Around 3M $ left? - An extraordinary collection

[foxytimes]

45 watches from 1980-2000, sold from Lithuania by auction.

Rubellite, sodalite, meteorite, MOP, wood, grossular, fossil, cacholong, bull's eye, pyrite, lapis lazuli, howlite, onyx, ammonite, aventurine, jasper, opal

https://www.catawiki.com/en/l/903570...isex-1980-2000

and seemingly almost all full sets. By the way: estimate is around 2,5M $.

[Dan S]

Who sells something like this as a single lot, and on Catawiki? It's overwhelming, TBH.

[illiguy]

Originally Posted by Dan S

Who sells something like this as a single lot, and on Catawiki? It's overwhelming, TBH.

This made me chuckle.

[996marty]

I’ve still not worked out what catawiki is yet before I even get to the watches

[Kingface66]

Shipping is free!?! Now we’re talking!

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by 996marty

I’ve still not worked out what catawiki is yet before I even get to the watches

My perspective is that it is a mostly low-end auction site. Years ago it seemed promising, but largely didn't live up to its potential. Just a weird place to sell this type of collection, IMO.

[330ci]

Originally Posted by Dan S

My perspective is that it is a mostly low-end auction site. Years ago it seemed promising, but largely didn't live up to its potential. Just a weird place to sell this type of collection, IMO.

The bid history seems to indicate a few shills.

Likely ends up at a larger auction house next year

[MRBolton]

That has got to be the craziest collection I've ever seen, just in terms of virtually every model being an "out there" reference and exclusively precious metal. Wow. Definitely takes an unique buyer, but I personally would rather have this than buy some random vintage watch for half this amount.... Then again, I'm not anywhere near the income bracket it would take for this, so what do I know!

[southtexas]

That is absolutely wild. And the lot includes my personal favorite, the DD dino fossil dial.

Anyone know any backstory on who owns this lot?

[swish77]

Interesting collection, but not even one watch I’d ever want to wear.

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by swish77

Interesting collection, but not even one watch I’d ever want to wear.

Couldn’t agree more.

[Jackie Daytona]

Originally Posted by southtexas

That is absolutely wild. And the lot includes my personal favorite, the DD dino fossil dial.

Anyone know any backstory on who owns this lot?

I was thinking the same. That’s a hell of a collection. It would be interesting to know whom it belonged to. Selling the whole collection that had to have taken years to accumulate and get just right.

[INC]

Originally Posted by swish77

Interesting collection, but not even one watch I’d ever want to wear.

...but the Wolf Roadster case is cool

[miamiclay]

32 of the 45 (over 70%) are all different stone and wood dial Day-Dates. I’d love to know more about this collector and collection, this wouldn’t be easy to assemble.

I did note in the auction copy for #24 (with some amusement) that every time I’ve worn my Cacholong dial DD, I was also unknowingly getting my chakras balanced!

Right now bidding is at ~$47,000 each average for all 45.

[77T]

Who sells something like this in a single lot?

An heir/heiress, usually.


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[omar-rye]

“Each watch is accompanied by a complete set of original papers, box, booklets, and plastic tag. All watches are fully functional, with cases and bracelets preserved in their unpolished, original condition.”

Well that’s impressive

[Andad]

Originally Posted by miamiclay

32 of the 45 (over 70%) are all different stone and wood dial Day-Dates. I’d love to know more about this collector and collection, this wouldn’t be easy to assemble.

I did note in the auction copy for #24 (with some amusement) that every time I’ve worn my Cacholong dial DD, I was also unknowingly getting my chakras balanced!

Right now bidding is at ~$47,000 each average for all 45.

What is the reserve?

[KY..]

Impressive for sure.
The seller wanting to sell it all as a single lot possibly through an associate may work to their advantage if they avoid extra auction house fees and dealer low ball offers.
They’ve got 6 watches I’d have considered taking a crack at if they were separated.

[Rebel]

Wow.

[Funkle]

Originally Posted by 77T

Who sells something like this in a single lot?

An heir/heiress, usually.


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Or court.

Even as a fan, this is kind of redundant. Like Slash having 100 Les Pauls, after a while..yawn

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by KY..

They’ve got 6 watches I’d have considered taking a crack at if they were separated.

That's the point for me. It's extremely unlikely that anyone but the owner wants to own all of those watches. Someone will more likely buy them to sell, or keep a few and sell the rest.

So it's a convenient way to sell them, but unlikely to bring the maximum return. And if you're going to put them in an auction anyway, why not have the auction house sell them separately. They're doing the work, not you.

Sometimes a collection will bring more as a grouping because it is a set. This is not a set.

[nrhiture]

Wow! Impressive.


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[miamiclay]

The collection shows sold at €1.9M, just over $2M USD.

Idk what % catawiki charges sellers, but I’m not sure these would have brought much (if any) more net if sold individually through a major house, with their rates.

Odd that the lot was listed as “1980-2000” when almost half the items were 6-digit references.

[foxytimes]

Originally Posted by miamiclay

The collection shows sold at €1.9M, just over $2M USD.

Idk what % catawiki charges sellers, but I’m not sure these would have brought much (if any) more net if sold individually through a major house, with their rates.

Odd that the lot was listed as “1980-2000” when almost half the items were 6-digit references.

I don't know the final price. The description mentions an additional buyer's protection fee. 4.5% of hammer price. I've got no info about the regular premium.

As seller acts SwissOnly. They state to be a professional vintage watches seller with a 30 people team including 13 watchmakers and 6 restorators. With an address in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.

Their terms: shipping via DHL Express with insurance. No customs taxes for EU buyers, 0% VAT for all EU buyers. As a Swiss buyer this lot would set me back well over 170k in US$ for import taxes alone. But of course, if you can afford the lot, you can afford the taxes...

[miamiclay]

I really wonder - Are we going to see these dribbling out for sale, or is this someone’s extraordinary instant collection? (Or even one of those “watches as investments” type funds.)

Originally Posted by foxytimes

I don't know the final price. The description mentions an additional buyer's protection fee. 4.5% of hammer price. I've got no info about the regular premium.

I think the 4.5% was the only buyer premium on this sale, so that works out to about $47K each average. US duty wouldn’t be much on these - As far as I can tell, rare or fancy dials are considered part of the movements, and carry no additional duty beyond the duty on any movement. (Pretty odd that some rare-dial >$100K DD would pay the same duty as one with no dial at all - $1.53 on the movement, 4.2% on case, 9.8% on bracelet.)

Huh! Sotheby’s cut their rates, they now charge sellers 10%, capped at $50K.
Catawiki charges sellers 12.5%, no cap.
(Idk Phillips or Christie’s)

I know for truly significant lots which every house wants, these fees are negotiable, can include guarantees, etc., but I doubt it here … which could mean the seller paid $250K to catawiki, rather than the $50K Sotheby’s would’ve charged. (Otoh, it also wouldn’t surprise me to learn that catawiki cut their premium, if that’s what it took to get this sale closed at the end.)

Any guesses on the buyer? (Or even anctual info, … or scuttlebutt, or fantasy?)

[carwashchris]

Originally Posted by Kingface66

Shipping is free!?! Now we’re talking!

It's the insurance , that will kill you.

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[Incroyable12]

Lithuania is sort of a random country to base a watch dealership out of.

[carwashchris]

I wonder if any of them have ever been worn. The cases and lugs so sharp. What a collection .

[BNA/LION]

Interesting...