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

[mimo]

Well, he did keep his promise to "go back to Patek" and buy FORTY of them. And considering what Frilly did in three months, three years might yet offer all sorts of vicarious insanity! I'm hoping he discovers Langes too.

As for you, Cousin Stitchy, I agree with you about the addictive personality and not knowing how much the horizon might shift were you suddenly endowed with great fortune. I'd like to think I would try to resist going crazy on watches. Although I know I'd have a **** load of shoes (and my own company...still working on that!) But your assertion that you wouldn't buy variations on the same watch? Hmm...really? You wouldn't have more than one Panerai? Yes, they've all got different features and attributes, but basically there are only two. More than one Reverso? I suspect so. I suspect you might end up collecting the same one just for different serial numbers.

 

[Keith T]

There are some collectors out there with really, really, really, really deep pockets...

That's four reallys y'all.

Four.

 

[david3558]

Just curious to see if anyone here is familiar with MKII? I just won a giveaway from Worn & Wound last night

 

[edmorel]



Just curious to see if anyone here is familiar with MKII? I just won a giveaway from Worn & Wound last night

yeah, I remember when Bill started MKII, he was first just really doing mods. Their stuff us military/vintage inspired, solidly made.

 

[Belligero]



Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

im honestly not sure where i stand on this. i am sure that with unlimited funds my collection would be far more than 10, of that i have no question. whether or not it would hit 150+ is a good question. i could definitely see myself with those amazing and beautiful watch winding curio cabinets, the ones with outstanding woodworking and inlaying.... and i could see them filled with a vast assortment of timepieces. but, admittedly i do have an addictive personality and a compulsion to own things i find pretty. or, i could see myself with 30 or so watches i love, and buy and sell watches from the collection as my interest in different pieces waxes and wanes.

i do think that the compulsion to buy 6 or so of the same model watch in different dial/bezel/strap combinations is odd, and i dont really relate to that at all. it does seem to lean hard towards the side of strictly collecting, but that does not bother me. to each their own. some people collect stamps or art or cars or baseball cards. i still have boxes of cards at my parents house. while he clearly has a leaning toward collecting, only a watch lover could collect like that, and i would speculate that its both about a love for watches and a personal predisposition towards collecting. i think j leno is very similar with cars, and i would say that is a very comparable situation. and i do believe he is truly a lover of cars

i would not though call it hoarding. to me that is only when one becomes so consumed with having things that it takes over their life to great detriment. now, i dont know this guy, but assuming his house is not so littered with watches that its a hazard to enter, and assuming he is a functioning person with work and family, i would say it stays in the realm of big money collecting combined with watch love, not hoarding.

also, collections like that can be a form of investment. it will become part of his estate and could bring tens of millions of dollars to his family in the future, or more. now, i dont know the full worth of all his models, or if they are the type to gain value over 20 years + or how well they are all cared for (though they look immaculate), nor can i speculate what that money would be worth if held as an investment, and would the investment be successful, but its certainly plausible that its a net gain for his estate. its all speculation, but its not out of the question.

i know that there will be many opinion on this, and this is just mine.

I think the cost of servicing that many über-complicated watches (I lost track of how many of those were perpetual calendars, minute repeaters and tourbillons, more often than not simultaneously) would eat into the investment very quickly and turn it into a bit of a white elephant. They need maintenance even if they're only worn once or twice a year. You'd essentially need a live-in watchmaker from each company.

 

[no frills]

That's four reallys y'all.

Four.

Did you see that link that Newcomer posted? Unless that guy has some angel benefactor, I probably should have used six "really's." And if he does have an angel benefactor, said six "really's" should apply to said backer.

 

[in stitches]



I just got an S7 at the beginning of the year - both the S6 and S7's are awesome cars. Pull The Trigger

i love the S7. pic of your car? +1 on pulling the trigger

As for you, Cousin Stitchy, I agree with you about the addictive personality and not knowing how much the horizon might shift were you suddenly endowed with great fortune. I'd like to think I would try to resist going crazy on watches. Although I know I'd have a **** load of shoes (and my own company...still working on that!) But your assertion that you wouldn't buy variations on the same watch? Hmm...really? You wouldn't have more than one Panerai? Yes, they've all got different features and attributes, but basically there are only two. More than one Reverso? I suspect so. I suspect you might end up collecting the same one just for different serial numbers.

i still think its different. having a 112 with a black dial and a coffee dial is very different than say having a 112 and another different model similar to the 112, like the 372. same for reverso. just my opinion.

I think the cost of servicing that many über-complicated watches (I lost track of how many of those were perpetual calendars, minute repeaters and tourbillons, more often than not simultaneously) would eat into the investment very quickly and turn it into a bit of a white elephant. They need maintenance even if they're only worn once or twice a year. You'd essentially need a live-in watchmaker from each company.

interesting point. a good one. a good reason why future generations might sell them off if they are not watch lovers and avid collectors.

 

[Flake]

Lets see
103

i love the S7. pic of your car?

+1 on pulling the trigger
i still think its different. having a 112 with a black dial and a coffee dial is very different than say having a 112 and another different model similar to the 112, like the 372. same for reverso. just my opinion.
interesting point. a good one. a good reason why future generations might sell them off if they are not watch lovers and avid collectors.

