How much do you think it's worth and how much needs spending on it?

 

Comes with no bracelet

 

What does your research indicate?

 

How much to spend depends on what level you want to bring it to, what you can stand and what you can't. For instance, can you live with the tattered bezel, or are you ready to spend $5000 on a perfect one?

 

George you've posted several of these type of threads and not ventured your opinion in any of them.

I'm sure you're just eager to get your first vintage Speedmaster but this is a two way thing and you'll get much more out of this if you share you share your thoughts on watches you're considering rather than just asking for opinions.

 

@GeorgeSpeedy Umm.... that's @Castle4444 's lovely watch by the way. To me it's worth a lot. To you, I don't know.

 

@padders provided some excellent advice on the last thread.
There are resources available to you that many (and I’m one of them) will encorauge you to review.

I’m no expert either on Speedies but a little bit of research will go a long way.

What are your thoughts on this particular example?

 

Would be bid to between $10,000 to $14,000 in my opinion.

Subject to confirmation of movement number.

Right now there are a lot of poor speedmasters asking high prices, especially Ed Whites. A good one is easily worth $18,00 to $22,000 in top condition, but there are plenty worth considerably less, which makes them a great wearable watch.

This one is in fair to good all round condition.

Why dont you buy it?

If not, why not?

Tell us!

 

"Fair to good" may be a bit generous?

 

I concur with these sentiments. At first blush, they can appear harsh and unhelpful, especially to someone new starting out in the hobby. However, it's really a call to participate in an active way in getting answers to questions. I taught college for three years, and it annoyed me when students came up and said, "I don't understand." Well, let's start with what you think you know, and we'll examine that. Then, explain specifically what you are unsure of, and we can look further. But don't passively throw out a question(s) that requires some initial research and effort, and then sit back and expect others to do the work for you.

 

And there are (more or less obvious) things to say about this watch. Have a closer look. Observe. Compare.

 

Maybe. Just words

It’s very hard to adequately find words that encompass the entirety of condition and originality of a watch.

Any suggestions what we could call this?

 

I think your categories are reasonable. Perhaps adding +'s and -'s to them may further delineate status.

 

I think the word Fair should be used a lot more these days, on several items offered for sale lately.

 

Perhaps no way to capture subjective market preferences (like patina being good/bad) but maybe a weighted scale to grade condition of the whole from the parts?
- Movement (0-10)
- Dial (0-10)
- Case (0-10)
- Bezel (0-10)
- Hands / Crowns / Pushers (0-10)
- etc

Coin grading has its own form of a very granular approach.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheldon_coin_grading_scale
This is just for circulated condition coins!

 

Very similar to Comic grading. 1-10 range. (I think collectible cards are similar)

https://comics.ha.com/tutorial/comics-grading.s?show=comicdefinitions

Edit - Certified Guaranty Company CGC built a whole industry around this. The worst part - cgc graded comics are protected from further damage by hard protective cases.

I’d hate to see watch grading go this far.

 

Stolen from here, but apt.










Steve.

 

Price chart wise sub good fits for this one.

It’s not like he makes the chart lol.

 

i would love to see such a grading system with plausible points where everybody is able to understand what is good and whats not.

the tastes are so different, @Spacefruit would pay 12-14, i wouldn't spent a single buck for this as for me its not the quality i want to have

 

I will say - the 10point rating system on comics is very helpful for the uninitiated, it’s also helpful that one company, mostly has the assessments wrapped up.

My concerns are two fold - Multiple interpretations of a scale, which I feel will inevitably happen, but worse - a market where watches are assessed and then ‘protected’ and made unwearable. My own view is that would drive the investment buyers much more than we see today.