Patek Philippe

I have never purchased a watch from an auction. I have seen 4 Pateks which have caught my eyes and I am very tempted to bid on them. The description says all of these watches have the relevant papers. Does anyone have any experience of purchasing a watch ... 

First, be sure to research the fees, as "buyer's premiums" can be quite high, and especially given an expensive lot. Also consider the tax ramifications (e.g. if you are in the E.U., win a foreign auction and have the watch shipped, you'll be penalized he... 

Thank you Tony. Sounds like it is not as easy as I had first imagined.

make sure you trust the auction house. Generally this is not an issue if one of the major houses or a local house you are familiar with. Secondly, if you are not able to personally inspect the piece or have someone you trust go inspect it, then ask the au... 

Important points you have made me aware of. Thank you

But when you add auction fees and VAT + import taxes, you can reach a final price well above your expectations. In my opinion, you have to really keep that in mind before placing a bid. And be cautious about the enthusiasm of auctions ;-) Best wishes Alki... 

Perhaps it is not as cheap as I had originally thought. Many thanks Alkiro

Best wishes Alkiro

and ask questions if something is missing or not clear. If you don't get a response then that's a sign you should pass. There are some houses that won't give judgement whether something has been restored/re-dialed so keep that in mind. Know your upper lim... 

It will give me some ideas of what it is like. The old saying "if something is too good to be true then it is not true" is resonating with me.

Do your homework See the watches irl or get some one you trust to view them Work out prices incl conversion commission taxes vat Julian

Now I understand why some of the dealers in the second hand market mark up their prices. Thank you

I've never bought a watch, but I've been engaged in auto auctions, art auctions, general company bankruptcy/salvage auctions, etc. In general I have spent more than I intended. I've gotten more items than I planned to buy. The quality has been equal or le... 

Thank you Cazalea

If you want something impossible to get then this is the route otherwise seldom found a bargain.

prepare for the unexpected, have a strategy to deal with dishonesty. For example: no papers, incomplete info, franken parts etc. If you're lucky it will be a win win resolution. Enjoy your purchase. Best Regards Edward

If a CR gives a glowing assessment I would not so readily accept it as entirely accurate. If the CR points out negatives you can be virtually certain, what is stated is true.

I can't add much more except that in such well-known auctions, if there is something to buy (i.e. price is interesting) pro sellers will be there to catch it too. If they stop bidding, it means it is too high. I would then say that you can be lucky with w... 

I have decided to attend one of these and get a feel for it before risking my hard earned cash. Some of the Pateks look so nice in the photos though. I need to be strong!

I have only bought one watch ever via an auction and my advice is that you should have some money put aside in case the watch needs a service or a repair. I spent £850 on a vintage IWC and another £1,450 after sending the watch back to IWC to have the wat... 

It may cost me more than what I could get at a dealer but some of the examples will be difficult to get.

They know how to photograph the watch... Benjamin

PuristS friend who is familiar with buying at auctions Last year I bought my first auction piece after having attended previous ones as an onlooker. PuristS conkers gave me invaluable bidding advice and Keks gave amazing moral support ! Whether you buy o... 

The (steel) jungle (Hong Kong) is waiting for you as there is an auction by Phillips at end of May. Cheers, Gordon

Was fun! Lots of auctions coming up and I am sure I will be busy!

In case you are, shall we meet there? Regards, Henry

Hope to catch up soon ! Cheers, Gordon

The Hong Kong Watch Auction: FOUR Auction 30 May 1pm & 6pm HKT Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong 5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong Public Viewing 25 – 29 May Thursday – Monday 10am-6pm Henry

I will go to Phillips and Christies previews on Sunday 28th May. Any good for you? Rgds Roger

I am afraid. Sorry to miss you.

Sorry to have missed both of you. However, we can always arrange a day. Regards, Henry

I have purchased 100's of high end watches at auction. BUYER BEWARE!! All good advice give here. I do try to inspect each watch I bid on, if possible. Although when I do I take my phone and use the camera (with zoom) to inspect the case, dial, movement. N... 

It is preferable to inspect the goods in the flesh. However, there are times when you won't be able to attend in person. I find that Sothebys CR tend to be trustworthy. And, they post a reasonable size photo on line. On the other hand, Christies offers on...