The Watch Site banner
Cancel

What Is This Watch Worth ? (WITWW?)

1799 Views 29 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  vincentg, 
P
I propose a new game for any interested in downsizing, which is not easy, and selling,
which is also not easy. The value of an object simply boils down to a consensus of
opinions, though i have also observed that it only takes one buyer to make a deal.

I'd like to start the game with this watch, a rare one, and rare ones are by definition
very hard to evaluate. I am proving the respect that i have for your opinions by asking
for them, and of course, we're all delusional, so perhaps this game/thread can become
something like a true mirror, something that shows us some truth. Here's the watch:

www.thewatchsite.com

SOLD!! , Seiko 5 40th Anniversary LTD Edition SKZ205K1...

SOLD!! I bought this a month ago after being intrigued by it for years, the seller had a "CraZy" price for it that i wouldn't have ever paid, but i finally talked him down on it after watching it for years. i am realizing that i am just not the kind of collector who is going to have one of...
www.thewatchsite.com www.thewatchsite.com

I don't want to become the guy who just keeps flogging a watch at what really is an arbitrary
price until it sells. i bump my prices down until reality shows me i'm being reasonable. what if
we could begin the selling process this way instead of ending it?

Thanks for your consideration, and i'll be glad to offer my opinions to you, if you ask :)

Peter
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 14 of 30 Posts
P
Thesharkman said:
not quite sure that I understand your question. I never thought of this watch as "rare"; maybe that is because in the advent of my seiko interest, I saw that model a LOT and was interested in picking one up, but never did for one reason or another.

<* shark >>><
Click to expand...
ah,

back in 2003, i was still a timex guy, i liked my watch but it was a utilitarian
thing for me. i never see them for sale, for me, that's the definition of rare.
and my definition of overpriced is something that sits for a long time without
selling, or a price reduction. this watch was both, it was the only one i saw for
sale, ever, and the price was too high and never dropped.

now i'm bumping it down, but it's hard to price a watch with very little of a
track record on pricing. and, it is minty.

when i bought it, one thing i thought was, well, maybe i'll get it to the right
collector if it's nbot for me...and nthat's where it's at right now.
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
P
lol, reminiscing about 20 years ago, 2003...i'd been living in lower manhattan
for 25 years, i still thought it was affordable, but later in the year i did move out...
i go back to nyc 20 years later, and i find it hard to believe that i lived there for so
long...i imagine the world of vintage Seiko has had commensurate change in the
last 20 years....and a 2003 watch is now vintage. this world has changed so much,
and the people in it.

remember rip van winkle? well, that was in colonial times, and he was only alseep
and out-of-town for 20 years, too...
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
P
Thesharkman said:
Here's my "rare" story. I think I came into Seikos when the first gen orange and black monsters came out or close to it. When the yellow monster came out (only 300 units), I HAD to have one and spent $600-700 for it, after shipping from a guy in Thailand. That was an ungodly amount for a monster back then. I liked it a lot, but didn't wear it that much; so, off it went. I believe that I sold it for $1,500 and felt pretty darn good about it...LOL. Now, I'm kicking myself, of course. Those things sell for $4-5k EASY. There's one on ePay now for $10k. =\

<* shark >>><
Click to expand...
wow, ten grand for a monster? of course that sounds ludicrous, maybe another 20 years and it sounds cheap
to some....
Reply
Save
Like
P
Grammarofdesign said:
On to the OP's exact watch:

Watch Charts .com shows the only sale in the last 6 months was at $724 (sound familiar Peter?)

View attachment 511929

Going farther back sales in 2019 at $800-$900 and some unsold ones too, no telling if that was the same watch or up to 4 unique examples, and condition is unknown.



View attachment 511928

I would think the one you are selling, pristine if not immaculate, full kit, all links included, etc makes it a top of market value. Then the question becomes 'how many guys are interested in adding it to their collection? Not so much for the price point, just in general, how many collectors want one ? Seiko made a lot of these 7S36 oddities, limited editions and such, I love the 7S36 sushi roll family of reissues, I have no clue if this is highly desirable or not.

