Reply With QuoteFratello also did an excellent piece - https://www.fratellowatches.com/canc...ogs-breakfast/
Well done to the main blogs for calling this out - and (another) warning you cannot trust auction houses.
So yesterday there was an announcement of a Seiko only action at Bonhams:
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/bo...-breaking-newsHeads up, Seiko-Folk! Bonhams auction house has announced a two-part online auction that is 100% classic and collectible Seikos. Starting on August 17 and called "Making Waves: Seiko – A Private Collection of Japanese Wristwatches," there will be more than 200 lots available, with each and every piece having been sourced from a single, and seemingly quite impressive, personal collection.
While there are some truly rare and special pieces featured in Bonhams' preview (more on that in a moment), it's a special treat to hear about an auction that will feature watches that are likely to hammer at a more accessible price point. As much as I love seeing rare Daytonas and the like come to auction, for me, that love is more academic than based on my own experience (or clout of wallet). Basically, if you've got a thing for Seikos both old and new, this sale might just have a thing or two for you.
Bonhams' initial press release doesn't list everything, but it does offer a wide delta in terms of both style and price, including a handful of options that are estimated to sell for around $500, including a no reserve 1973 "Yachtman UFO" (seen in the lead image, right) and a 1975 "Pepsi Pogue" with an estimate between $320 and $650 (seen above, third from left). Looking for something a bit more elevated? What about the decidedly cool 2010 Spring Drive Spacewalk Chronograph ref. SPS005 (shown below and estimated to land between ~ $20,000 and $23,500).
Except...
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/bo...-breaking-newsYesterday, I wrote a piece highlighting the announcement of an upcoming Seiko-themed auction at Bonhams. It was originally slated to start on August 17, but it now appears to have been pulled from Bonhams' website entirely. This comes after considerable backlash from the Seiko community due to several problematic watches with incorrect and aftermarket parts, which started almost immediately after the full listings were published to Bonhams website yesterday.
While the idea of a Seiko-only auction is exciting (I said so in the original post, though admittedly my mouth tastes a lot like crow at the moment), few online communities are more dialed-in than that of Seiko collectors. Within moments, from Instagram to the comments on my original post and eventually this detailed piece from Michael at Fratello, people were finding pretty serious problems with the watches, including bad bezels, incorrect dials, so-called "Frankenwatch" rebuilds, and even missing lots.
Worth following a few of the links for some interesting discussion as people get into detail with the problems with various items...
Fratello also did an excellent piece - https://www.fratellowatches.com/canc...ogs-breakfast/
Well done to the main blogs for calling this out - and (another) warning you cannot trust auction houses.
I saw that.
It's been well known for a long time that a lot of covetable Seikos have aftermarket parts generally due to Seiko not supplying or being interested in their vintage watches.
A sale featuring a lot of these watches was only ever going to be an embarrassment to the auction house unless they got in one of the many experts as consultants.
Cheers,
Neil.
For a bricks and mortar auction house there should be physical inspections with full descriptions. For the fees they charge, holding an auction without inspecting the lots is madness, why not use eBay or alike.
However, I believe there’s a relatively new trend to disregard anything that isn’t 100% original. Clearly there’s value in watches that have service and in some cases after market parts. I think it could be due to a lack of knowledge with new collectors, it’s easy to value and buy a ‘fully original’ vintage watch. No questions needed, no thought given. However, buying a vintage watch that has regularly been serviced requires in depth knowledge and a lot of research. Think of the work that’s needed to buy a pre moon speedy or 1680 etc
Also, there was a lot of tat in the original auction. The 6125 looked lovely though, I was tempted by this as it would have gone well with my 6159.
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