What the watch collecting world needs... Independent grading

I’m familiar with this in comic books and I know such things also exist for trading cards. It took years (maybe even a decade) for it to become accepted by everyone in the market. They also fully encase the item in a slab of plastic so that the grade won’t change after being graded.

Would you propose doing the same for watches? Slabbing them and then trading these plastic encased watches as commodities? Seems like it would kill the fun of the hobby. I know that’s exactly what happened to me with comics — people only want to buy/trade “graded” comics anymore.

I think it’s impossible.

Other items that are graded (coins, comics, sports cards) are sealed, so it becomes difficult to alter after grading. Because a watch is a functional object, meant to be worn, any attempt at grading or determining authenticity would only be accurate at the moment of issuance. You would need to get the watch re-graded every time it was serviced or a part changed.

The eBay model works well (but not perfectly) for late model watches which were produced by the thousands and where there are a lot of “experts”. Who is going to issue the grading on a 1920’s Patek Philippe minute repeater where maybe 10 to 20 were made. The factory has such experts already and has an authentication service…for a price. But they don’t grade them.

Sealed and graded items destined to be “safe queens” forever have no appeal to me. To be a successful collector, you need to learn what is beyond the slab.
gatorcpa

The knowledge that such a service would require to do all models for all brands would simply be impossible...

There was an interesting discussion here related to this topic:

https://omegaforums.net/threads/a-notable-change-at-moonwatch-only.115712/

No to grading, not for me anyway. Grading is fine for someone else.

I collect, accumulate might be the better term, rather than "invest." I invest in order to protect assets and to profit. I collect for the joy and gratification it brings to life. Collecting is the icing on the cake. Perhaps I am seriously unserious about my collecting endeavors.

Numismatics ruined my opinion of grading. I bust coins out of slabs as I acquire them. Coin grading services can't agree with each other and are inconsistent within themselves. Coin grading proved to be a collecting downer for me.

No thanks. I might misjudge a collectible, but I want to do it myself. Grading services are close kin to all the nannying that society has chosen to tolerate for every facet of our lives. We apparently feel the collective need to be taken care of for we can't seem to manage on our own at this point in human history.

One must don his big-boy trousers in order to wade into any collecting field. Grading services are for the timorous lazy. What the collecting world needs are true enthusiasts who are engaged rather than passive.

EBay authentication is a nightmare and you want people to send a watch to someone…which would involve removing a case back to do any decent type of job….

Rolex would probably start it and charge a full service fee….

(With a chance of loosing your watch if a generic/counterfeit part is in the movement 😗)

Big-name sellers and auction houses would fight this tooth and nail, since their biggest profits come from putting watches together from parts and making up stories.

“Let’s see does it look good enough to wear? “

yup

“ok here’s your money”

that’s my grading system

I'll just use Omega as an example...

Here on OF we have a number of what I would call experts on Omega watches. Some are experts at Speedmasters, some at Seamasters, some at Constellations, some at the 30 mm manual wind movements, some at the earlier caliber movements, etc..

I would say in all confidence that there's no one here who is an expert on all these models together, let alone all the other models Omega makes (Geneve, DeVille, and everything else under the Omega umbrella). So just to find the staff that would be well versed enough to cover only the Omega brand would be a massive undertaking. We are talking about people who understand what correct dials, hands, crown, case backs, bracelet, movements, etc. all go with every single model that Omega makes, and can make judgements on originality of all those parts, if they belong on those watches, and to evaluate their condition, and give a rating. All while v=navigating the saying that is often used here, that you "never say never" when it comes to Omega, because they did some strange things.

This is infinitely more complex that rating sports cards, where you are basically looking for the same defects in all the cards (yes there are nuances, but they pale in comparison to even just 1 brand of watch).

This is just not practical, and in fact any place stating they could do this I would take their ratings with a chunk of salt the size of Mount Everest...

Not to mention the fact it would actually introduce a rational system— as is the case for coins— and hence remove all of the hype, fashion factor, and speculation. I’m sure many collectors would find it boring and they might not even like not being able to brag or argue about their watches being more XXx than everyone else’s.

Perhaps there's a place for hiring an independent expert, as opposed to attempting to grade every item being auctioned. There are currently autograph authenticators, as well as fine art authenticators, why not watch authenticators?

I imagine that anyone considering buying any expensive collectible would do their due diligence, either using their own knowledge or hiring an independent expert appraiser. But they have to be paid, which won't work for a collector looking to score a bargain. Nothing is free. It'd be nice if auction houses were more dependable, but just like the news, you've got to consider the source before believing everything you read, unfortunately.

Unfortunately, it seems that as long as people keep buying watches based off of crappy photos and poor information, the auctioneers/sellers have little incentive to assist an independent appraiser. Also, if someone needs the assistance of an independent expert appraiser, then they aren't not a hobbyist collector.

Not the gold standard. 😲

But you get what you pay for. They're more of a marketing tool for ebay than a service for a buyer.

A decent appraiser would work for the buyer. Think classic cars, home inspectors, fine art.

I'd hire you to evaluate a vintage speedy but don't need to because you'll help for free.😁

One of the benefits of buying from the forums sales section here. Lots of help from others and watches that come from fellow collectors. When you're ready to dip your toe in water, you'll find lots of help for the asking.