You ask: "How much of the blame for this phenomena is Mr. Stein and his OTD website willing to take for contributing to this?"

I'll take as much "blame" as you want to send my way (and I'll also share all of it with our other fantastic contributors)!! Thanks guys, it's been a blast!!

Here are some random, and relatively unorganized thoughts, on the subject of websites, information and the market for Heuers.

I beleive that more information is a good thing; it leads to more efficient markets (I think), and fewer opportunities to have an imbalance of information between buyer and seller; combined with the internet, the spread of reliable information is helping draw distinctions between the good watches (which seem to be selling for more) and the bad ones (which seem to be selling for less -- witness the oversize fakes and all manner of frankenwatches that may have previously been sold to uninformed buyers).

I get lots of e-mails to the effect that "I read your website, and got all jazzed up, and went out and bought a Heuer." I also get a fair number saying "Thanks for pointing out the problems with that watch; I'm glad I didn't buy it." People seem to be getting "jazzed up" to buy the vintage Heuers, and also the re-editions.

I believe that the history of Heuer is very interesting, is unique in many aspects, and supports the value of the brand. This history has also been under-publicized: the subject of one coffee-table book, a constant stream of brief (and repetitive) articles in the automotive and watch press, and reliatively little attention from the factory (understandable, in view of current market forces). In this aspect, maybe we are on a one-way street, in which publishing information / exploring history will create demand (increase prices).

Beyond the economics, the most positive aspect of OnTheDash / Chronocentric has been the sense of community and sharing of information and interests. I think that people are happier paying $1000 for a watch, and knowing something about it and being part of a collecting community, than just owning the watch, without the membership in a "support group".

I believe that access to the internet / ebay watch markets is still relatively undeveloped, and that there will be more demand as more markets come online.

All the above -- quick thoughts from someone who has never taken an economics course (but has been watching the Heuer market every day for five years).

I would welcome everyone's thoughts and more of the blame for contributing to this wonderful world of Heuer collecting.

Jeff

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

: I was also watching this auction and by the end
: I was more entranced by the bidding than by
: the watch.

: Cool watch, fairly rare model, but not anything
: that made me belive it would ever sell for
: $2000+.

: I must admit that I was recently the first to
: defend an OTD forum regular who paid $2000+
: for a nearly NOS condition Autavia GMT. This
: watch was close to perfect and sold by a
: respected German collector (rb) so there was
: no question about "correctness".
: But $2300+ for this Siffert gives me
: questions;

: Is this recent surge in prices a momentary
: spike or has vintage Heuers established
: themselves in the ranks of significant
: collectable watches?

: How much of the blame for this phenomena is Mr.
: Stein and his OTD website willing to take
: for contributing to this?

: What am I going to do now that I can no longer
: afford to play with 1970's Heuers?

: What are those sounds that seem to be coming
: from inside my safe? Oh this question I know
: the answer to. The noise is the sound of a
: dozen or so vintage Heuers (all in much
: better condition than this Siffert)
: screaming "Sell me now""!!

: Best,
: Mike