The Grail - Another Watch Thread - What's your grail?

[stuartj]

Originally Posted by Donerix

I can't afford a Singer 911, not even the interior of one.
But I found some nice basketweave leather and made myself a "Singer-style" strap for my favorite driver's watch:




Ended up liking to so much that I made a few more:

Wow, impressive.

[nb6179505]

Those are cool. Just did some digging on the website, intriguing

The one you have has a mirrored face so you can see yourself in the skull?

Originally Posted by Jims5543

Wife bought me this for our 29th anny. I liked Mr Jones Last Laugh but I like this better.







This is the watch I liked, as I said, I like the basic watch much better.

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[tabs]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Have to agree with you on that! Let's face it, four and even five figures is insane considering the actual hardware involved. It's like buying a piece of art to some extent. The value is far beyond the cost of canvas and paint. Love a great watch, but even new car money is hard for a working guy to justify. I was able to snag the JLC (2010 model) as part of a trade for my Submariner. With three kids heading to college in the coming years, stroking a big check is out of the question!

I have a 14k gold watch (Elgin) that was given to my grandfather by Ford Motor Co in 1951. Inscribed on the back and signed "Henry Ford ll". Still works great. I wear it only on occasion....ususally special occasions. That one is priceless.

I have one of those Henry Ford 2 Elgins that was given to gramps on 35 in for Ford.

16 + 35 = 51

Grandpa got it in 1951. On the stage my Grand father told Ford that for 35 years that they should give a car and not a watch. He also told Henry 1 that he was crazy.

[CurtEgerer]

Heuer Gilles Villeneuve Chronosplit LED. Rolex-money if you can find one ....

[t6dpilot]

Rolex 6263. Mine does not have the red Daytona and interestingly, I have never seen another without the Daytona marking.



Curt, I too like certain early Seiko sport watches. Have an early 80s Speedmaster which is considered one of the more collectible.

[aschen]

I cant say I really have a grail. Aside from their crazy prices I would have no occasion to wear any of the watches I consider the most interesting.

The Lange's make me drool though. Too flashy and fancy for me to ever wear, but If I had one Id just stare at the back on my couch

[CurtEgerer]

That movement is amazing!

Scott - didn't know that about your Daytona My one and only Rolex story is a good one. Scott and I were at a backyard BBQ with Vic Elford about 10 years ago. Somehow, the subject of watches came up (probably because we were all wearing cool watches) and Vic (who is a very soft-spoken guy) casually mentions that he still had his Rolex Daytona that was awarded to him for winning the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona The provenance doesn't get any better than that!!! I mean this isn't some celebrity watch - this is THE watch awarded to THE guy who won the watch's namesake race for christ's sake.

He says he thinks it's in a drawer somewhere at home and he hasn't worn it in many years, is it worth much? This is before Daytona values took off like a moonshot, but we still advised him that $50-60,000 would seem reasonable. Long story short, he eventually sold it a year or 2 later and I think it was in the higher end of that range.

[stuartj]

My goodness, Vic Elford's own Daytona won at Daytona? Wow.

Nerd facts- the Daytona from the 60's had non Rolex movement, the manual wind Valjous cal.72 chronograph workhorse. In the late 80's Rolex started using the truly excellent Zenith ElPrimero automatic chronograph movement. It wasn't until 2000 that Rolex fitted the Daytona with an inhouse auto chronograph movement, the cal.4130.

[aschen]

Definitely want to own an El Primero based Chrono at some point in my life

Im sure a Daytona with that provenance would be worth several multiples of whatever it sold for a decade ago

[nb6179505]

25k for Daytona's with el primero movements...

El primero were put into datrons from movado and those are pretty affordable...

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[CurtEgerer]

So what watch does the guy wear who's won the Daytona 24HR and has a Rolex Daytona from same? A 1st generation $40 Casio G-Shock of course.

[CurtEgerer]

Maybe heresy to even mention Casio G-Shock in a Grail Watch thread, but the reality is these are very nice and sought-after timepieces (I've bought and sold a few). Their hand-built premium line can be over $6000. I read an interesting thread about military watches a while back. Seems every manufacturer offers the "Official Watch of the [INSERT COUNTRY] Military or the Official Watch of the Blue Angels or whatever. Marathon (Swiss quartz) is currently the Official Watch of the US Military for example. The problem is nobody can find anyone in the military who wears these watches. Some guy in the military posted dozens of random action photos and everyone - from crew to jet pilots - was wearing G-Shock.

[t6dpilot]

Curt, here is my 6263 "Sunburnt." See how it is slightly different than all the 6263's you find photos of on the web. Missing the red Daytona over the bottom chrono dial. Original box and paperwork. Also, here is that Seiko I mentioned - The Speedmaster. It is billed as one of the 10 most collectible Seiko watches. But that is a very relative term, of course. Check out the cool 70's racing helmet on the clasp.

[HHI944]

Originally Posted by vash

at this point, i just want the Garmin Fenix 5x sapphire.

I bought a Garmin tactix bravo a few months back. I wasn't sure I was going to like the whole smart watch thing at first, but it's pretty useful. Just 'smart' enough to be useful, but not so gadgety that I look like a complete moron, swiping around on my wrist every 2 minutes...

I just snagged this, not quite my Grail of a Sub, but damn close and a fraction the cost.

[HHI944]

[Speed metal]

Rolex triple 6 for me
The SEA DWELLER. Love it,

[Cdnone1]

Not the grail but I just picked this up and have wanted it for a while

[jdlowery]

This wasn't a grail watch but I liked it, so I bought it. It's a Grand Seiko limited edition hi-beat automatic. I was in Tokyo in November and was debating between this one and a Spring drive. I fell in love with the color on this one. And this one is more hand made.

[Steve Carlton]

Got a d.m.h. jump hour coming pretty soon. 4 year wait for them now. Designs are fairly bespoke. Receiving progress reports...

[Steve Carlton]

Almost finished...