Browsing Category

Spotlight

14K White Gold Vintage 17 Jewels Waltham Pocket Watch 58.5g Perfect Condition

14K White Gold Vintage 17 Jewels Waltham Pocket Watch 58.5g Perfect Condition
Photo Credit: gallotreasures

14K White Gold Vintage 17 Jewels Waltham Pocket Watch 58.5g Perfect Condition

Buy It Now Price: $599.99 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is an antique Waltham pocket watch from the late 1920s.  It is a set in a solid 14 karat white gold, Art Deco style, open face case.  It weighs 58.5 grams and measures 1.75 inches (44.5 mm) in diameter.

-Old mechanical watches manufactured by American companies like Elgin, Hamilton and Waltham were made to very high standards and are significantly undervalued in today’s vintage watch market.

-The movement for this Waltham pocket watch is a grade 225, size 12 with 17 jewels.  A size 12 was the smallest movement that was typically used for men’s pocket watches during the early 20th century.

-The movement looks like it is in reasonable condition, with no areas of rust visible.  If an antique mechanical watch movement shows significant signs of rust, it is often not worthwhile or cost effective to try to restore it.

-The chic, Arabic numeral watch dial is completely original and in great shape, with only very minor blemishes.  Original dials are extremely desirable on European mechanical watches, but buyers of American mechanical watches seem to be somewhat indifferent between original and refinished dials.  In any case, an original dial in good condition can’t be bad for either the aspiring collector or investor.

-The watch’s octagonal shape exudes classic 1920s Art Deco linear style.  The white gold case is also encrusted with an attractive diamond and cross pattern on the reverse.  The serial number on the movement (26677807) indicates it was manufactured in 1928, which is consistent with the watch’s magnificent Art Deco look.

-Although the seller does not give us the weight of the case alone, we can (imprecisely) estimate a lower bound by multiplying the total weight of the watch by 30%.  This gives us an estimated pure gold weight of very, very roughly 0.329 troy ounces (10.23 grams).  With gold trading at $1,230 a troy ounce, this gives us an approximate bullion value of $404.  So about 2/3rds of the $600 purchase price is intrinsic value, give or take.  This provides a reasonable safety net under our investment, limiting the possibility of loss.

 

Cons:

-Although the seller claims the watch runs and keeps good time, it would be wise to have the watch cleaned and serviced by a professional.  This will generally cost between $100 and $300, assuming no major repair work is necessary.

-Pocket watches from European luxury houses that are still manufactured and sold today like Rolex, Omega and Patek Philippe are very popular (and also expensive) right now.  Because it is from a defunct American manufacturer, this Waltham pocket watch is less desirable.  However, its price already reflects this fact.

-During the early 20th century, truly high end mechanical watches usually had 19, 21 or 23 jewels.  Watches with 15 or 17 jewel movements – like our featured Waltham pocket watch – were considered good, but not top tier.  It is not advisable to purchase a mechanical watch with less than 15 jewels for investment purposes unless it has some other compelling attribute.

Leaf Hortulus Animae Woodcut Wolfgang from Regensburg Border Nuremberg – 1519

Leaf Hortulus animae Woodcut Wolfgang from Regensburg Border Nuremberg - 1519
Photo Credit: odetowhitman

Leaf Hortulus Animae Woodcut Wolfgang from Regensburg Border Nuremberg – 1519

Buy It Now Price: $65 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a 500 year old post-incunable woodcut print from the late medieval period.  It comes from a religious text titled “Hortulus Animae cum Horis Beate Virginis” which roughly translates from the Latin as “Garden of the Soul with the Hours of the Blessed Virgin”.

-The book was published in the German city of Nuremberg in 1519 by Federici Peypus and Joannis Koberger.  The leaf measures 17 cm (6.7 inches) tall by 10.5 cm (4.1 inches) wide and is printed in Latin, the lingua franca of the elites in medieval Europe.

-Incunable (or incunabula) is the period from the inception of European printing, when the Gutenberg Bible was published in 1454 AD, to an arbitrary end date of 1500 AD.  The post-incunable era ran from 1500 to either 1520 or 1540, another arbitrary end date.

-This work was published in 1519, right at the end of the medieval period in Europe.  The famous theologian, Martin Luther, had just nailed his anti-papacy Ninety-five Theses to the doors of Wittenberg Cathedral two years earlier, in 1517.  This radical event precipitated the Protestant Reformation, one of the most transformative incidents in European history.

-The highlight of this late medieval woodcut print is a gothic-style image of Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg.  He was a German saint from the 10th century who converted the Hungarians to Christianity and was then appointed bishop of Regensburg.  This leaf also has a magnificent floral and grape vine border running around the entire page, which really adds to the work’s striking appearance.

-The black printing is very bold.  The leaf also has separately printed reddish-orange text, a detail that gives the page some added color and eye appeal.  These are both desirable attributes in early printed works.

-This woodcut leaf is in a wonderful state of preservation.  There is no obvious foxing (brown spots), water stains or other damage visible.  Also, the margins appear to be fully intact, with no signs of trimming.

