The Watch Appreciation Thread (Reviews and Photos of Men's Timepieces by Rolex, Patek Philippe, Brei

[dddrees]

Let's continue the watch discussions...

Opinions on the new Montblanc Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar? The biggest sell for this watch right now is the price, starting at $12,800 for a perpetual calendar doesn't seem bad, no? Biggest gripe from others is the eta-2892 w/ a Dubois-Depraz module instead of an in-house movement but considering the discounts you can usually get with Montblanc (I can see it being at 40% off in the grey market within a year or two?) it seems like great price for a PC especially since the next alternative is a $20k JLC? I think people were going nuts when JLC intorduced that PC for that price.

Yep it has the usual sub dials that I'm used to seeing on a perpetual calendar. I'm not used to seeing a metal case with a perpetual calendar, and it certainly is an indication of what your really getting. The hands and hour markers certainly seem to go with the metal case. They look like they were cheaply done as well. I don't like the Big Crown for some reason here either and the diameter of the case looks a bit big. A nicely executed Perpetual Calendar usually brings a smile to my face, but this watch brings more of a frown to my face.

 

[in stitches]

Dont love that one, RFX. Also, I hesitate to spend any big money on a Montblanc watch, with the exception of the Nicholas Rieussec, that I love so hard.

 

[Dino944]

^^ Should have been in a MUCH smaller case.

+1,000

Value is important, but so is design, and ultimately what you are getting. Personally, a large watch case with a perpetual calendar, even at $12K plus a discount of 40% sounds nice in some respects, but when you look at it in detail its not the savings it sounds like.

A basic, small ETA movement in an oversized case...its like looking at a guy wearing a trench coat that belonged to his brother who was 3 sizes larger. Even if its a nice coat, it sloppy in appearance...and I feel the same about small movements in large modern cases. Its just not a good fit...but its cheaper and easier than either making a movement that fits the larger case they want to use, or buying a larger movements that would look more suitable. Having all the subdials in the center of the dial and so much unused space doesn't look right to me.

In addition, even though Montblanc has made watches now for several years, to me they are a pen company that makes watches. Yes, I know about what they are doing with various movements, but again to me they are a pen company. I don't really want a pen company wrist watch. I've used the example before, but if Heinz ketchup started making suits it does mean I would buy one. I don't really want my suits made by ketchup companies, or watches from pen companies.

Then for me, and maybe it makes me a brand whore/snob...but I've never desired to have a Montblanc watch in my collection. Yes, maybe one of their pens would be nice, but their watches, no thanks. I've wanted to own a Rolex, watches from the big three, watches from other brands... and many of those watches/brands I've selected because of their reputation for quality, innovation, historic contributions to the watch world, because they represent a quality item in their respective price ranges, and because they fit my needs. Montblanc may have that rep with pens, but their earliest rep with watches was making flashy watches of little substance. Granted that has changed but for me not enough. While I wouldn't buy a watch just for resale, but if you get one discounted lets say to $8K, and you tire of it good luck getting your hard earned money out of it. There is a reason they sell at large discounts, there isn't much of a market for them and so they have to discount them to unload them. Comedian Dennis Miller used to essentially say, you get what you pay for... Buy one Kmart jacket, get one free. Folks 2 of sh*t is still sh*t...if they really want to f*ck you they'll give you three!" There are places I know that say...unless its a Patek, AP, VC, Lange, Rolex or Cartier, they aren't interested in buying it or taking it in trade because there is so much less interest in other brands on the secondary market. If you are going to buy a MB, buy it pre-owned and let someone else take a bath on the depreciation.

Value is important, but to me it should be lasting, and a not simply a watch that is relatively inexpensive to get into.
IMHO, stick to purchasing their pens.

 

[Viral]



This morning I tried on an all platinum Day-Date with dia hour markers. Was pretty damn cool. Ultra heavy.

Y U NO KOP??

 

[mimo]

It doesn't do much for me...I don't like the "Melting dial look." I also don't think I could pay that kind of money for an Omega on a gold "Oyster bracelet." If I'm buying something on an Oyster bracelet...I'd buy a Rolex. If I'm buying an Omega I want it to look like an Omega, not the love child of a Rolex and Omega. Just my 2 cents.

I wouldn't buy it either - your gold Daytona is pimp with credibility. Easy win. But I do like that melting dial. It's unashamedly silly.

^^ Should have been in a MUCH smaller case.

No question. I think we've been down this road with MB a couple of times before.

stick to purchasing their pens.

Personally they don't do much for me either. But what they do have is a strong design aesthetic: considering MB's lavish collection of brilliant horological stablemates (VC, Lange, JLC etc), it is surprising that they've come out with something so ordinary. Their collection is really quite large, yet looks like a hastily-assembled jumble of homages and obviousness. Perhaps it's because Montblanc is its own entirely separate division of the Richemont empire, while all the actual watchmakers are elsewhere, but either way you think they'd follow the principle that makes their pens sell so well: make it look like it could only be a Montblanc. That would be a good starting point.

 

[jbarwick]

The back is ugly too. You get to look at a huge rotor and someones bad choice to put lettering on everything they could. If they went solid caseback I am sure they would have added some damn picture to detract from it as well.

 

[in stitches]



Y U NO KOP??

I was about 25k short.

 

[mimo]

The back is ugly too.
You get to look at a huge rotor and someones bad choice to put lettering on everything they could. If they went solid caseback I am sure they would have added some damn picture to detract from it as well.

Yep. That's on a solid gold perpetual calendar, don't you know.

Whereas there are simple time/date steel watches in similar-sized cases, that have rotors like this:



(Just appeared in my local AD today, happened to be passing...couldn't resist a feel...)

 

[mimo]

I was about 25k short.

And your TOG is nicer.

 

[Dino944]

Whereas there are simple time/date steel watches in similar-sized cases, that have rotors like this:

(Just appeared in my local AD today, happened to be passing...couldn't resist a feel...)

Mimo my friend, you always crack me up! Thanks for the laughs!

 

[Newcomer]

That is a great picture Mimo.

Also, harking back to the Patek talk a while back--saw this on TPP this morning. Patek needs something like this (on the left) in their collection. Handwound, of course.

 

[benjamin831]

Anybody got a 37mm AP RO? Any chance of a wrist shot?

 

[in stitches]



And your TOG is nicer.

Agreed!

I need an RO so bad tho.

---

Love that, newc.

 

[ridethecliche]

I read TOG as TOJ and RO as rick owens and I was really confused what was going on in this thread.

 

[TheWraith]



My brother. 34mm was as big as I wanted to go. It's such a great all-purpose watch.

+1