Vacheron Constantin

Hi Jian,

My personal choice is gold (or platinum) first, if it becomes possible to have that choice at all.

And even better including an original corresponding gold bracelet - but I'm not exactly a friend of that soldered bracelet type, but there are nice ones also.

But if you look what you can find on the market, often the gold bracelets are not original at all, or modified (e.g. shortened) unprofessionally, or in need of a repair, or with obvious defects. Of course the unperfect condition do not pay in a high premium in price.

Gold first for me means also, a gold cased watch with little to no wear would always have a higher aesthetic value than a steel watch.

Even if the steel watch may have been produced less, what's probably just the case for the more expensive refs - means those with a originally high retail price like chronos, calendars, sonnery, etc. - But I wouldn't buy the steel and pay that premium. For me it's simply because the steel watch have always been the low-cost variant in the V&C offer (maybe with exception of the 70's sport watches).

The higher evaluation of steel by the collectors is just another form of exaggeration, like known from other forms of investment. But there is no intrinsic value. If there is no intrinsic value, than the high evaluation could change over the time, or even over night - it's just a matter of collectors taste. There is a lot of stupid money in the market, and the buyers belief in the mantra (or the fairy tale) steel calls higher price.

Moreover it is more easy to find a steel watch within good shape than a gold watch (1:10 vs. 1:100), just because of the material properties - resistance - of steel versus gold.

The price for ladies watches are undervaluated probably because there are little to no female collectors. If there would be a significant number, the price would probably rise even higher than the gentlemen refs. Woman tend to spend much higher price on jewellery if it's in vogue, maybe just because it's in vogue.

My recommendation for the true aficionado would be

don't get dazzled by the steel fata morgana.

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