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

[Mr Tewkesbury]

Oh, mum was a concert pianist. I am a rather good amateur.

 

[am55]

While I agree that the Hamburg Steinways walk all over the American counterparts, each piano is a meritorious excercise.
The overwhelming lack of substance within the soundboard in comparison to the that of the boussy's is shocking. Mum had a D and kept it for 3 months, this particularly piano was sourced and approved by Brian Davidson (concert hall tuner), it was blunt, had disturbingly inconstant range and volume.
As to antiquated pianos: broadwood were wonderfull, next bechstein for roundness of tone and boussy for sheer ******* power and balance.

Was it from the New York factory? They did strange things to the hammers for a while, covering them in plastic or something. It would explain the bluntness but the range and volume surprise me as the one thing that is extraordinary on Ds is the ease with which you can control tone at any volume and pitch.

I personally could not let someone else choose my piano (or any instrument), no matter their credentials. There is a degree of intuition in the act that requires being there in person.

 

[Mr Tewkesbury]

Was it from the New York factory? They did strange things to the hammers for a while, covering them in plastic or something. It would explain the bluntness but the range and volume surprise me as the one thing that is extraordinary on Ds is the ease with which you can control tone at any volume and pitch.

I personally could not let someone else choose my piano (or any instrument), no matter their credentials. There is a degree of intuition in the act that requires being there in person.

It was From Hamburg and mum has played many a Steinway and always returned to boussy - for which I agree, best piano to-date. However, not played a Stuart or Barenboim. I will say that shigeru are very good.

Sorry peeps, a piano hijack has occurred.

 

[academe]

Durable, no-excuses watch - yup. High quality - machine pressed movements, with less than minimal hand finishing which allows the for durability - nope.
Yes, they do use the high-grade steel and maintain a very tight "production" line - however, what is achieved through efficiency is lost in horological merit.
As a finessed movement Rolex does not rate a mention.
A tailored and cleverly conceived advertorial position is not meritorially based. I will concede that the movement quality has become more competitive in the last 20 years, but given the most immediate competition and the resources at-hand, really?
I can not image the liternay of detractors prepared to shoot the balls out of this post, still, words do not alter the facts. The finesse of a Rolex can be found upon a blunted pencil nib.

I shall hibernate until the vitriol has passed...

Nothing against you personally MrTewkesbury but part of the reason I've stopped visiting this thread and some of the others on this forum is the sheer repetitiveness of some of these arguments rolled out by members new and old. The points you have made have been repeated ad nauseam for years upon years. I stopped coming here something like four years ago partly because the same arguments have been made about Rolex (and name another brand favoured by the nouveau riche such as ... [IWC] ... [Panerai] ... [Hublot] ... etc.). Like what you like. Buy what you like (within your means). I find the whole relative comparison of value versus technical/artisinal merit boring and full of subjective BS. As I said, the points and opinion you have expressed are boring and trite. In my view, so much mental masturbation. I regret coming to this forum again, and will now step out again for another few years... Perhaps I will even have my membership cancelled. God knows I stopped visiting the men's bespoke/tailored clothing forum for those such as you. Farewell again Styleforum for a few more years...

 

[Dino944]

My experience is that we wear our fathers GP; UN; PP; Omega or VC. Rolex and Cartier have always been the purview of a certain type.
It is my experience and my exposure. I recognise the temptation to shoot this down - experience still stands.

Interesting experience. However, aside from the Patek advertisements, I have more commonly seen and heard stories of people wearing their fathers' Rolex and Omegas. Maybe in part due to their producing watches in larger volume, having more distribution points, and lower prices than several of the other companies you referenced. Or in the case of Rolex, at least in part because their watches were commonly available to military people at the PX or NEX at good prices back in the 1960s and 1970s. I've heard of lots of guys' fathers buying them while in the service. I even work with a guy who is in now in his 70s and he bought 2 Rolex watches back in the late 1960's at a NEX when he was in the navy. He paid $90 for one and $110 for the other. He wanted rugged, waterproof watches, and he still has them, one of which will go to each of his sons. Not really sure what your comment of the purview of a certain type is supposed to mean.

Rolex is different in one important respect: the signalling is the point. It's very honest in that way, to a lot of people it sells the idea of having made it**, a sort of recognisable yet relatively affordable visibility for which there are few other reliable options. Rolex also happens to tick all the boxes for watch enthusiasts, such as having its own production line and alloys, a long history of innovation, and product placement for literally every man. I can roll with that. I used to wonder whether Rolex needed to keep a solid watch enthusiast backing to sell the signal, or whether the signal was enough; Vertu has proven that solid contents are required to maintain the signal, it's thus likely Rolex will avoid cheapening the product.
/QUOTE]

Yes, there are people who bought a Rolex to say they made it. Funny that you guys brought up pianos, but back in 1960, my wife's grandfather bought a Steinway piano at the Steinway store in NYC and a Cadillac as presents to himself because in his eyes he had "Made it." He wasn't a watch guy. My wife inherited the piano a few years ago...neither of us play so its just a piece of furniture at this point.

