Rich's Price Guide led me to wonder about this dealer's premium, and specifically the question of which dealers really add value (and deserve a premium).

I believe that -- in the market for vintage Heuers -- there are relatively few dealers who add value. Yes, there are several dealers who invest in inventory and websites, and even pay assistants who take photos and respond to e-mails, but all too often, the dealers and their assistants know little or nothing about the Heuers. Their "customers" or those who inquire about their watches are often rewarded by slow response times, arrogance, and absurdly high prices.

I genuinely respect the dealers who add value with their expertise, service and courtesy. You know who you are and I am happy to pay you a (fair) premium for the right watch!!

Jeff

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: Aside from the obvious heroic amount of research that went into the
: compilation of this guide, the striking thing to me is the delta
: between dealer and private prices. With a shift away from bricks
: and mortar to internet based sales and trades, the question of
: who is a "dealer" stands out relative to the imputed
: premium. Historically, a dealer paid rent and fixed overhead,
: including inventory, tools, labor, insurance, etc., which along
: with the accretion of expertise warranted charging a premium for
: inventory. The internet has clearly blurred this demarcation.
: How does one define "dealer" today? Among our
: community are a variety of subject matter experts. Is a dealer
: one who possesses technical talent and limited inventory or deep
: inventory and limited technical talent? Is it an historian or
: active trader without much of an appetite for detail? My view is
: that there is a continuum here, with perhaps only about a half
: dozen true dealers--those who make all or a substantial part of
: their income from selling watches, and the rest of us comprised
: of collectors, some of whom have the time and resources to dig
: deeply into the real of Heuers.