Ebauché 5100: How Much?

[danomar]

This auction (http://tinyurl.com/4ekps6r) got me thinking: How much would you be willing to pay for a new old-stock 5100 movement? It would obviously need a service, having been sitting for so long.

Just something to think about on a rainy day in Georgia.

[andy_s]

I was going to say I saw one on Ebay for about £500 but that's it.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to get one for the future perhaps, but I thought the same about a crystal/handset/crown that I saw for the EZM1...where do you stop?!

As an aside, but on the subject of costs there was a nice original 376.0882 that went at henrys.de on Saturday - 3400euros/£2980 (well, just over 4,100 euros when you add the 22%). Why do these things always come up when you're skint - I missed it by 400 euros (well, it's an auction so who knows what it could have gone for eventually, I suppose), probably a good job as I hadn't quite worked out how to pay for it!

My update on your Tutima Commando II thread was hit by the blackout by the way

[DaveS]

A ridiculous price.
However, Ofrei had some (from PWI watches, post pd Orfina produce) that they charged a lot more for, and they got it too.

One went on Ebay last week for £400.

Like the one you link to, it was an early production movement (characterised by the serial number being on white ground on a recessed medallion, rather than the later stamped/engraved numbers on the movement).

Wayyyyy too much, for me.

Some perfectly reasonable whole 5100-powered watches can be had for under €300 if you know what to look for. So why not get a whole watch and keep the change.....

My cheapest 5100 record is still €105 Euros, (thisone)



but I have probably had at least four under €200.

As regards spares, there is a (quite expensive) eBay seller that regularly lists all the spares you would ever need (and a few you never would). So I am not totally sure a donor movement is required.

He seems to charge a flat €17 or so for almost every part, and even if that is expensive for the parts in question, it is loads cheaper than any donor watches or movements.

My advice would be to stock up on a few common faulting parts.

I always assumed that the seller got them from Orfina, as the rotors he sells are all Orfina marked.

Dave

[DaveS]

Thinking about it, for £500 you should just buy my North Eagles chrono on the sales corner

http://forum.atgvintagewatches.com/s...ead.php?t=3441




Just kidding

Dave

[danomar]

Originally Posted by DaveS

A ridiculous price.

Agree and disagree. A few years ago, I would have thought US $450 would be at the expensive end for a NOS 5100 movement, but most things in the watch world (and Lemania in particular) seem to have creeped upward in market value. I thought it was merely a trend, but prices have not really gone down in the past two years, have they?

This is what prompted my initial post. I wonder what ATG forum Lemaniacs would consider a reasonable price for a NOS replacement movement, unserviced. Just out of curiosity. We would be amongst those who would be most interested, after all.

Originally Posted by DaveS

Some perfectly reasonable whole 5100-powered watches can be had for under €300 if you know what to look for. So why not get a whole watch and keep the change.

You are 100% correct on that point, Dave. I am very guilty of buying watches for their parts alone. In this instance, though, I am just curious what a basic, early NOS movement is worth to those who care.

And don't think I haven't looked at your North Eagles un-carefully, either! If only I didn't already have a few like that...

P.S.
Congrats on selling the Tutima!

[Pascal S]

Let's put this this way: if I had the money and found myself in the presence of a NOS Lemania 5100 movement at $250, $300 at the most, I might very well buy it as a spare movement for the watches in my collection.

Anything above that price-point is not really worth it given that, as Dave pointed out, you can still find entire watches from obscure brands for that kind of price, or less if you're really lucky! For the longest time, I kept a watch (a North Eagle, but not as nice as Dave's) as a possible donor for spare parts, until my financial situation forced me to sell it (for almost 3 times what I originally paid for it) to get an influx of cash.

So when one day I get my household afloat again, I'll probably try to buy some obscure and/or beat-up 5100 chrono as a reserve of movement spare parts again...

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by danomar

Agree and disagree. A few years ago, I would have thought US $450 would be at the expensive end for a NOS 5100 movement, but most things in the watch world (and Lemania in particular) seem to have creeped upward in market value. I thought it was merely a trend, but prices have not really gone down in the past two years, have they?

This is what prompted my initial post. I wonder what ATG forum Lemaniacs would consider a reasonable price for a NOS replacement movement, unserviced. Just out of curiosity. We would be amongst those who would be most interested, after all.

I perfectly understand, this should be the place to best consider the worth, and I agree that prices have crept up over the years.

However, at present, I would tend to sit roughly where Pascal is, about the $300 mark.

Much more wouldn't be worth it, as I outlined above, in my opinion.

An NOS movement to me is not necessarlity worth that much more than one inside a watch, especially if I know the watch is a little newer than the movement may be.

Sure, there are things that wear in the movement, but not many. The 5100 is very robust in that respect, as well as in operational matters.

Of all the 5100s I have had, many have been found in what one might call an "unloved" (as opposed to "pre-loved") condition, and only one has caused me any probelms, and even that was relatively easily fixed, at little cost.

The one advantage that an NOS movement has is that one can be assured that it hasn't been wetted at any stage, not something one can say with confidence when it somes to a whole watch.

The interesting thing, as you rightly say, is whether spending this amount now would prove to be a bargain later on. At present I suspect not, but I don't know.

Dave

PS - thanks about the Tutima, the buyer saw it here but lives about 1.5 miles away.....