There are three speedmasters coming up for auction at Bonhams. This auction house has quite a good website, but they seem incapable of taking photos, and only post one photo per lot. Or sometimes they post two identical photos....I think they must have an intern on Photo Duty. To buy anything in this sale you are going to have to go and look. The photos are inexcusably terrible. The first Ed White has all the trimmings, bracelet, papers box and extract. (Or at least the information - Bonhams do not make it clear what they have, perhaps they are just taking the guarantee date off the paper). Now I bought some really good Ed Whites from Bonhams, original one owner watches - one that was sold with a service dial and bezel, but had all the original parts under the panel in the original box, along with the original papers - none of which was listed in the description. I want to like it, but the photo is overexposed, or over processed. I think there is no lume. So I am fairly certain I do not like it. Heaven only knows what the condition is, based on the photos, I cannot see a thing. Needs to be viewed. More on the Bonhams auctions here What do you think?
They all look pretty junky... EW #1: Dial looks washed. Later crown. 145.012: Ugly flaked off dial. Later bracelet. EW #2: Damaged/scratched dial, and looks re-lumed. Wrong pusher. Hands look repainted & relumed. Wrong crown. (Seamaster 300) Bracelet in poor condition. Links eaten away by stretch & play. Bonhams is a pretty good auction house. These watches are such poor quality, I think even Antiquorum wouldn't touch them.
Well I suppose these watches may or may not be better than they appear in the photographs. Difficult to tell. Makes me wonder how far on line bidders would push the bidding when they can't really make an accurate judgement on what they are buying? I thought the job of the auctioneer was to maximise the potential of the lot.
I pretty much agree these are not much cop. It is only that I bought two Ed Whites from them in one sale that were awesome...So I have history. But those photos. Its like they dont want any online bidders
Even looking past the parts that are later replacement items, and considering these for "value as parts", I can't identify a part on any of these watches that is of sufficiently high quality that moving it to a different watch would either improve the condition or appearance of that watch. (Note that I am not critiquing the movements here, only the outward-facing parts). Yet, I bet there will be buyers that snap them up. I am grateful for all the knowledge that can be shared through this forum, and the great discussions that come from forum family members, Because of that, I think there is an opportunity through this community for buyers to become educated before they buy something that isn't correct (but think that it may be, because they don't know better). Thank you for starting yet another fascinating conversation @Spacefruit!!
It beggars belief that an auction house like Bonhams can’t take better photographs. You can do better than that with an iPhone. I’m mildly interested in the first one but probably not enough to to go to see it on the off chance that it actually has its lume and that it’s just the appalling photograph that makes it look like it’s missing. I totally agree about the so called “ghost bezel” on the other Ed White. I don’t find them attractive at all. A blue bezel however would add value for me and maybe there’s no logic to that.
I looked at the online catalogue yesterday, not at these entries, but there was a Carrera that looked interesting. Again, I won't be pursuing it further as I can't make the sale in person, and would never even consider bidding on anything represented so poorly. These days, with all the advancements in web design, and the ease with which most people can produce decent macro images, there is simply no excuse for such poor photos and such sparse info.
Terrible pics appear to be standard operating procedure with auction houses. Most of us could do a better job with an IPhone and our favorite sunny spots at home or office.
(Order as posted above) Lot 103: Sold for £ 9,375 (€ 10,699) inc. premium Lot 107: not sold Lot 109: not sold 2 SM 300's also not sold (https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/25394/lot/100/ and https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/25394/lot/104/). SM banana (https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/25394/lot/160/) sold for GBP 2.375 incl fee. PAF(?) SM 30 (https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/25394/lot/93/) sold for GBP 1.500 incl. fee.
These are often sourced from dealers who have unsold (poor) stock. They waiver the seller's fee in order to make them list them - dealer gets rid of expensive inventory, auction house fills their catalogue. Everyone wins except the buyer who doesn't do his homework.
I am surprised so many pieces did not sell at all. That is not good for the auction house or the consignor.
I have observed that on the last auctions, and in a few still to come, that the overall quality of all Omega items on offer are down significantly, but the auction houses still try to push premium prices. Maybe also the majority of buyers are also becoming more and more aware of what a nice / good / solid piece should look like, probably also a lot to thank this forum for.
Yep I reckon the HQ Speedies are selling from collector to collector or from dealers to collectors that fast, cause they are that much in demand. People pay premium price for top quality., Wonder if Phillips, Sothebys and Christies can get some great examples. There still is a difference between high end auctions and second tier. This line up from Bonhams was second tier imho