Watch thread, how much do you need to spend?

[jfw834]

I have always been partial to Tags.....maybe thats cause they name their watches after our cars?

The Carrera: Re-Edition 2004

[Mulhollanddose]

I have an SS Tag Pro that I prefer (cause I hate ostentation) to my ostentatious (yet elegant masterpiece) Rolex stainless/18k Date with diamond bezel.

I have a current fantasy about a solid 18k white gold (cause it looks like stainless but it is $$$not) day-date with presidential band.

EBay is a great resource for getting a Rolex.

I prefer my Tag because it isn't as flashy and still a comparable time-piece...I am pretty sure Tags were ex- Rolex injuneers.

[Shuie]

Originally posted by Mulhollanddose
EBay is a great resource for getting a Rolex.

Sending someone thats new to the Rolex thing to eBay right off the bat is a recipe for disaster. It's a great place to sell a Rolex, but you will have much better luck as a buyer at a place like the timezone.com salescorner or at watchnet.com. Whenever you buy a preowned watch, always ask for and follow up on references, never buy anything that doesn't come with a 3 day inspection period, and always get the watch checked out during the inspection period.

There are also plenty of reputable shops that have been in the preowned Rolex business for decades if you would rather not deal with this much money over the Internet. You are going to pay a tad more with these people than you will if you go the best deal you find on watchnet or timezone, but there is no risk or worries of checking references or getting ripped off by them. Here are two that I have bought, sold, and traded a few watches through:

Wingates
B.Gray

Seriously, I would never make a significant watch purchase on ebay. I'm not saying there is nothing good on eBay, but there are a lot of auctions that get yanked early because of guys on watch forums report the merchandise as fake to ebay. Pick your brand and hang out in the corresponding timezone forum for a week. The amount of fake stuff on ebay is alarming. With so many of auctions for fakes getting yanked on a weekly basis, its hard to believe that at least one or two them don't end with someone getting jacked.

[rattlsnak]

www.chase-durer.com you can get one of these with actual metal from a B-52!

[nostatic]

anyone know/have these?

http://www.junkers.ch/e/

[turbo6bar]

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
my cell phone tells me the time, but I can't drive it!

I don't wear a watch at all anymore. It's redundant jewelry to me, and I don't like redundancy or wear a single piece of jewelry.

Um, ok. The watch wearers in this thread appreciate your input.

[Mulhollanddose]

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
Cabo San Lucas is even better and cheaper, particularly in the shops where the cruise ships dock!

Only $65!

I bought mine from a seller in Singapore, did the escrow route...you pay attention to seller and go escrow, throw in some patience and good luck, and you could score like I did.

So there!

[Isabo]

Philistines!

[gavinlit]

I gave up wearing watches two years ago but still like the look of them. Just feels nicer to have nothing on the skin.

[ZAMIRZ]

Some of the responses in this thread totally baffle me. We're on a Porsche forum and there are replies in this thread about "redundant jewelery" and "ego booster", time to setup a mirror in the driveway so you can look at yourself drive away in your redudant ego boosting jewelery.

The funny part is, when I see someone pull up in a 911 to a nice restaurant at a hot spot in town, I almost always take a look at their wrist figuring they have good taste driving a 911, they probably appreciate some of the other finer things in life like nice watches. Most of the time I'm right, but there are times when I'm wrong and I can't help but laugh at the guy with the Casio calculator on his wrist. More often than not he looks like his wife or mom dressed him and has no clue WTF he's doing when he gets out (usually slips the valet a dollar and some pocket lint like a total a$$clown).

The point is, there's nothing wrong with not wearing a watch. There are plenty of people who can't or choose not to for a number of reasons. But, you're doing the nice car you drive and yourself a disservice by wearing a craptacular pile of plastic garbage on your wrist. You don't have to wear a $50000 platinum dumbell with diamonds in it, but spend some money and buy something that's built well and has a nice movement and take pride in yourself.

my $.02

EDIT: BTW, almost forgot. I have an Oyster perpetual as my daily driver and when I'm wearing a nice suit I'll break out the Corum bubble to make a statement. I also have a few one-of-a-kinds that nobody's ever heard of that were left to me after a relative passed away. I think my next purchase is going to be either an Omega or possibly an old Porsche Design if I can find one at the right price in good condition.

[HardDrive]

I have a 2 tone Movado my wife gave me some years ago. I am happy with it. I actually dislike most Movado watches...to girly. But this one has a more rugged look to it, and not much gold, mostly stainless.

Prolly get a GMT at some point down the line.

[HardDrive]

Originally posted by Joeaksa

That watch is cool as hell.

[masraum]

Originally posted by ZAMIRZ

....But, you're doing the nice car you drive and yourself a disservice by wearing a craptacular pile of plastic garbage on your wrist....

