Market Watch(ing): Rio Olympics Edition

Just when the team was ready to be at 75%, more harsh realities of adulthood sunk in and we’re once again half-staffed. Anyway, this week has nothing to do with the Olympics besides providing clickbait. Speaking of the Olympics, are people watching this year for the potential disasters, crimes, and polluted waters? Or are they watching for the actual events? Who knows. Alright, let’s get to it.

Isaac’s Picks

Bulova Super Compressor

My first two introductions to this watch were on Instagram, where I’ve been following two different collectors with stunning examples in their collections for some time now. Over time, I’ve really come to appreciate the design of these Bulova Super Compressors, as it’s clean, concise, and perfectly proportioned. Earlier this week, one popped up for sale on eBay, and it’s a looker. Both original crowns are present, the case appears to be thick, and I’d be willing to bet that’s the original crystal still protecting the gloss dial. Mount it on a nice, vintage tropic strap, and you’ll be good to go.

Bid Now

Universal Geneve Compax

Cornes de Vache lugs certainly aren’t for everyone, but if you’re into them, you’ll like this next pick. It’s a Universal Geneve 283 Compax cased in 18K yellow gold, with striking “cow horn” lugs. At approximately 33.5mm across, some may find this piece to be a tad on the small side, but it’s the full package that really has me interested in this one. Along with the watch comes the original leather strap, box, and papers, indicating that watch dates back to September 15th, 1945. In the seller’s provided photos, it’s a bit hard to make out exactly what sort of condition the dial is in, so I’d suggest asking for additional shots if you’re going to take a stab at bidding on this one.

Bid Now

Shane’s Picks

After a couple of Market Watch(ing)s spent moving into a new house, I’m back in the saddle. Don’t worry, I kept my eye sharp, and I’ve got a couple of great picks for you.

Rolex Datejust Ref 1603 Blue Textured Dial

Vintage Datejusts are undoubtedly the best bang-for-your-buck when it comes to an everyday vintage Rolex piece. Unfortunately, a lot of the ones available have fairly sterile looking silver dials to go along with the steel case and bracelet. Of course, a nice shell cordovan strap can spice things up, but I’d rather go for something that doesn’t need a strap to help it stand out. That’s why I love this ref 1603 with a blue textured dial.

This dial variant is definitely not one you’ll see very often, and it looks fantastic. The watch itself was not babied, but that’s not something that bothers me. The case is thick, and shows the marks of long-term wear. You can see some of the plots are less than perfect, but the overall lume aging is nice. It’s just been overhauled and it comes with a medium stretched Jubilee (read: comfortable). For under $3K and accepting offers, this is a great deal. Also, I’ve done business with the seller and he’s a consummate gentleman.

$2,850

Croton Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver

I’m shooting for 2-2 with rare watches today, this one here being a Croton Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver with a date. That last bit there is the key to making this rare. If you do some looking, you’ll have no problem finding Nivada Chronokings that look just like this Croton, and you can also find Croton Chronomasters without a date. However, I think you’ll have a hard time finding another one of these bad boys.

I’m not sure why it’s so hard to find Crotons like this one, because I have to imagine they made more than one, but hey, maybe it’s one-of-a-kind. This particular example is very clean, featuring creamy markers and hands. The hour hand has lost just a little bit of lume, and the bezel insert shows some aging, but the watch is otherwise fantastic. I actually got to see this watch the other night at Red Bar, and I tried to convince the seller to list it for more like $3K, but he ignored me and kept it up for $2.5K. In other words, I think it’s underpriced.

$2,500

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