A $10 Timex will get scratched brushing against a doorway. It doesn’t take long before you have to angle a watch just right to read the time through all the scratches. That’s why I wear a watch with a sapphire crystal. I can bang it around all day for years and it’s still clear and simple to read.

The other thing that has always irritated the hell out of me is having a battery run out. The next watch I buy will be automatic and have a sapphire crystal. You can not buy that for $10.

No it doesn’t have to be a Milgauss or a Moonwatch, although those are both beautiful watches and check the boxes for me. I spend my money to satisfy me, not others. However, I will not be financially irresponsible while doing it.

I own a few expensive watches Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, they have all been investments and have gained value on the secondary market. I also wear them.

I've had several Rolex Submariners and I really like the style. But the timekeeping part of them was only acceptable in two. The other three really stunk, losing time even after the jeweler adjusted them.

I bought my wife a ladies Submariner with diamonds around the bezel and she loves it. It keeps pretty good time.

I only owned one Rolex since I retired, nearly 19 years ago, and I sold that one some 11 years ago during my first experience with a serious form of cancer-didn't want the wife to have to be selling my trinkets if I didn't make it. But there are so many quartz and automatic watches that copy the Sub's style now that I would not bother to buy one even if it kept perfect time. I bought a Pacific Diver and it is a quartz that keeps perfect time. My daughter bought me an Apple watch that also keeps perfect time.

The one thing in a watch that's important to me, aside from timekeeping, is a sapphire crystal. I always make sure my watches have one as I am kinda clumsy and I hate to see my watch crystal all scratched up. Back in my school, military and police days, I seemed to seriously scratch every Timex, Seiko or other watch I bought. Someone finally told me about the sapphire crystal and I never looked back.

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by spunk639:
I own a few expensive watches Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, they have all been investments and have gained value on the secondary market. I also wear them.

That's an angle as well.
Appreciable assets vs 'disposable' tools.

I'm mostly with the OP on this one.

I've worn a watch since I was 8 years old. I grew up in the city and had to have a way to tell time for the bus schedules, school, etc. This was before cell phones, but as others have said even in a post cell-phone world it's much more convenient to just turn your wrist than to dig your phone out of your pocket, so the habit has stuck.

I'm not into luxury stuff, jewelry, or showing off. I just want quality stuff that works. A watch is a tool, and I'm willing to pay a little more (up to a point) for reliability and durability, but once we get beyond that I'm out. As a kid I got mugged once waiting for the bus...these four big thugs threatened me with a chain and took my watch. It was a super crappy digital Timex that was falling apart and I think cost $8 new. That whole situation was stupid, but it definitely taught me that wearing a bunch of unnecessary extra money on my person would be even stupider.

I also wear a watch EVERYWHERE and am hard on them. If I go somewhere or do something, I expect my watch to be able to do it too. I've destroyed more than my share of $20-$30 Timexes. They usually lasted less than a year. A few years back I discovered The Momentum Steelix and bought one on sale for $85. Simple analog face with a second hand and date, and water resistant to 200m. I also like the offset crown so it doesn't dig into my wrist. The first one lasted 5 years until I cracked the crystal and water got in. I paid the markup for a sapphire crystal on my second one (iirc this one was $150) and it's still going strong almost 5 years later, not even scratched, although it is on its second band. It's not flashy...just durable and functional. For many that would be a cheap watch...for me it's right at the max of what I'd be willing to pay.

I might be making some assumptions here, but knowing the kind of folks here on SIGforum, I'm guessing none of us who have a more luxury watch...or more, want them for others to ogle over. I'll speak for myself that I enjoy the quality of the timepiece and how it feels on me. I don't give a damn of what other people might think or say. This may come across as defensive, but I wanted to address what some other members have said about those who wear nicer watches.

Then, as mentioned, is the comparison to expensive cars, guns, pens, guitars, stereo gear...what have you. It's what makes us unique and are all personal decisions.

