The Watch Appreciation Thread - Part two (Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Jaeger LeCoultre,

[Journeyman]

Hodinkee has been getting more and more "commercial" in recent years (just like another website that we all know...) but this is really taking it too far, I think:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/t...s-of-the-original-without-the-six-figure-bill

The above article is, essentially, an infomercial for Bamford. Now, that's not unusual for Hodinkee, as they've been doing that for a long time and I generally don't mind those sort of "Oh, look at this wonderful new watch from XYZ brand" as long as they are informative and not too gushing.

However, the Bamford "heritage Milsub" is a straight-out Frankenstein of a watch. I guess that at least everyone who buys one would know that it's a Frankenstein going in - it doesn't pretend to be anything else. They've taken a Sub case, shaved off the lugs, added an old dial and a new pairs of hands with severely mis-matched lume. It's a mess, and Hodinkee should be, I think, ashamed to promote something like that. Of course, my complaining on here isn't going to a damn thing to change it!

 

[TheFoo]



Hodinkee has been getting more and more "commercial" in recent years (just like another website that we all know...) but this is really taking it too far, I think:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/t...s-of-the-original-without-the-six-figure-bill

The above article is, essentially, an infomercial for Bamford. Now, that's not unusual for Hodinkee, as they've been doing that for a long time and I generally don't mind those sort of "Oh, look at this wonderful new watch from XYZ brand" as long as they are informative and not too gushing. 

However, the Bamford "heritage Milsub" is a straight-out Frankenstein of a watch. I guess that at least everyone who buys one would know that it's a Frankenstein going in - it doesn't pretend to be anything else. They've taken a Sub case, shaved off the lugs, added an old dial and a new pairs of hands with severely mis-matched lume. It's a mess, and Hodinkee should be, I think, ashamed to promote something like that. Of course, my complaining on here isn't going to a damn thing to change it! 

I had the same reaction as you. It's a tasteless, poorly executed retro pastiche. Even if I could get behind the idea of faking a vintage, military-spec Sub, there's no excuse for not aging the lume on the hands to match the dial markers and not narrowing down and beveling the lugs to achieve a vintage-correct profile. The circled B is just stupid. The "Swiss T < 25" already falsely claims the lume is tritium--might as well go all the way and include a circled T.

Jack Forster's articles are gems though. And the video interviews are awesome--wish they did more of them.

 

[tricky]

Interesting, just finished a thread on TRF where Ben was being heavily criticized for an "article" conversation between him and John Mayer regarding the new Daytona.

 

[TheFoo]



Interesting, just finished a thread on TRF where Ben was being heavily criticized for an "article" conversation between him and John Mayer regarding the new Daytona.

Yeah, that was a circus. I don't begrudge them for being the first two in the U.S. to get the watch and for getting special treatment; they are important brand ambassadors, after all. But the "article" lacked any substance. There was no meaningful review or report on the watch. Just gushing back-and-forth on how awesome it feels to be first in line and how awesome Rolex as a company is.

 

[SteveH35]

Fully staying out of the Hodinkee discussion

Sorry I haven't been around much lately, been busy. Just today though I picked up one of my personal grails. These were made as an LE of 15 pieces. As far as I know this is the only one that's ever come for sale and it's sold 3-4 times in the last 15 years. I missed it twice, but didn't miss it this time. It's a Royal Oak Perpetual Skeleton in Tantalum and Rose Gold. As rare as they get and a super cool combination. Tantalum is a very cool blue gray color and similar in weight to platinum. It's a beast!

 

[usctrojans31]

Looks awesome! Tantalum is my favorite metal, and the execution there is impeccable. That's coming from someone who dislikes the Royal Oak (sacrilege in this thread?).

 

[BLAUGRANA]

Re: Hodinkee

I don't have a problem with the piece on the Bamford as much as I would never touch that watch (for reasons of taste). As noted, they seem to have done it for years and perhaps more important than that they don't do it for every watch out there. I don't mind the Daytona discussion either all things considered, but it really should have been a video. I think that the dialogue would have come off differently than seeing it in print.

For me the site is too easily criticized. That said my issue is that they are rarely critical of a watch. It's predominantly positive reviews and whether or not I agree, I guess I would expect some tougher reviews out there or at least some mixed reviews. Perhaps it's a matter of only taking in pieces they like, but then maybe they could vary the watches they're bringing in.

 

[BLAUGRANA]

Swiss watch sales sharply down, -16% in 1H 2016 versus prior year:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/m...-results-show-industry-beset-by-perfect-storm
http://www.fhs.ch/file/59/comm_160606_a.pdf

Market is oversaturated--too many brands, too many models, too much volume. Meanwhile price increases in recent years have too aggressively chased Chinese demand, which has fallen off a cliff. Industry is in for a shake-up. I expect the handful of blue chips to soldier on. The many others? Will be a rough ride.

I'm just curious to see how brands react. One thing that comes to mind is more exclusivity by way of more limited editions coupled with smaller production numbers of limited editions. Still as someone who can't just break the bank on every watch I want I think it'd be interested to see what they can deliver at say the $3000 range. Love them or hate them, Nomos has multiple models at that range whether it's either full retail or grey pricing. Anyway, they can start by saving some money on the date complication. I don't need a damn date window!

 

[Novelty77]

BLNR! Back to the rollie. Certainly what i needed for my collection for now.. GMT, Chrono, dress, diver, moonphase. More pictures and reivew soon.