-Incunable and post-incunable works are rare.  Print runs typically varied from a couple thousand copies to no more than a few tens of thousands of copies at most.  And attrition over the centuries means only a fraction of those original copies has survived.  In light of this, as well as the leaf’s excellent condition, a $65 price tag is justified.

 

Cons:

-This woodcut print is a post-incunable impression from 1519.  All else being equal, earlier incunable prints from before 1500 are more desirable and generally more valuable.

-This leaf is on the smaller side at 17 cm (6.7 inches) tall by 10.5 cm (4.1 inches) wide.  Within reason, bigger is better with early woodcut prints and a size closer to that of a standard sheet of office paper (8.5 inches by 11 inches) would be more desirable.

-The woodcut illustration of Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg only occupies about 1/3 of the page.  In some early prints, woodcut illustrations fill 1/2, 2/3 or even the entirety of the page.  A larger illustration is more appealing than a smaller one.

Mughal, Akbar (963-1014 AH), Square Rupee, 11.38 Grams, 19 X 19 mm, VF+

Mughal, Akbar (963-1014 AH), Square Rupee, 11.38 Grams, 19 X 19 mm, VF+
Photo Credit: Sphinx Numismatics

Mughal, Akbar (963-1014 AH), Square Rupee, 11.38 Grams, 19 X 19 mm, VF+

Buy It Now Price: $89.25 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a square rupee made from silver in the Mughal Empire.  The Mughal Empire was a fabulously wealthy Islamic dynasty that dominated the Indian subcontinent from the mid 16th century until the 18th century, when it was supplanted by the British.  The Mughal Empire was so politically important at its apogee that it spawned the English word “mogul”, meaning a person of great wealth or power.

-The coin is 11.38 grams (0.3659 troy ounces) of almost pure silver and measures 0.75 inches (19mm) by 0.75 inches (19mm).  It grades a strong Very Fine (VF), an appropriate investment grade condition for this series.

-This coin was struck in Ahmadabad (a city in western India) in the year 1582 during the reign of Akbar the Great.  It circulated contemporaneously with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

-Rupees were a high denomination coin in the Mughal period and represented substantial buying power.  The average laborer’s wages would have amounted to just a few rupees a month.  A single rupee would have been the equivalent of perhaps a $500 bill today.

-Mughal silver rupees are often struck on thick flans with wonderfully flowing Arabic calligraphy.  This example is no exception, possessing excellent eye appeal and bold calligraphy.

–Mughal silver rupees are one of the most undervalued pre-modern coin series.  They are impressively large coins and earlier issues were hand struck using ancient methods – both desirable attributes.  Better yet, prices are still unbelievably low.  In spite of their large size, many fine examples – like this one – can be acquired for less than $100.

 

Cons:

-This specimen has a couple small test marks on one side.  A test mark is the result of a Mughal merchant using a punch on the coin to verify that it wasn’t a silver plated forgery.  This beautiful piece passed the test.  Small numbers of unobtrusive test marks are common on Mughal rupees and usually do not significantly impact the value of a coin.

-Mughal silver rupees were struck in very large quantities (for a 16th/17th century issue) to facilitate the Mughal Empire’s robust trade.  Consequently, many Mughal rupees – like this one – are not particularly rare.  But, given this specimen’s great eye appeal and 400+ year old age, I do not believe this lack of rarity is a significant drawback.

Natural Gold Nugget Australian 9.94 Grams Genuine

Natural Gold Nugget Australian 9.94 Grams Genuine
Photo Credit: Grants-Nuggets-Jewelry-and-More

Natural Gold Nugget Australian 9.94 Grams Genuine

Buy It Now Price: $503 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a natural Australian gold nugget that weighs in at a chunky 9.94 grams (0.3196 troy ounces).  Almost the size of a U.S. quarter, it is a substantial specimen.  Gold nuggets this large are rare and highly sought after.

-Australian gold nuggets are renowned for their high purity, with gold content typically running in the mid to high 90% range.  Australia, along with the Alaska/Yukon region, is currently the world’s premier gold field with significant nugget production.

-This particular nugget is a marvelous specimen with an interesting shape, lots of intricate detail and a rich, golden color.  The highly textured surface is a physical characteristic common among Australian nuggets.  It is an indicator that this nugget has not been subjected to much hydraulic action which usually happens to nuggets found in streams and rivers.

-Assuming 95% purity this nugget contains about $388 worth of gold (with a gold spot price of $1280 a troy ounce).  Therefore, the premium you pay over spot for this specimen is $115, or a mere 30%.  A 30% premium is on the low end for a gold nugget of this size, taking into account the fact that premiums generally increase in tandem with nugget size.

-This gold nugget originates from Orocal Natural Gold Company, a well-respected firm based in California that specializes in buying and selling natural gold nuggets.  The specimen is also accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Orocal.

 

Cons:

-Although this is a large gold nugget, there are still larger ones available.  For example, one troy ounce gold nuggets – supposedly as rare as 5 carat diamonds – can still readily be purchased.  Pricing for such a specimen would, predictably, be significantly higher than for this (still sizable) example.

-This gold nugget has no matrix (mother rock) or quartz embedded in it.  An attractive gold nugget with matrix attached typically sells for a significantly higher premium than a similar nugget with no matrix.