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For starters I would say a non ringed logo, which I think was only the first year of CWC issue, without date £120ish.
With the date maybe £150-175 but that's a stab.
Lovely watch BTW and you ought to hang on to it.
Paul
Can anyone give me an idea of the value of one of these?
I've had it since 1985, when I was issued it as a Royal Navy Navigator, and used it for Navigating warships and for 3 China Sea crossings under sail. Mine's a 1981 model, original and unmolested. I've got a new ESA 536.121 movement coming for it, after which it should be working as intended. Tritium lume has aged but dial and hands are all in vgc.
I've been thinking I should probably include it on the insurance (I never bothered previously because I didn't pay much for it in the first place); but whilst it holds some emotional value, nostalgia is not what it used to be and I don't use it very much - perhaps once a year for the local Naval Officers Club Trafalgar Night dinner. So I've also been wondering whether to keep it, or sell it and put the proceeds towards something I might use more often.
There are very few of these Fat Case Navigator's watches around - I've seen or heard of only 4-5 and don't know of any recent sales. MilSubs are by comparison as common as muck, though i realise this doesn't necessarily translate into MilSub prices!
BTW - This is not a sales post - I'm just considering my options - so any guidance would be appreciated, thanks.
For starters I would say a non ringed logo, which I think was only the first year of CWC issue, without date £120ish.
With the date maybe £150-175 but that's a stab.
Lovely watch BTW and you ought to hang on to it.
Paul
No he should'nt.......he should sell it to me ;-)
With a written note about its provenance it might be worth more, perhaps even £200-£250. I reckon it depends on luck and who sees it.
Keep the original movement with the watch. Even if it's not working it is an original part of the watch and I think a buyer would value the watch because of this (similarly to the provenance note that I suggest).Originally Posted by HappyJack
You would be mad to sell it though, it's not a huge amount of money, and you could never buy those memories again.
Cheers..
Jase
Based on a quick search on MWR I would say £150/£160, that area. You might get lucky on Ebay.
They are not complicated, but if it was mine and precious and needed work or servicing, I personally would go to Andrew Leftley at World Time Services.
Again, personal opinion, if it was mine, I'd keep it in top shape. However, you seem very rational, not too emotional about it as a possession and don't use it much. So don't feel bad about selling it on, I am one of those that attaches too much to possessions and end up with a load of unused clutter.
Thanks everyone for the advice. I seem to remember a Fat Case G10 with date selling on eBay around three years ago for something approaching £300 (though there may have some debate as to whether it was a genuine sale). So I started applying compound growth rates and wondering whether it might get me into a CWC Quartz RN Diver, one of which I had on issue in 1985-86 when they first came out. At £420 for a new Diver, there would be too much of a gap between the value of the memories and the future aspirations; I'll get the new movement fitted to the Navigator and hang onto it.
The other question is whether re-luming the hands and dial (there's someone advertising on eBay who offers this service) would make it more useable and therefore make me want to use it more, or just ruin the originality and the appeal? And, if the watch has so little value to anyone else but me, should I be worried about the originality? Will it, one day, be like the unmolested military Rolex Subs, where the value is much greater than those which had fixed bars replaced with spring bars and sword hands replaced with Mercedes?
I wouldn't get it relumed, looks good to me.
For what it's worth, high prices like that have happened more than once. I think they were genuine but depended on the right combination of competing interested buyers and a watch that was exactly what they wanted.
Your watch has provenance (which I would strongly suggest you promote if you were to sell it) which I think could push its price up higher than average but, as I said, how high would depend on luck.
All that said, I think you're right to keep hold of it. If it were me in your position, I know that the sentimental value would outweigh the limited monetary value of the watch (even at the top end price).
Do keep the original movement. Should you ever wish to sell then I think the original movement (even loose and non-working) would help, not hinder, the value.
Definitely leave the lume alone in my opinion. The watch looks great as is. It is what it is and I think it should be enjoyed as it stands (albeit with a working movement).
I've owned a lot of early G10 watches, and still never seen an early Navigator like this.
In that condition, I'd be thinking £200 plus.
Your watch is the only 1981 that I have seen and so as a navigator it is really rare. Strange really as there were at least 935 in the batch looking at your serial number. I think the value is higher than suggested here because they are rarely seen for sale. Once a couple of people get bidding on Ebay the price can really rocket.
I have 2 of these navigators dating from 1980 and I was really excited to get hold of them. From memory I paid between £120 - £180 maybe 5 - 6 years ago. I nearly had a major bargain with one of them in that I asked the seller for a buy it now price and it was something like £85 as that is all he had paid. Then all of a sudden someone else put in a bid and so the auction had to run. I could not let it escape.
I also have a navigator dating from 1994 which I have been wearing for the last couple of weeks in rotation with other CWC G10s. the 1980 models are my favourite and I have 2 non dates as well.
If I were you, I would certainly keep the original movement as it is the circuit board that lets these down. If you search for a non date CWC or Precista from 1980 - 1982 you can transplant the new circuit board into your watch and all will be well again. Also the originality will be kept and so your price will rise again. Remember always use that satin tension ring if you ever have to replace the plexi glass. Keep away from the modern chrome tension rings.
PeterT
I have managed to start a collection, I looked for ages for a fat nav, like you I have seen a couple go or at least list for crazy money... like the guys say, hang on to it and don't mess with it, keep it as original as possible....
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