This is a very interesting post with just as interesting replies. I still find the current price of red chequered boxes utterly fascinating, but I wonder if its an area better discussed in a Monaco price discussion. Maybe I'm wrong, but I always assumed that the prices of these has gone to such a level for the relatively new collector who has just acquired a 1133b and wants a box - money no object.

I think it was Arno who made the point that Ebay recently saw a jolly nice Montreal go for around the same price as a box (albeit with papers) and this, at first glance, does seem a crazy situation. But if i'm honest, i'm a box collector too, so I completetly understand it. What I have noticed though, is that in the mass market vendors ie Ebay and Chrono 24, there is the occasional opporunity to exploit this anomoly. Often the seller doesnt realise the value of the box and when sold with the watch adds little or even no cost to the sale allowing the purchaser to off load the box and thus saving considerably on the overall deal.

Of course, i've used this to justify several purchases and I seem to still have the boxes!