Caveat Emptor UK style

[doog]

As Butch is keen on telling us, being an informed Zodiac enthusiast makes the whole experience much easier and enjoyable. I thought it might be worthwhile sharing this listing for a Sea Wolf, that I came across on an auction website in the UK. Some serious condition issues are readily apparent even with such poor images. The lume in the hands has deteriorated badly and is probably in the movement, the movement itself is not square in the case, is that a rust spot between 7 and 8?, and most entertainingly, it appears to have gained a date wheel from a Zodiac with a 6 oclock date aperture. (It will be fine as long as you are lying down.) It has obviously seen better days, and even with a half decent looking bezel and an original bracelet, 580-640 Sterling is a very punchy estimate from the auctioneer. The description is not very accurate either with its suggestion of a screw-in caseback.
Buyer beware is about right.

Apologies Butch. I shall post a link to it instead.

Link here

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/sterling-vault/catalogue-id-sterli1-10022/lot-1235a879-337f-4bea-8507-a8a5013ade00

[Butch]

Thanks for the participation! Do you own that pic and the right to display it?



Normally just supply the link. Keep us both out of trouble.

[Butch]

Thanks Mate. I agree on all counts. $477 here, and then you have to get it serviced and restored, along with a new date ring from a donor watch (no idea what that may cost).

I just love all these auctions sites selling a pig in a poke, un-serviced, at ridiculous prices. On a lark I just went to eBay (which I not used in years) and said I want to sell a 1970 Zodiac Sea Wolf and it showed me some samples and I picked one like you shared. This is what eBay tells me it should sell for and how likely it will sell. BTW, no band on mine.

[doog]

It is more than that. 680 Sterling is 814 US dollars at today

[Butch]

Well I am not logged in and it shows me 340 GBP. Oh well. Same thing, only more so.

[doog]

I see what you mean. 340 was the current price if you wanted to bid, final auctioneers estimate was 680 plus. As you say, either way it is far too much.

[Butch]

It will be interesting to see how much it finished for. Let me know please.

I sold one JUST like that last year for $800. Sat on the board for a year though. Of course, as always, mine was fully serviced and restored.

[doog]

No problem, I will set up an alert for it see if anybody dives in.

[doog]

Well obviously everyone had done their research and decided the guide price was optimistic in the extreme. Sold for 400 Sterling, about 450 including fees and sales tax. Something like 640 US, going to cost half that again to get it in a decent state assuming you can source that date wheel. Much better to spend a bit more and find one that has been sorted and serviced already.

[Butch]

Smart man. There is something to be said for buying it from a collector, fully serviced and restored.