Beauty & Style Wrist Watch lovers

May 10, 2007
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Undecided about the blue or rose-gold design.

I like it in blue, FWIW.

How much do you really love your wife? Because I really love that watch.

My wife is very excellent, but she does have a "if you get to spend it, I get to spend it" financial policy. Which makes an already-expensive IWC Big Pilot a truly eye-watering monetary proposition. Further negotiations and a thumping tax return required before I can drop that sort of coin. But...

will-be-mine.gif
 
May 10, 2007
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I really want to buy a Rolex. Nothing too flash, the sorta lower range ones around $2000-$2500 would be ample.

If it is your first foray into such things, I highly recommend you do some reading and researching and oggling of goodies online. Rolexes are great, but they are a long long way from the only GREAT timepieces out there. If you choose Rolex, awesome. But I urge you (and anyone else) not to choose them just by default.
 
Aug 16, 2011
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If it is your first foray into such things, I highly recommend you do some reading and researching and oggling of goodies online. Rolexes are great, but they are a long long way from the only GREAT timepieces out there. If you choose Rolex, awesome. But I urge you (and anyone else) not to choose them just by default.
I'm 30 next year and the boss said she will buy me one.

At the end of the day, there may be better watches out there than Rolexes, but at the end of the day, I/we can't really afford to blow $5-10k on a watch.
 

Lyyynnnchy

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I'm 30 next year and the boss said she will buy me one.

At the end of the day, there may be better watches out there than Rolexes, but at the end of the day, I/we can't really afford to blow $5-10k on a watch.
There are much better watches out there for $2k than a $2k Rolex
 
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Enlighten me!

A bunch of other brands to look up and get excited about in a similar "tier" to Rolex.
Couple of things to note...

1. I don't think there's anything happening in this tier at <$2500.
2. There are two tiers above this (just so everyone is clear Rolex is not the pinnacle of the horological world), and several below it, too.

I wasn't challenging you to spend any more than your budget, but be clear what you are spending it on and why. Rolex is the best KNOWN luxury brand of watches, no doubt. But there are a million options out there to discover, some with way better histories, stories, quality, ideas and designs that Rolex. I find most Rolexes ugly to my eye, to be completely truthful. They smack of 80s tackiness to me. But they are absolutely the real deal, with great quality and movement and pedigree. There's just only a handful I'd be interested in owning, and I'd prefer to know why I CHOSE what's on my wrist rather than getting the thing that every man on the street knows.
 
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ash_1050

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For me I'd get a Rolex when I'm 50 and/or retiring. They're very much a pinnacle watch for a lot of people and they match a certain type of person. By all means go for it but I'd say shop around for other watches at the same price point and then settle on something that you're satisfied with. At the end of the day it's your watch, wear what you enjoy.
 
Aug 16, 2011
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A bunch of other brands to look up and get excited about in a similar "tier" to Rolex.
Couple of things to note...

1. I don't think there's anything happening in this tier at <$2500.
2. There are two tiers above this (just so everyone is clear Rolex is not the pinnacle of the horological world), and several below it, too.

I wasn't challenging you to spend any more than your budget, but be clear what you are spending it on and why. Rolex is the best KNOWN luxury brand of watches, no doubt. But there are a million options out there to discover, some with way better histories, stories, quality, ideas and designs that Rolex. I find most Rolexes ugly to my eye, to be completely truthful. They smack of 80s tackiness to me. But they are absolutely the real deal, with great quality and movement and pedigree. There's just only a handful I'd be interested in owning, and I'd prefer to know why I CHOSE what's on my wrist rather than getting the thing that every man on the street knows.
Definitely need to take a better look into these. Need to speak with the boss and see what the actual budget will be. I don't want her spending a *ton of money when it isn't entirely necessary.

For me I'd get a Rolex when I'm 50 and/or retiring. They're very much a pinnacle watch for a lot of people and they match a certain type of person. By all means go for it but I'd say shop around for other watches at the same price point and then settle on something that you're satisfied with. At the end of the day it's your watch, wear what you enjoy.
Well, my auntie got me a fake Rolex from HK about 10 years ago, and I loved it. Didn't need to change the battery for five years, once I did, it then died, but that's to be expected. I liked it a lot.
 

ash_1050

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Well, my auntie got me a fake Rolex from HK about 10 years ago, and I loved it. Didn't need to change the battery for five years, once I did, it then died, but that's to be expected. I liked it a lot.

