Patek Philippe Pagoda 5500 G

Sotheby’s Appoints Tim Bourne Worldwide Head of Watches
Sotheby¡¯s has appointed Tim Bourne as Worldwide Head of its Watches department. Mr. Bourne will be based in Hong Kong, overseeing Sotheby¡¯s Asia watch auctions in addition to those in Geneva, New York and London. Sotheby’s said the appointment is a strategic move in response to the rapid expansion of the auction market for watches worldwide, especially in Asia. Mr. Bourne previously headed Sotheby’s Hong Kong Watches department from 1997 to 2002 where he pioneered the first stand-alone watch auction in Asia in 1997. The sale, with a sold rate approaching 90%, established Hong Kong as an important watch auction center. He has remained involved in the watch auction business actively in the past seven years, working in consignment, business development, marketing, sales and administration in Asia, London and the Americas.¡°With his insight into our truly international market, Tim will add invaluable experience as we make further investment in our global business especially in A

ETA to raise prices in April 09?
I have heard some rumblings to this effect, so I wanted to pass it on. If anyone has any details and info, please post it.Thanks.

speedmaster strap question
I'm completely new to Omega. Lately I've become interested in the sapphire sandwich speedmaster, either 3573 on a bracelet or 3873 on a strap. Love the watch itself, but having trouble getting excited about the Omega bracelet. Its probably just because its different than the Rolex oyster bracelets I'm used to, but its pretty likely that it will end up in the strap drawer. The croc strap seems nice, but I have some kind of phobia about single deployant buckles. I've never found them particularly comfortable or desirable.I see that 18mm Omega thumbnail buckles are readily available. Could I put a thumbnail buckle on the strap that comes with the 3873? Or would it be better to order a different croc strap that doesn't thin out at the end to accommodate the deployant? Does Omega make a strap for a thumbnail/tang buckle or has anybody had luck with another type of strap with a speedie? Thanks!

My first high end watch
Hello.I wanna buy a first high end watch and i think panerai is the one.Firstly i decided going for the PAM 372 but it seems that they now are sapphire instead of poly. The problem about Panerai is that the fakes are well made making it kinda hard to buy a pre-owned that being said i need to go for a new AD buy. Even if it was a hard to fake watch i think i want to buy high end watches new at an AD only.What you guys think about the PAM673 (1000 limited)? Compared to the PAM 372 (poly or sapphire).Should i get the PAM673 if i see it in an AD yet?Im open for any other brand as a first watch. With a limit of (25k dollars). And keeping in mind that i want it to pass by my younger generations.

Is 10% worth pulling the trigger early?
Hey everyone, new to the forums here!So I just turned 25 and have been ¡°window¡± shopping to figure out what Rolex I want to pull the trigger on. Initially I was glued to a black SS submariner date, but started to wonder once I really started to do my research. I fell in love with a Daytona and new it would take at least a year or two to get one from my AD, so decided to go in and start the process. He actually had one in the back (obviously already sold) and let me try it on. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it is an amazing watch and I could totally see myself getting one, but actually fell in love with the rhodium yachtmaster. Which leads me to this week: my AD called me and asked if I wanted to come in again. I asked what his best price would be because this all started when I was planning on purchasing the Daytona (which would be at least another year). He came back with $10.3k cash.Is this worth pulling the trigger now? My worry here is if I don¡¯t how long it would take to get one when I