Investment on Watch, Pen, Wine, Vinyl, Vacuum Tubes Collection? Which one has a higher ROI for you and me?

                                                               One Case of Lafite 2008

                                                     550 Bottles of wine opened between 2005-2009

                                 One Bottle Chateau Lafift Rothschild 1899 Auction for Over HKD$1,820,000

                          Some of my Favourite Vacuum tubes Collections WE300B and ECC803S

           Some of My favourite Artists Especially Anita Mui, Teresa Tang, Louis Amstrong, Zhou Xuan

      Some of my dream Audio Equipment, John Curl Vendetta Research SCG1, Linn LP12, Marantz 8B

                                                  The Watch that Drives me crazy

Part of the Cuff link, tie clip collection

Some of the best pens, Cartier Bamboo, Shaeffer Pen For Men, Parker Duofold, Evershap Doric

     I bought the Tiffany 14KT Bamboo in last Sunday in Sham Shui Po,
    The 1950 Montblanc 144 belongs to friend of mine Mr. Hung, he Bought is with HKD$8,000 in 1992.  

Zhi Kung that keep me calm and not crazy about the Collection because I am having no money.

As many of you may know I collect Watches, Fountain pen, Vinyl, Cuff links and tie clip, Vacuum Tubes.

I drink a lot of wines that probably I had reached a point of no return.

But evertheless, I like doing so, and I think we should go doing so, remember what one says ”
We Only live once” not James bond said “ You only Live Twice!”

Amongst all I think I like Watch as much as I like listening music Analogue music, Tubes amplifier on 50’s LPs. Music would make us feeling we are Happy especially if those music is what you like most.

Amongst these hobbies

The amount of Money Earning capability in my opinion and experience is shown here in descending order:

1.       Wine

2.       Vacuum Tubes

3.       Vinyl

4.       Watch

5.       Fountain pen

Meaning that Collection of vacuum tubes has a better growth than watch, because the vacuum is a consumable item, unless someone do not use it at all, but it has no value if you do not use it.

This is the factor that make such item becoming less and less.

But the value of a Vacuum tubes is not as high as A watch, so that is why we do not see Auction on Vacuum tubes in Christies’s. They do it  eBay only.

Of course there are so many special item which is not listed here, what I am talking is average common commodities.

As For a Super tubes Telefunken ECC803 it was about HKD$4,000 a match pair in 1990, not it is selling  HKD$22,000 in a white box sealed (5.5 times).

A Watch of Daytona stainless still was selling HKD$29,500 in 1989, now it is selling $87,500 (2.96 times) 

A Vinyl of say Royal Ballet was selling About $3,000 in 1990 but now a good condition one may hit $13,000  (4.33 times)

A Montblanc Medici 4810 Series Fountain pen in 1989 was HKD$9,000  and the pen is selling now at about HKD$50,000  (5.55 times)

A bottle of Lafite 1986 was selling HKD$800 in 1990 and it is selling now as an average HKD$13,000 (16.25 times)

A bottle of Lafite 1982 was selling HKD$2,000 in 1990 and it is selling now as an average HKD$35,933 (17.96 times)

The rule of the game is whilst doing investing you can enjoy.

1.       Consumable like Wine and Vacuum tubes, price could be higher, but if you need to buy and store in a recognized place, just buy and sell, you do not see the actual wine. not mentioning to drink them.

2.       Watch is always repairable and it could live for hundred years and too much as an investment. But you can always see it, use it , show it. listen to it.

3.       Fountain Pen is limited to a smaller user society, not too many knows what fountain pen is unless you like Caligraphy.

4.       Vinyl is growing as there is a Hugh China middle class Big spenders coming up for these 60's things.

5.       Watch are usually more in amount, Christies PP are always 1M, who on earth can have money to invest on 1m Watch, less than 0.1% population.

6.       Vacuum tubes are now hard to find, at only limited sources, there are so many Fake tube in eBady!

So if you had money, in order to invest, these are the things you can consider. But if you do not use it and you do not like it, better ignore it as you do not have passion on that, you wouldn't spend time on that. And there are a lot knowledge, know-how to learn. Like Watch, I am a kindergarten student only!

So watch Collection, Vinyl and Vacuum Tube colllection is fun, Whilst I usually store the wine in my stomach instead of in UK or France!

But the Biggest problem I have is “Too many hobbies but with too little money”

Remarks price quoted above is a rough estimation only.

HK Sham Shui Po Snob