Last week, an original owner Carrera 73653 popped up on fleabay (I'm sure many of you saw it) and it captivated me. The dial was nearly identical to my Exotic Camaro (from the same time period) and it included the Gay Freres bracelet with all links present and TIGHT. The listing stated that he was willing to sell directly (rare for eBay), so we engaged in dialogue and agreed on a price. I bought it with the intention of "giving it a try," in that if I didn't like it, I would send it to a dealer friend who would list it at the same net price for me. Well, let's just say that it has blown me away. When I was perusing the Vintage Heuer Price Guide before offering him a number, the "desirability" was marked as an "E." Really? I rarely see these (on IG, on the forums, etc.), and the case size wears really well on just about any wrist thanks to the short lugs. Also, the bracelet is everything you'd expect from a Gay Freres BoR and can typically be included as part of the reasonable price. The ONLY con is the basic Valjoux cam-driven movement, but given the strength of the overall package, I'm willing to overlook it.

So...am I off here? Or are these still value plays from the golden era of Heuer?

Cheers,
Rob