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Great Subject: New Discussion for Tonight
In Response To: The auction: too big to fail ()

Excellent subject for discussion . . . the auctions seem to be the "Hot Topic" right now.

By late tonight, I expect to post a message, describing four scenarios / theoretical auctions:

  • Auction One has 100 NOS and mint pieces . . . amazing pieces . . . no issues of authenticity, etc.
  • Auction Two has 100 very nice pieces . . . not NOS or mint, but great pieces that most of us would be proud to own . . . again, all are authentic and "correct"
  • Auction Three has 100 watches that are primarily "projects" . . . a few nice, correct watches, but most of the watches have problems with hands, pushers, refinished dials, etc.
  • Auction Four is the "Bell Curve", with 75% being the very nice pieces (from Auction Two), with a few NOS to spice it up (13%) and a few projects slipping in (12%)
I will pose a series of questions about which pieces our readers want to buy? which auction will be the success? which might be a failure? How is the Heuer brand, and market prices, affected by these four auctions?

Please . . . no answers yet . . . let me post the scenarios and the questions first! I expect an interestign discussion on this topic!!

Jeff

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

: I believe that, now that the auction is out, it would be better for
: everyone that its result is going to be positive. A
: "positive result" means that most of the doubtful lots
: are going to be withdrawn, that there is good demand at the
: auction, and that many of the remaining lots are sold. Starting
: price ranges are ok with a few exceptions, so prices should not
: be a problem.

: Why do we need a positive result, apart from the fact that if would
: cheer us up?
: Think about the opposite: a gigantic auction for a vintage brand
: that has been listed very rarely in main auction houses goes
: badly, even after a last-minute clean-up of the junk. The
: message for the general public, or for collectors of other
: brands will be: here we go, another minefield full of assembled
: pieces, even the remaining selected ones are avoided, let's
: stick on the more traditional trustworthy vintage names..

: Do we care about the general public/wider collectors' audience
: reaction? Of course we do: it would be unfair for the excellent
: work of the vintage Heuer collectors' community (and for the
: many beautiful original Heuer pieces that exist outside this
: auction). And the general public represents a potentially wider
: collectors' community.

: I really do not wish a speculative market on vintage Heuers with
: unaffordable prices, but at the same time I do not want such a
: PR/image problem. By the way, in this world and age this is a
: truly international auction, and not just a local Italian one.

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