Phillips Hong Kong Speedmaster November 2020
Phillips held an auction in Hong Kong on 29th November 2020.
They sold this 105.012-66 with a CB case for HKD 113,400 including premium which equates to $14,630. It comes on a 7912 bracelet with 516 End Links and this adds considerably to the valuation. Just how much is open to discussion, but I estimate $2000 – 3000.
The watch is quite striking, with the fat neck pushers and facet lines along the top of the lugs immediately obvious.
It comes with an Omega Extract.
Only one face image to work with, but Phillips does provide Hi-Res images and we can get close enough to see the body of the dial is black, and without any major damage I can see, Note the step has slight discoloration but this is to be expected and adds to the character for me. Note there is a stripe of shadow running down the right side of the minute track – I feel this must be an artifact, obviously a serious buyer will ask the auction house for better photos.
We note in this photo the hands have received unequal treatment and the minute hand has a different appearance to the hour.
We must also examine the plots and decide if they are un-touched. There is considerable wobble and inaccurate laying of the luminous material. While it would be more desirable to see accurately laid plots, I do not feel the evidence leads to adjusted lume and I believe the lume is intact, when comparing this example to known examples.
What does concern me slightly is the state of the edge of the dial in the lower left quadrant. However on close inspection the brown line is not on the dial, rather it is either in the case or on the rehaut of the crystal – which my be missing entirely – but this is something for the new owner to address but it has not affected the dial in my opinion.
This crop also shows the clearly defined facct line on top of the lug.
The bezel is clean and correct – it was so good I checked against my counterfeit examples, until I came across the damage at 70. I was focusing so closely I did not see the mark immediately, as I was so impressed by the colour and clear print of the rest of the bezel. I wouldn’t be surprised if a dealer buys this, and repairs the bezel with enamel paint. I now look very closely at all watches I consider for repaired bezels, if I am attributing a high value to it. This damage at 70, and the light damage at 110-120 knocks the bezel into Good – and for some collectors this will hold them back.
As for the rest, the crystal is broken and will be replaced as this needs a service – if only to check why that brown stuff is there in the lower left.
The pushers and crown are original and should not be changed.
The case back looks OK but we cannot really tell on the photos.
Summary
Dial: Very Good
Case: Very Good
Bezel: Good
MVT: unknown
On my chart the head only is 14,000 (Good) to 17,000 (Very Good) and this watch sold for $14,630
If we deduct $3000 for the 7912 this Head Only sold for about $11,630.
However you compare it to my list, the chart suggests that previous examples have sold for more, quite a lot more than this.
We have to be EXTREMELY careful before rushing to down grade the chart (which I may well do if other prices follow.)
This watch is a very good basis for a VERY GOOD example but it has some questions marks over the state of the movement, how stretchy that bracelet is, (Look at the photo, there is considerable gaps between the links) and the dial lume may have put people off.
All that said, I think this was a good buy.
