Wtf happened to affordable polerouters?

janice&fred · Sep 11, 2020

harrymai86
Nice and original vintage watches are now very limited, they are on the hands of few collectors who not gonna let go of them or dealers who gonna flip for a nice chum of profit. You need to be very quick and money ready to compete with thousands for a nice deal.

True that. I particularly like Standy's suggestion on looking at the up and comers rather than what's currently hot. I honestly don't get much enjoyment out of watches that I had to spend a lot of money on and there are so many other nice pieces out there to buy for a reasonable price and enjoy. 👍

ELV web · Sep 11, 2020

Ohmeguh
Very nice my friend. Where did you get that bad boy?

eBay, Brazilian seller.

STANDY · Sep 11, 2020

CafeRacer
Why?
Why is everyone treating old watches like stocks?
Why cant you just buy a watch because you like it?

This sort of thinking is the reason behind the OPs complaint in the first place...

I am the last one to look at watches as investment. I was being a realist and pointing out some common jargon used lately. Also giving him tips on when to buy the next cool watch whatever that may be.

Well “it is what it is” and looking for a watch that’s hot and prices are hot.
You have missed the boat.
3-4 years ago $700 all day long you could pick up Polerouters $1000 was expensive. $12-1500 you would get excellent examples.

Ohmeguh · Sep 11, 2020

Eclipse39
It happens everywhere bruh ... some people did that for living.

The common ones usually deal with sneakers and hypebeast items.

100% but even true sneakers heads feel the same. Buying just to flip kind of sucks the life out of the community a bit

Ohmeguh · Sep 11, 2020

Uniqez
You can't buy these either, @ConElPueblo has them all....😁

Hey! Stop hoarding! Haha

MoclovFlop · Sep 11, 2020

I'm stealing the keyboard from the next person that suggests C***ina or Croton Ant***tics

:whipped:

jaguar11 · Sep 11, 2020

janice&fred
Your problem and cure is quite easy. You are simply looking for love in all the wrong places. Get off the interweb and start looking where you can see the watch in person...you know like real life.

Fair enough but not always a realistic option....

Ohmeguh · Sep 11, 2020

I will add not all hope is lost and in my few years of collecting I have learned that if you are diligent enough and quick enough then sprinkle in some luck. You can snag a deal online. I know this is a Universal forum and I still fkin hate flippers (of all kinds) I thought I would share a recent purchase that just arrived today for a great price. All original excluding strap.

Ted1858 · Sep 11, 2020

This thread is very interesting to me. I am intrigued by the markets in NYC that have been mentioned; I may have to make a trip up there once Covid settles down. I have scoured flea markets locally in my area (US, Texas) and have come up empty. My only avenue besides the fine marketplace here on OF has been Ebay, and that has been a tough slog.

I do not buy with appreciation in mind at all, I just buy what I like. I have, however, limited myself to a total watch budget, and that means if I buy a bunch of Polerouters at today's market price I end up with much fewer watches and much less diversity in my collection. So I've turned to other watches I find attractive at lower price points. Not for hopes of them moving "up the curve" but just out of desire to have more pieces in my collection.

janice&fred · Sep 11, 2020

Ted1858
This thread is very interesting to me. I am intrigued by the markets in NYC that have been mentioned; I may have to make a trip up there once Covid settles down. I have scoured flea markets locally in my area (US, Texas) and have come up empty.

Well as previously mentioned by our pal 89-0 the Manhattan Chelsea flea market reopening is tomorrow and I will be there. I am surprised Texas has turned up nothing for you but it is a very big state so surely it depends on what city you're near. I know for sure down south flea market hunting is real good in Florida so you might consider that whenever you get the itch?

hejsam · Sep 11, 2020

What is affordable, is that a static pricepoint for the Polerouter?
Or is affordable relative to the vintage watch prices in general?

Are you mad at the high price or the dealers who cleans the market up of these?

Ohmeguh · Sep 11, 2020

hejsam
What is affordable, is that a static pricepoint for the Polerouter?
Or is affordable relative to the vintage watch prices in general?

Are you mad at the high price or the dealers who cleans the market up of these?

Affordable as in not being marked up 200% within 2-3 years.

The high price has largely been caused by "dealers" using that term loosely, who have been purchasing not to enjoy but rather flip. All these Hodinkee type clowns who see a watch trending and purchase with the full intention of marking up. You can leave me out of this example but I guarantee so many people have lost out on reasonable sales from private collectors just because some cough... "dealer" bought within a nano second of listing.

By me venting in a humorous way a lot of interesting conversation has started.

P.S. If that is your thing, to buy a watch to flip by all means I guess make your money. Just know that I love you all the same but still secretly hate you for it. 😉

hejsam · Sep 11, 2020

Ohmeguh
Affordable as in not being marked up 200% within 2-3 years.

