# Why aren't there more USED Ball Watches For Sale?



## watchking1

The answer may be obvious but I wanted smarter minds rhan mine to weigh in please...:think:


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## vf15hammer

My guess would be there are less of them and people want to hang on to them...


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## sys12345

Hmmm... Ball watch owners love their watches so much that they rather wear/keep them than to put them up for sale? :-d :think:



watchking1 said:


> The answer may be obvious but I wanted smarter minds rhan mine to weigh in please...:think:


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## Time2watch

Because once you get used to the freakin' tritium tubes, you can't go back other watches. They spoil us and completely ruin us for other brands! Not that this is a bad thing... :-d


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## rsr911

I have had mine for almost 3 years now. I have sold a Rolex since then and others. But part with my Ball and those tritium markers - NEVER!|>


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## sknight

There were actually a few over the last couple weeks here and fleabay.

I like them very much and I know the movement is only half the battle in pricing, but I think they're a bit high priced, especially when they're using the standard grade 2824's in much of the line. I posted about discontent with companies that are setting outrageous prices and not using 2892's, at the least, to justify the price.


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## sukispop

*Why aren't there more USED Ball Watches For Sale?*



vf15hammer said:


> My guess would be there are less of them and people want to hang on to them...





sys12345 said:


> Hmmm... Ball watch owners love their watches so much that they rather wear/keep them than to put them up for sale? :-d :think:





Time2watch said:


> Because once you get used to the freakin' tritium tubes, you can't go back other watches. They spoil us and completely ruin us for other brands! Not that this is a bad thing... :-d





rsr911 said:


> I have had mine for almost 3 years now. I have sold a Rolex since then and others. But part with my Ball and those tritium markers - NEVER!|>


I think these are great and valid answers to your question. Imho, Ball watches are not produced in the sheer quantities that some of the other popular/big name brands are, so there simply aren't many of them out there. More and more folks are beginning to discover the amazingly high quality watches that Ball offers for the money; when they get their hands on them, they fall in love with their looks, quality and those incredible tritium gas tubes and don't want to let them go!

I bought my first Ball watch(EMII Classic) last March, and have since bought and sold a fair number of other nice quality watches that just didn't keep my attention. I fall in love with both of my Ball watches, every time that I put them on my wrist, and I still find myself gazing at their beautiful dial work as though it was the first time I looked at them. I have absolutely no intention of ever letting either of them go. ;-)


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## Pathfinder

How long has Ball Watch been producing these new wrist watches is one answer to your question, because they hit the market here in the US in 2005 if I have my information correct. It is not a large audiance as of yet, not a big turn over from original buyers by the numbers.

Some people buy and sell watches quickly, some (like me) just are not in the market to get rid on one. Plus, they are going up in value! While I have sold some watches, they just lost interest to me and I was not enjoying wearing them any longer. Or had become a pain to get serviced. I stopped buying and driving one kind of auto because the service was horrible.


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## CalDiver

Why aren't there more?......it could be that I've been buying them all up! It sure feels like it, but I love 'em! :-d


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## sknight

Almost pulled the trigger on one of yours, but it went real fast.


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## ballwatch

sknight said:


> There were actually a few over the last couple weeks here and fleabay.
> 
> I like them very much and I know the movement is only half the battle in pricing, but I think they're a bit high priced, especially when they're using the standard grade 2824's in much of the line. I posted about discontent with companies that are setting outrageous prices and not using 2892's, at the least, to justify the price.


I think you will find that very few Ball watches are using the 2824 movement. In fact, it is limited entirely to our entry-level models: the Fireman collection, the Engineer collection, and a few older Engineer Masters.

At this stage we have far more Ball calibres in our watches than 2824 movements.

For further information, I would encourage you to have a look at the Ball website, www.ballwatch.com, where all calibres are listed.

Regards,
Jeremy Hogan
Ball Watch Company


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## scottw44

Jeremy:

I have a Ball Moonphase with 968 (base 2836) and a Nightrain with Ball 124 (Base 2824).

