The largest independent, non-commercial, consumer-oriented resource on the Internet for owners, collectors and enthusiasts of fine wristwatches. Online since 1998.
Informational Websites ChronoMaddox -- the legacy of Chuck Maddox OnTheDash -- vintage Heuer website Zowie -- Omega information
Discussion Forums ChronoMaddox Forum Heuer Forum Omega Forum
Counterfeit Watchers ChronoTools Forum ChronoTrader Forum
Vintage Heuer Discussion Forum
The place for discussing 1930-1985 Heuer wristwatches, chronographs and dash-mounted timepieces. Online since May 2003.
OnTheDash Home What's New! Price Guide Chronographs Dash Mounted Collection
Their Expertise / Our Expertise


I would suspect that the "expertise" embedded in the examination and description of any item is directly proportional to the expected value of that item. I'm sure that their top Patek and Rolex guys do a good job with those high-dollar lots. Where it seems to fall off, however, is with the lower priced brands, of which there are very few lots in the sale. I suspect that there is good information concerning the $100K Pateks; there is no real knowledge or information about the $3K Heuers.

It seems that the low-priced stuff is just "filler" in these auctions, to give people something to watch or even play with, between the more important pieces. It's really not a good market, to buy or sell our beloved Heuers and other similarly-situated "tool watches".

I remember a Christie's auction several years ago, where one of the five Heuer lots was an oversized fake (make in the Czech Republic, and shown below). Days before the auction, I spoke to one of the Christie's guys about the piece, and told him the whole story. He seemed to show great concern, and marked it as "Provenance Uncertain" [kind of ironic, because I knew of the guy in the Czech Republic who had made it, from a stopwatch, within the past year]. The piece sold for around $5,000, to someone who thought that it "looked like fun", even if it was a recent fabrication. I suppose that's the power / profitability of Antiquorum or Christies -- having people in the room who can toss around $5,000, for a fake watch, that looks like fun. At the time, these were selling for around $3,500 on ebay, with the sellers having an elaborate -- but fraudulent -- story about their authenticity.

Jeff

Current Position
Chronocentric and zOwie site design and contents (c) Copyright 1998-2005, Derek Ziglar; Copyright 2005-2008, Jeffrey M. Stein. All rights reserved. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the terms of use. CONTACT | TERMS OF USE | TRANSLATE