Yep as I said wearing what you enjoy, for me I'm not yet a Rolex person, though it will no doubt come in the future. Also I have small wrists so a lot of their nicer models would be outside my range of wear.
 

vonn

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Another thing re: rolexes - they’re bloody annoying to keep on time. You have to literally like sleep/wear/live in them - which is hard if you have an active life and don’t want it to get banged up. So consider your lifestyle too.
 
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Another thing re: rolexes - they’re bloody annoying to keep on time. You have to literally like sleep/wear/live in them - which is hard if you have an active life and don’t want it to get banged up. So consider your lifestyle too.

yep

my IWC is the same. If you don't wear it, you always have to wind it.

but getting a watch re polished doesn't cost much and is usually done as part of the service
 

vonn

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yep

my IWC is the same. If you don't wear it, you always have to wind it.

but getting a watch re polished doesn't cost much and is usually done as part of the service

Worried about the scratches though. Also would get ruined in the gym with weights haha.
 

vonn

Bigfooty Legend
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Speaking of service - how often should you service a watch?

I’ve seen everything between 3-5 years to 7-10.
 
Worried about the scratches though. Also would get ruined in the gym with weights haha.

I think my watch (IWC yatch club) sells for circa $12k-15k these days and wear it fixing the car, gym, gardening, scuba.....just every day stuff. After three or four years it loses its shine and after a service and a fresh coating of metal, all the scratches are gone and it looks brand new.

I can understand if you want to keep a watch as a dress watch but you'll be surprised how good a watch comes back from servicing.
 
Speaking of service - how often should you service a watch?

I’ve seen everything between 3-5 years to 7-10.

when it's broken and preferably when you are overseas.

The quality of service in Asia is far superior to Oz and Europe.
 

vonn

Bigfooty Legend
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when it's broken and preferably when you are overseas.

The quality of service in Asia is far superior to Oz and Europe.

Had a watch that I didn't service for 10-15 years. 2.5k later I almost wish I serviced it more regularly. Was in Beijing and their quote worked out to be the same after conversion to AUD.
 
Had a watch that I didn't service for 10-15 years. 2.5k later I almost wish I serviced it more regularly. Was in Beijing and their quote worked out to be the same after conversion to AUD.

I’ve found Singapore very reliable
 
May 10, 2007
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Check this out for a nightmare scenario.

My buddy just dropped a month or two's salary on a Glashutte Original Senator Chrono Panaroma Date. Ie, this beauty:

Glashutte-Original-Senator-Chronograph-Panorama-Date-9.jpg


He waits 4 months for it to be delivered, because it wasn't even available in Australia yet.

He gets it.

3 weeks in....................................

The SECOND HAND FALLS OFF.

Off.

Like rattling around under the sapphire crystal on the face.... off.

Oh my. Poor bastard. At least he bought local bricks-and-mortar, so is getting pretty good warranty service. But damn. I've taken his shoelaces and belts.
 

vonn

Bigfooty Legend
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Stole my BF’s watch for a cheeky photo - it's the Apollo 40th anniversary special I think.



Unfortunately he can’t wear it as his body sends the battery out of wack, but it looks mighty fine. (Numerous replacements from the company has not worked, so we have concluded it must be him). It’s a shame it just sits there collecting dust. May need to convince him to get a few links taken off :D
 
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A bunch of other brands to look up and get excited about in a similar "tier" to Rolex.
Couple of things to note...

1. I don't think there's anything happening in this tier at <$2500.
2. There are two tiers above this (just so everyone is clear Rolex is not the pinnacle of the horological world), and several below it, too.

I wasn't challenging you to spend any more than your budget, but be clear what you are spending it on and why. Rolex is the best KNOWN luxury brand of watches, no doubt. But there are a million options out there to discover, some with way better histories, stories, quality, ideas and designs that Rolex. I find most Rolexes ugly to my eye, to be completely truthful. They smack of 80s tackiness to me. But they are absolutely the real deal, with great quality and movement and pedigree. There's just only a handful I'd be interested in owning, and I'd prefer to know why I CHOSE what's on my wrist rather than getting the thing that every man on the street knows.

Great post. I've been looking for a second watch and read a lot of sites, blogs to get a feel for what's out there. I'm coming to the conclusion you'll do just as well at $1000 (including a lot of the micro brands) or below as you will at $2500-3000. At that higher range I'd certainly be looking at Nomos and Junghans.
 
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