Well, on the topic of signaling, it may apply to Patek these days too. One of my neighbors who is an economist and a professor at a university, recently said of several companies he had visited, "Rolex is for middle management, Patek is for those on the board."

Signaling via a watch probably only works in some areas or some industries. Most of my non-watch friends have heard of Rolex, a few have heard of Patek, but they wouldn't know a Rolex, Patek or any other good watch by sight.

Leaping into the debate with both feet: my "one watch" - the BLNR.

As an aside, my father wore a cheap quartz Seiko and his a cheap Tissot. The money they saved was put into my education so I could afford a better lifestyle. Couldn't care less whether wearing a Rolex is gauche or "new-money," not that I'm wealthy enough to qualify - I found the BLNR beautiful and the legacy of quality and precision appealing, so I bought it.

View attachment 825996

Congrats on your BLNR! Its definitely one of my favorite modern Rolex watches.

 

[mimo]

If I understood Mr T correctly, he was referring to the habits of the hereditary wealthy in particular - the "1%" - and even more specifically referencing my comment about "the aristocratic among them".

But I think those wear their fathers' old Rolexes too.

@academe I share your ennui on occasion and also visit the tailoring threads, and SF in general, a little more sparingly. But there is always the option of changing the subject. Stay and play - all games are welcome!

 

[double00]

agreed. if its predicable behavior why get tweaked? be and let be, and all shall thread.

 

[zippyh]

Pages of tl;dr lately.

 

[Keith T]

Wow. Of all the tangents over the years, I can't seem to recall one dedicated to pianos.

But I have to say that it wasn't so bad; and I might have accidentally learned something.

Sooo... here's a random picture of my 2254.50 on Omega rubber. You know, just for funsies.

 

[academe]

If I understood Mr T correctly, he was referring to the habits of the hereditary wealthy in particular - the "1%" - and even more specifically referencing my comment about "the aristocratic among them".

But I think those wear their fathers' old Rolexes too.

@academe I share your ennui on occasion and also visit the tailoring threads, and SF in general, a little more sparingly. But there is always the option of changing the subject. Stay and play - all games are welcome!

mimo - I appreciate the welcome. I suppose over the years it's become a question of how to spend my time. Having to read the strident (but repetitive and predictable) views of those like MrTewkesbury whether here or in the tailoring threads simply kill my enjoyment for this funny little hobby that we have. Likewise in the tailoring threads; I think if I have to read another argument about whether or not bespoke is worth the money, or put up with another argument over "divots" I think I'm going to vomit. Life is too short! I have better things to do with my time.

 

[New Shoes1]

Wow. Of all the tangents over the years, I can't seem to recall one dedicated to pianos.

But I have to say that it wasn't so bad; and I might have accidentally learned something.

Sooo... here's a random picture of my 2254.50 on Omega rubber. You know, just for funsies.

View attachment 826147

I saw one of these on the wrist recently at the airport and was surprised by how much more I like it in real life than in pictures. So much better than the current version.

 

[New Shoes1]

mimo - I appreciate the welcome. I suppose over the years it's become a question of how to spend my time. Having to read the strident (but repetitive and predictable) views of those like MrTewkesbury whether here or in the tailoring threads simply kill my enjoyment for this funny little hobby that we have. Likewise in the tailoring threads; I think if I have to read another argument about whether or not bespoke is worth the money, or put up with another argument over "divots" I think I'm going to vomit. Life is too short! I have better things to do with my time.

There are many threads I do not read for this precise reason. The actors may change, but it's the same script over and over again. That said, I still find certain threads to keep up with, if not simply for the pictures.

 

[zippyh]

mimo - I appreciate the welcome. I suppose over the years it's become a question of how to spend my time. Having to read the strident (but repetitive and predictable) views of those like MrTewkesbury whether here or in the tailoring threads simply kill my enjoyment for this funny little hobby that we have. Likewise in the tailoring threads; I think if I have to read another argument about whether or not bespoke is worth the money, or put up with another argument over "divots" I think I'm going to vomit. Life is too short! I have better things to do with my time.

Exactly. Quite frankly, he reads like a dick.

 

[Krish the Fish]

I saw one of these on the wrist recently at the airport and was surprised by how much more I like it in real life than in pictures. So much better than the current version.

It could very well have been me in the airport wearing one. It is quite frankly one of the only Omegas that's ever really spoken to me. I got my dad a new ceramic Seamaster for his birthday last year, and I'd much rather have the 2254.50 I have on wrist. Even with the cost of service I still paid more for his than I did for mine (though his was new and mine was post-discontinuation)

 

[Keith T]

Mine gets plenty o' wrist time, especially in the summer. It's on a Zulu strap right now. Great watch.

I think it's the MOD look that always appealed to me with this piece (sword hands / hour indices).

That pic was probably two years ago, on spring break if memory serves.