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Expert Opinions, Please: How Much is Bracelet Worth??
In Response To: Congratulations Jeff!! ()

Mark:

This is a fascinating table that you have created. Using the average exchange rate of 2.58 DM per US Dollar for 1974, your table indicates that the 1158 on strap cost 1,985 DM (around $770) and that the 1158 on bracelet cost 4,875 DM (around $1,890); so the watch (on strap) would have sold for $770 and the bracelet alone would have sold for $1,120 (or 1.45 times the value of the watch itself).

This leaves me with the question for our experts: How would you value this bracelet today? In today's vintage market, can the bracelet alone be worth 1.45 times the value of the "head alone"? Do we add a premium for the scarcity factor (lack of survival of the bracelets over the years)? Or do we value the bracelet at some discount? As I evaluate my purchase, I would appreciate our experts views about the value of the bracelet, today. One thing that I can tell you: the workmanship on this bracelet is absolutely amazing. I can imagine assembling a watch; I can hardly imagine creating this bracelet!

Thanks for this interesting table, Mark . . . I will incorporate this into the "Notes" that I am writing about the 1158s.

Jeff

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

: I have always thought this 1158 to be the optimal configuration
: (CHN with white on black date) and rewards the little extra
: searching it requires, though they are all attractive watches.

: I'm not normally a "gold guy" myself, though I am of
: course very much an "automatic Carrera guy", but there
: is just something about these that looks and feels just right.

: And the bracelet is just incredibly rare. Given that the 1158 head
: was Heuer's most expensive watch by far, and that the bracelet
: was some 3 times the cost of the head, I doubt very many were
: sold. Here to give you some idea are a selection of prices (in
: DM) from 1974:

: Carrera 1153 on bracelet........... 575,- DM
: Monaco 1133 on bracelet........... 625,- DM
: Autavia 11630 MH on bracelet.... 700,- DM
: Carrera 1158 on strap.............. 1.985,- DM
: Carrera 1158 on bracelet.......... 4.875,- DM

: Firstly, interesting to note that the Autavia cost more new than
: the Monaco, but it's really the 1158 we're looking at here. The
: purchase price of the 1158 with bracelet would have bought 7
: Autavias or 8 Carreras and some spare change. Or over 7 McQueen
: Monacos. Think about what those Monacos would cost you now and
: be glad that Jeff didn't have to pay that much to snag this
: (rarer than McQueen Monacos) Carrera! Tastes and fashions
: change, I guess.

: Welcome to the 1158 club Jeff!

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