An overall suggestion regarding watch posts...

[SoCal2NYC]

Originally Posted by Thurston

FWIW, Mike Sandler is a much nicer guy in person.

Hopefully, because he is big (_*_) online.

I forget which brand/forum; but, someone was complaining about how it took almost 3 months for the hand that had fallen off their watch to be replaced.

Essentially, his response amounted to "You're overreacting, I think their customer service is good and I have the final say. So there!"

 

[Coho]

Of all the forums I've been to, Styleforum is my favorite. Tons of smilies to choose from, easier access for adding images, and the moderators are top notch on this site.

All the other forums I've been to do not even compare with Style Forum.

Originally Posted by Huntsman

Generally speaking, other forums really make me appreciate good moderation.

 

[Coho]

I know exactly who you refer to. I posted a comment on the Hublot forum that got deleted. Now it's more transparent which TZ minion deleted my post.

Do you how TZ works? There are guys who seem to be on there 24/7 to "moderate" contents deemed unacceptable to the corporate sponsors. I assume that some money must exchange hands. The question is who benefit financially? For whatever reasons, the purists.com (old and updated site) remains the most faithful medium for watch discussion and culture.

Originally Posted by Thurston

The Hublot phenomenon is specifically attributable to one individual, IMO. He danced all over the line promoting the brand when he was a moderator. He's now a paid employee. Big surprise. TZ is somewhat beholden to the manufacturers because they get inside info, freebies and access to insider tours; all of which they make available to TZ posters. So I understand the desire to be respectful when posting complaints about brands. They do go overboard though. The above mentioned mod really pissed off IWC with a few childish stunts. They asked me to take over as the IWC forum moderator when he gave it up. I wisely refused and pretty much never went back after another month or so. Five years of posting on TZ is enough for a lifetime. FWIW, Mike Sandler is a much nicer guy in person.

 

[Huntsman]

Originally Posted by Coho

Of all the forums I've been to, Styleforum is my favorite. Tons of smilies to choose from, easier access for adding images, and the moderators are top notch on this site.

All the other forums I've been to do not even compare with Style Forum.

My sentiments precisely. SF

 

[Tarmac]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

^^^ There are also certain long-time posters that everyone follows like idiots. This is particularly bad when you're using a forum to become more informed about very expensive purchases.

sounds just like STYLEFORUM!!!!!! I KEEED

 

[Renault78law]

Hate to add to the derailment of this thread, but I just don't get Timezone. Maybe because I'm no watch idiot savant, but I find that forum organization by brand doesn't make sense at all for the average consumer. It seems like it would only reinforce brand loyalty. The forums are hard to navigate, and besides some excellent photography, it's hard to find substantive content.

Further, color me paranoid, but I find the sales corner a scary place. I buy plenty online, but to spend thousands(!) of dollars for something sight unseen seems a little foolhardy. This is particularly true because I see a ton of watches for sale from international sellers and members with small post counts. To be fair, I've never heard of a fraudulent transaction on timezone. It boggles my mind, however, how popular that site appears.

 

[Thurston]

Originally Posted by Renault78law

Hate to add to the derailment of this thread, but I just don't get Timezone. Maybe because I'm no watch idiot savant, but I find that forum organization by brand doesn't make sense at all for the average consumer. It seems like it would only reinforce brand loyalty. The forums are hard to navigate, and besides some excellent photography, it's hard to find substantive content.

Further, color me paranoid, but I find the sales corner a scary place. I buy plenty online, but to spend thousands(!) of dollars for something sight unseen seems a little foolhardy. This is particularly true because I see a ton of watches for sale from international sellers and members with small post counts. To be fair, I've never heard of a fraudulent transaction on timezone. It boggles my mind, however, how popular that site appears.

Learn the mantra and you will be fine: "Buy the seller."

Ask for references and check them. The first time I overnighted a certified check in excess of $5,000 to zeetan's (a SE Asian seller) 'friend' in California to hold for him, my wife swore I was the dumbest ass ever born. She was amazed when the gold JLC arrived 3 days later.

 

[acidboy]

I go around the brand-specific threads in TZ that I like (IWC, JLC, GO, Panerai, Sinn among others) and I agree with Mafoo & Socal. Sometimes I find my eyebrows raised with topics like "Long gone but still remembered (watch)" and a certain poster's thread of his extensive travel where he makes DB-like poses and tons of pictures of airport waiting areas and hotel rooms in his thread.

 

[skalogre]

Watchuseek seems much easier going and much more diverse in the people it attracts.

 

[Coho]

I got scammed once out of the 8-9 transactions I made on TZ, all in the $1000-$5000 range. I've learned my lessons.

Very few sellers can offer the references when you ask about them. IIRC, only 1 seller was able to come through by offering TZ references while all of them stated "tons of references available" in their advertisement. I am convinced that the scam rate is much higher as the mods on TZ do not allow posts relating to transaction disputes or scams so you don't hear about them when it happens. Not a good idea IMHO.

Originally Posted by Renault78law

Hate to add to the derailment of this thread, but I just don't get Timezone. Maybe because I'm no watch idiot savant, but I find that forum organization by brand doesn't make sense at all for the average consumer. It seems like it would only reinforce brand loyalty. The forums are hard to navigate, and besides some excellent photography, it's hard to find substantive content.

Further, color me paranoid, but I find the sales corner a scary place. I buy plenty online, but to spend thousands(!) of dollars for something sight unseen seems a little foolhardy. This is particularly true because I see a ton of watches for sale from international sellers and members with small post counts. To be fair, I've never heard of a fraudulent transaction on timezone. It boggles my mind, however, how popular that site appears.

 

[zippyh]

Originally Posted by acidicboy

Sometimes I find my eyebrows raised with topics like "Long gone but still remembered (watch)" and a certain poster's thread of his extensive travel where he makes DB-like poses and tons of pictures of airport waiting areas and hotel rooms in his thread.

Don't forget the pictures of him smoking a big ass cigar too.
There's always one of those in the set.

I found mysef spending a lot less time on tz when you know
who started hyping the Big Bang.

 

[Coho]

Yeah. Mr. Margolis AKA Bing Bang Shill Extraordinaire. IIRC, he bought his wife a big bang also...with his own money, which he stated resoundingly, every time.

That cigar comment. LOLZ...

Originally Posted by zippyh

Don't forget the pictures of him smoking a big ass cigar too. There's always one of those in the set. I found mysef spending a lot less time on tz when you know who started hyping the Big Bang.

 

[kngrimm]

I guess you guys weren't the right post... so what?

They have the right to deny you.. don't like it? Then oh, well...post about it here?

That forum provides WAY MORE information on watches than here... so I'd still tell people to visit that forum. It DOES have a cult following, but a smart person (like almost everything in life) will find the difference...

If you don't then u'll buy at a high price and try to sell as things go down... almost like the stock market... who here buys the stock market?

Oh, umm...interseting...

 

[Karo]

Originally Posted by SoCal2NYC

The moderators there have big assholes.

Fixed.

 

[Teacher]

Originally Posted by kngrimm

I guess you guys weren't the right post... so what?

They have the right to deny you.. don't like it? Then oh, well...post about it here?

That forum provides WAY MORE information on watches than here... so I'd still tell people to visit that forum. It DOES have a cult following, but a smart person (like almost everything in life) will find the difference...

If you don't then u'll buy at a high price and try to sell as things go down... almost like the stock market... who here buys the stock market?

Oh, umm...interseting...

And which TZ forum do you mod?