FabR[Senior Patek Moderator]
26166
Yep, that's why I was wondering if there's a substantial/structural reason that someone more knowledgeable with FPJ's market than I can identify...
It is possible this result is simply an outlier (e.g., the case of two bidders who, for whatever reason, desperately needed this specific watch in their lives...), but as far as I know, it might also be some intentional form of speculation which will take place over multiple auctions, or more optimistically, the sign that collectors are now willing to bet on FPJ as a brand -- well beyond some obvious speculation on a steel CB...
One potential concern that I see in the latter situation is that of a "temporary" bubble, i.e., prices become too inflated (or inflated too soon) to be sustainable, in which case market consequences won't be any good (or easily reversibile) for FPJ in the long run. But should this nice brand reliably start gaining significant value in the minds of collectors beyond the more predictable models, this will very much benefit its image. Just a few brands (the usual ones) have been able to achieve and sustain a similar "recognition", so while we are probably a long way before having any certainty on FPJ, a similar trend does seem worth paying attention to ;-)