You know, I'm not sure that I agree with that. I'm a member of a couple of watch forums, and over and over again people that actually use their watches as part of their profession may have nice watches, but they also often use something like a Casio as a work watch because the functionality fulfills their needs better than almost any mechanical watch. Pilots for instance. Most of the "pilots" watches that you see on the internet really aren't as useful to a pilot these days as a digital casio.

I guess my point is that there's nothing wrong with a timex or casio. Actually if anything they are intelligent watches to wear. They are inexpensive, reliable, and so much more accurate than a mechanical watch that it's not even funny.

I didn't drive, and won't drive again a Porsche because I care in the slightest what other people think of my car. I don't care what anyone thinks of my current watch. Hell, 99.9% of the population would probably think it was a $40 watch because it's a brand that most people haven't heard of. It's accurate to within seconds a day, but then a $30 quartz watch is probably accurate to seconds a year.

By getting out of a 911 in jeans a t-shirt and a timex I'm saying that I'm comfortable, on time, and frugal. None of that sounds bad to me. By getting out of a 911 in jeans, a t-shirt, and a rolex... I may be a watch enthusiast that gets wood knowing about the inside workings of my watch and knowing the precision and engineering that went into it. I may be a dweeb that wants everybody to think I'm rich or important because I have a crown on my watch, or I may be a self-indulgent, superficial prick that wants everybody to stare at me. To most people seeing me get out of a porsche I may already be #2 or 3 and the Rolex will just reinforce the idea. Like I said earlier, someday I'd like to have a Rolex GMT Master, and to hell with anyone that makes any sort of assumption about me because of my rolex or any other watch that I wear.

[ZAMIRZ]

Originally posted by masraum

I guess my point is that there's nothing wrong with a timex or casio. Actually if anything they are intelligent watches to wear. They are inexpensive, reliable, and so much more accurate than a mechanical watch that it's not even funny.

There's nothing wrong with wearing a timex or casio as long as everything else matches IMHO. It's fine if you drive a beat up Civic, and wear a $15 throw away watch, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. As a matter of fact, I think that shows that you have your priorities in order vs someone who blows a bunch of money on their car and wears a Fossil with flaking "gunmetal" finish band.

BTW, depending on what kind of t-shirt and jeans you're wearing and what shoes and watch and other accessories you have on, it can make any number of statements.

What bothers me the most are the duds (there seems to be a lot of them in SoCal) who go to the hot spots in town because they want to be seen in their nice car and get out looking like they just got off the boat from a 3rd world country. No idea how to dress, how to carry themselves, no idea WTF they're doing. All that matters to them is that they pulled up in front in a nice ride and they think they've got everybody fooled, when in actuality the people who know are already laughing and clowning and the people who don't could care less in the first place.

[Nader]

Figure to spend at least $2000 for a quality Swiss mechanical watch. That's the price of quality, with or without brand recognition.

I'm sure Rolexes are fine pieces, but I equate them with real estate agents and car dealers. Shmoozers. But that's my personal bias (no offense intended), and part of the reason I went with the lesser known Ventura brand. I wanted a smaller, automatic titanium chronograph:

[Joeaksa]

Amir,

Totally agree and for me I want something that is going to last and look nice as well. My Father had a platinum dress watch from the '30s that I still wear today. Small and stylish and keeps excellent time. Still looking for an Omega Speedmaster "Moon watch" as well as a Patek I can afford.

Hard drive, thanks and loved it since I saw it in "Le Mans" with McQueen. Just now able to afford it.

jfw834, very nice looking watch! As well seeing lots of "rose gold" watches lately and kinda like the style.

Joe A

[turbo6bar]

If wearing watches is about image, I guess I don't get it. I admire nice watches, but I haven't worn one since 1996ish. I would be lying if I didn't lust for the IWC Mark XV or Tudor Submariner. I just haven't convinced myself to part with the bucks, when there are so many other nice toys.

[pwd72s]

Originally posted by rattlsnak
www.chase-durer.com you can get one of these with actual metal from a B-52!

Big deal! My Uncle Gordon carried around "actual metal" from a B-17 for decades. He also picked up a nasty scar on his right thigh at the same time. All delivered for free by a not so friendly German.

[rattlsnak]

Yes, but what kind of WATCH does he wear???

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quote:
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Originally posted by rattlsnak
www.chase-durer.com you can get one of these with actual metal from a B-52!
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Big deal! My Uncle Gordon carried around "actual metal" from a B-17 for decades. He also picked up a nasty scar on his right thigh at the same time. All delivered for free by a not so friendly German.

[pwd72s]

Time doesn't matter much to my Uncle Gordon these days..but he wore his military Hamilton for decades...He was one of the kindest and gentlest man I ever knew. Not an ounce of macho show-off in him. Probably because being a B-17 Captain at an age many of us would consider still a kid made him realize he didn't need to prove anything to anybody later in life.