Why do many buyers pay more for a case or a dial than they'd pay for the entire watch??

Makes no sense to me. That just encourages people to part out watches. Makes no sense to sell a broken watch for $50 when you could sell just the case for $75 and the dial for $20 or more and the hands for $20 and the movement for $35. I can partly understand if the case was not original to the movement and the dial and hands are not original.

Harry

Do not know the reason really, I know sometimes people contact me about a watch they brought, usually as a movement only with issues.

These issues, such as a suitable case, dial and at times other bits and pieces such as screws and the like are a regular topic of need.

They have spent $X amount of money already and do not want to ditch the movement. So some feel obliged to finish the project, this is why there will always be a market for parted out stuff. Just one of the reasons???

I once saw a dealer at a show with 20 or so watches he had earlier taken apart all in various parts on his table. A customer walked up and picked up a Howard Series 10 movement and asked "How much?" it was then sold.

The customer then asked "would you happen to have a suitable dial for this?" The dealer then showed him the Howard dial he had earlier took off the watch. The customer bought it.

Hands? Same thing.

Then came the question, "What about a case? Would you have one?" To which the dealer fixed him up with the case from same parted out Howard.

Customer walked away with the entire Howard watch which he paid quite a bit more for and had a smile on his face!

I actually was there and saw this happen. True story.

I think this whole "chop shop" thing is pretty disgusting. I have seen on the big auction site about every movement part you can name .You could put a 992B together in a few minutes on there! I've even seen wind indicator movements trashed this way. These people couldn't care less about these treasures, they're just fast buck artists.