What was your Favorite Omega from Hong Kong Phillips Sale?

Catalog here
I keep coming back to this:


What am I, crazy? Ugly 1970's design, in SOLID GOLD ? And Electric!!

Well I have seen these before, in steel, and I really didnt like them. However I put this on and I must say it felt great and looked good. What really had it for this watch was that it was NOS. That really helps.

It had all the stuff too:


The original listing is here

As it was estimated at $3,000 but without reserve, I thought I would keep an eye on it. Earlier in the sale something without reserve sold for less than half the low estimate.

However clearly I am not alone, and this was sold for a total of USD $8,050.

It was a lovely thing.

I tried one of those on at a watch fair a few years back, also in superb condition. The asking price IIRC was €5K, which considering the amount of gold in there I didn't find too OTT, the design however I find clumsy and it leaves me cold, I can imagine these were not big sellers back in the day.

The asymmetry of the case and bracelet is very appealing, in a Picasso-like way. We are so used to seeing watches rendered with an identifiable and familiar way, and this challenges that aesthetic and it's interesting and creative.

This was an interesting one. The bezel was an Omega service replacement, which had replaced a previous black 18kt gold bezel that had been fitted. It also had service pushers and crown, but of those I do not think they change the value. The case was slightly polished and the bracelet was tight on my fairly average Western wrist.

The dial was an oval "O" - BUT....and for me its a big but, and one that no one except those carefully inspecting would know, is that the dial has a fairly significant damage, a tiny but easily spotted (once you know its there) blister. You dont see it in the photos as it lies in the area between the 1 and 2 plots, and is covered by the chrono seconds hand in the photos. While very small, once you have picked it out with a loupe then its easy to see with the naked eye. Of course once I had the loupe out it was off to the races and my diamond grading heritage came to the fore. There are two more spots just under the Professional Text. Also I then saw some spots on the minute sub dial track. And a small damage to the Hour subdial. It is the worst good dial I have seen. By that I mean the worst dial in a watch that is supposed to be quite good. As opposed to those heavily worn and shagged versions that you used to see for $6,000 on Ebay after the LA dealer had scrapped the strap.

You might think I went a bit Phsyco on this, but it sold for $64,000 USD. If I am going to consider spending that then I want to know exactly what I am getting in to. I bet a pound to a penny the buyer did not see what I saw, but if I tell him he will.

Lastly I think the price of this is heavily influenced by the box. One friend of mine confided that he wanted the lot for the box, and considered it worth $10,000. I must say I would rather have another watch than a box.

Lot 972 - Rose gold black dial piepan. Rare as hen's teeth as they say.

USD12000 including 25% fee - amazing 😀

It fetched an inexplicable $12,000 with premium.



See my review of the speedmasters in the sale. They all needed a good look.

http://speedmaster101.com/blog/phillips-speedmaster-results/

Thank you - I am not familiar with the vintage. I will update the post

Don't recall seeing one like this before and it's in pretty decent shape.