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

[TC (Houston)]

Hey guys, for those of you who pm'd me, I will get back to you tomorrow. I just got some really, really good news and need to go pop bottles immediately. Have a great evening!

 

[in stitches]

YAY 4 GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!

 

[ridethecliche]

My watch progression:

Digital Timex in India (~100 USD and a gift from my grandfather).
Fossil Watch through High School. ($65?)
A gift world food program watch from my aunt. (Free!)
Then I stopped wearing watches for a few years.

Hamilton Khaki auto chrono (Sticker price $1250 or so? I bought it used)
And a seiko orange monster ($300 ish?).
Now I just want something dressy, but I'm super happy with my two watches!

 

[MatthewG18]

Speaking of first "real watches", for christmas i got a rather nice Rotary automatic. I wanted something with a leather strap as I'm kinda thinking the metal links look a little blingy at this moment

I can see how some of you guys with Rolex's, Panerai, and ALS' may blow me off but this is MY first real watch so I'm pretty pleased with it!





Im just hoping that I'm able to get into a career that will enable me to afford such great pieces as i have drooled over here!

 

[Warren G.]



How much did everyone spend on their first real watch?  This thread is giving me a bit of an itch....

$2,100 for an Omega Speedmaster 3572. Awwww man, at that time I thought I overpaid for it. 3570 and 3572 were going for 1500-1800ish back then.... But I was really determine to win that auction. It's funny how that watch has gone up in value. I regrettably traded it for a Rolex DateJust a few years back. I'm still kicking myself on that trade.

My first automatic watch was a Seiko "Blue Spark." It was my 18th birthday gift from my best friend. I remember telling him it would be cool to start wearing watch and I always thought Seiko was a cool brand. It was that watch that started it all for me. Looking back, I remember I didn't wear it for a few days and I noticed my watch wasn't ticking. So I did a search, and thats how I discovered Watchuseek and Timezone.

 

[TC (Houston)]

...

 

[Warren G.]



Im just hoping that I'm able to get into a career that will enable me to afford such great pieces as i have drooled over here! 

First off, congrats on the watch. You will get there one day young man. Just keep on saving and to stay focus on your studies. The watch will always be there when you're ready to make that big purchase. Trust me, time really does flies..

 

[dopey]



Just noticed this.  Congrats and enjoy!

If you have wanted it for a long time and the deal works for you, that's what matters. Congrats and enjoy it.  

+1 .   I think many of their 70s watches are under appreciated and very cool.  I've seen photos, but never seen one in person.

NS...very cool Omega and the mesh bracelet is interesting looking on that piece.  Nice to see them going back to some of their vintage designs as SIHH is around the corner, but I'd probably prefer an original.  Enjoy yours its a beauty. 

Hi Dopey,

As Stitchy mentioned, at best you wouldn't want to do that unless it has had a recent service and the gaskets are relatively new.  That being said, I personally wouldn't do that with any new or vintage watch.  Part of the danger in doing something like that is 2 fold.  Constant extreme temperature changes, can put additional wear and tear on gaskets and steam is not necessarily as easy to keep out as water molecules particularly as there may be some expansion of gaskets etc going into a room with very hot temps.  As I'm sure you know moisture is the enemy of watches.  The other issue I don't like about wearing a good watch in a steam room is also the extreme temp change that the watch may go through going from room temperature to an extremely hot temperature, then relatively cool room temperature again when you leave.  You can end up with condensation caused by these temperature changes.  Try going out in really cold weather with sunglasses, then into a really warm room ...your glasses fog up.  The same thing can happen to your watch, and even minimal amounts over time can eventual cause dials to spot or rust spots on a movement.  A watch may be a bit less susceptible because its on your arm and its warmed up at least on one side of the watch (unlike glasses, where lenses are not warmed at all by your skin).  Still I don't like the idea of it.  A watch maker once advised me not to wear watches in the shower or hot tubs, not so much because of water, but because of the extreme temperature changes that go with it.  Now when I got my first good watch, I wore it for many years in the shower and never had any problems, but if I really care about the condition and safety of an item, why chance it.  One last example of the effects of quick extreme temperature changes (not the same as allowing an item to slowing change to its surroundings), years ago a guy on watch forum took some cool pix of his Rolex Submariner.  He put an ice cube on the crystal and snapped some photos.  When we removed the ice cube he noticed soon there after the underside of the crystal had fogged up (condensation).  People advised him to leave the crown open and see if it evaporates, but get it to a watchmaker/service center to be on the safe side.  Obviously, when its your watch you can and should do what you like, but considering what nice watches cost, I prefer to err on the side of caution.     

Thanks, Dino, and all who answered.
It is funny that you mention the risk of condensation. I think I mentioned that I still have the TAGHeuer my dad got me for my 21st birthday. The first major repair of it came about because I took it up Kilimanjaro and the inside crystal fogged on the way down. I think what happened is the pressure in the watch pushed out at the summit to equalize with the thinner air at altitude, and then, on the way down, moisture laden air pushed in from the increased pressure differential on the outside. Then the moisture condensed on the inside of the crystal. It wouldn't dry out itself and I had to have it opened up.

Steamroom is out. Not worth it. And so is that excuse for a new watch.

 

[ridethecliche]

@MatthewG18 , that rotary looks like a great first watch. I think it'll look great in formal and casual get up. Great choice!

 

[MatthewG18]

First off, congrats on the watch. You will get there one day young man. Just keep on saving and to stay focus on your studies. The watch will always be there when you're ready to make that big purchase. Trust me, time really does flies..

Thanks for the kind words, i await the day that i am able to buy my dream watch, but i have lurked on this thread for so long that i have had so many dream watches

@MatthewG18 , that rotary looks like a great first watch. I think it'll look great in formal and casual get up. Great choice!

Yeah i've had a few "real" watches before but they were never mine from new, always a hand-me-down. Don't get me wrong an original Baume and Mercier from the 60's is fantastic! But something about getting it new is different, knowing that you're the first person to wear it is a little special

 

[in stitches]



Steamroom is out. Not worth it.

correct.

And so is that excuse for a new watch.

incorrect.

 

[mimo]

A Royal Oak, a Big Pilot, and bottle-popping good news...in about a week: 2014 is the year of the TC! Congratulations threefold, my friend!

 

[tifosi]



A Royal Oak, a Big Pilot, and bottle-popping good news...in about a week:  2014 is the year of the TC! Congratulations threefold, my friend!

I agree! Anxious to hear the news!

 

[Newcomer]

Congrats TC! I can only imagine what it may be!

 

[patrick_b]

The BLNR demand is very reminiscent of the GMTIIC's release in SS in 07. I hadn't bought a watch in several years at that point but still owned a 1680, 16600 and a Seamaster among others. Since I travel for work, I checked AD's all over the country looking for the SS GMTIIC. In early 08, I got stuck in Syracuse in a storm and called an AD on a whim. Not only did they have one, but he discounted it 10%. It had been in his case for a while.

Not sure if it would help, but perhaps trying AD's in smaller markets may bear fruit before the big cities. On trips in 07/08, I tried LA, SF, SD, NY, Chicago and my hometown of Boston for months before that Syracuse trip.

I no longer have the SD (regretfully) or the 1680 but I do have the GMTIIC and the Seamaster (my first mechanical watch from 2000 or so).