Long story short I was born and initially raised in the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Sharjah). My mother is French and got a job as a secretary at the local Comex office. She had a friend who too was a secretary.
Anyway her friend was given a Comex Rolex as a thank you when she returned to Australia (although she is originally Spanish). The watch has apparently remained completely untouched and had recently been unearthed again after the sad passing away of her husband, which had resulted in a house move.
All the info I have is that the watch is completely unused, has never been sized or out of the box. Apparently the box is mint etc. Watch is now in Adelaide, South Australia.
Any idea as to value? I have guessed £10k+ as it's NOS but really I have no idea and want to help make sure she doesn't get ripped off.
I'm no expert (I'm sure they'll chime-in in a minute), but if it is NOS, untouched with box and papers, it's has to worth way more than £10k, maybe £50k+ (don't quote me, I know little of the comex Rolex world)?
Are you able to get any pictures of the watch in question?
No expert - would have to agree with Mutant. Surely a heck of a lot more than £10k. Best speak to Mike Wood at the old watch shop or Heywood Milton?
Skys the limit it would seem http://www.chrono24.com/en/search/in...earchexplain=1
Last edited by Dazzler; 17th May 2015 at 13:27.
Loads more than 10K , a regular NOS 5513 would be that and more maybe....
Probably more like 8K, but I am feeling generous and will take it off your hands for 9k!!!!Originally Posted by ryanb741
All kidding aside, she is very fortunate to be in the possession of such a valuable piece. Get in touch with an expert. Don't let it go until you are 100% sure you are getting top $ for it. Selling it at an auction might be a good idea, perhaps other members of the forum can point you in the right direction regarding what auction houses to contact regarding this. The best of luck.
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/w...9-8a824a48a5b5
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/w...0-details.aspx
OK thanks gents. Being honest I haven't seen it - my mother got me involved as I'm into watches and I'm always wary that one person's 'untouched and NOS' is another person's 'worn infrequently around the house' etc so I'm in no position to confirm. That being said if it is NOS it is amazing such things can still be unearthed today :)
Mike Wood wrote about one his NOS Sea Dwellers one here, which still had the black lettering intact on the rear cover.
It may have been standard, military, or Comex - I can't remember.
He was quite chuffed with his example, as they rarely come up in NOS, unworn condition.
It is definitely worth contacting Mike for valuation details.
Isn't Jedly in Australia?
http://forum.tz-uk.com/member.php?1759-jedly1
Enough teasing, lets see the watch already!
Value really depends if the watch is fitted with the matt Comex logo dial, helium gas valve, and Comex markings on the case back. If so, would certainly be north of £35,000.
Flip side, if the watch is not fitted with the Comex dial, £12,000 might be the real value.
If the watch has no Comex markings at all, £5,000-6,000 could be fair for a NOS watch.
And all this assumes the watch is a ref. 5513 (5514, 1665, 1680/0/00 will vary).
Mike Wood
E-mail goldentime AT fsmail DOT net
Some more information here: link.
If you conclude that it is as described, given the potential price, it's probably best to consult an expert at one of the major auction houses: Christie's, Bonhams or Antiquorum.
\
i will be tomorrow ...London today.
as mike says all depends what it actually is...there are several examples of employees being given civilian models (mostly 1680's) and if it truly is a 198o model this is the most likely as ''issued'' pieces of 5513 stopped a long time before that :(
but pics speak a thousand words...and if she doest do pics...my accountant is a WIS and forum member is in adeladie and could probably help
Thankyou Dazzler.
We need to know more about this watch, but let's imagine the information provided is correct.
A normal, non-logo dial Comex 5513 with helium escape valve, correctly marked and numbered case-back and good provenance is something I would perhaps pay up to £15,000 for as a rule of thumb. At that level I would be buying to keep rather than sell on for a profit (I currently have a Comex 5513, Comex 5514, Comex 1665, Comex 16800 (x2), Comex 16600 and am working on a couple more, having never sold ANY of them).
A new-old-stock example, if it really existed, would have to realise a significant premium to this, but it would depend very much on what exactly came with the watch, both physically and in terms of demonstrable provenance.
If it had a Comex logo dial then the sums would be different, but this would need to be seen.
An interesting story which on balance one might expect to be unlikely, but let us see !
