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

[in stitches]

WATCHES​

SRS BSNS​

 

[DerekS]



 
 There is something cool and beautiful about vintage Rolex Explorers.   The modern Explorer is bloated and boring. 

hey now....YOURE bloated and boring!

thought this was a great segue to show off my new one...

Not a huge fan of the bracelet, so i stuck it on a NATO. standard 36mm, really small, and doesnt have the "rolexrolex" rehaut. Pretty happy with it so far.

 

[Singular]

"Really small", c'mon...

 

[DerekS]



"Really small", c'mon...

I come from panerais....i wore a 47mm 217 pretty regularly. last was a 47mm radiomir....after i thinned the herd my daily watch has been a GMT IIc...40mm and much thicker than the explorer.

so yes. really small.

 

[Dino944]

This whole homage / replica topic has been discussed to death on other threads around here, and it seems like most people have strong opinions one way or the other, but since the topic of subs and Tudors came up (and being mindful that this is a watch pr0n thread, after all), where does this sit on the scale between FAKE -- HOMAGE -- REAL DEAL? While the price differential between a Sub and a Pelagos is somewhat less than between a Sub and any other homage/fake, your argument seems to suggest that this is somewhat near the top of the slippery slope. To the uneducated eye, a Pelagos could very easily pass off as a Sub.


Edit - on the topic of Rolex and innovation - not a fan of the look of the new SkyDweller, but the complication is

Now that is an interesting point I haven't heard anyone bring up previously. Personally, I've never wanted a Tudor. I'm someone that would rather wait and save up for the item I truly want. If I wanted a Rolex Submariner, a Tudor Sub would never quell my desire to have a Rolex Submariner. However, there are people that will purchase or have purchased Tudors and been happy with them as it gives them an authentic and durable Sub case and its famous appearance.

I have never really understood Rolex's idea (beyond making extra money) that to appeal to a larger audience we will essentially copy our most famous design, but give it an ETA movement and a lower price...you don't see Patek say, well for 1/2 the price we will sell you a "Stern Calatrava" it will use a Patek case but ETA movement. I suppose if Rolex wants to create a cheaper copy, its their design tha they are free to do so...but I'd rather have the real deal. I think at least historically Tudors really were not very popular in the US, and Rolex may have had greater success with them in Europe or maybe Asia. For a while Rolex wasn't even marketing Tudors in the US...so its hard for me to really see the importance of a brand like Tudor in terms of its value in the market place or even to Rolex. I know my group of watch friends is a very small percentage of watch collectors, but at least the guys I knew that wanted good watches but didn't want to spend what it cost to buy a Rolex, they often looked at or bought Omegas, Breitlings, and other brands. None of them considered a Tudor as an alternative...but maybe Tudor has a bigger more important share of the market in other countrys/regions.

 

[Cylon]

Dont worry dino there are no hard feelings on my part-- I am just trying to be honest here. I haven't acted upon these thoughts yet, but I am not going to deny they don't clank around in my head.

On the one hand, I agree with you when you say the submariner is a ruggedly handsome watch. I think the balance/symmetry is exemplified best in the no date variants (5513 or 14060), but sometimes the date bubble does catch my eye. If I were ever to do it, I'd expect one of two things to happen: I'd get it out of my system and it would wind up in a drawer somewhere, or double down and crave the real thing even more. Contrary to the prevailing WIS wisdom, fakes have a more complex role to play in the industry than most might think.

As this conversation evolves, I find myself more fascinated with the response to a mere suggestion of wearing a cheap watch--ONOZ. If I see someone drinking sierra mist or driving a hyundai genesis, I don't get all huffy.

Now lets get back to our regularly scheduled programming?

 

[DerekS]



None of them considered a Tudor as an alternative...but maybe Tudor has a bigger more important share of the market in other countrys/regions.

agree. i have a good friend in sweden thats a rolex collector....and he's got a few of the older tudors...but ive never warmed up to them. Personally i feel id be settling.

 

[Dino944]

hey now....YOURE bloated and boring!

thought this was a great segue to show off my new one...


Not a huge fan of the bracelet, so i stuck it on a NATO. standard 36mm, really small, and doesnt have the "rolexrolex" rehaut. Pretty happy with it so far.

Hi Derek,

Congrats on your Explorer. When I said the modern Explorers are bloated and boring, I should have been clearer and said the CURRENT 39mm models. Do you like the 39mm versions? I prefer and have owned the 36mm Explorer. I had a 36mm 114270 for 10 years, I only sold it because it wasn't getting much wrist time, so I gave it a good new home.

Best regards,
Dino

 

[Cylon]

I think having tudor allows rolex more flexibility in terms of marketing. As much as I complain that Rolex is lazy/boring, I also understand their conservatism is due in large part to the fact that they represent the gold standard of luxury watch making to the public at large (for better or worse). Any misstep carries the potential of ruining the brand (a la new coke), so deploying new ideas via the tudor route allows them to take risks, be bold, and test new ideas out without damaging the staid continuity of their established lines.

Just imagine if the pelagos was the updated submariner (minus the snowflake dial marker/hands)????

Tudor can do it precisely because Rolex can't

 

[DerekS]



Hi Derek,

Congrats on your Explorer.  When I said the modern Explorers are bloated and boring, I should have been clearer and said the CURRENT 39mm models.  Do you like the 39mm versions?  I prefer and have owned the 36mm Explorer.  I had a 36mm 114270 for 10 years, I only sold it because it wasn't getting much wrist time, so I gave it a good new home.

Best regards,
Dino

i figured...just giving you a hard time

I tried on the 39mm before...REALLY dont like those at all. agree with the term "bloated and boring"

 

[in stitches]



thought this was a great segue to show off my new one...

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Not a huge fan of the bracelet, so i stuck it on a NATO. standard 36mm, really small, and doesnt have the "rolexrolex" rehaut. Pretty happy with it so far.

awesome. MOAR ACTION SHOTS!

 

[dbln79]

I watched Skyfall last night and it made me miss wearing this:

 

[DerekS]



awesome. MOAR ACTION SHOTS!

jsut this...are explorers safe from splashback?

 

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[dukerules]