Very interesting Vintage Sub On Ebay

[southcoast68]

I have lost a lot of respect for some of those guys after this (Actually a few of them were not on my "A"list before). What really made me angry was the post by "Viper" that was and out and out lie. He totally made up a Bull S**T story about the 1570 movement ticking away in the 5510, then wonders "What happened to the 1530 that should have been in the watch" Luckily, several of the other members pounced on him pretty hard. basically calling him out that he lied in his post. What all this sounds like is a bunch of spoiled brats whining because they didn't steal the watch from the seller, or they don't have enough money to afford it. They made a really big deal about the USA bracelet. Why? The seller plainly said that he wore the watch as his primary watch for many years , probably only taking it off when he scrubbed in for surgery. What the Hell do they expect from a 1958 watch, Bracelets wear out. Probably since he was just a short drive south of Dallas, the watch got sent through the RSC in Dallas, maybe several times. More than likely at some point in time, the bracelet was changed for a US bracelet, totally usual for this age watch. After all when you look at the for sale posts, how many 1680,s from rthe late 60's and early 70's still have the original 9315 bracelet and 380 end links? Not many that I can see. I know one thing, there are a couple of VRF guys that i wouldn't buy a Timex from, much less a Rolex!

That hits the nail on the head right there. Congrats to 'ole Bob, may he enjoy his $60k.

[freddy333]

Combine that with the fact to some people it is 'just a freaking watch', and as long as it can be attached to the wrist-- care very little about the subtleties of a bracelet or clasp.

In general, your point is well-taken. But, above the $10k range, & especially at $60k+, I think this is anything but 'just a freaking watch'. At this level, accuracy & authenticity are all that matter.

While, subsequently, it appears that the seller may be exactly what he professed to be (an honest guy with a limited memory & photographic skills), his original auction, including less-than-revealing pics, sparked more questions than it answered. And the selling point of VRF, in my book, is their unerring & unequivocal pursuit of perfection. If a watch passes through their ranks unscathed, you can be pretty sure it is the real deal. Anything less & the odds (of your getting less than you bargained for) go up. Of course, some there occasionally bark out-of-turn. But, when large sums of cash are at stake, I would prefer to get my ego bashed-up at bit than to have my wallet emptied.

[Ronin]

Well said Freddy333. I agree with running the gauntlet so to speak over there. My only point is, to Bob it probably was 'just a watch', and when the original bracelet died, and it was replaced with the current one, he/Bob probably could care less. The thought of resale value never entered his mind then. Considering the watch had no box or papers either, attacking it for a replacement bracelet just seemed like overkill.