At least three or four times, I was asked how much? for the vintage Rolex Explorer I wore around the Original Miami Beach Antique Show all weekend. No hello, how you doing, or pretense of any kind, just straight to business.
I gave the standard chuckle that communicates some perverse version of flattery before responding not for sale, but at the Miami Beach Convention Center on this weekend, everything’s got a price, and the surest way to drive yours up is to say those three magic words.
But unlike most attendees last weekend, I wasn’t there to make a few bucks buying or selling watches. I was simply there to take in the sights (i.e., lots of watches and even more jewelry), the sounds of dealers shouting numbers back and forth, and host a panel featuring a few friends. On Saturday afternoon, I moderated a discussion featuring Geoff Hess, Sotheby’s Head of Watches for the Americas, Sacha Davidoff of Genevan dealer Davidoff Brothers, and Charlie Dunne of Wind Vintage.