hoping he'd gotten two marine chronos possibly an sparkle dial. You can hope for the guy. (go Jerry. Go Jerry..queue American sitcom) :)

    I have a soft spot for the Connies, can't quite make my mind up about the dynamics range. I've got watches that are to BIG for my skinny wrists so I know the phrase "if you like you like". That's cool with me. On the plus side it's all about the dial right. And the dynamics have real estate in spades.

    P.
     
  8. ahartfie The black sheep in the Spee-ee-eee-eedmaster flock May 16, 2017

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    My eyes went immediately to those two pupa/coffin-shaped ones as well.

    Very nice collection.
     
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