Who Watches the Watchmen (Our Chit Chat Thread)
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I’m not a Tudor expert, but what are the prices like? Bratislava btw.
L to R, 3050
pepsi 4320
7650 gold and SS chronograph
Ladies 2010, 2110 and 1950 on right.
If the seat's wet, sit on yer hat, a cool head is better than a wet ar5e.
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Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,108 Mod ✭✭✭✭
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Well it was a long time ago(tm) 90's IIRC when vintage watches were still a tiny niche and significantly cheaper(EG Rolex Milsubs were climbing but still to be had for 4-6k). His valuation for the watch minus the TE Lawrence connection was about right, if not a tad high for the time. Fast forward to 2021 after the watch collecting bug went wild and investors were in play and a similar Omega without the connection got 10k at auction. Not exactly Big Money when you consider people were paying that and more on top of RRP on the grey market for some new models at the time. He wildly underestimated the added connection value, but when it was sold at auction in (IIRC again) 2000 it had started to really pick up as a thing in auction circles anyway. If it had shown up in say 2015 I reckon it would have hit millions at the hammer rather than the 80,000 it did.
I've always had some issues with the watch itself. Not with the Lawrence connection itself as he clearly owned it. The serial no on the movement refers to a chronograph wristwatch ordered by and sold in France to an unspecified agent in 1915. However the caseback with the UK military issued broad arrow and A for army aviation serial no comes from a 1912 hunter non chrono pocketwatch sold to a UK dealer, which would make far more sense for a British issued piece. But why/how did it come to have a movement sold in France three years earlier? It's a bit of a mashup. All I can think of is when the UK military were making up some issued watches(tiny in number then, even tinier for chronographs), they bought in movements where they could from different sources and got some UK agent to ready up cases, dials, movements etc.
The dial might lend to this notion. If it's all original it doesn't make sense. The dial numerals are clearly made to take radium lume, however the solid blued hands are certainly not. When buying trench watches of the same era it's a sure and common sign the original and delicate, most likely to be lost, cathedral hands designed for radium have been changed later. An example of same from a current ebay auction;
Having Omega or any maker's name on the dial in the UK market is another oddity. The UK market(and her colonies) was a bit different and UK agents specifically requested blank dials to put the retailer's brand on. To the degree that in 1915 Longines proudly sent out a trade letter promising UK dealers they'd never put their name on the dials or movements for that market. This was seen as a major positive. It was Rolex, ironically a UK brand at the time ,that changed that by insisting their name appeared on dials and movements, just like branding in the rest of Europe. The US had been like that for years, though sometimes had a mix. EG retailers like Tiffany adding their branding. They're about the last still doing that very old practice.
So to me it looks like a chronograph sold in France in 1912, that was later bought in by a UK military agent, keeping its dial, but getting replacement hands and a case from stock. Likely from a pocketwatch because wristwatch sizes were smaller so a time only wristwatch case wouldn't fit.
They did similar with UK issued diver watches in WW2, the UK's 'Panerai' as it were. bought in movements from Longines and Omega of various ages, cased locally in essentially 19th century 'explorer' silver pocketwatch cases with wire lugs for a strap.
Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.
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