Just had lunch with my friend Wei from Malaysia. As a watch collector, he has news that there are dealers in Europe that are able to remake or re-conditioned perfect gilt dials. This will be a worrying trend as it will disrupt the vintage Rolex watch market. Be careful when you see perfect condition vintage dials! This has been one of the great problem with collecting vintage watches as there are many who is able to reconditioned or remake vintage cases, dials and parts. In the past where he most expensive sports watches were only US$1000-3000, these will not be so much of a problem. Now with prices escalating from US$25,000-100,000, the risks have become higher.
I have avoided collecting the exotic pieces such as the Paul Newman and the Double red Sea dweller as the prices have become so high and even after buying them, how can one sell it at the same prices or higher? I Have seen two original DRSD one asking for US$25,000 and the other asking for US$45,000. How does one determine the prices given similar conditions? The issue is not the buying but letting one go at a certain time in your life. How often can one find a buyer who is willing to pay US$45,000 for a red printed wording? I wonder.
Given the advancement of printing technology, some dealers may one day turn out fake red printed dweller and what will happen to those who bought the original, when both becomes identical...Scary thoughts... As such, I would prefer to buy a Patek Philippe 2526 with enamel dial and with a Patek Philippe archive paper instead of a DRSW as the watch with the paper has been verified by an authority. Thats's me taking the conservative approach. Just my 2 cents worth of thought.
I have avoided collecting the exotic pieces such as the Paul Newman and the Double red Sea dweller as the prices have become so high and even after buying them, how can one sell it at the same prices or higher? I Have seen two original DRSD one asking for US$25,000 and the other asking for US$45,000. How does one determine the prices given similar conditions? The issue is not the buying but letting one go at a certain time in your life. How often can one find a buyer who is willing to pay US$45,000 for a red printed wording? I wonder.
Given the advancement of printing technology, some dealers may one day turn out fake red printed dweller and what will happen to those who bought the original, when both becomes identical...Scary thoughts... As such, I would prefer to buy a Patek Philippe 2526 with enamel dial and with a Patek Philippe archive paper instead of a DRSW as the watch with the paper has been verified by an authority. Thats's me taking the conservative approach. Just my 2 cents worth of thought.
I have been cautious in buying vintage watches especially these few years and I am not chasing after the high prices one but buy from collectors who want to change their direction of collecting. Lucky, these are original black dials watches have turned to different shades of brown.... some called it Tropical...some called it dirty old dials..that has seen the passing of time..
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