The eBay Gods Are Taunting

[abem]

Hi.

Many of you have probably been in a similar place...

Over the past few weeks, I've had a string of disappointing eBay purchases, I've had a couple of difficult customers, It has seemed like I've lost out on all of the"good" eBay listings, and I've generally have been thinking that perhaps I shouldn't be spending so much time, energy, and money on this ridiculous obsession. Just as I'm thinking of giving it all up, an eBay listing pops with with a nice looking P4 executive in stainless steel - Buy It Now for $49.99 ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/151020983762 ). Ok, I'll bite - it probably doesn't work, but for fifty bucks, what the heck.

I just got it today. After a little cleaning, aside from a few light scratches on the crystal, it looks pretty great. After putting in new batteries - perfect. Nice soft button action, easy wrist flick, autoset module. 8" solid link bracelet. Dang, the gods must be taunting me.

Ok, maybe I won't give up just yet.

-abe.

[BENRUS]

Nice score Abe!, and so close to home it was to you
I have that exact same version, and wear it often. Like my P3 solid link, it gets way more wrist time than any other of my watches.
How close is your serial to mine? (222399)
I think there was a small range of these with the Bear bracelet.

[abem]

The serial# on this one is: 231202. Pretty close. I have another with serial #223352 - even closer.

For the P4, the solid link Bear bracelets seem to be more common (at least today) than the Champion hollow link ones, whereas for the P3, the solid Bear bracelets are definitely in the minority. I don't know what the production numbers are. Anyone? Bueller?

There appear to be (at least) three different case shapes for the stainless P4's and at least two different case shapes for the stainless P3's. I was thinking of taking some photos to show the differences.

-abe.

[BENRUS]

I have one decent picture I took awhile back where you can see the difference in P3 cases:

Case diff.JPG

[bruce wegmann]

The odd P3s are the Swiss-made cases. They have very different case backs, and difficult-to-read serial numbers that always start with a "5". The magnet recesses also have the "HR" and "MIN" markings printed on, instead of stamped into the steel.

[Ade51]

Great catch Abe,

I don't seem to be very lucky with purchases at the moment but perhaps there is a gem just waiting around the corner.