Watches

[Mandy Lifeboats]

@TrentVilla    There is some good advice already here. 

I buy from chronommaster. They are UK based with a UK address and have never let me down.  I purchased a  high value watch from them during lockdown.  I didn't like it and returned it. The whole process only took 14 days from order to refund and all it cost me was 2 lots of registered post.  

Be prepared for 2 negative things if you get a Rolex.  They need servicing and they don't keep good time when compared with even a cheap quartz. It sounds trivial but these are watches with real cogs and springs.  They expand and contract with the temperature.  

There are 4 guys in my office with watches that look like Submariners. One is a fake you can spot from a mile away.  Two are pretty good fakes that would pass most casual examination.  One MIGHT be real. That's the problem.  I assume its a fake because most of them are.  

If you go for a used model you might want to get one that was made in the year you were born? Many dealers offer this service but I couldn't recommend any.  

Like you a Submariner was my dream watch. But when I got to the fortunate position of being able to afford one - I didn't.  Its a silly amount of money for something that has lost its special feeling because the fakes are so common and so good. 

 

 

[ferguson1]

1 hour ago, TrentVilla said:

Nice watch that fella.

So... turns out I was a little naive thinking I could bowl into a jewellers and pick up a submariner!
 

All these years I’ve wanted one I could have been on the waiting list. Oh well, I will find one.

Morning Trent, I won’t confess to know much about the luxury watch area, as tend to stick with mainstream Gucci, Armani, Rado etc.  It’s not that I don’t like luxury, but more about the affordability and availability for me.  Just can’t justify the initial outlay and then subsequent service costs. Hundreds of pounds for a clean up afterwards is just something I can’t do.

However, my father knows his stuff and owns an Omega, Rolex and a couple of TAG’s.  Spoke to him last night and you are looking at the used/second hand market if you want one immediately.  Watches of Switzerland on New Street will provide good advice.  A top pawn broker may have one somewhere but all papers/COA should be present if you go down this road.  I believe Rolex keep a tight ship with this kind of stuff as well.

Best of luck in your search and hope you get one soon.

[Davkaus]

8 minutes ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

 

Be prepared for 2 negative things if you get a Rolex.  They need servicing and they don't keep good time when compared with even a cheap quartz. It sounds trivial but these are watches with real cogs and springs.  They expand and contract with the temperature.  

 

Several thousands of pounds for something less useful than a cheap digital watch 

I get it's jewellery rather than functional, but that's hilarious. 

[Follyfoot]

My mate paid 100,000 quid for a Patek Philippe watch in Vegas years ago. He came back to the hotel Afterwards showing everybody the watch and I noticed it was actually going backwards

[NurembergVillan]

31 minutes ago, Follyfoot said:

My mate paid 100,000 quid for a Patek Philippe watch in Vegas years ago. He came back to the hotel Afterwards showing everybody the watch and I noticed it was actually going backwards

Must've been made for the Australian market.

[blandy]

1 hour ago, NurembergVillan said:

Must've been made for the Australian market.

Or Brexiters.

[Mandy Lifeboats]

2 hours ago, Davkaus said:

Several thousands of pounds for something less useful than a cheap digital watch 

I get it's jewellery rather than functional, but that's hilarious. 

I wear a mechanical watch every day.  It tells me the date but not when the hands cover the date window.  It stops completely if I don't wear it for 48 hours.  I have to reset the date manually every time its a month with less than 30 days.  Every morning I check the time against my phone. I have to correct it once or twice a week. I also have a quartz watch that has none of these issues.  I don't even need a watch.  My phone, TV, computer, cooker, microwave and car all tell me the time.  

But the mechanical watch is a pleasure to wear. 

[Xela]

4 hours ago, Davkaus said:

Several thousands of pounds for something less useful than a cheap digital watch 

I get it's jewellery rather than functional, but that's hilarious. 

I think its the joy of owning the actual brand and appreciating the mechanics and engineering behind it. Bit like why old classic cars like E-types and DB5s are so expensive when they are less reliable, less safe and have no bells and whistles compared to a bland modern car like a Dacia, or a Hyundai. 

I thought about buying a Rolex (used) a few years back but i'm simply too tight to spend that much money on a watch. Even though it would have appreciated in value compared to my equities and investments which are about 40% down since March

The Rolex market is similar to the classic car market at the minute as its ruined by 'investors' looking to flip watches to make a quick buck. 

[Mandy Lifeboats]

My first ever watch was a simple traditional hand-wound model.  Then digital watches became the craze and I had a simple one which showed the date if you pressed a button.  Every watch then got progressively more features.

 

I got this watch in 2006 or 2007 whilst in the USA.  It was produced by TX which was the luxury subsidiary of Timex.  It had everything including a very accurate compass.  I still have the watch but TX was closed in 2011. The parts used were specialised and they are hard to come by.  The strap broke earlier this year and even the strap fixing is unique to TX.  The compass function still works but now needs to be calibrated regularly.  It will stop working at some point and the chances of getting replacement parts are very slim .  TX even engineered it to require exclusive TX tools to service it.  It was a great everyday watch but I have now moved full circle and gone back to a simpler design.  