The high price has largely been caused by "dealers" using that term loosely, who have been purchasing not to enjoy but rather flip. All these Hodinkee type clowns who see a watch trending and purchase with the full intention of marking up. You can leave me out of this example but I guarantee so many people have lost out on reasonable sales from private collectors just because some cough... "dealer" bought within a nano second of listing.

By me venting in a humorous way a lot of interesting conversation has started.

P.S. If that is your thing, to buy a watch to flip by all means I guess make your money. Just know that I love you all the same but still secretly hate you for it. 😉

Yes I assume all watch enthusiasts hate dealers cleaning the market and don't letting us have a chance of buying from an open market.

That is definitely not my thing, I buy watches to enjoy them but when buying and trying a lot of watches one also have to sell a lot. Sometimes with profit and sometimes with loss.

If you are referring to my gold "plated" (actually they are gold capped and its also a hell of a thick gold layer at 300microns) Poleoruter I have listed at 2k I did not snag it from other enthusiast just to sell it with profit. I tried to research the market for pricepoints before setting my price and good black dials don't grow on trees.

I also don't know of many popular vintage models that has not increased over the last couple of years, not something specific to the Polerouter.
And my guess is that good examples wont get cheaper in the future, if you really want one it probably would be wise to buy one now at current marketprice!

Dan S · Sep 11, 2020

Ohmeguh
This may be more of a vent.

Well, it may be just a vent, but your venting seems to have touched a real nerve, with 50-ish responses and counting. 😉

Ludi · Sep 11, 2020

Go for the Olma "Polerouter" 😀

michael22 · Sep 11, 2020

everything else on the planet goes up & down in value over time, I expect vintage watches will too. I won't guess at the time frame, though.

Ohmeguh · Sep 11, 2020

hejsam
Yes I assume all watch enthusiasts hate dealers cleaning the market and don't letting us have a chance of buying from an open market.

That is definitely not my thing, I buy watches to enjoy them but when buying and trying a lot of watches one also have to sell a lot. Sometimes with profit and sometimes with loss.

If you are referring to my gold "plated" (actually they are gold capped and its also a hell of a thick gold layer at 300microns) Poleoruter I have listed at 2k I did not snag it from other enthusiast just to sell it with profit. I tried to research the market for pricepoints before setting my price and good black dials don't grow on trees.

I also don't know of many popular vintage models that has not increased over the last couple of years, not something specific to the Polerouter.
And my guess is that good examples wont get cheaper in the future, if you really want one it probably would be wise to buy one now at current marketprice!

Hey dude, was not referring to you or your watch (nice watch though). Also, yes prices do go up for these things, just a bit too accelerated because of these "dealers". I will say personally though regardless of brand I would not pay 2k+ for anything GF, GC, or GP. GLWS!

Ohmeguh · Sep 11, 2020

Dan S
Well, it may be just a vent, but your venting seems to have touched a real nerve, with 50-ish responses and counting. 😉

Hey Dan, I mean I can't be the only one with a dislike for this kind of stuff! Flipping to flip = soul sucking. Choose a different career path! Haha jk. But kind of serious.

Oku · Sep 11, 2020

Ohmeguh
The high price has largely been caused by "dealers" using that term loosely, who have been purchasing not to enjoy but rather flip. All these Hodinkee type clowns who see a watch trending and purchase with the full intention of marking up. You can leave me out of this example but I guarantee so many people have lost out on reasonable sales from private collectors just because some cough... "dealer" bought within a nano second of listing.

Let me first say that I am also not fan of flipping. That is btw. not restricted to dealers but also to "collectors" who flip a watch after a while and add several hundreds. It is for sure annoying to see watches relisted with a hefty premium.

Having said that there is imho a fallacy in your rant. First, dealers don't cause the price increase but buyers do. Nobody is obliged to pay the premium. Just wait for the right watch at the right price. If buyers don't buy the inflated prices, dealers become aware that they cannot ask for the premium.
Secondly, if a dealer can snatch a watch within "a nano second of listing" why are you unable to do this too? They are not supernatural but human beings like you and me. Their advantages is that they usually know their business and don't think twice when the real deal pops up.

Ohmeguh · Sep 11, 2020

Oku
Let me first say that I am also not fan of flipping. That is btw. not restricted to dealers but also to "collectors" who flip a watch after a while and add several hundreds. It is for sure annoying to see watches relisted with a hefty premium.

Having said that there is imho a fallacy in your rant. First, dealers don't cause the price increase but buyers do. Nobody is obliged to pay the premium. Just wait for the right watch at the right price. If buyers don't buy the inflated prices, dealers become aware that they cannot ask for the premium.
Secondly, if a dealer can snatch a watch within "a nano second of listing" why are you unable to do this too? They are not supernatural but human beings like you and me. Their advantages is that they usually know their business and don't think twice when the real deal pops up.

Valid points. However, I stand by what I have said. Yes, buyers do "agree" to the sale. But you can't convince me that the buy and flip style does not accelerate prices higher than they would normally.