Ignorance is bliss?

An amazing result for the “Elvis Presley” Omega Constellation, hammering at an astounding $42,000 today at Antiquorum’s New York auction.  This is particularly incredible considering that the exact same watch sold for $15,535 on December 13, 2011 — a mere six months ago.  This illustrates to me how incredibly inefficient buyer and seller knowledge is in the secondary watch market — how else to explain such an astronomical increase in price?!  As for me, well, for the reasons I outlined here last week, I would not have paid a dime for this watch.  I think it is clearly the Seller of this watch who gets the last laugh this week – an almost 3x return in six months…not bad!

Elvis Presley Omega Constellation Sells June 12, 2012 for $42,000 (Antiquorum)

Same watch sold December 13, 2011 for $15,535 (Heritage)

As surely as James Bond orders his martini’s “shaken not stirred”, you knew this watch was coming.   As it has done on several occasions since 2002 (the 40th anniversary of the Bond Bond films), Omega is releasing a limited-edition watch — the Seamaster SKYFALL — to accompany the latest film which opens worldwide in November.  In addition to the usual features found on the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean (600m rating, He valve, Superlume indices, et. al.), the watch has a few nice James Bond touches such as the “007″ logo at the 7 o’clock position and the “SKYFALL 007″ logo engraved on the rotor of the exemplary Omega co-axial Caliber 8507 movement.  The dial also has a superb pattern of etched horizontal lines that give a great visual effect (see close up photo below).  I find this piece vastly superior to the  Omega James Bond 50th Anniversary Watch both in terms of looks and movement quality.  Though I would prefer lower production numbers and a 45.5mm case size, the new Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Skyfall Edition is an easy winner.

SKYFALL is actor Daniel Craig’s third installment as Bond and the seventh Bond film to feature an Omega

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean “SKYFALL” Edition

“Limited Edition” 5,007 pieces

42mm brushed and polished steel case, automatic mechanical Omega co-axial Caliber 8507 (silicon balance spring; black-varnished engraving of the SKYFALL 007 logo) matching bracelet with diver’s extension and “007″ logo

The applied indices on the matte black dial, along with the polished, faceted, rhodium-plated hands, are coated with white Super-LumiNova, which emits a light blue glow in the dark. The only exception is the minute hand, which glows green instead, as does the dot on the diving bezel.

Note the horizontal etched lines and also at the 7 o’clock position is a “007″ logo:

***FINAL OUTCOME:  Elvis Presley Omega Constellation Sells For Record $42,000 ***

Update:  My inquiry to Antiquorum has been responded to.  See notes in bold italics below:

Up for auction next week by Antiquorum is a black dial Omega Constellation reported to be previously owned by King of Rock N’ Roll Elvis Presley.  The pre-sale estimate is $10,000 – $20,000, which seems reasonable given that, interestingly, this exact watch was sold by Heritage Auctions in December 2011 for $15,535.  But I did find it mildly curious that the watch is up for auction only six months after it was purchased, so I reached out to an Omega Constellation expert for his thoughts on this watch — he was less than impressed for a number of reasons, some of which I will recount here along with my own thoughts .  While the dial appears to be original and not refinished (good) Antiquorum states that the dial has had some servicing, the watch appears to have a new 18k gold plate crown when of course it should have 14k pink gold plaque one to match the watch (see closeup below) — this fact is not noted in Antiquorum’s condition report, as it should have been, if this is in fact the case (Antiquorum confirmed the crown is replaced.   I am disappointed that these important details are not noted in the condition report).

If I were buying this watch I would want to see a more proof of its provenance.   Antiquorum has confirmed to me that their only evidence of provenance is the Charlie Hodge letter.  While it is easy to link this watch to Charlie Hodge, what verifiable evidence carries it from Hodge back to Elvis, other than Hodge’s written letter?  I have nothing against Charlie Hodge (don’t know the man), but as I learned from the fake Howard Hughes Patek Philippe that Christie’s sold, taking a man’s word is not good enough.  Verifiable lineage of a watch’s provenance is needed, and for this Elvis Presley Omega, I would like to see some more proof linking it to Elvis — not just a heartfelt letter and some fuzzy photos.