Depends on numerous factors…

If you like/appreciate solid mechanical devices…cars, firearms, etc…then a good watch is a natural addition…

Some enviros perceived material status is still a thing…

Watches are also a ‘safe’ neutral conversation piece you can discuss just about anywhere. It is also a bit of a‘community’…folks who appreciate a good watch often notice others doing the same. Easy conversation starter…”Hey, nice Tag (or whatever) you got there…”

Sometimes you just want something that reminds you less hectic pre-smartphone times…

Wearing the best quartz tool watch available (IMHO) as I write this - Marathon JSAR.

$.02 worth/YMMV,
Boss

quote:

Expensive watches, WHY?

I don’t have one, don’t care for one and never personally had one, but why should I care about other folks’ wants and desires?

My watches are except for two all Bulovas, one a LeGant, a Christmas gift in 1965 and a Seiko, a GM award in 1991.

The Bulovas, two were my dad’s, 1951 and 1962. I bought a Accutron in 1973, my at the time GF thought I was nuts to pay a hundred dollars for a watch. Never serviced, still runs.

I’ve bought three more Bulovas since, a 1973 Railroad Approved and a Spaceview. The Spaceview is a frankenwatch, no matter, it is what I liked and I didn’t spend 1k on it as many others are priced. Have a 1955 gold sunburst dial self winding also.

I might look for a black dial sunburst if I see the right one at the right price, a couple hundred is my limit.

This may seem excessive but in 20 years there is a great chance these prices will go even higher.



I bought one of these anniversary Seiko Marine Masters for $4600 (MSRP). Only a dozen or so made it to the USA. They were basically sold out before they really got to the boutiques.

This is just one I found for sale. They are going for $7-10k depending on condition.

@12131, I think the OP has a point - and I have a watch collection.

Accepting mass produced watches, which do a worse job telling time, does seem absurd.

My 1680 gets magnetized far too easily, now. Part of that may be age/part might be modern environment/that I now work around a few hundred horsepower of electric motors.

If I get any more watches - seems a bit absurd to do so with a young child - I’ve been thinking about a GPS Seiko nexter - as it’s the best time telling tool I can think of, if it’s significantly more comfortable than my MRGb5000/thinner than my SBDB015.

It seems like we should have self-contained atomic clock watches, by now.

quote:

Originally posted by Aglifter:
@12131, I think the OP has a point - and I have a watch collection.

Accepting mass produced watches, which do a worse job telling time, does seem absurd.

My 1680 gets magnetized far too easily, now. Part of that may be age/part might be modern environment/that I now work around a few hundred horsepower of electric motors.

If I get any more watches - seems a bit absurd to do so with a young child - I’ve been thinking about a GPS Seiko nexter - as it’s the best time telling tool I can think of, if it’s significantly more comfortable than my MRGb5000/thinner than my SBDB015.

It seems like we should have self-contained atomic clock watches, by now.

Look up the Garmin Instinct 3. It’s a smart watch with solar augmentation and in the right environment can fully sustain itself on solar. I routinely get a few months between charges. When I was in Florida and Spain and getting lots of sun rays it charged itself up to 100% and lost zero battery reserve.

G-shock toughness with Apple Watch functionality and without the ugly as fuck Apple Watch aesthetics.


Also, we have had atomic clock watches for a while now. They sync with atomic time every night.

quote:

Originally posted by 400m:
The other thing that has always irritated the hell out of me is having a battery run out. The next watch I buy will be automatic and have a sapphire crystal.

I’m not here to poopoo on your parade, man, but… I’d recommend not being so certain about automatics.

I love my Seiko Samurai models, and I have one or two more than I should. They’re solid. They’re durable. They (sorry, Timex) take a licking. But for timekeeping… a couple of them are not so great. No matter how many days in a row I wear one, it’ll need adjusting every day. I sent one out to be serviced (cost me over half what the watch cost), and it still isn’t terribly precise.