What can you tell me about the balance wheel, index, mods, etc that make these movements Ball Calibers.

Both are highly accurate and among my favorites but I am curious to learn more about what is under the hood.


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## TomTomz

Count me in for wanting to know more as well


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## iceheller

In Sing a pore,
I do see some reputable secondhand watch shop selling pre-own BALL together with pre-own rolex and patek. So i guess BALL watch should have re-sale value but i do not think it popularity in Asia is LOUD like in the States...


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## groundhog

Curious really. I have 3 for sale and from what I have gathered is, just because they're used, folks think they should be going cheap. I was into these Ball watches years ago and only then where the used ones a bargain.


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## iceheller

The present BALL might still had to do more brand promo awareness and has to can come out with really innovative & complicated watch movement(other than the fancy watch exterior design) to raise it value it this fine watches world. And it is still a rather young watch company thought it uses C.Ball standard dated back 1891 but no link from his traddition of watch-making technique at all... :< 

If not they could be like omega who do "self-auction" to raise their watch prices. Well they could do real auction as the swiss CEO daughter is involve in auction held in HK(if i am not wrong).


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## tpdtom

Being a working Locomotive Engineer, and a WIS, I had admired and lusted over a few Ball models, but thought that I couldn't easily afford the models that I liked. Lo and behold, a forum member listed a Fireman Ionosphere late at night and I was in the right place at the right time. Can't wait for it to arrive. THANKS MATT !!!


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## Steve C

I bought a used Ionosphere chronograph like-new with the box and papers around X-Mas time for a grand out-the-door. The jeweler said the original owner called it an onion and couldn't get his shirt sleeve over it so he traded it in, and after that it sat in the case because nobody'd ever heard of the brand. Even the jeweler admitted it was the first modern one he'd ever seen although he'd seen some old pocket watches with the name. People who see me wear it think it's in the class with Fossil or something like that, so probably Ball doesn't yet have the snob appeal with the masses. Funny thing, it's got the exact same movement as my IWC Der Fliegerchrono that cost me two and a half times what the Ball did, plus the IWC's luminova is almost gone while the Ball glows like a baked potato from Chernobyl.


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## scottw44

I usually select my watches after I find myself staring, drooling, and reading on line for weeks/months on end.

What someone else thinks of my watches has never entered my mind. My choices are perhaps a bit off the beaten path, but I am not a watch flipper and I research long and hard before making a selection. Buying a watch is a luxury for me, we are far from rich, and I sacrifice, save, work extra, etc to make a watch happen. When it finally does, it is a source of great satisfaction and pride for me. 

While I would love for someone to comment on one of my watches, that is rare for me. As Rick Nelson once said, "...you can't please everyone, you gotta please yourself."

Worry not about Ball, they are a fine brand, and today's edition embodies much of what I like in a watch...accuracy, superb fit and finish, variety, excellent support, strong dealer network...I could go on and on.

But they are not everyone's cup of tea...that is why it is great that there are so many fine timepieces, both new and vintage, out there, just waiting for us to discover them.


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## sknight

Steve C said:


> I bought a used Ionosphere chronograph like-new with the box and papers around X-Mas time for a grand out-the-door. The jeweler said the original owner called it an onion and couldn't get his shirt sleeve over it so he traded it in, and after that it sat in the case because nobody'd ever heard of the brand. Even the jeweler admitted it was the first modern one he'd ever seen although he'd seen some old pocket watches with the name. People who see me wear it think it's in the class with Fossil or something like that, so probably Ball doesn't yet have the snob appeal with the masses. Funny thing, it's got the exact same movement as my IWC Der Fliegerchrono that cost me two and a half times what the Ball did, plus the IWC's luminova is almost gone while the Ball glows like a baked potato from Chernobyl.


This is the difference and the reality of the watch industry now. >90% all watches use the same collection of movements from Swatch group. Most basically dress up the movement and put them in a case sourced from inside or outside, dial and put hands on it and then ship it. At this point, people are buying into the heritage some companies have and it's a matter of how good of a job the company did to maintain its heritage, which IWC has an important history. They also "modify" the ETA movements they get. Whether it's significant or not, they are making changes to the movements beyond a couple basic items. This all lends to the future and current legacy people buy into.