 

[Dino944]

Hodinkee has been getting more and more "commercial" in recent years (just like another website that we all know...) but this is really taking it too far, I think:.... It's a mess, and Hodinkee should be, I think, ashamed to promote something like that. Of course, my complaining on here isn't going to a damn thing to change it!

Personally, while I think Hodinkee has some interesting articles, I've often taken them with a grain of salt and viewed them as more of an "Infomercial" than a true news site (especially once they started selling watches). Granted some of their articles are informative, but several are just opinion pieces, and I don't always share the opinion that they do with various brands/models. As for all the gushing they do in various articles, particularly the Daytona one, I suppose its too new for them to write a serious review based on ownership experience. Although, when I read articles gushing about a watch and very little substance to back it up, I am reminded of how one author was writing that most auction &s sales sites describe the bulk whatever items they have as fine, unique, very rare, etc., even if in my own grading system I don't think some watches would qualify for those descriptions. I can't recall I time I've seen an auction house or sales website describe something as ordinary, made in huge numbers, and probably not very collectible.

Personally, I'm an originality guy, so I've never understood the Franken-watches of Bamford. To me nearly $20k, seems like an awful lot of money for a butched modern Rolex. I can't afford a Mil-Sub for $140K, but so what. $20K could put a great watch on someone's wrist be it new or used, from Rolex or some other brand.

I'm just curious to see how brands react. One thing that comes to mind is more exclusivity by way of more limited editions coupled with smaller production numbers of limited editions. Still as someone who can't just break the bank on every watch I want I think it'd be interested to see what they can deliver at say the $3000 range. Love them or hate them, Nomos has multiple models at that range whether it's either full retail or grey pricing. Anyway, they can start by saving some money on the date complication. I don't need a damn date window!

I guess we will have to wait and see. However, I don't think the answer is exclusivity by way of more limited editions. I've said it before but we have been inundated with limited editions, from many of the big brands be it AP, Omega, VC, Panerai, IWC, etc., to the point of nearly becoming desensitized to them. Missed the Royal Oak Offshore limited edition for people with blue cars, just wait six months there will be one for people who own green cars. Oh you didn't get that first version of the IWC St. Exupery chrono (which I really liked years ago)...well here we are about 10 years later and I have lost count of how many St. Exupery editions have been released. I do like some limited editions, but it seems there are so many released each year that there is hardly anything limited about these limited editions.

The Swiss watch industry doesn't care what I say. However, IMHO, its giving people real value for what they are buying, not a gussied up version of a production model and then refusing to negotiate on the price. For far too long the Swiss watch industry has raised prices on their watches, just for the hell of it. If you looked at pricing of watch companies in the 1990s prices were relatively stable for a few years at a time. You didn't have increases just because its February. In addition, dealers were able to discount watches and actually move them. Now I'm not saying there hasn't been some R&D along the way with many brands,..but really nearly $30K for a Calatrava? 10-12 years ago they were $10K or less. All Swiss companies profited from consumers when times were good and people bought regardless of the insane price increases. Now they are seeing some push back, and hopefully more savvy consumers are questioning what they are getting for their hard earned money. Companies won't like it but in addition to determining and nixing lines that are not selling well, I think they need to reevaluate the cost of various models and scale back prices and/or allow dealers more room to negotiate. I doubt that will happen, and those who bought when prices were high might be pissed off, but I think companies need to provide real honest value to consumers if they want to sell more products again. I know several collectors who felt prices have out stripped the value of what companies have been providing and they have either stopped buying altogether and just enjoyed what they have, or they have moved toward buying the vintage pieces. Anyway, it will be interested to see what happens. Cheers!

 

[firenze_rob]

@chanoch

Give Al from Rockwell Amstrong a ring. The last I checked he was still an AD for GO. He's based out of CT. I've dealt with him a number of times when he was an AD for IWC.

 

[TheFoo]



@chanoch

Give Al from Rockwell Amstrong a ring. The last I checked he was still an AD for GO. He's based out of CT. I've dealt with him a number of times when he was an AD for IWC.

But then he won't get the benefit of a VAT reduction. Buying from Europe is key.

 

[firenze_rob]



But then he won't get the benefit of a VAT reduction. Buying from Europe is key.

I agree with you if finding the lowest price is key. I made a logical leap. Baked into my comment was my own proclivity in avoiding the headache and anxiety that comes with buying big ticket items from overseas. Especially compact items with a high declared value.

 

[chanoch]

I agree with you if finding the lowest price is key. I made a logical leap. Baked into my comment was my own proclivity in avoiding the headache and anxiety that comes with buying big ticket items from overseas. Especially compact items with a high declared value.

Appreciate the suggestions and points from both you and @mafoofan on buying here or in Europe and from an AD. Frank over at watch-lounge has confirmed that the watch he'll be sending me is from a European AD, and I think I am going to try this route. He seems to have a good reputation and the price looks good.

Found this online while reading up on Glashuette and felt just sick over it, though you folks have probably seen it before: http://www.salewatchstore.com/glashuette.html

How a company can so blatantly sell fakes and even advertise 'partnerships' with high quality watch-makers is beyond me. Guess I still have some naivete that needs to be kicked out of me.

 

[New Shoes1]

In light of some of the recent discussion of 35 versus 38 mm for Nomos, thought I would try to take a picture that shows more accurately how the 38 wears on a very flat 7 inch wrist.