Speaking of photos — I have seen or heard from two independent sources now that the watch that Elvis is wearing in the Antiquorum photos is a Caliber 503 Seamaster Calendar, not a Constellation as the Lot listing would have us believe.  So, is the watch in the photos a Cal 503 Seamaster or a Constellation?  And what should we take from this?    When asked specifically if the watch Elvis is wearing in the photo is the same as the Omega Constellation offered for sale, Antiquorum states: “Yes, we believe so.”   And on what basis was this determination made?  “It appears to be the same watch when examining the watch in person and looking at the enlarged photo.”  Clearly this is subject to debate, as other independent and unrelated parties believe the watch Elvis is wearing in the photo is a Cal 503 Seamaster.

Antiquorum has confirmed to me that their only evidence of provenance is the Charlie Hodge letter.
This along with the disputed photographic evidence of Elvis wearing the Constellation, I reiterate that — for me personally — this is not enough and I would like to see more proof of provenance.

Also as I alluded to earlier I find it odd to see the watch offered for sale only six months since it last changed hands, but there could be many reasons for this.  These things said, I am not an Elvis memorabilia expert and I have not dug much deeper than this, so please leave a comment below if you have any thoughts or insights on this watch and its provenance.

See Antiquorum lot details here.  Heritage Auction lot details (Dec 2011) here.

OMEGA BLACK DIAL CONSTELLATION CALENDAR PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY ELVIS PRESLEY

Lot details as provided by Antiquorum:

Omega, Constellation, Calendar, Chronomètre, Officially Certified, No. 16881537, Ref. KO 2943. Circa 1960. center seconds, water-resistant, stainless steel and pink gold-capped chronometer wristwatch with black dial and a gold-plated Omega buckle.

the watch appears to have a new 18k gold plate crown when of course it should have 14k pink gold plaque one to match the watch — look closely and you can see the color difference:

More lot details, per Antiquorum:

Elvis Presley and Charlie Hodge Charlie Hodge was a member of the Foggy Bottom Boys gospel group and a long time friend of Elvis Presley. While the two had met briefl y backstage when they both played in Memphis, Tennessee, it was when they were drafted into the army that they became close friends. They were reacquainted at Fort Hood in Texas, traveled to Europe together as bunkmates, and spent signifi cant time together while stationed in Germany, taking leave and traveling the continent together. Hodge worked for Elvis throughout the 1970s, providing back up vocals and guitar as well as supplying Elvis with water and his famous scarves during live shows. As detailed in the accompanying letter, Elvis gifted the Omega to Hodge after he repeatedly told Elvis that he admired the piece. Hodge additionally states that he ‘lived at Graceland… for 16 years until Elvis’ passing” in the letter, describing his close relationship with Elvis and his work with him through the years.

Accompanied by a letter of attestation from Charlie Hodge, shown here as sourced from Heritage Auctions Dec 2011:

Baselworld 2012: Attention all Speedy fans! The First OMEGA in Space has landed. Like so many of my fellow Omega collectors, I love the Speedmaster. It has a glorious history and has the honor of passing the rigorous testing at NASA and being the watch worn on the moon, thus earning the nickname “Moon watch”.

Most watch fans know about the rigorous testing that led to the OMEGA Speedmaster being approved for NASA on all its manned missions from 1 March 1965. Did you know that some two and a half years earlier, astronaut Wally Schirra had already worn his own Speedmaster in space? A new watch commemorates a historic chronograph.

So much has been written about the rigorous testing that led to the OMEGA Speedmaster’s being the only watch qualified for every manned NASA mission that it is easy to forget that the very first OMEGA worn in space was the Speedmaster that astronaut Wally Schirra wore during his Mercury Atlas 8 mission in October of 1962. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first Speedmaster to orbit the earth, OMEGA has created the Speedmaster “First OMEGA in Space” in honour of Wally Schirra and his historic wristwatch.