To me the question is not 'what is the right price?' but rather the right price is shown above, and the question is 'who is interested in owning this unique Limited Edition?"
Click to expand...
hi jon,

yup, the guy was asking $1,250 for it and i got him to $725, i guess give or take a
dollar, but given the condition of the watch, i thought that was not a bad price,
and, i had a genuine curiosity about the watch. and it's one of those minty/nos
situations where i'll put it on my wrist for a careful hour or two around the house,
but i don't want to put wear and tear on it, it really is a beauty. it fits me well, but
i think it would better fit a guy who's at 7.5-7.75. it's a manly man's watch, i'm
just a regular guy, 7" after a workout.

i had no idea i was so influential. see what i mean about rare? * one * sale and
that defines the market for the watch in general? does that mean i have to sell
it for $724 ? i am not gonna bump it for 7 years like the last guy, sounds like
a mythological curse.

so, are any collectors out there seriously interested in owning a watch such as
this? if so, i am certainly happy to negotiate, and i would also be happy to get
this particular watch to the exact right guy.

sincerely, and with best regards,

peter
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
P
also, this thread is an invitation to anyone to post a watch and ask us here what we think it's worth.
i'd be curious to see a bunch of people throw out a price they think is reasonable for the above watch...
Reply
Save
Like
P
agreed about the rarity factor. aesthetics are very personal and subjective,
i think the case architecture is brilliant, and i happen to really like knurling,
and the way the case is fitted to the bracelet is very unusual and very well
done. so, maybe i should keep it, but i am downsizing, still, and selling
what i don't wear, that's the nos factor...

i should add, i'm selling my ashtray, and i have sold my tunas, too...those
watches are what the french would call jolie laide...attractive but not pretty.
i think this falls into the same camp.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
P
I'm just going to throw a # out, but i have no idea what these cost when new, i also
don't know how old it is/year made....seems pretty current though. Looks like the numbers
on the dial are lumed. I think it's an improvement on an alpinist, the only alpinist i ever bit at
was the black dialled one in the SKX case, so, this is right up my alley. $525 U.S.?
Reply
Save
Like
P
people don't seem as interested as i'd hoped. what i notice about getting older
is that prices continuously shock me, and i'd rather have some idea of what's
going on than be continuously shocked....am i under on the sale price? i can wait
to find out, but i do want to know :)
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
P
maybe very few :) this aging thing is tricky indeed....
Reply
Save
Like
P
well, i think it should have gone higher, too, but i often do with jdm
limited edition stuff....but i usually am happy enough just to move a watch.
i'm still downsizing, which at this point means selling watches i really love,
so, my new rule is no new watches until i'm comfortably below my target,
which is 30...
Reply
Save
Like
P
also, e-bay's prices have always seemed absurdly high, and their fees as well.
i stopped selling there years ago. around here, maybe i'm naive, but it feels like
there's more than greed involved with buying and selling.
Reply
Save
Like
P
SeikoPsycho2 said:
Pricing our watches is a difficult subject. If you're selling on ebay you can kiss 15% to 20% good bye when it comes to the fees involved. If you sell on the forum you're up against someone who wants to compare a watches worth to what they see watches on ebay or other auction sites bringing. That's comparing apples to oranges.

Auction sites are a crap shoot. You never know what you're going to get or how much you'll need to sink into it before it's up to par, running well, and meets your expectations.

Forum sales are often guys that want to bypass the crapshoot but still want the watch at the crapshoot selling prices. They give no value to a watch that's been checked out, timed + regulated, and has a set of new gaskets and crystal. Don't get me wrong. There are also guys who find value in who they are dealing with and what's been done to a watch that don't mind meeting the asking price when it's within reason.

With all the variables involved no two watches are the same when it comes to pricing.
Click to expand...
feebay prices have nothing to do with my reality, and i have no interest in validating the
way they operate, or the behaviors they incite in their buyers and sellers.

when i opened this thread, i was hoping to find a consensus of knowledgeable minds,
not just for the watch i'm bumping these days, but for anyone who's bumping a watch
and wondering if he's being reasonable?

maybe "what would you pay for this?" is a better question? or "what do you think this
is worth?" um, duh, that is what i called the thread, but somehow it's just not translating...
if five people threw out numbers, you could average them and perhaps have a better
picture of reality? i don't know about anyone else, i'm on this planet to try to be a better
person, and to try to get a clearer picture of this thing we call reality.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 2
P
This watch has sold, after being gradually bumped down, farther than i would have suspected,
but it really is hard to sell something that hardly ever goes up for sale. This one, in mint condition,
sold for $395. i took a $330 beating on it, but i can't complain, it's just the way it goes sometimes.
What is the watch you want to sell worth? i might be selling some modded watches, that is really
leaving terra firma behind....
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 14 of 30 Posts
The Watch Site
A forum community dedicated to Watch owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about brands, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
The Japanese Watch Discussion Forum Seiko & Citizen Trading Post Watchmaking & Tinkering Non-Japanese Watch Discussion Seiko Reviews
Top