Buy a watch, help save the world?

Nice idea!

This is great!

Thank you!  I can't decide if I'd be happier if somebody won with a bid of $10 or $1,000.  What would be hilarious is if there were some super rich dude on this forum who decided to EFF with this whole thing and bid like $10,000.  I think I'd actually be pretty pissed about having to match that kind of donation!  😂

Hey dude, I'm waiting for your bid!

It's a good idea. We've been doing that for years at Watch Lords.  Seller chooses a charity, funds from sale go to that charity.  I chose to match the sales price with my own funds the last watch I put up, but I think it should be optional (to prevent embarrassment and stress caused by a potential $10,000 bid, as you mentioned).

I love this idea!

Well you won't get a $10,000 bid from me but I'll be sending you a DM at some point this week even though I already have a Flieger. I just want to support the idea. :)

will each highest bid be posted so potential bidders know what they have to bid...kinda like a bidding progress update?

Brilliant idea.  

Okay, current highest bid is $100.  

Here is what's included in total package:

1.  Laco Flieger on leather pilot's strap - will include omega style deployant as well, if you want it - watch has been worn maybe 4 times, and in effectively perfect condition
2.  Warranty still in effect until January 22, 2023
3.  Beautiful Laco travel case
4.  Extra SS bracelet
5.  Your choice of lume / glow-in-the-dark triceratops or pterodactyl - which reminds me, wanna hear a great pterodactyl joke?  "Why can't you tell when a pterodactyl is going to the bathroom?  Because the "P" is silent"

Come on, guys!  This is for a good cause.  I dare you to bid $10k.  I swear I'll match it.

Very classy. Nice job, and that watch should get plenty of interest. Just nice.

Man that is really great. I salute you 🫵

Okay!  Current high bid is now $200!

Current high bidder asked:

1.  Why this specific charity? 
2.  What made you think of this?

Answers:

1.  Weirdly, I have a bunch of firsthand experience with NGOs, nonprofits, etc., and...  how do I put this diplomatically...  there is a significant lack of transparency, focus on efficacy and efficiency, and much of the incentives of these organizations result in them simply raising funds and expanding, without much effort toward actual impact.  They mostly pull on your heartstrings to get your money, but then the results are questionable.  The Effective Altruism movement has very recently established itself in response to all that, uses very scientific methodology to try to determine highest impact giving / efforts, often using randomized controlled trials and transparency in order to do so.  GiveDirectly sends funds directly to the poorest of the poor, without any conditions, without any agenda whatsoever other than alleviating the worst of the worst global poverty
2.  Buddy of mine in the Rationalist community gives 10% of his earnings to Effective Altruist efforts.  Was talking with him about my planned purchase of the new Speedmaster '57 in green, and then thought, "Wow.  I'm about to fork over a S&^%-load of cash for this watch, and well, maybe the money could be put to better use?"  So, signed up today for a pretty big monthly, on-going donation to GiveDirectly.  And, then, thought, "Well, I have all these watches that don't get enough wrist time.  I should sell them and donate the money...  Heck, why not have some fun with it on WatchCrunch?"

Anyway, don't mean for this to get all deep and heavy.  We'll get back to our regular programming of Omega color ways, Grand Seiko Zaratsu polishing, and fart jokes soon enough.

That's awesome.  Well done.

Wonderful idea! You have given me the solution to the problem of what I'm going to do with some of my watches so I can buy more. My goals - to make room for another watch and to do good in the world. Not necessarily in that order. But maybe.

Of course!

it’s worth more than that alone!

come on people! this is the deal of the century!

Altruism is still atruism even when it's selfish LOLOL

I've seen this concept not work so well.  If not done in the spritit of charity, it can devolve into people taking advantage of strangers giving watches away and trying to 'score a bargain'. That's partly why it works so well at Watch Lords (apart from being just all-round awesome people) - it's a long-established, small forum of people who know each other very well and would hold each other to account if necesssary.

Also, it probably makes for a more interesting, exciting thread if bidders post directly into the thread.

Yeah, that makes sense.  I think if we do a round 2 of this, I'll definitely have bidding done directly in the thread.  I had thought of this as a silent auction at first, but you're right that open auctions are the ones where people go crazy.  Especially for that weird "auctioneer chant."

You can't make this s&^% up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71PMLtrRDmQ

The very first watch forum to do charity auctions where members donate watches for charities like St. Jude or Shriners.

https://watchlords.com/viewforum.php?f=180

We have a new high bid at $450!

Per the suggestion of @jason_recliner, I've asked him to post directly in the thread.  So, hopefully, said gentleman will reveal himself shortly.  

Also, realized something after I made this post:

• I had cut off the keepers on the leather pilot strap, in order to put an Omega-style deployant on it - just futzing around with stuff
• So, winning bidder can choose any of the following:  a) Can order a new replacement OEM Laco leather pilot strap to be included in the package, or b) can include a random (but nice) 20mm titanium mesh Milanese bracelet, if you're into titanium mesh bracelets, or c) can add more glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs to the package...  let's say 8 total dinosaurs!

I increased my bid to $450.

Okay, some folks mentioned that the leather pilot's strap was not to their liking.  So, will also include the option of a grey nato strap - to better match one of the options available directly from Laco.  

https://www.laco-watches.com/en/watches/pilot-watches-basic/pilot-watch-augsburg-blaue-stunde-39-mm-automatic

And, remember, also comes with the OEM SS bracelet.

Thank you!

The greatest watch forum.

2 hours left to bid!  Current high bid is $450.  With matching funds, that will raise $900 for a Kenyan villager currently earning below the global poverty rate of $1.90 / day.  Literally, the charitable funds will double a villager's annual income for nearly 3 years, or alternately, double 3 families' incomes for 1 year!

Just to spice things up, any new bid will now get TRIPLED!  So, if anyone bids, say, $451 the matching funds will be 2X that, of $902, for a grand total of $451 + $902 = $1,353.

Thanks, all!

Okay, auction is officially closed.  @Bessio is the grand winner.  Take a bow, sir!

• Auction has raised $1,350 total for GiveDirectly
• @Bessio if you take a screen shot of your $450 donation, please post here, and I will do the same.  Will also DM you for your mailing address, etc.
• Package will include:  1) Watch, 2) leather pilot's strap on Omega-style deployant clasp, 3) OEM SS Laco bracelet, 4) grey NATO strap, 5) Laco carrying case, 6) FOURTEEN glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs!!!  Count 'em!  14!!!

Holy moly, 14 !!!!!

I will need a bigger house

Done.

I think they are unique in that aspect