By contrast, the Seiko SNZG15 automatic I bought almost ten years ago for $140 or so runs like a champ, and keeps time really well. As much as I love Samurai, I have to admit the SNZG does a better job.

That said… if you want to not fool with batteries, I’d offer a Seiko solar for your consideration. I’ve got one I bought from craigcpa (anybody heard from him lately?) a bunch of years ago. Heavy and durable like a Samurai, no battery to deal with, and keeps time like a champ. ( Example)

I was left these 3 in a will from a friend of 40+ years. He bought them to wear to work at Boeing. He thought his fellow workers would think they were cool, or at least say something. Nada. He quit wearing them.
I got them in a old Amazon box. each wrapped in a taped up paper towel. No papers/factory boxes... but there was a sales receipt: $285.60 for all 3! Shipped.
So you don't need to spend your life savings just for looks.

I had a Korean Foolex once.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
This may seem excessive but in 20 years there is a great chance these prices will go even higher.

I'm wearing that watch right now. Worth every penny I paid for it. And I earned that money in a 100% commission, self-employed job. It feels good. If you know, you know.

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
I might be making some assumptions here, but knowing the kind of folks here on SIGforum, I'm guessing none of us who have a more luxury watch...or more, want them for others to ogle over. I'll speak for myself that I enjoy the quality of the timepiece and how it feels on me. I don't give a damn of what other people might think or say. This may come across as defensive, but I wanted to address what some other members have said about those who wear nicer watches.

Then, as mentioned, is the comparison to expensive cars, guns, pens, guitars, stereo gear...what have you. It's what makes us unique and are all personal decisions.

This is it. How a person can appreciate a Sig Sauer over a Glock and not understand why someone would want a nicer watch over a Seiko is strange to me. And I’m not Ripping on Seiko or Glock I have several of them but compared to a really nice mechanical or a buttery smooth Sig there’s a noticeable difference.

I blame it on my wife. I always wore cheapies and she bought me a $4k lightly used Rolex Submariner and I wore it often for 5 years and sold it for $6500 and it was off to the races after that.

quote:

Originally posted by Z06:

I was left these 3 in a will from a friend of 40+ years. He bought them to wear to work at Boeing. He thought his fellow workers would think they were cool, or at least say something. Nada. He quit wearing them.
I got them in a old Amazon box. each wrapped in a taped up paper towel. No papers/factory boxes... but there was a sales receipt: $285.60 for all 3! Shipped.
So you don't need to spend your life savings just for looks.

I’ll give you a full $1000.

quote:

Originally posted by 1s1k:

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
I might be making some assumptions here, but knowing the kind of folks here on SIGforum, I'm guessing none of us who have a more luxury watch...or more, want them for others to ogle over. I'll speak for myself that I enjoy the quality of the timepiece and how it feels on me. I don't give a damn of what other people might think or say. This may come across as defensive, but I wanted to address what some other members have said about those who wear nicer watches.

Then, as mentioned, is the comparison to expensive cars, guns, pens, guitars, stereo gear...what have you. It's what makes us unique and are all personal decisions.

This is it. How a person can appreciate a Sig Sauer over a Glock and not understand why someone would want a nicer watch over a Seiko is strange to me. And I’m not Ripping on Seiko or Glock I have several of them but compared to a really nice mechanical or a buttery smooth Sig there’s a noticeable difference.

I blame it on my wife. I always wore cheapies and she bought me a $4k lightly used Rolex Submariner and I wore it often for 5 years and sold it for $6500 and it was off to the races after that.

Before you use Seiko as a “cheap watch” example look up the SLA081J or any spring drive Seiko or an “original captain willard Seiko” on eBay. They make mild to wild.

A better example would have been Citizen.

I like nicer things and I appreciate quality engineering and materials. That's why I'm a member of SigForum and not the HiPoint forum.