E Wire Prototype

[illumination]

So a few months ago a thread was started about a pair of E Wire prototypes: http://www.oakleyforum.com/threads/e-wire-1-0-prototype.42542/

The owner seems interested in selling them and I was wondering if anyone had an idea as to what the value of something like that might be.

 

[GRFMotorsports]

not sure but tagging along

 

[illumination]

I have a bit more information on this. I contacted the seller to see how much they were looking for because the last auction ended at $102 but hadn't met the reserve. Replied that they won't accept lower than $275 because a new pair of typical e wires sells for $200.

However my research doesn't indicate that. I've only see a couple of pairs that sold for $180, and in my opinion those are over priced as they were the re-release, so not even the original gen 1.

I haven't finalised a value for myself yet, but I don't think it's $275. Without other provenance I'm not convinced that a sticker that says 'prototype' makes it so. There is also something funny - they have 'Proto' engraved on the inside of the lense. Has anyone seen that before?

more photos here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/PROTOTYPE-N...331609?hash=item1ea6f8a3d9:g:1joAAOSw14xWNs~9

 

[GRFMotorsports]

I have been watching the auction since it came up. Honestly Im not sure either but Im not interested at 275 for sure.

 

[flyer]

"Proto" can easily be etched anywhere on a lens.
Doesn't increase the value to any wire guys I know...

 

[Oakley G]

It's real. Oak on the O Review has one. He said awhile back that it was given out as a marketing campaign but there really is no difference between the proto and regular release version, except of course the hand etching and box sticker. So, like the C Six prototype, it is a marketing prototype than a real prototype.

 

[illumination]

"Proto" can easily be etched anywhere on a lens.
Doesn't increase the value to any wire guys I know...

yes, that is exactly what I was thinking and the fact that it is actually engraved, rather than etched in the sense we would normally think of with Oakley lenses, makes it seem a bit off to me.

 

[illumination]

It's real. Oak on the O Review has one. He said awhile back that it was given out as a marketing campaign but there really is no difference between the proto and regular release version, except of course the hand etching and box sticker. So, like the C Six prototype, it is a marketing prototype than a real prototype.

Thanks for the confirmation. It's good to get a bit of history on this pair as my research hasn't turned anything up yet. But the seller is definitely trying to spin them as more than they are because they said "This is a unique piece, due to the fact it was the first one produced by Oakley..". In my opinion that's a hard claim to prove.