quote:

Originally posted by esdunbar:
If you have to skimp on the rent to buy one, don’t. If you’re just leaving a shitload of money behind when you’re dead anyways, why the hell not?

I will never understand why people don’t understand that some folks just have a shit load of disposable income and chose to spend it on shit they enjoy for reasons that have nothing to do with “need.”

^ This.

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Originally posted by furlough:

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Originally posted by bigwagon:
I'm sure they make good watches, just like Leica makes good cameras, but for many people they are status symbols that say "I've made it."

Have you never had something you wanted? Growing up, did you have a poster of a Lamborghini Countach or Ferrari Testarossa on your wall? Have you ever wanted to own a house?

What is wrong with someone achieving their goal?

I took me 20 years of flying before I felt comfortable to buy a nice watch. I got a Breitling Aerospace, which is a quartz nothingburger in this neighborhood. But it was awesome for me, and at about $4K, more than most people would spend on a watch.

But every time I looked at it on my wrist I was reminded that yes, I had made it to the point where I could afford the thing.

It is now 10 years on and my watch collection has grown considerably...

Good post. As I mentioned, my first 'high class' watch was bought in 1971 on my first promotion. Even then, it cost me TWO months wages.

I got my first Breitling from fellow shooter Brian, back in '90, who had arrived at the range without his stash of .58cal Minie bullets. Lucky for him, we were both shooting P53 rifles by Parker-Hale, and I gave him a pile of my spares. Afterwards he came up to me and said that he noticed my rather large watch - the Flightmaster - and asked if I'd make him a a hundred bullets and he'd give me an old watch he'd had lying around in bits.

The next month I gave him the bullets, and he gave me a little plastic bag containing 99.99% of a Breitling Navitimer 806. Working on a busy air base, we had many instrument techies, and four of them had a little watch repair business going. Less than hundred buck later, I had a perfect working Breitling, but less strap. THAT sucker cost me almost $200. The one on it now is only the second I've had, and the watch is prolly worth around $3000 or so - I love it, and still get real pleasure out of looking at it, more even than I do with the Bentley which, TBH, is a bit too fancy for my taste.

quote:

Originally posted by Expat:



Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9Y4bmbh1KY

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

This pre-owned Y-serial Turn-O-Graph cost me about $2400 in March 2009, as the "banking crisis" hit home for some collectors. I wore it for a year and flipped it at a little better than break-even (after shipping) before the market recovered. It would be described as a "black stick 16264" and has an 18K white gold rotating bezel. Interesting point, it was bought as a leftover (almost "thrown in as a bonus" during a bigger deal) and was still under the 2-year Rolex transferrable warranty; not running to COSC, possibly because it sat for so long, I was able to sent it to NY RSC for a full overhaul at only my one-way shipping cost - USPS Registered Insured Priority Small Package Mail. Which I did.



THE RELIABILITY OF THE TURN-O-GRAPH ALSO HELPED GIVE THE WATCH ITS NICKNAME, THE THUNDERBIRD.

The Thunderbirds was the nickname for the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron. Founded in 1953, the Thunderbirds were the first supersonic precision aerobatic team, cruising above crowds at 730 mph. Eventually a Turn-o-graph ended up on the wrist of a Thunderbird pilot and it impressed him so much, that the squadron requested that Rolex supply them with watches.

https://www.timepiecechronicle...e-rolex-turn-o-graph

I have 2. One I bought a few years ago before prices really went nuts. It’s a 2 line no date sub 14060M. I inherited a few thousand $$ from my grandparents estate and my mom encouraged me to buy something that would remind me of them. So I did. I wish I had gotten the sub date but that’s another story. A few years later I got a surprise annual bonus that was Significant. I decided to treat myself and picked up a polar. Explorer 2. I don’t see either of these in the wild and the no date black face very unassuming and the white face with GMT function are very cool

I have a client that has a Richard Mille. I think cost about as much as my house. And I think it’s hideous. But it’s an engineering masterpiece and very limited.

Mostly I wear my seikos because I can buy a mechanical watch that’s quite accurate for not much money and not have to insure it or worry about beating it up on things. In this super digital age some things that are analog are just Nice to have.

I thought it was really interesting to see recently that Bill Gates, who obviously could have any watch in the world, wears a Casio Duro diving watch, which sells at Amazon for $46.

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Originally posted by BMR:
I thought it was really interesting to see recently that Bill Gates, who obviously could have any watch in the world, wears a Casio Duro diving watch, which sells at Amazon for $46.

