Buying from auction house - Fellows or easy live auction

[m-abz-t]

Hi All,

I'm new to all this auction house thing or buying from auctions such as Fellows / Easy Live Auction etc.
Just had few questions:
-Firstly I'm assuming you can not actually buy it directly from Fellows website but go through three of the options such as The Saleroom, Live Auctioneers and Easy Live Auction?
-I was thinking of going through the Easy Live Auction website - "Buyers can choose whether to pay a live bidding charge of 3% (plus VAT) or 3.6% (inclusive of VAT) of the hammer price, or a fixed fee of £3 per sale."
-What would I actually be paying on a watch , just say on hammer price of £1000? Full price including delivery etc.. until I actually get it and on my wrist.
-Do I have to pay Fellows a fee? and the auction website I just used?
-Anyone actually buy online from Fellows? How was the process? Anything to look out for?

Cant seem to get my head around it or get the right information.

[Haywood_Milton]

Buy from Fellows direct (bidding in person or having left your bid) and you'll pay 24% commission, so £1,240 on your example.

Buy through an online intermediary and you'll pay 3% or so extra.

Fellows are among the best in terms of trying to do things right, describe the watches properly and even cater for this slightly unusual audience.

Don't expect to find a bargain these days. Fellows sales are very well publicised which means good watches realise full money, while cheap watches will often be the tattier ones that the trade (myself included) choose not to sell through retail.

If you aren't a confident and knowledgable buyer, auction may not be the wisest route. Even with a good auction house you enjoy fewer rights than buying from a dealer / jeweller and commonly there is no material saving to be made.

All said, I remain a champion of Fellows and one or two other auction houses who actually give a damn when it comes to watches --- where most don't.

Haywood

[m-abz-t]

I agree not finding bargains at auctions these days, but have very little options. I've been looking at ebay...but dont trust most sellers there. Ive been registered on this forum for a while but have to post more than 50 to view sales corner. I rarely go on forums unless i need info or have a questions.. so got a awhile to go. Ive been on The Rolex Forum (TRF) for a while but almost everyone is from USA so cant really buy from them.

Question regarding Fellows again .. I have in the past emailed them in regards to the watches they sell.. as Im particular with the watches parts and it being original for that watch. Do fellows provide guarantee for the parts on the watches? ie not being replicas or not original for that watch maybe replacement dial or strap etc ?

[Mark lowman]

Buy from Fellows direct (bidding in person or having left your bid) and you'll pay 24% commission, so £1,240 on your example.

Buy through an online intermediary and you'll pay 3% or so extra.

Fellows are among the best in terms of trying to do things right, describe the watches properly and even cater for this slightly unusual audience.

Don't expect to find a bargain these days. Fellows sales are very well publicised which means good watches realise full money, while cheap watches will often be the tattier ones that the trade (myself included) choose not to sell through retail.

If you aren't a confident and knowledgable buyer, auction may not be the wisest route. Even with a good auction house you enjoy fewer rights than buying from a dealer / jeweller and commonly there is no material saving to be made.

All said, I remain a champion of Fellows and one or two other auction houses who actually give a damn when it comes to watches --- where most don't.

Haywood

I think it depends what your looking for. Ladies Rollies often sell at around £1500-£2500 these would be in Goldsmiths and other Jewelers used displays at £3000 to £3500. I've spotted an odd Speedie going reasonably. I just missed out on a Cosmic Diver which went at £500. Those are hitting £1500 amongst collectors.

[Haywood_Milton]

I think it depends what your looking for. Ladies Rollies often sell at around £1500-£2500 these would be in Oldmyths and other jewellers who typically don't have a clue but overcharge at £3000 to £3500. I've spotted an odd Speedie going reasonably. I just missed out on a Cosmic Diver which went at £500. Those are hitting £1500 amongst collectors.

FTFY. HTH.

If looking for secondhand Rolex, one really can find dealers a lot better than the places you mention. The day I accept Goldsmiths as any sort of reasonable barometer of market prices for jewellery or pre-owned watches is the day I shut up the shops and go sailing.

As for "your" and "Ladies Rollies," I'll just hope that's some unfortunate autocorrection.

:-)

[Scrubnut]

Of course the auction house might not know what they're auctioning....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017...house-mistook/

[Mark lowman]

FTFY. HTH.

If looking for secondhand Rolex, one really can find dealers a lot better than the places you mention. The day I accept Goldsmiths as any sort of reasonable barometer of market prices for jewellery or pre-owned watches is the day I shut up the shops and go sailing.

As for "your" and "Ladies Rollies," I'll just hope that's some unfortunate autocorrection.

:-)

Personally I'd buy the ladies Rolex for the wife from fellows then accidentally wander past Goldsmiths allowing the wife to use Goldsmiths as the "Barometer" of Rolex pricing.:)

[Haywood_Milton]

Personally I'd buy the ladies Rolex for the wife from fellows then accidentally wander past Goldsmiths allowing the wife to use Goldsmiths as the "Barometer" of Rolex pricing.:)

Oh, clever !