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

[culverwood]

IIRC Pateks and Rolexes etc were not trading for the same sums they are now 30 years ago and they may not hold their value 30 years into the future. One decade it is Old Masters, the next Impressionists, the next Modern American etc in art. Likewise antique furniture was very expensive but now sells at Ikea prices. As ever buy what you love and enjoy it unless you are a short term dealer.

 

[Dachshund]

Wow. Just googled it. That JDN 2 minute tourbillon in the round case is just gorgeous.

 

[cyc wid it]

I know they may seem a bit sterile for some, but I'm a big fan of the Laurent Ferrier stuff. Beyond my current watch budget though.

 

[Krish the Fish]

^ As am I. The Galet Classic (in YG) is a watch I'd like to own someday. The square doesn't really appeal to me, or the more complicated makes, but there's something about the Classic that just looks balanced and right.

 

[Texasmade]

I like the Galet Traveller with the enamel dial. Like Krish, the square doesn't appeal to me either.

 

[Keith T]

but I don't think I'd spend that kind of money on a watch unless I was sure my wife could get that money back if something happened to me and she wanted to use the funds for something else.

Somewhere on another watch forum, probably either TZ or WUS-- one of the posters has a signature that reads (and I'm paraphrasing): "My worst nightmare is that I suddenly pass away, and then my wife then sells off all of my watches for the amounts that I told her I paid for them."

 

[am55]

IIRC Pateks and Rolexes etc were not trading for the same sums they are now 30 years ago and they may not hold their value 30 years into the future. One decade it is Old Masters, the next Impressionists, the next Modern American etc in art. Likewise antique furniture was very expensive but now sells at Ikea prices. As ever buy what you love and enjoy it unless you are a short term dealer.

Or alternatively you can find other hobbies whilst the craze dies down. I haven't really bought any nice whisky in almost half a decade, partly due to cutting on consumption, partly because the craze has caused a lowering in quality from all the distilleries globally (e.g. base Taketsuru going from 12yo to NAS). I remember the days where a Port Ellen could be had for under 80 quid. Saw that PC5-6 are going for close to $1,000 now; when they came out people were saying paying 60 quid for a 5 year old whisky was insane. It was a fun experiment, but paying Port Ellen money for it is my definition of insane.

The problem is I think the China slowdown is more Japan 1960s than Japan 1980s. So we still have a while to go before a luxury price crash...

 

[Dino944]

IIRC Pateks and Rolexes etc were not trading for the same sums they are now 30 years ago and they may not hold their value 30 years into the future. One decade it is Old Masters, the next Impressionists, the next Modern American etc in art. Likewise antique furniture was very expensive but now sells at Ikea prices.

As ever buy what you love and enjoy it unless you are a short term dealer.

+1 I always tell people buy what you love. If it it doesn't go up in value you will still have something you really love, and you won't be disappointed. If it does go up in value you will have something you love and be pleasantly surprised.

You are correct, 30 years ago was a vastly different market most companies were from the onslaught of quartz watches. I bought my first Rolex, a steel GMT Master, as a teenager at the end of 1984 from an AD and received a 25% discount. My Dad's first Calatrava was purchased from an AD with a 40% discount. Sadly, those kinds of discounts are long gone...perhaps some of us who are not so obsessed with resale value wouldn't mind if resale value wasn't as strong, but we were able to acquire new pieces that we are lusting after with more substantial discounts.

The market began to change in the early to mid 90s. I sold that 84 GMT and made a little over 10% on it when I sold it. Had I kept it it would be worth several times what I paid for it. I think the difference is the internet has helped spark the interest in collecting watches, and has made information, and acquiring vintage pieces much easier than it was 25-30 years ago. But who knows, lots of younger guys I know don't wear or care about watches, they say they don't need one because of their smart phones...so maybe the next generation or generations won't be interested in buying Pateks, Rolexes, or other expensive watches...and values will come down again.

Somewhere on another watch forum, probably either TZ or WUS-- one of the posters has a signature that reads (and I'm paraphrasing): "My worst nightmare is that I suddenly pass away, and then my wife then sells off all of my watches for the amounts that I told her I paid for them."

Yes, I've seen that guy's signature. Always cracks me up. IIRC, there was a guy I think on TZ who bought a Platinum DD but told his wife it was steel...and he was worried about that scenario.