Lets see
103
112
190
170
049
288
228
236
251
249

Sort of scary now that I look back at it. Thinned that heard a bit in the last few years. Down to maybe half of those now.

 

[Flake]



i love the S7. pic of your car?

+1 on pulling the trigger
i still think its different. having a 112 with a black dial and a coffee dial is very different than say having a 112 and another different model similar to the 112, like the 372. same for reverso. just my opinion.
interesting point. a good one. a good reason why future generations might sell them off if they are not watch lovers and avid collectors.

Lets see
103
112
190
170
049
288
228
236
251
249

Sort of scary now that I look back at it. Thinned that heard a bit in the last few years. Down to maybe half of those now.

 

[in stitches]

give me good pics of your collection or die.

 

[Coldcava]

I've got to get some better pics - winter here has been pretty tough.

 

[in stitches]

fantastic. enjoy it.

speaking of pics, we bought this earlier this week. im not a huge fran of this combo, too much gold for me. i think it needs another color to contrast the gold and set it off.

but i know dereks loves it!

 

[Flake]



I've got to get some better pics - winter here has been pretty tough.

My favorite sedan

 

[Dino944]

It might just be me, and I totally understand if anyone disagrees with me, but I find collectors like that slightly disturbing.

I know he takes pains to mention that he tries to wear every watch, but when your collection is 140+ and growing, you're only going to wear any given watch once or twice a year if you rotate them daily.

What I am trying to say in a roundabout way is that past a "certain point" (which varies for each of us), it becomes more about collecting stuff, and less about watches.

I'm not saying that I begrudge him his ability to afford that large quantity of watches (I don't), but that I find it disturbing that he has that many watches. It's like watching an upscale edition of Hoarders, or a grownup (presumably) Big Law/Finance version of a Pokemon card collector.

I can safely say that even if I had unlimited funds I would keep my collection tightly focused, by which I mean probably < 10 (sentimental watches exempted). Every watch wanting to enter this hallowed company would have to knock another one out... Iron Chef style.


... like I said, it might just be me.

I have a few watches, and I enjoy them all. However, I did notice once I had more than 4, I just did not have as much time to wear all of them on a regular basis. Maybe its because now I have less free time to choose different watches during the week, maybe its also I now have some watches that are dress watches that I wouldn't wear for bang around the office or for more physically active events.

I don't think there is anything wrong with collecting things, even if its just for the sake of collecting, and you don't get to wear them all. People collect art and they can look at it, but they don't wear it, they don't get to spend the time winding it or setting various complications, and when they are not home they can't look at it. At least some watches are like a wearable piece of art that a person can bring with them and quietly enjoy all day.

I can't see myself ever having a such an insane number of watches even if I had unlimited funds. Sure I would have more watches than I do now, but I don't wear all the ones I have now on a regular basis. I also like to take my time and really choose pieces that I really like and want. I can't imagine the guy put a lot of thought into collecting or researching the watches if he amassed 140 in 3 years. Thats like a watch a week. To me it take more time to look, learn, and decide...unless he just goes into a specialty shop and says I want to have 1 example of each sought after and currently made piece from Lange and Patek. I would have little or no attachment to most pieces if buying that way....but to each his own.

also, collections like that can be a form of investment. it will become part of his estate and could bring tens of millions of dollars to his family in the future, or more. now, i dont know the full worth of all his models, or if they are the type to gain value over 20 years + or how well they are all cared for (though they look immaculate), nor can i speculate what that money would be worth if held as an investment, and would the investment be successful, but its certainly plausible that its a net gain for his estate. its all speculation, but its not out of the question.

i know that there will be many opinion on this, and this is just mine.

I don't know that one can say he has bought watches that are going to return tens of millions of dollars. That is presuming he bought at a decent price and all of these pieces will increase in value. Some watches, if he purchased in the last 3 years have already increased signficantly since they were originally produced, such as Lange Pour le Merit (not sure if I spelled the correctly) so he currently paid probably top dollar for that one. We don't know if that one has already seen the bulk of its appreciation or if it will continue to go up modestly, remain the same, or drop over time. In addition, althought great watches, most are relatively recent pieces. These will never have the appreciation or rarity that say a Patek minute repeater or grand complication from the 1950s would have. Not that they are not nice, or special, but most modern pieces are built in larger numbers than they were made in during the 1930s -1980s. Furthermore, from the 1930s-1980s before watches truly became thought of as investments people wore these watches, they were not babied, and some were damaged or lost over time....making vintage pieces in mint condition truly rare. Over the last 20 years or so many collectors bought watches and put in a safe to wait. So there will always be a larger supply of great condition relatively modern watches.

Beyond that, as Belligero suggested the maintenance costs will be quite substantial. Figure a basic service on a time only Patek or Lange is about $1,000 (and thats not taking into account the added cost of servicing complicated pieces) and servicing this collection is a minimum of $140,000.

His collection could increase in value, but its a ton of money tied up in watches, and if his family isn't into watches and doesn't know much about thme, its could be a pain for them to research and make sure they are getting appropriate prices for the watches. Also it could take some time to liquidate such a collection.

Just playing some devils advocate. There are definitely some nice pieces that could or should continue to escalate in value.

 

[mimo]

but i know dereks loves it!

But then Derek is a seat-sniffing pimp who wears cargo pants with a blazer. Dreadful man.

I would like to see that watch with a deep blue dial. Perhaps you could arrange it.