Is there still a market for high-value frankens?

[Fidhle007]

Now that I've completed my crazy gen/sean case/sa3135 Submariner build I think I'm hooked. I loved it and I want to build more but the prohibitive cost of parts scares me off. My only choice would be to build a few and sell one to try and offset my expenses, but I wonder, does anyone spend $2k+ on a rep? I know I wouldn't but when I was just buying individual pieces it didn't seem so expensive!

Just musing...

Thanks!
~Brendan

My Ãœber-Franken:

 

[Bonesey]

Generally, no. Frankens tend to be a very personal journey from conception to completion and very few that I've seen even make back the cost of parts + labour. You would probably make a few more bucks if you took 21j/eta based noobs and modded the CG's, made them waterproof, added a BK overlay and changed the pearl to a clarks/WM one.

 

[Fidhle007]

Haha, I did that and that one won't sell either!

 

[ShiroTenshi]

imo 2k+ is a bit too much for a franken. But I guess its the fun and the pride that offset them.

 

[ajs914]

There must be a market for frakens. Someone just spent some major coin on this vintage daytona replica case set on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-DAY...H-CASE-REF-6241-VALJOUX-722-727-/350534170374

By the time they source a val 72, service it, gen dial, etc. they are going to be at $4K+. Maybe not too bad for a watch that might otherwise cost one $20K. Still, they could have bought a Phong case set for much cheaper. I'm not sure what makes this one so special.

 

[Fidhle007]

But that just adds fuel to the argument of building v. buying. I'm happy to spend 50% of a gen's cost for 90% of a gen's look and feel but part of that is the thrill of the hunt. If you're not putting it together yourself or having it built for you specifically, is it still worth it?

I'm not looking to make money on building frankens, I realize that would be a lost cause but I want to build more and I'm trying to figure out if I could pass them along to the community without taking a huge hit financially...?

 

[jstreit]

You never get what you put into something. However you gain so much in enjoyment in building that even if you net 70% of what you put in it still might be worth it. It is always fun to see the creations and how close to the Gens they are. I think it would be cool to see some franken AP's or some other upper level watches other than Panerai and Rolex. To your point though, yes there is always a buyer for what you want to sell because people like quality unique things.

 

[frankt8242]

Only if you can find someone >>>

as crazy as you .....:biglaugh:

 

[Fidhle007]

as crazy as you .....:biglaugh:

God forbid!

 

[Bonesey]

Haha, I did that and that one won't sell either!

I personally think that's because it's priced too high. It's only cost effective when you do the work yourself. Take my vintage Rolex for example. I don't think i've had one of those sit on the sales forums for more than a few hours before it's snapped up. I still make profit on them which I then re-invest in more pieces and better tools/restock lume/etc.

If you took an ETA noob Rolex and modified it;

Base watch:$220 (TS promotion)
Superlume: $50
Clark Insert:$20
BK Datewheel:£30
Shaved CG's: $40

Total: $360

Waterproofing and regulating shouldn't really be charged for as I consider them part of a custom builders QC process. That to me is a far more realistic number for something like that.

But that's me. And just my opinion.

 

[Fidhle007]

Yeah, I agree with you. I figured if I started at $450 shipped and paypal'd someone would wear me down to $350 net by the end of the week. I don't know what bracelet is on it though but it's not a Noob. The SEL fit is better then my franken! I hoped that would be worth something to someone but I suppose not. At least now I know how to do the work myself in the future!

 

[boostin20]

Personally, no. I would rather take that cash and save more to get a good used gen 16610 for $4k.

 

[Bonesey]

Yeah, I agree with you. I figured if I started at $450 shipped and paypal'd someone would wear me down to $350 net by the end of the week. I don't know what bracelet is on it though but it's not a Noob. The SEL fit is better then my franken! I hoped that would be worth something to someone but I suppose not. At least now I know how to do the work myself in the future!

Doing the work yourself is where the savings are tbh. Outsourcing stuff like this really doesn't generate enough of a margin to actually make a profit on most pieces. But I would say there is definitely a market for them out there.

 

[ajs914]

$450 is also getting close to a TC (supposedly $500 right?). A lot of high end buyers are probably waiting to see how that works out.

This franken sold on ebay for $3600:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260948268628

From the auction it's not even clear what parts were original other than the extra dial. Maybe the case was original? The dial isn't, the case back is a replacement. Maybe the val 72C was original rolex or maybe it was a val72c with reproduction plates installed? And the pics aren't even high resolution yet someone paid $3600! Maybe the parts alone add up to the value - I'm not knowledgeable enough about vintage Rolex chronographs to make that call.

 

[honeybear]

But that just adds fuel to the argument of building v. buying. I'm happy to spend 50% of a gen's cost for 90% of a gen's look and feel but part of that is the thrill of the hunt. If you're not putting it together yourself or having it built for you specifically, is it still worth it?

It's a matter of diminishing returns, wasn't the point of a replica that you could get a substantial fraction of the look for a small fraction of the price?

Take a Rolex Submariner as an example, say with a retail of $7000. For about $100 you can get a Noobmariner, let's say 95% of the look for 2% of the price, the next step up maybe the BK/TW submariner at 98% of the look for 10% of the price.

I can understand these two options, but when you start approaching 30% of the price, maybe more if you're looking at preowned prices, I can't see the value. If accuracy to the gen is so important, then just hunker down, and save up for a preowned gen then. I can understand the thrill of the hunt in building a fraken, but paying the full build price for a fraken someone else built just seems silly to me.

 

[Fidhle007]

It's a matter of diminishing returns, wasn't the point of a replica that you could get a substantial fraction of the look for a small fraction of the price?

Take a Rolex Submariner as an example, say with a retail of $7000. For about $100 you can get a Noobmariner, let's say 95% of the look for 2% of the price, the next step up maybe the BK/TW submariner at 98% of the look for 10% of the price.

I can understand these two options, but when you start approaching 30% of the price, maybe more if you're looking at preowned prices, I can't see the value. If accuracy to the gen is so important, then just hunker down, and save up for a preowned gen then. I can understand the thrill of the hunt in building a fraken, but paying the full build price for a fraken someone else built just seems silly to me.

That's exactly my thought. I love building these things but I don't think there's really a market for them.

 

[Bomba]

It's a matter of diminishing returns, wasn't the point of a replica that you could get a substantial fraction of the look for a small fraction of the price?

Take a Rolex Submariner as an example, say with a retail of $7000. For about $100 you can get a Noobmariner, let's say 95% of the look for 2% of the price, the next step up maybe the BK/TW submariner at 98% of the look for 10% of the price.

I can understand these two options, but when you start approaching 30% of the price, maybe more if you're looking at preowned prices, I can't see the value. If accuracy to the gen is so important, then just hunker down, and save up for a preowned gen then. I can understand the thrill of the hunt in building a fraken, but paying the full build price for a fraken someone else built just seems silly to me.

Very well said. This philosophy can be applied to more than just rep watches.