 

 

 

[TrentVilla]

So turns out that Sub’s are harder to come by than a Small Heath win against us.... gutted. The quest will continue...

Until then though I shall soon be rocking one of these thanks to help from a couple of mates. Can’t wait, I’ve had a horrific 12 months so felt like treating myself.

 

[ender4]

so this will probably sound weird to you guys in this thread...  but i've never owned a watch (my phone tells the time!).

I'd like to buy a watch to wear - possibly every day like at work.  Not a smart watch.

I have no idea how much a watch should cost or which one i should get. Not bothered about brand.

Any ideas?

[theboyangel]

16 minutes ago, ender4 said:

so this will probably sound weird to you guys in this thread...  but i've never owned a watch (my phone tells the time!).

I'd like to buy a watch to wear - possibly every day like at work.  Not a smart watch.

I have no idea how much a watch should cost or which one i should get. Not bothered about brand.

Any ideas?

Solved! 

[TrentVilla]

27 minutes ago, ender4 said:

so this will probably sound weird to you guys in this thread...  but i've never owned a watch (my phone tells the time!).

I'd like to buy a watch to wear - possibly every day like at work.  Not a smart watch.

I have no idea how much a watch should cost or which one i should get. Not bothered about brand.

Any ideas?

The start of a slippery slope...

Watches these days aren’t really about time, they are fashion or offer other functions but you don’t want a smart watch.

So it’s mostly down to budget and what you like the look of, there are some nice look work/dress watches for not a lot of money. I think Armani watches are a good starting point.

[ender4]

9 minutes ago, TrentVilla said:

The start of a slippery slope...

Watches these days aren’t really about time, they are fashion or offer other functions but you don’t want a smart watch.

So it’s mostly down to budget and what you like the look of, there are some nice look work/dress watches for not a lot of money. I think Armani watches are a good starting point.

something like this?

https://www.watchpilot.co.uk/products/mens-silver-stainless-steel-chronograph-emporio-armani-watch-ar11180

or is a leather strap more fashionable nowadays?

Edited November 19, 2020 by ender4

[Xela]

Maybe a bit late now but when I used to browse the horology (great word) forums, this dealer, in Hull, was always highly thought of for used Rolexes

https://blowers-jewellers.co.uk/store/rolex-watches/

@TrentVilla

[mottaloo]

On 15/11/2020 at 14:56, Xela said:

 compared to a bland modern car like a Dacia, or Hyundai 

Oi ! Shut it Audi boy 

[Xela]

1 hour ago, ender4 said:

so this will probably sound weird to you guys in this thread...  but i've never owned a watch (my phone tells the time!).

I'd like to buy a watch to wear - possibly every day like at work.  Not a smart watch.

I have no idea how much a watch should cost or which one i should get. Not bothered about brand.

Any ideas?

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of fashion brand watches like Armani or Hugo Boss as they are rebranded watches. Fossil make Armani and Movado (I think) make Hugo Boss. 

I think for a few hundred quid, you could get better quality, albeit, the brand might not be as well known as the large fashion houses. Stuff like Citizen, Seiko, Tissot, etc 

 

[Xela]

15 minutes ago, mottaloo said:

Oi ! Shut it Audi boy 

Don't talk to me about cars mate... the burbling beast has been silenced today  

I was just about to make a post about it in another thread! 

[AVFC_Hitz]

59 minutes ago, ender4 said:

so this will probably sound weird to you guys in this thread...  but i've never owned a watch (my phone tells the time!).

I'd like to buy a watch to wear - possibly every day like at work.  Not a smart watch.

I have no idea how much a watch should cost or which one i should get. Not bothered about brand.

Any ideas?

The higher end Swatch watches are affordable and look good. 

[Mandy Lifeboats]

1 hour ago, ender4 said:

so this will probably sound weird to you guys in this thread...  but i've never owned a watch (my phone tells the time!).

I'd like to buy a watch to wear - possibly every day like at work.  Not a smart watch.

I have no idea how much a watch should cost or which one i should get. Not bothered about brand.

Any ideas?

Welcome to the Dark Side.  We have screw down crowns.    

A couple of things to think about....

There are 3 criteria for watches.  It tells the time, you enjoy wearing it and you can afford it.

Some people like the brand and enjoy being connected to it. I am not in that category

Some people love gadgets.  I was in that category at one time.  I've had a watch that told me the phase of the moon. Another told me my altitude. Another told me the time anywhere in the world.  All completely pointless but enjoyable.  But I always buy a watch that is waterproof.  I'm never going to dive 10m under the sea.  But I want to use swimming pools and beaches without worrying.  

Some people like a watch that is connected to someone.  A colleague always buys the latest watch worn by James Bond.  He enjoys that connection.  

Some people like a watch with a connection to something historic. For some reason I like watches that NASA issued to the Appollo astronauts.

There are no right or wrong choices.  Look at as many as you can and something will click with you.