Sometimes keeping notes pays off. Today I saw this Mark IV on eBayPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network. Looks like a decent example:


Hands look like replacements but dial is nice and case refinish is better than average. The seller disclosed some replaced parts (but oddly not the hands) and admits it is a recent refinish. Price is BIN $2,500 OBO, which means that it might sell for something reasonable.

I went to add the serial number to my list and it turns out I already had this one logged, along with the notes "badly damaged parts watch". Hmm. A quick search of closed and sold listings turned up the original adPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network. Here are the before shots:



That auction ended at $699 on August 16, less than a month ago! I'm impressed that a watch can be improved that much in so little time. If I had found the original one in a bin or inherited it from a loved one and hoped to have it brought back to life, I'd be happy with the end result and wear it proudly. But as a buyer, is this what you'd want?

This is a good reminder of the pitfalls of buying a vintage watch with unknown provenance. The new listing doesn't hide all of this watch's history - the rotor still looks damaged and the movement shows wear. And you can see where the dial damage was painted over.

It can be tempting to bypass some of these clues when the overall presentation looks ok and the price is acceptable. Next time I feel that temptation I'm going think of these "before" pictures!

 

Excellent post. Really interesting to see the change in such a short period of time.

A reminder not to take a watch at face value and look for clues in all the nooks and crannies.

 

Nice detective work!

The restoration this one has certainly increased the value vs. the "original condition". Will be a nice watch for someone.

 

value is increased despite dial being repaint/redone among other things even though "redoing" considered a big faux pas?

don't get me wrong, i totally agree that the watch looks better, i'm just trying to understand.

 

Wow, the case and hands may be new, but that dial looks to be the same. Whoever restored it did a pretty good job.

 

Weird thing is that the original hands looked really nice and yet they changed them

 

To be more clear... I'm just saying it will now bring more than $699. Many(most?) buyers won't care.

 

+1. I recall when I saw the original listing thinking that just about the only usable parts other than the bracelet were the hands.

 

Ha! I just found another 'before and after' Mark IV.

June 2016 - asking price was $600:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/OMEGA-SPEED...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network


September 2016, asking 2,500 euros:
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/Montre-ancienne-OMEGA-SPEEDMASTER-MARK-4-/112137158902?rmvSB=truePurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network


This one was discussed before because it had the highest serial number I have observed in a cal. 1040 by about 2 million.

Unlike the original Mark IV in this post - which I believe is not for collectors but is at least a noble effort of restoring life into a watch I had assumed was toast, this watch is a POS. It now has two serial numbers (did you notice that they replaced the original chronograph bridge with an example like the one @TNTwatch posted here? Like the one in that thread, it appears that the bridge serial starts with 31. Possibly from the same listingPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network which ended July 5.). But even if the bridge had to be replaced and this was the best option, the restoration of the dial looks just plain bad. AVOID.

 

It's the same auto bridge 31640042 from that listing, but surprised that they did not use the same rotor since it looks better than the one from the first watch. Amazing restoration job on that rotor! I think the dial is different since the "IV" looks good on the first watch but bad on the second.

After all that good job of restoration though, here's the kicker: the watch has just stopped working!

 

Excellent !!! Thanks for sharing

 

Would you begrudge the owner who restored this car, the market price?

 

yeah! I would.... but its because I'm a narrow minded Ford guy!

man that must have been a LOT of work! He deserves the price, even if it is a Chryco.

 

I know little about cars but that is impressive! And I should add that I think just getting the thing running and looking non-toxic is an impressive feat and good for the seller for whatever price they get.

Market price I do not begrudge. But he's asking 2500 euros ($2800) for a watch he says needs a service (my French is rusty but I think that's what's going on). I know there are two camps on whether to criticize asking price but I think this example warrants it.

 

I have no grudge, but I believe you get what you pay for. What you pay for the car is the value of the restoration and about $100 in originality. Similar thing for the watches in this thread, except the overpriced restore jobs.

 

Actually, with cars you rarely get what it cost to restore unless your lucky enough to find a blue chip nameplate..... like the Chrysler in the photo above. I've had many friends pour tons into a car or bike, both in money and labour, knowing full well that the finished product, even if its showroom perfect, is worth substantially less than the money and effort invested in the project. They often have no interest in the finished product, its the journey there that's worth the price of admission. As soon as the vehicle is done its sold off and the next hulk enters the garage, sometimes in baskets, to under the treatment all over again.

 

Not just with cars, but value is rarely the same as the cost.

 

I think this is fine. they took a dud and turned it into something wearable. sure the hands got removed (they should not have) but the case work is nice and it does take quite a bit to restore it into this shape. still a big stretch from 699 to 2500.

 

Shame they replaced the hands as others have said, but it's really nicely done. I know we all like our watches to be all-original and untouched and all that, but it is pretty neat to see how far a watch like that can come back from the dead.

 

I agree on the first watch. That was a nice restoration. Would a collector want that one? No, I don't think so. But as @Kazole put it, they brought it back from the dead and made a presentable watch of it. Someone will be happy with it.

The one I posted today? The restoration took longer, looks bad, and didn't even end with a watch that runs well.