The peculiar case of Antiquorum's auction condition grading logic...

I can't help but think of the original Monty Python troupe sitting around a table, rating the various aspects of an item, after which Michael Palin asks for a proposal for an overall rating, and John Cleese confidently (and absurdly) obliges, followed by exaggerated murmurs of approval from the others. 😁




(If it isn't immediately obvious, ask yourself how, exactly, an item could be graded higher overall than the grade of any individual component?)

😁

A bump for the benefit of those who may have missed the amusement.

Thanks Rob. A couple of points:

It's interesting to note that the sample that they chose to use makes perfect sense. So while they do attempt to explain away the seeming dissonance of some of their "overall" gradings, they certainly had no interest in highlighting it.

There are (predictable) inconsistencies in how their "experts" interpret vague claims such as "global appreciation" and "historical interest". Let's use this Longines diver as an example.

https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/longines-ref-7042-lot-341-282?page=14

There are few vintage divers that are more desirable in terms of "global appreciation", yet there is no bump in the overall grading.

Another example:

https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/jaeger-lecoultre-ref-e-168-geophysic-lot-341-190?page=10

The JLC Geophysic arguably has as much or more technical and historical interest as any vintage time-only watch, they rarely appear on the market, and yet again, no meaningful bump in the grading.

In my admittedly cynical view, this is primarily a thinly veiled ploy that allows them to arbitrarily "grade" watches at a superficially higher level than they would otherwise deserve. Consider that their grading system never penalizes a watch for having little (if any) "global appreciation" or "historical interest". It would be more honest, and widely understandable, to have an "overall" condition grade, and then add footnotes to describe desirability and rarity, etc.

I've only sold through Antiquorum but the last time (about five years ago) was a nightmare. They could not pay the consignor for sold goods per the contract due to 'finance issues', it went on for months until I enlisted another party to apply pressure. Shortly afterwards they folded up shop in the US. I don't trust them. Many auction descriptions are riddled with mistakes from all houses, use them with caution.