This watch sold at auction today and wondered whether this was more in the realms of a fair price or still over the norm.. With my limited knowledge it seemed mostly original. Chrono hand slightly later but still within the decade and bracelet of the period being a 1035 but not as snug since it had 18mm end 630 links .

Sold for £7600 + buyers commission making it about £10000 all in.

 

This is one on Chrono24 http://www.chrono24.co.uk/omega/speedmaster-ed-white--id4863965.htm so depends how much to get it to the same standard would be.
Omegasean

 

Have to say that one you linked to is not very nice example. Wrong bezel, really new hands and the plots are very dirty . I guess that won't sell at that price.

Thanks for reply though.

 

With the wrong endlinks, replacement hands, and given the overall condition of the watch, I'd personally place the market value at closer to $9k USD than $10k GBP.

Just goes to show how people end up forgetting about (or outright ignoring) the significant buyer's commission when they're caught up in the excitement of bidding in a live auction.

 

Another tired, slightly un original, not too bad 105.003, for around the $12,000 mark.

It seems the going rate now, when a watch like this is placed into an auction. So no bargain, and it is never going to be a fine watch, but it is mostly all there apart from hands and endlinks.

McTears also has popped up on the Watch Hunters radar, and pulls in those thinking they have found something no one knows about, and once the bidding starts then emotions take over - also the idea they have invested so much time and effort in finding and thinking about it, then whats one more bid....

This watch does have the DO90 bezel, and original dial. So we are off to the races.

However the hands have been replaced at some point, the dial looks tired, as does the case.

Having said all that, this watch will respond well to a $800 service, some hand work and dare I say it a very light case finish. The bracelet may come back, but the only place I know who can do it is Hong Kong. And still needs endlnks.

There is a slightly better one coming in Bonhams

 

Thanks @Spacefruit for your comprehensive reply. As it is my local auction house I did manage to see it in person. Not the greatest example I guess but the lume of the plots and the hands were fairly similar under UV light and I thought the bezel was in decent condition but the bracelet was a bit sloppy.

Was over what I was going to bid , nothing new there, but always interested in the views of the more experienced collectors.

Personally I don't like the one you linked to at Bonhams ( except the bracelet looked better ) and I think your reservations on your blog match my feelings about the dial .

Once again, thank you for taking the time out to reply.

 

"once the bidding starts then emotions take over"
Spoken from personal experience?

 

Well put! And I have no idea what that feels like

 

Auctions, Emotional Overbids, and Just going plain MEDIEVAL

When something is truly rare, its about coming home with it, not about how much it was. So in that way, yes I do let the red mist rise.

If you don't come home with it, you are just a chair in the room, except chairs don't complain about prices and go home empty handed.

Overpaying for something that might come up in the next auction is a mistake, and one many of us have had to learn the hard way. I have managed to avoid that in buying watches, after a 30 year apprenticeship in my professional life which involved all the auction houses three times a year...

Everyone must stay within their comfort zone, but for something rare, you got to machine gun the opposition....



Here is Mrs Fruit at Christie's last December.

On the right is the 2915-1 (Sold for over $120,000) that is now generally accepted, even by Chrisite's, as a heavily refinished case. I still believe that was an Emotional Overbid by a naive buyer. On the left is my 2915-1 which was acquired privately some while ago. (IE for what 2998's now fetch). In the centre is the 2915-2 ($90,000) sold in the same auction.

NONE of those watches do I think are worth going "Medieval" on. Because those references will almost certainly will be seen again in an Auction house in the next 12 months.

Of Mrs Fruit's blue however, (The cheapest watch there) - there have only been four confirmed examples seen by me, or by me in the public domain. They are Original Omega dials, and as far as I know the Omega museum does not have one - certainly they wanted Mrs Fruit's when I bought it for her. At the time I was told it was too much money....I dont care. I have it, they do not. And try and find another, let alone for less.

Now it is possible to have a production reference inspire this Medieval behavior just by virtue of its condition. The recent 2915-3 sold for $80,000 was an example of this phenomena - it was original, not too tired, and looked just right.

 

That blue looks amazing and really suits the English mesh.

 

this is mine from 1965, fully original with unpolished case, correct 1501 bracelet with 6 endlinks. I am pretty sure that in a year or two it will be worth at least $20,000

 

Loveley watch....can we see the lugs?
A certain member @Tom Dick has a thing for them

 

I agree that the bezel's just ok, hands are replaced and the dial looks a touch tired. However, I think the lighting and crystal aren't doing the dial any favours. A daylight shot after a service and it'll look much nicer.

Plus being a 64, the case looks like although it might have a good bit of wear, it might not be too polished, given @Tom Dick 's recent revelation about the -64 case not having the facets on the lugs.

I don't think it was cheap, but I don't think it was significantly overpriced either.

I'm going to stick my neck out here as well and say that I actually prefer this one, to the one in Bonhams. IMO the case and dial are both better, and they're the two must haves for me.

 

I'd be interested in seeing more details on the 1501 bracelet. It's correct for a 105.003-65 but very rare I believe. Can't remember ever seeing one.

 

One more from the first reference,but still have no idea what to expect from future of the market.

 

Sorry my mistake, I wrote in a hurry without checking, the bracelet is the more common 7912/6

 

What about the crown, it looks like a 32 teeth, so another issue ?( in the OP's watch).

 

Mrs. Fruit makes it look much better than any of us could @Spacefruit

 

7912/6 is fetching alot lately