 

[Omega Male]

I like the Galet Traveller with the enamel dial. Like Krish, the square doesn't appeal to me either.

I love the Square and have come close to popping for one a couple of times. There is always that little question in the back of the mind, though, with the independents about what happens once the eponymous founder passes away. (May that day be far in the future!) Even if the manufacture endures, does the spirit? Family continuity appears to provide no guarantee, as we can see with the current generation at Patek.

 

[conqueror]

i've worn a seiko 007 for almost a decade now, and after recently turning 30 i feel like taking the plunge with a sinn 556i. hopefully i won't miss having a bezel too much.

does anyone here own one? i have read some mixed opinions about the 'coating' on the crystal, but don't fully understand what the issue is. also not sure which strap to get, especially since i will often wear it on a NATO.

also, does anyone know if define watches in brisbane is the only retailer in australia? i'd like to try it on at least before buying, but i live about 5hrs flight away. they are about $1850 AUS here.

sorry for all the questions.

 

[Article 26]

i've worn a seiko 007 for almost a decade now, and after recently turning 30 i feel like taking the plunge with a sinn 556i. hopefully i won't miss having a bezel too much.

does anyone here own one? i have read some mixed opinions about the 'coating' on the crystal, but don't fully understand what the issue is. also not sure which strap to get, especially since i will often wear it on a NATO.

also, does anyone know if define watches in brisbane is the only retailer in australia? i'd like to try it on at least before buying, but i live about 5hrs flight away. they are about $1850 AUS here.

sorry for all the questions.

Define is the only offical supplier, however, if you don your deerstalker and collect your magnifing glass before grabbing your pipe.... you may find a high-end reseller that dabbles in small, private, imports. Good-luck.

 

[mimo]

sinn 556i

Sounds like a good call. If you shop around, especially in Germany via Chrono24, you can get them new from about $1k US. But once you've factored in exchange rates and shipping, maybe an import duty, perhaps you're not saving that much after all. You can get the warm fuzzy feeling of buying from your local dealer and knowing you can get the support if you need it.

I think they are very cool watches for a decent price. Personally I like the fine link bracelet look, but they're all great looking in my humble opinion. The "i" with stick markers is a good choice for versatility too. Don't forget to share some pics when you get it!

 

[dan'l]

So, I have been looking for a three-hand dress watch and one of the pieces I am considering is the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionelle:

(not my pic)

I went to the VC dealer over the weekend and tried one on. It is a beautiful watch, with a lovely dial and the strap was very well made, with alligator on both sides, similar to what FPJ is doing. Anyways, it's not that I want to nitpick, but I know that my brethren here will indulge me, so here it goes:

1) I really hate the sides of the watch. If you look in the pic above, you can see that it has facets, or "steps" in the case. It is the sort of feature I expect to see on a steel sports watch and not on a dressier piece. For some reason I expect gold, dress watches to have rounded sides. Am I being overly fussy?

2) The watch did not seem to have much "heft" to it. I guess I was expecting it to be heavier, but perhaps due to the faceting they shaved a few grams off.

3) The winding mechanism did not feel as smooth as other HW watches I've tried, for example from ALS or Cartier (CPCP line).

I am certainly not bashing the watch, nor is it completely off my list, since it still fulfills some criteria, but I was somewhat let down after handling it in person, which I suppose is the main lesson here. Perhaps I got too hyped after reading the Hodinkee three-on-three review from a few years back:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/three-on-three-manual-dress-watch
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/three-on-three-manual-dress-watch
Anyone else handle the watch lately and care to comment?

 

[firenze_rob]

Incoming. Impulse buy during a recent trip to Japan. The case looked great and the lume aged nicely.

Today the kids were sick home from school; too sick to go to school but not too sick to come with me to the omega boutique on Fifth. I picked up this bond NATO. Customer service at the Fifth Ave boutique is excellent. They replaced the worn springbars and timed my watch without asking.

I was toying around with getting the Jean Rousseau version, but I like the aesthetics of the rectangular metal keepers.

I know there's no historical context for a NATO on a speedmaster, but sometimes it's good to be a chav. Also, incoming....

 

[Dachshund]

A critique with the words "I really hate..." suggests to me that that isn't the watch for you.