What I also see is that IWC watches are hard to sell in the used or NOS market.


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## bullosa

scottw44 said:


> I usually select my watches after I find myself staring, drooling, and reading on line for weeks/months on end.
> 
> What someone else thinks of my watches has never entered my mind. My choices are perhaps a bit off the beaten path, but I am not a watch flipper and I research long and hard before making a selection. Buying a watch is a luxury for me, we are far from rich, and I sacrifice, save, work extra, etc to make a watch happen. When it finally does, it is a source of great satisfaction and pride for me.
> 
> While I would love for someone to comment on one of my watches, that is rare for me. As Rick Nelson once said, "...you can't please everyone, you gotta please yourself."
> 
> Worry not about Ball, they are a fine brand, and today's edition embodies much of what I like in a watch...accuracy, superb fit and finish, variety, excellent support, strong dealer network...I could go on and on.
> 
> But they are not everyone's cup of tea...that is why it is great that there are so many fine timepieces, both new and vintage, out there, just waiting for us to discover them.


ScottW44, I feel the same way as you do in my watch buying approach. Having said that my interaction and obsevation of my WIS buddies when it comes to Ball watches; It's a love it or hate it thing! I suspect most Ball watch owners wont flip their easily. We just love them. :-!


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## Frontierman63

Being that Ball was "resurected" in 2000 (if i remember correctly), i think they are doing a Great Job in moving these "Unique" watches:-!

I had seen an ad about 4 yrs ago and thought i Need One of these,but it took me a while and now i have 3 of them and Dont want to let them Go:-x

Once you go T25+ its hard to go Backo|

Just my 2 cents;-)


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## groundhog

Hey Matt, who are you a hogger with?
Tim


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## oldspice

There's a barely used EM II Diver up on the FS forum right now! ;-) ;-)


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## Dan83bz

10 years on and there's pleeeeenty of used Ball's here and all over the place


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## ChuckMiller

Are pre-owned prices still running around 50% of MSRP?


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## hungdangnguyen23

run a search on eBay, tons of used Ball watches galore


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## Oarngepeel

The OP was ten years ago....


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## btj666

I'm selling my Marvelight if anyone is interested. I loved the way it looked online, but never fully took to it in person. Too bad I got scuffs on the bracelet, or I could have returned it.


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## jthole

rsr911 said:


> I have had mine for almost 3 years now. I have sold a Rolex since then and others. But part with my Ball and those tritium markers - NEVER!|>


Since this thread is now dug up anyway; how long did "never" last? ;-)


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## rsr911

jthole said:


> Since this thread is now dug up anyway; how long did "never" last? ;-)


Probably till 2011. I discovered Seiko Tunas - the lume is spectacular. The quality exceptional. 
Also stumbled into Doxa and Aquadive. Life goes on. ;-)


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## hungdangnguyen23

rsr911 said:


> I discovered Seiko Tunas - the lume is spectacular.


+1 for Seiko lume


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## arogle1stus

ALL Ball watch owners:
Back in tha late 60's and early 70's Ball WAtches released their 1st
RR Approved Wristwatches (quartz) They were to compete with the
Bulova 214 and 218 and the Hamilton 505'. Poor sellers on the RR I
worked for. Only one crewman bought a Ball. Guy named Murray
Kelly. In all candidness they were BUTT UGLY!

But that was then and this is now. Ball upped their game to what it is
now! No more D List watches. All A List now IMHO. Ball has never been
a cheepie. I'd be proud to own a Ball nowadays!!!

X Traindriver Art


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## morrison2951

I still have my decade old Ball Fireman watches that I bought as new back then. And to this day IMO Ball has still never bested the original Night Train UTC tri color tube arrangement try as they might with all their offerings now. 🙂


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## Balldy

Been wearing my Aviator 46mm almost every day for over 10 years now - Looking forward to the next 10 years!