That doesn't surprise me at all; he's really just a nerd that made it big and knows which one will be working and retaining its value if you beat it up and put it through hell.

Some people are not into watches Bill Gates would be one of those people. I wasn’t into them for the longest time and was perfectly content with a G-shock. One day I got a cheap Seiko 5 with a display case back and watched a few videos on automatic watches and my opinion changed dramatically. I grew to appreciate the intricate and ingenuous design of automatic watches and loved that my movement powered the watch. There is something neat about feeling and hearing the rotor spin.

Just like any other hobby. I only purchase preowned so I don't take the deprecation hit. However, some actually sell for more than they are MSRP because of demand and availability.

You can get some nice watches for under $5000 that will sell for more or the same if you ever want to.

While I can appreciate the design and craftsmanship, I just don’t see the point (for me) of wearing something that costs as much as a vehicle on my wrist when an actual vehicle is infinitely more useful. Plus, I’d break the damn thing in a week.

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Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
I just don’t see the point....

Many don't. It's understandable. They are quite expensive, and the value in them is mostly subjective and not quantifiable. The same can be said for so many things.

I have some pretty nice stuff that I don't earn enough to afford by buying new. But I do buy, repair and flip stuff all the time, which allows me to get nicer stuff than I could otherwise afford. I probably have $20k into guitars an amps and most of that amount has been paid for by the profit I made flipping other musical gear. So I almost have none of my own real money into that collection.

The three watches I'm selling to fund my Rolex will all sell for well over what I have into them, because I bought those watches at the right price. So you might think I dumped a lot of money into my Rolex, if you saw it on my wrist. But I will have less than half its price into it with my own real money.

I have always wanted a submariner, and will likely get one some day, but other priorities for now. They are beautiful pieces of jewelry.

I’ve never really been tempted by Rolex. I don’t understand why they haven’t been more like Omega and offered at least one model with a display case back to showcase that gorgeous movement. I’ve always been more drawn to the Seamaster, especially the latest versions.

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Originally posted by stickman428:
I’ve never really been tempted by Rolex. I don’t understand why they haven’t been more like Omega and offered at least one model with a display case back to showcase that gorgeous movement. I’ve always been more drawn to the Seamaster, especially the latest versions.

The newest movements are utilitarian in manufacture.

No pearlage, no geneva stripes, no engraving.

A treasure hunters dream since it's the only way I'll ever have 1.

A friend found a gold watch but I don't know anyone who's found a Rolex.

braillediver, I don’t know if I’d buy a used Rolex. The counterfeiters and frankenwatch builders are getting remarkably good at their craft. Even to the point of copying the box, paperwork and warranty cards so good that the serial number is the only fool proof way to know it’s legit in some cases.

I happen to be a fan, I've owned 4 Submariners, my first one was a Submariner without a date - purchased back in 1985 for $880.

The last one I purchased June 2017 for $8500.

Don't have one at the present, but might pick up one again - who knows, I do like them. On the last two I replaced the bracelet with rubber straps, a Rubber B on one and an Everest o the other. I really liked the look.

I understand that its not a watch for everyone, but some of us do like them. (Kind of like me and 1911, never been a fan, but I can appreciate a well made one.)

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Originally posted by slosig:

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Originally posted by Scurvy:
A Ferrari costs a lot more than a Prius but the Prius gets better mileage, pollutes less, carries more cargo and carries more people.

So a Prius is a better car than a Ferrari per your logic.

It absolutely is by some metrics. Nevermind folks like me that have an absolute religious aversion to the idea of being within ten feet of a Prius.

Also, you have to consider the cool factor. I do have to give some credit to those Prius drivers with the bumper sticker that says, ‘’ “Cool Prius!” - Nobody ever’’ or something close to that.

It holds true for any practical vehicle, camry, fusion, equinox etc etc. I chose the Prius because it's the antithesis of cool for a Ferrari guy.

If you can get why people buy Ferraris, you can get why they buy a Rolex. Status symbol, craftsmanship etc.

No one will ever say 'cool phone' when you tell them the time.

When I was young, I used to break watches a lot. A jeweler told me that “you will have a difficult time breaking this!” It was a Rolex stainless. I had just come off a contract job and was feeling rich and good looking, although $700. seemed like a lot.

That was over 40 years ago. Still my primary daily wear. Broken a couple of crystals banging into things, but haven’t broken it.

Watch still looks great. Not me. No longer “good looking”. Actually, I lied earlier. Not good looking when I was younger either.