With kind regards,
Haywood Milton
This is really interesting but now the 'Big 3' are aware of it a picture should soon put the guesswork to bed, looking forward to this!
I agree. very interesting.
In on this thread!
My gut feeling was if it was a dialled Comex with a corrosponding letter from Rolex of somesort we were looking at figures over £40-50k; but the pro's have spoken - this shoud be interesting if you could provide us all pics!
Hi all.
So I'm not supposed to comment more on this so as not to jeapordise the sale but it turns out it is a 1665 not a 5513. It's being dealt with locally but if confirmed as kosher it's off to Hong Kong for a frankly ridiculous amount of money that I shouldn't divulge here other than to say you could buy 3 5711's and still have change.....
Fair play to her, she needs the money :)
Good for her, hope when deal is done we can have a few more details.
Hold on, that's just a little bit different from a 5513 !
Is it a 1665 with logo dial ? 600m depth rating ( rather than 610m ) ?
Why the gagging order, unless someone is fearful that you might be offered more ? Your watch, your terms . . .
What does the watch come with ?
What condition is it in ? NOS as suggested ?
What might seem like a terrific amount might not be as much as you could in fact realise . . . just calm that excitement and take stock. Without giving the case numbers to the world, might you be able from a few quiet enquiries to realise more yet from this watch ?
FWIW, I paid £45k for my 1665 several years ago. That was not an NOS watch....
Haywood Milton, UK
Hi
It's not my watch by the way (sadly). Comes with box, papers, letter from Comex. It's Comex branded dial.She says it's 2000 feet/600 metres. Again I'm going on hearsay as she won't send pics.....
Apparently she wants a quick sale and is happy with what has been offered but obviously if she could do much better then I ought to let her know, have to be careful as have been advised less publicity the better as this may affect the sale/attract unscrupulous types or attention so I shouldn't provide more info than I currently have suffice to say I answered some genuine watch related questions not commercial ones so that's fine :)
Watch is currently being validated as real but she has been told they are expecting it to be genuine after initial on site inspection.
Edited to say it also comes with a comex instruction manual as well around operating the watch on dives.
Last edited by ryanb741; 18th May 2015 at 16:55.
Crikey, this is a different level again --- from what started at quite a vertiginous point !
I'll throw my hat in with a pm but, really, act in haste, repent at leisure. Verb. sap.
Haywood Milton, UK
Hi.
Have sent you a pm.
Thanks
Ryan
I'm not getting a good feeling. If the buyer wants secrecy...I think it's a bad sign. Surely a second opinion is necessary for a valuable piece. I'd try one of the established auction houses. They have representatives in Aus, see links:
If she has been offered half of what its worth she would be happy as its a huge sum of money!Apparently she wants a quick sale and is happy with what has been offered but obviously if she could do much better then I ought to let her know,
A quick sale might be costing her lots of potential cash. If she has had it since 1980 then theres no rush surely....
Tell her to pause and not rush into anything, as Heywood has said so eloquently.
I don't see how publicity about the watch can do anything other than increase the potential sale price of the watch. I share your uneasy feeling. Of course, miraculous barn finds of incredibly valuable vintage watches in perfect condition with box and papers do happen. This could be one of those.
Right?
It seems strange she is so hesitant to provide pictures and you're not allowed to give detailed information
Rather than ship it off to Hong Kong please speak with some of the pro's here (as I hope you are doing currently in PM)
Wouldn't publicity be good for the seller too? You get a public and transparent deal, and basically "protection" for both sides in terms of having publicly available proof if something goes wrong.
Unless it's fake.
Dealers normally tell people not to mention the watch anywhere....usually as they don't want anyone else to know about it!!
If this really is a NOS 1665 Comex with 600m dial and all the paperwork etc then sky is the limit.
The only stupid thing she is doing is selling it really quickly and being led up the wrong garden path....the market for a watch of this calibre would be HUGE.
Take your time, market it correctly, realise the full potential.....or risk losing a small fortune. Her choice.
I really hope that this turns out well for the seller (and that we eventually get to see pictures). But I fear that it may not, and we won't.
Now you've mentioned it Jason I couldn't agree more ,I'd love to see this have a really happy ending and one of the big guns help the Lady to anything of the true value of this piece .Dealers normally tell people not to mention the watch anywhere....usually as they don't want anyone else to know about it!!