Balldy


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## timefleas

12 years on, and my basic first generation Fireman is still my go to watch for many situations--simple, robust and even a bit elegant, all thrown into one--a true "all rounder" (and I'll put my 12 year old "half life" tritium lume up against any Seiko any day (or night)--will beat the socks off of just about everything after a few hours in total darkness).


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## wickets

Good to know from you gents that are 10+ owners that the lume is still competitive. thanks


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## arogle1stus

All Ball watch fans:
Ball Watch Co Prez Oliver Ball was tasked to standardize all watches used by traincrews waay back when.
Due to inconsistencies in watch standards RR crashes were common place. Mr Ball established standards
that eliminated crashes. 
Lets say you were approaching a train meeting location. You have a train order stating the train you're
meeting must not leave the meeting location until a an specified time. With both crews in possession of a
standardized watches, giving the correct time no collisions.,
All depots had a standardized clock, and crews hacked their watches (another of Ball's improvements)

Ball wasn't the 1st or even the best RR watch to get approved. But it was one of the watches that did get
approval. A minimum of 21 jewels, standardized font on dials, correct to within 15% in 5 positions were
some of Ball's recommendations.

But nowadays most RR's use CTC (Centralized Traffic Control) it's more a case of obeying wayside signals
to accomplish train movements. IMO you could carry a Luch One Hander watch and comply with movement
signals. Yet Ball still persists in branding some of their watches with RR occupations. Ball hasn't had a thing
to do with RRing in 50 years. Sorry for the long winded comment!!!

X Trandriver Art


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## timefleas

arogle1stus said:


> All Ball watch fans:
> Ball Watch Co Prez Oliver Ball was tasked to standardize all watches used by traincrews waay back when.
> Due to inconsistencies in watch standards RR crashes were common place. Mr Ball established standards
> that eliminated crashes....
> 
> ...blah, blah, blah...
> 
> ...Yet Ball still persists in branding some of their watches with RR occupations. Ball hasn't had a thing
> to do with RRing in 50 years. Sorry for the long winded comment!!!
> 
> X Trandriver Art


?? So, by your "logic" Ford shouldn't call some of their cars Mustangs because they aren't in the ranching business? I am pretty sure no one here thinks or cares about whether their Trainmaster or any other RR associated model name has actually been used for on-the-job railwork--I know I don't. I do like their history, however, and I do like at least some of their watches--which, I believe, is what this forum is all about.... _("Oliver Ball"?....and here I thought Ball was founded back in 1891 by Webster C. Ball, the first watch to be officially adopted by the railroads as the "Railroad Standard", closely followed by Elgin...)._


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## morrison2951

timefleas said:


> 12 years on, and my basic first generation Fireman is still my go to watch for many situations--simple, robust and even a bit elegant, all thrown into one--a true "all rounder" (and I'll put my 12 year old "half life" tritium lume up against any Seiko any day (or night)--will beat the socks off of just about everything after a few hours in total darkness).


 Agreed! That's my other Fireman model and also my everyday watch in 43mm on the SS bracelet. It most resembles the vintage Ball watches IMO- classy.


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## Hotblack Desiato

timefleas said:


> ?? So, by your "logic" Ford shouldn't call some of their cars Mustangs because they aren't in the ranching business? I am pretty sure no one here thinks or cares about whether their Trainmaster or any other RR associated model name has actually been used for on-the-job railwork--I know I don't. I do like their history, however, and I do like at least some of their watches--which, I believe, is what this forum is all about.... _("Oliver Ball"?....and here I thought Ball was founded back in 1891 by Webster C. Ball, the first watch to be officially adopted by the railroads as the "Railroad Standard", closely followed by Elgin...)._


Gotta agree.

I love the history of the company, and I think it's both cool and appropriate to honor that history on their modern watches. I don't think there is anyone who can afford a Ball watch that thinks by Ball's nod to their history that the modern RR industry runs on mechanical watches from any company 

Doc Savage


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