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Why are the Holy Grails on fire?

kov
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This is not another "watch value" post but a question to you guys, since I have an impression I've missed something.

Short Version : what's up with the Holy Grails, why are they on fire? Or is it just speculation?

IMG_5773.jpeg

(My minty full set, acquired end of 2016)

To elaborate a bit more :

A couple of weeks ago, a quite franken Holy Grail sold for 8k CHF on a local auction website. I won't disclose the auction but when I had it in my hands a couple of months ago, I can guarantee the movement, hands and bezel on it were wrong. Buy it now price was set to 14900 CHF 馃え

Today I can see 4 Holy Grails on C24 :

https://www.chrono24.ch/omega/the-h...-automatic-cal-1045-ultra-rare--id6329943.htm
http://www.chrono24.ch/omega/speedmaster-holy-grail-cal-1045-unmolested-tradeoffer--id6362643.htm
http://www.chrono24.ch/omega/speedm...-serviced-by-omega-papers-1987--id6449047.htm
https://www.chrono24.ch/omega/speed...hrono--daydate-1045-holy-grail--id6550645.htm

Average price : 20k 馃槻
What happened here? Do we double the prices per decade? 1987 - 2017 馃檮

Did I miss something? 馃槙
 
Tubber
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Weren't the last ones for sale on here going for US$7-8K last year?
 
kov
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Tubber Tubber
Weren't the last ones for sale on here going for US$7-8K last year?

Here we are. I'd believe a 10 grand for a really nice one, more for a full set. But the ones on C24 now are mostly wrong... Hence my question, is there anything I've (we've) missed? 馃檮
 
Mouse_at_Large
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They are only Holy Grails to certain acolytes of the Maddox sect of the Cult of Speedmasters 馃槣
 
padders
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Pure speculation, nothing intrinsically great about them, decidedly ordinary to some eyes, mine included.
 
Tubber
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kov kov
Here we are. I'd believe a 10 grand for a really nice one, more for a full set. But the ones on C24 now are mostly wrong... Hence my question, is there anything I've (we've) missed? 馃檮
No, I don't believe we missed anything. I don't find them particularly attractive. Not sure if the Chuck Maddox link is still valid, it may have been his grail but that was a while ago. Anything with Speedmaster on the dial has turned in to a license to print money these days. C24 has a few opportunistic chancers on it at the best of times.
 
cell1010
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I think it's the combination about the Speedmaster appeal with rather limited production numbers but still enough out there to create a market...

And obviously the Hodinkee effect might fuel some people's expectations.
 
Edward53
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I thought the whole idea of the Holy Grail was that you had to struggle through hell and high water to find it?
 
cell1010
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With these new holy grails it's the other way around. You go through hell and high water, when you try to get rid of it for the high end money you bought it 馃榿 @Edward53
 
Mouse_at_Large
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cell1010 cell1010
With these new holy grails it's the other way around. You go through hell and high water, when you try to get rid of it for the high end money you bought it 馃榿 @Edward53

Oh, it's a lot more difficult than that 馃榿

 
cell1010
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Sooner or later in every discussion the old Montys help to solve every dilemma 馃榿
 
kov
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Edward53 Edward53
I thought the whole idea of the Holy Grail was that you had to struggle through hell and high water to find it?

Well, finding an all correct one with a safe dial is as hard as to find a copper 345.0808 from the same period, if you know what I mean 馃榾
 
cristos71
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An asking price on CH24 is just that, an asking price! Confirmed sold prices are what count.
 
kov
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cristos71 cristos71
An asking price on CH24 is just that, an asking price! Confirmed sold prices are what count.

I believe there's no smoke without fire. That's why I asked if somebody knows more. Most probably @arcadelt has a part of the truth.

arcadelt arcadelt
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/bring-a-loupe-30-june-2017

Thank you. This went through my web. 馃憤

A week ago, I was after another grail and was looking for cash to finance it so I've listed my full set for 15k BIN on a local auction site. 24h later, I changed my mind and ended the offer. Next two days I've got 3 PM's from guys asking if the watch was still available for sale. I believe this was exactly the same time than the article from Hodinkee so some guys have somehow got my BIN price confirmed.

Anyway, my other grail is gone to somebody else so there's no rush anymore. 馃槜
 
Cad290
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People like watches that are unique. This one has a great combo of unique features in a 42mm professional case. They are 30 years old and who knows how many of them are left in good condition. Seems like a great watch for a dealer to list at a high price and wait for a motivated buyer. I've actually been surprised by the number of "near mint" ones that have popped up in the last 8 months or so
 
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