totally agree with your assessment... but you sure have to give Ben & his team due credit for their little empire!

: I think this news is great for somebody just getting into vintage
: watches or even seasoned collectors that are dipping their toes
: into a brand that they don't have any expertise in. That said, I
: think I speak for a lot of other informed collectors that
: actually prefer the inefficiency of the current system,
: given that I don't buy from dealers and specifically look for
: pieces from original owners that are poorly described and
: horribly photographed. That's where the edge is!

: Regardless, I don't think the Hodinkee Shop will change that, as
: original owners who threw it in a drawer for 30 years aren't
: likely to read Hodinkee on a weekly basis and don't give it much
: thought other than throwing it up on eBay and seeing what
: happens. If anything, it will force dealers and auction houses
: to have more accountability in their descriptions, pictures,
: etc., which is a net positive for the entire industry.