retroleds wrote:bruce wegmann wrote: Rarity alone does not a high premium; it has to be coupled with demand.
+100!
At this very moment there are some 3000 Panerai watches for sale on Ebay.
All 5 decennia old case designs and most with a ditto movement.
Yet $3000 upwards.
Look at any high end digital. Most have been produced in very, véry limited numbers, with original design and - movement.
Desireability is the key word. It does not matter what/why but if a watch is perceived a s desireable, the roof goes out of the prices.
Take a look at the Rolex ´MecQueen´ Explorer II. Just an onrange seconds hand and the price goes berserk. All this because a clever italian dealer invented an entirely bogus link to Steve McQueen.
It has gone so núts that a well made ´homage´ McQueen is retailed at apremiunm price too
It does not matter even that it is invented; the thing has become desreable and that is a selfpropelling mechanism as long as supply is kept short of demand. This can still be thousands.
Another example is the Omega Speedmaster. Made to 50 y.o. specs. there are dózens of ´limited edition´ models that all sell out and more often than not resell at a premium 5 years later. ´Limited´ to 5000
All because the bríljant marketing of the moon thing made them desireable and agai that became selfpropelling.
Owning a piece of desireability based on history validates paying big bucks.
Owning the actual piece of history appearantly not.
A few weeks ago a WIS bought two one off Omega 2.4mega development models. Cases in 18K. Never went into production.
Yes he paid big buck; gold value only though.