The Speedmaster “First OMEGA in Space” edition recalls the watch that Schirra bought at a jeweller in Houston more than half a century ago. Inside its 39.70 mm polished, brushed stainless steel case is the legendary self-winding MANUAL WINDING calibre 1861, which earned its reputation as the movement in the legendary OMEGA Speedmaster Moonwatch. It also has the black aluminium bezel ring with a tachymetric scale that has long been associated with the classic Speedmaster.

Visible through its box-form, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal is the classic varnished black dial that for 55 years has made the Speedmaster the world’s definitive chronograph: the 30-minute and 12-hour counters are located at 3 o’clock and 6 o’clock respectively and the small seconds sub-dial is at 9 o’clock. It has white transferred indexes; the hour markers and hour and minute hands are coated with Super-LumiNova.

The watch has a screw-in stainless steel caseback which is embossed with OMEGA’s original seahorse emblem, the words “THE FIRST OMEGA IN SPACE” and “OCTOBER 3, 1962”, the date of the Mercury Atlas 8 mission. The Speedmaster “First OMEGA in Space” is a numbered edition and its number is engraved on the caseback.

The Speedmaster “First OMEGA in Space” chronograph is presented on a brown leather strap with beige stitching. The watch is water resistant to 50 metres / 167 feet / 5 bar. This classic Speedmaster is a fitting way to celebrate the beginning of an adventure that would ultimately lead to six lunar landings and half a century of space exploration.

Baselworld 2012:  Presenting the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ceragold, another exciting new Omega for 2012 (though nothing like the flashy Speedmaster Racing watch, or the First OMEGA In Space).  Indeed, 2012 seems a year for innovation in materials — as with Hublot’s new and proprietary “magic gold” (did you see the Big Bang Ferrari yet?!), OMEGA has created a new material that premiers in the new Seamaster Planet Ocean, Ceragold.   Though to be clear, this material is only represented in the bezel of the new PO (somewhat similarly to the PO Liquidmetal from a couple years back) — so perhaps there is a bit of hype in all this, but still a beautiful watch nonetheless.  The polished black zirconium-based ceramic bezel which offers a stark, dramatic contrast to the Ceragold diving scale set within.   The co-axial Calibe 9301 movement is equipped with a silicon balance spring and like all Planet Oceans, the watch comes with a full four-year warranty.  An all-white “St. Moritz” edition of this watch, in 42mm case, is also presented (I will show you later).

OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean 45.5 mm Chronograph Ceragold

45.5mm red gold case, auto-mechanical OMEGA Co-Axial calibre 9301 (red rotor, blackened barrel, balance spring, screws), black leather strap with red gold foldover clasp

VIDEO

Baselworld 2012: Inspired by the iconic “Pilot Line” case shape and equipped with a brand new multifunction quartz movement, calibre 5666 has been designed with modern pilots in mind. This design may not be for everyone, but the name is catchy. I shall have to look for the Spacemaster on the wrists of astronauts in the future since some of them wear the Speedmaster X-33, which shares similar features to the Spacemaster.

The functions of the Spacemaster are as follows: above the digital dial is a set of analogue timekeeping hands that are adjusted by the crown at 3 o’clock. Surrounding the watch are four pushers that, along with the crown, allow full control over the array of digital features. For keeping track of the time these include date, UTC and two time zones (in 12 or 24 hour display), an alarm and a perpetual calendar. Elapsed time is measured with a chronograph function and a countdown timer. Alongside these features are self-programmable professional pilot functions to log up to ten flights and visualize those logs with date-hour indications.

The case is manufactured from grade 5 titanium, and features brushed, polished and sandblasted highlights, reminiscent of OMEGA’s pilot case design. The caseback features the polished OMEGA Seahorse, the Ω symbol, the word “Speedmaster” and the watch’s serial number. The back is fixed in place with four screws and its “double wall” construction acts as a resonance chamber, thus amplifying the sound of the alarm. A very special and highly useful additional detail that underlines the Spacemaster’s professional heritage & distinction is the fact that its digital display can be read under all conditions, even for wearers with polarized glasses.

I foresee this to become a coveted watch among desk pilots and real pilots.

Baselworld 2012:  Presenting the OMEGA Speedmaster racing watch.  What to say but wow — it doesn’t get any better than this for one of the watch world’s iconic models.  The new Speedmaster Racing honours the chronograph’s decades-long connection to motor racing – before the Speedmaster was worn on the Moon or at the North and South Poles, it was found on the wrists of men and women driving high-performance automobiles (1957, the first Speedmaster).   The OMEGA Speedmaster Racing chronograph has a 40 mm stainless steel case with a matt black aluminium tachymetric ring on its bezel. It is offered in a choice of grey, grey/yellow or grey red tachymetric scaling. The screw-in caseback features the familiar Seahorse emblem.  The 30-minute and 12-hour counters and the small seconds hand sub-dial are textured with a triangular “Clous de Paris” pattern.  The Speedmaster Racing is powered by an exclusive OMEGA calibre 3330 column-wheel chronograph which delivers such reliable timekeeping performance and stability that the chronograph comes with a full four-year warranty.  A huge winner from Omega for 2012.  Don’t miss the video at the bottom.  The Omega Speedmaster Racing Watch price is $4,000.

Omega Speedmaster Racing Watch

40mm stainless steel case, automatic mechanical Omega Caliber 3300 (column-wheel chrono, co-Axial escapement, silicon balance spring)

VIDEO

Baselworld 2012, Omega releases a teaser video.  Looks like there will be a yellow-accented Speedmaster with a nice textured subdial and also and perhaps more interesting a Seamsaster Professional with a “Ceragold” case…looks to be a white dial/white-bezeled version…

Omega 2012 Collection – Sneak Peaks

VIDEO

Seamaster “Ceragold”

Speedmaster

It’s hard to believe that fifty years have passed since James Bond first stepped onto the big screen in “Dr. No”.   To celebrate the milestone, OMEGA has launched the Seamaster Diver 300M James Bond “50 Years” wristwatch in two sizes (as featured on this blog a few weeks back).  This video presents close-up images of the 41 mm and the 36.35 mm versions detailing some of their special features including, most notably, the rotating cartridge on the caseback.   Also note the diamond set

Later this year, “SKYFALL”, the 23rd film in the franchise will be released starring Daniel Craig as the world’s favorite spy.

A Diamond Is Forever…

It is now official, the Omega Seamaster James Bond 50th Anniversary Watch, that is. To celebrate fifty years of James Bond films, OMEGA is releasing a special update of the incredibly popular Seamaster Diver 300m James Bond watch which has been worn by 007 in every adventure since GoldenEye.  The James Bond 007 50th Anniversary Collector’s Piece has been created in two sizes, 41 mm and 36 mm, and there are some particulars for each model — notably, the 41 mm version is being produced in a limited edition of 11’007 pieces and the 36.25 mm version in a limited edition of 3’007 pieces (a bit more reasonable for a “limited edition”).  As well, the 36mm case size has a diamond index at the 7 o’clock position.  Read on for more details and high resolution pics of the new James Bond 50th Anniversary Watch…

Omega Seamaster James Bond 50th Anniversary Watch (OFFICIAL)

41mm and 36.25mm stainless steel case options, OMEGA calibre 2507 self-winding movement (Co-axial, COSC), indexes are coated with white Super-LumiNova with a blue emission, date window at 3 o’clock, lacquered black dial features a 007 monogram

“50″ Years of 007

diamond index at 7 o’clock (36mm version only)

The Omega Seamaster James Bond 50th Anniversary Watch has a ceramic bezel with diving scales in matt chromium nitride with the number “50″ in red as a reminder that the watch is celebrating a very special anniversary.

The Omega Seamaster James Bond 50th Anniversary Watch has a screw-in case back stamped with a gun-barrel design. There is a “bullet” decoration fixed on the rotor that can be viewed through a central sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating inside. The watch also has a unidirectional rotating bezel.  A helium escape valve allows helium atoms to escape during decompression, particularly necessary for professional divers operating from diving bells. As its name suggests, the watch is water resistant up to 300 metres.

Don’t forget — in 2012, EON Productions will release Skyfall, the 23rd film in the franchise, with Daniel Craig in the role of James Bond

Left to right:  Bérénice Marlohe (Sévérine), Daniel Craig (James Bond 007), Naomie Harris (Eve)