Yet another Hodinkee sponsored watch going for much more than it's worth: http://www.ebay.com/itm/171655659371Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

In all original, complete, and excellent shape, I could see this going for $1800-2300 - but certainly not for a battered up one with a missing chronograph seconds hand and a dial with minor problems. And the author of the Hodinkee article stated that he say a similar model sell for over 4k on Ebay not too long ago.

Article: http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/whats-selling-where-promising-ebay-projects

He was probably talking about the asymmetrical Uni-Compax, which is not anywhere near the same league:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Exceedingly...378429979?pt=Wristwatches&hash=item1e96c3c01bPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

 

Is it just me or does the upper left lug look bent?

In a world where Nina Rindt Compaxes are being sold for around 20k, I think a shot at reasonable prices on these watches is already out the window. I know they're partly to blame for the increase in demand, but it's not really Hodinkee's fault that there are people out there who can't think for themselves and are willing to pay those prices. Eric is a forum member btw

 

I know it's not the website's fault. In fact, I think they posted an article warning people about overspending. Maybe not.

My recommendation would be that instead of showing "hidden gem" watches that are ending, they should show ended listings, so that ignorant buyers know what they're worth and don't make that up themselves.

They invalidate the classic adage "[Ebay] rewards knowledge, diligence, and deft action but punishes ignorance, foolishness, and greed." The people who actually do have the knowledge to find and estimate the value of cool catches are overrun by people who haven't an idea, but have the money to follow the leader.

 

Fair enough. I guess they are indirectly rewarding laziness. I like your suggestion

 

@LouS it was this thread http://omegaforums.net/threads/polerouter-sub-a-typology.3624/ Which actually was what finally stopped me from bidding for either watch, the first of which went for 2k. Two sets of almost identical photos from two different vendors.

 

What do you think about this Berthoud Geneve Chrono on Ebay - dial seems a bit too perfect:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-rare-c...7?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_101&hash=item3cf20ec8b5Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

 

If you take a closer look at the shmutz about 90, you'll notice some imperfections, though I'm not entirely convinced by the chrono minute sub dial.

 

Not a big fan of the diameter, definitely wayy to small for me but it's a pretty good looking watch and quite similiar to my WWW watch. I was just wondering if everything on this watch is original?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Military-UNIVERSAL-Geneve-Swiss-Wristwatch/131423480266Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

 

Crown looks to be a replacement but close. Looks rather nice. I have to laugh when guys comment on the size of these type of watches. Too small, back in the day these were THE size, made this size to reduce damage especially during the war years. Less chance of damage. And they could see better then we do too. LOL!!
Today's hockey puck watches would have been beat to hell back in the day in the same environments these watches went to and doubt many would have survived. IMHO....

 

lol fair enough! I've actually compromised with vintage watches when I found out that back in the days the watches are way smaller than nowadays, my smallest watch before I fell in love with vintage watches is 41mm. This UG is 30mm in diameter, I think it's still quite small compare to other vintage watches or the dirty dozen WWW military watches (34-38mm) with similar dial design, my WWW is 35mm.

But yeah you're right about how these watches are made to survive in rough environments, I'm very surprised with my WWW when I got them on how tough they feel or just judging by the look of it in person! They definitely don't make them as they used to!

Any chance you have any info for the symbol on the dial @Waynepjr ?

 

All good found it, the symbol is for the Queen Wilhelmina of Holland if I'm not mistaken. A watch from Dutch army!

 

this thread has saved my bacon on numerous occasions!!!!!

 

I'm sure a few have already seen, or been following this one if you're in the market for a compax of sorts.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141540503324?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l4455&_trkparms=gh1g=I141540503324.N7.S1.M756.R1.TR3Purchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

Not sure how I feel about it, looks original and seller states its original, but the right register doesn't jive with other copies of this that I've seen. Waiting on my Sala book to get here so I can really dig into these references, but for now I'm going off others I've seen. Did those hands used to have lume in them and it fell out or were they meant to be open and wirey?

Watch looks pretty good to me as far as originality, but I'll let the experts correct me if I'm wrong.

 

They had lume. And it's a re-dial.

 

Interesting, which part is the give-away on the redial?

 

Sorry, the details are proprietary information.

Oh, all right. Off the top of my head: That pointy-topped A in COMPAX is a dead giveaway. And most of the numbers in the subdials and the minute register look wrong to me. Those rounded 3's really bug me. And the closed 6's. Not a particularly bad re-dial, and probably an old one, but... re-dial.

 

Here's something similar that looks legit to me, randomly selected from the Internet. You'll see what I mean.

http://www.classicwatch.com/discus/messages/732/93525.html?1333675449

 

Agreed on all accounts. Thanks for beating me to the punch, @MMMD