If this really is a NOS 1665 Comex with 600m dial and all the paperwork etc then sky is the limit.
The only stupid thing she is doing is selling it really quickly and being led up the wrong garden path....the market for a watch of this calibre would be HUGE.
Take your time, market it correctly, realise the full potential.....or risk losing a small fortune. Her choice.
As I've a feeling that she's being a little hasty and dare I say harassed by no pictures/publicity or maybe the deals off by whoever is the buyer ?
Last edited by marksh; 19th May 2015 at 19:49.
Ryan, this post went a very long way in a very short time, to the enormous benefit of your friend if the watch is as described. Do you feel able to tell us anything about the current position ("whatever the chuff you want to tell us," rather than "what the person so generously offering £x but demanding silence says you can say" ) ?
H
intrigued to know what was the outcome of this..
Hi
It's my mums friend not mine, and certainly not my friend now as she is basically acting like a nutcase. Several of you were kind enough to forward contact details which I passed to her however in return I have been accused of trying to profit from her misfortune as she thinks I am in league with the members here who have offered expertise.
I am therefore falling on my sword on this, leave her to it. I suspect the 'collector' in Hong Kong is no such thing and this buyer will simply auction it off for a nice little earner but up to her.
Sometimes it's not worth trying to help some people.
Genuine thanks for the advice received here and by pm as well
Ryan
Sorry to hear that Ryan, no good deed goes unpunished...
Sad thing is Mike and Heywood would probably have been more than happy to help and maybe make a polite offer, they sure as hell would have helped verify it and offer advice.
Mike was the human Escrow for this transaction - totally stand up and I guess mostly did it for the joy of watch collecting.
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?127910-The-eBay-quot-MilSub-quot-Yes!-It-IS-genuine
http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?130863-The-eBay-MilSub-Pt-II-the-happy-ending!!
Well done for trying to help.
Gav
Indeed. Also got details for Jedly in Australia as he was an hour away but basically Magda (the lady in question) is somewhat of a recluse now and wants as little fuss and outside interference as possible and bizarrely didn't want her sons to find out about it either ?!!?
p.s. everyone should check out the 'Sweet mother of jesus' picture in the second thread I posted http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?130863-The-eBay-MilSub-Pt-II-the-happy-ending!!
I think you are well out of it Ryan,
The seller wanted your advice and an approximate valuation.
But couldn't provide the correct model number, photos of the watch, or details of any kind.
Then decided to ignore the advice anyway.
Well done for trying.
I'll be happy to own one of these
I wonder why she does not just put it up for auction, herself or through an auction house. It would seem like a no brainer.
This whole story is bit odd. I struggle to believe that she does not want the best price possible for the watch, simply because she is some kind of nutcase. Why would she be prepared to throw away a very significant amount of money... There has to be more going on here than meets the eye.
Very kind of you to help her, Ryan.
Last edited by GrandS; 22nd May 2015 at 23:57.
Perhaps you could show her the for sale thread from SC a few months ago. Wasn't there one advertised for 35-40K. This being NOS full set then....
I would leave her to stew in her own juice. What she does with the watch is her business.
What a frustrating situation for you Ryan. Some people just can't be told, however I wonder if this ^^ is possibly the real reason for her not wanting any publicity. Maybe the sons are expecting to own it one day and she doesn't want them to stop her selling it and spending the proceeds.
If the story is all as told to Ryan and the sons ever find out that she massively under-sold it then there may well be a very different set of arguments.
Haywood
Hi all
I have been reading this thread with interest thinking "it's another expensive rolex" story so I looked on the bay and there is one for sale for 45k, can someone explain why these are so rare and expensive? being new to the watch scene I find the thread fascinating
Sorry if it's a stupid question but if you don't ask you will never know right
This is the one on the bay
271854679741
Supply and demand....
Cheers..
Jase
The simple answer is that Comex marked watches were never commercially available to the public - they were exclusively made for the company. I am sure an expert will be along in a minute to give you some history and the the importance of these watches, but that is the quick and easy answer.
I'd be interested to hear why they are important.
I am certainly no expert, but i do know for example that the work that Comex did working with Rolex in the mid 1960s lead to the developement of the Sea-dweller model and since then has lead to improvements across a range of diving models.
Come on experts, put the wine down and give us a paragraph on the historical importance of Comex.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote