One of the 30

IWC model reference 5004-23 is one of the rarest in the Big Pilot's range. The entire production run of this impressive 18K yellow gold-cased watch is a mere 30 pieces in total! The back case does not even mention the exact production number - each and every 5004-23 is simply signed "One of the 30".

It's nickname is 'Buenos Aires" - it was manufactured for and sold exclusively through the Simonetta Orsini watch boutique in Buenos Aires. The name of the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, means "Good Airs" or "Fair Winds" in Spanish which is a really clever way to introduce this unique timepiece to watch aficionados worldwide.


While the Big Pilot's is truly a unique watch in the entire IWC range, the 30 piece run is exclusively something only a handful of Swiss watch makers can afford
to their most valuable customers. And IWC did exactly that with the 5004-23.

Finding one in the world watch market is not a small task. It could take months or even years to hunt one down. So when a client walked in our humble shop the other day
with a large white box, I could not even have dreamed of seeing a Buenos Aires "in person". Yet there it was - a complete set, down to the bar code sticker. Worn a couple of times only, ready to be passed on to its next guardian.

So what is it worth, you may ask?

Taking in account the original RRP of USD$ 30,000 (which was close to AUD$ 38,000 with the 2009 exchange rate), rarity and uniqueness and overall condition, our asking price of AUD$ 23,635 + GST (AUD$ 25,999) is really a bargain.

For more images and full description go to http://www.clockmaker.com.au/w/k2798

Viewing by appointment only.

Fair winds, Captain sir! Buen Viaje!




THANK YOU!

Yes, a big 'thank you so much' to all members and list subscribers who kindly submitted offers this week on a small but exciting selection of 9 watches.

The response to our "make us an offer" deal was way beyond our expectation. We have received a total of 395 bids submitted by fax, in writing. On Thursday, our fax was probably the most dialed number in Sydney - it was ringing off the hook and unfortunately many of you who waited to submit your offers after lunch time couldn't get through.

The result page received over 1,500 hits in less than 24 hours. The most popular watch was Rolex Submariner which received 91 offers and went for $4,005. (The second offer was $4,002 - just $3 lower :-)

My favorite Roamer Sting Ray went for a bargain price of just $958 but I had to accept the market's sentiments - with 23 offers this is good indication where the vintage market stands at the moment.

Many have asked: when is the next one? No firm date yet, but yes, we'll do it again!
Stay tuned and watch this space!

Once again, we are humbled with the amount of trust that you have shown us by providing your personal details. Please rest assured that no personal data will be stored or shared - we have no need to keep your details on file because you are already our subscriber!

Yes, we've learned a few tricks in the process and I am sure that the 'next one' is going to be even more fun.

Watch talk: Collecting Vintage Omega Sportswatches: May 3, 2012

Once again, I have asked Jon Wallis (Author of the Desk Divers and Plo Prof websites, and well known for his Omega PloProf book, amongst other things) to join us one evening and run a presentation about collecting Omega Sportswatches from the '70s.

You may remember that we have done a couple of similar presentations before and they always had a good buzz as Jon is a really good presenter and a collector who's not only knowledgeable, but also really loves these watches. To give you guys the best chance of gathering as much information as possible we hope this time to also have a strong 'show and tell' element to the evening. So bring along your sportswatches along with your wish-list, and we can pick Jon's brain as well as hear his useful collecting hints and tips along the way.

As before, this will be an evening session in our Sydney city office and will start at 5:30 on Thursday May 3rd and run for approximately 3 hours. There will be nibbles and drinks provided, but space is limited so you really must book. Sorry, but you cannot just turn up on the night as we only have a small venue. Tickets at $40 per person. If you reserve a place then please do turn up. Sorry I had to mention that but if you have a space booked that means it is reserved for you and someone else is missing out. If you have to cancel, please do so as early as possible.

Some of the things Jon has promised that he will talk about: "Want to know more about the vast range of Omega sports watches from the 1970s? Need to know your Flightmaster from your Speedmaster, and your Constellation from your DeVille? Want to know which are the most accurate and which are the rarest of the range? Want to get to know some quartz watches that actually are collectable? And of course, we hope to have some Omegas to look at, touch and also talk about, plus answer your questions on the night!"

We all are aware that we haven't had much of a summer this year, but as we head into Autumn we should all have something to look forward to, and so lets plan the evening to be held on Thursday May 3rd. (Let your other half and the kids go shopping in the CDB while you chat about watches! :) )