The Watch Appreciation Thread - Part two (Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Jaeger LeCoultre,

[DavidLane]

I think OEM straps are the biggest ripoff in the watch game. What's Omega selling those for? $500? Why pay OEM markups when you can get excellent straps for (a still absurd) $200 all over the place?

Edit to add: I have a nice shell cordovan watch strap that I got from Hodinkee for ~$200 a few years ago. But think about the amount of leather and craftsmanship required to make a watch strap, compared to a pair of shoes. Every time I wonder why a pair of Aldens cost $700 I look down at my wrist and stop wondering.

I hand make watch straps and I can tell you there is a reason leather workers will specialize in them. They are a pain in the ass to make, and need to be correct across several points in their construction. Every little element is important. One bit off and they just don't work, in particular when making them for deployant clasps.

I agree on the OEM pricing, but if a customer wants an Omega Strap on their Omega watch, Omega is in a position to capitalize on it and has responded accordingly.

-DL

 

[garigo]

PS - 43, hold a BSc (Hons); PhD in Astro (neurtralinos) and a MSc (Eng) Silicas.

Will be fine.

Too bad we never found neutralinos.

 

[Dino944]

LOL.

This is the best watch thread on the internet thanks to its cast of characters, your company included. To name a few:

George Red - Senior law partner who never bothers to read what is written to him; excellent taste and collection
Dino - Never loses patience with idiots; also excellent taste and collection
TheFoo - Village idiot who somehow passed the NY bar; mediocre investment banker with modest budget yet big fish; peak Patek and Prosche
Riva - Sorely missed
Medwed - Probably dead from vodka poisoning or in Siberian prison; trolls better than TheFoo
am55 - Most cultured man on StyleForum (voxsartoria included)
9thsymph - Better education than TheFoo; total savage
Chocomallo - Idiot and asshole (bit part)

Definitely, one of the most amusing posts here in a while. Thanks for the entertainment and kind words.

 

[Dino944]

PS - 43, hold a BSc (Hons); PhD in Astro (neurtralinos) and a MSc (Eng) Silicas.

Will be fine.

Law school is for people who can't do all the things you listed. That's why I went.
Congrats and wishing you all the best!

 

[patrick_b]

Just a plug for Guarded Goods straps as well (@Deusis) . I have two of his shell cordovan "Single Pass" straps (NATO like) and they are great. Unfortunately, while they are 20mm and worked great on my Seamaster, they don't fit easily under the spring bars of my Rolex GMTII. I no longer own the Seamaster so they sit unused until I get another 20mm lug watch.

Single Pass Watch Strap (20mm) - Italian Yellow Veg Tan

Single Pass Watch Strap in 20mm Made from Italian Yellow Veg Tan with a shell cordovan keeper Edges are sanded, beveled and painted with beeswax Crafted in the USA Available for immediate shipment Final Sale

www.guardedgoods.com

Edited to add pics:

Will likely give @DavidLane a try at something for the new Speedy. It's 19mm so I don't have anything that will work other than the OEM strap. Will have to see what it looks like upon receipt. Seller says he wore the bracelet 99% of the time.

 

[dan'l]

No reason to dismiss it, I'm not brand loyal to GS, nor do I have any emotional investment in them. I just like the aesthetic of many of their offerings, especially the (boring) SBGW231. I'd love to check out some better options, probably in the $4k-6k range or so, although any such purchase would probably be 3rd in line, at best, as to what my future watch plans are.

I think Grand Seiko makes a great 3-handed watch and went this this when looking for a simple watch for daily wear:

It‘s the SBGW008 in YG. Compared to my JLC Reverso, the winding action is smooth as butter. I get that the aesthetics might not be for all, but there are some wonderful pieces in the GS line-up and they are reasonably priced.

 

[NakedYoga]

Just a plug for Guarded Goods straps as well (@Deusis) . I have two of his shell cordovan "Single Pass" straps (NATO like) and they are great. Unfortunately, while they are 20mm and worked great on my Seamaster, they don't fit easily under the spring bars of my Rolex GMTII. I no longer own the Seamaster so they sit unused until I get another 20mm lug watch.

Single Pass Watch Strap (20mm) - Italian Yellow Veg Tan

Single Pass Watch Strap in 20mm Made from Italian Yellow Veg Tan with a shell cordovan keeper Edges are sanded, beveled and painted with beeswax Crafted in the USA Available for immediate shipment Final Sale

www.guardedgoods.com

Edited to add pics:

View attachment 1565742View attachment 1565743View attachment 1565744View attachment 1565745

Will likely give @DavidLane a try at something for the new Speedy. It's 19mm so I don't have anything that will work other than the OEM strap. Will have to see what it looks like upon receipt. Seller says he wore the bracelet 99% of the time.

That thing looks like it can take a beating (TWSS?).

 

[FibroblastsMakeLeather]

My wife got to our new Explorer before me this morning and decided to wear it. So I retaliated and took her Tudor Black Bay 58 in blue...

 

[NakedYoga]

My wife got to our new Explorer before me this morning and decided to wear it. So I retaliated and took her Tudor Black Bay 58 in blue...
View attachment 1565788

Which color dial did you go with for the Explorer (assuming Explorer II)? My current lust is a white-dial 216750, which I can't justify putting down the cash for that right now (not like I'd be able to walk in and buy it out of the display case anyway).

And, regarding the BB58, how long have you had it and how do you like it? I'm looking at purchasing one with a black dial on a bracelet in the next couple of weeks, assuming the AD's estimate is accurate and I like the way it feels/looks on my wrist.

 

[FibroblastsMakeLeather]

Which color dial did you go with for the Explorer (assuming Explorer II)? My current lust is a white-dial 216750, which I can't justify putting down the cash for that right now (not like I'd be able to walk in and buy it out of the display case anyway).

And, regarding the BB58, how long have you had it and how do you like it? I'm looking at purchasing one with a black dial on a bracelet in the next couple of weeks, assuming the AD's estimate is accurate.

She took the Explorer 1 Mk2 dial today.

We've had the BB58 for about 4 months now. I thought after my 114060 that I'd try out the BB58 because it seems to be universally loved. We got the watch shipped to us and my wife opened it and she has pretty much worn it everyday up until today. I have to say that it is a pretty stellar watch and deserves all of the attention and accolades that it gets.

Regarding availability. I've been to 2 ADs in the last couple of months and both of them have had the BB58s in stock in various colors and configurations. I think that they became much more available around November of last year. So you can literally walk in and buy it, which seems weirdly amazing this day and age when considering what is going on with Rolex..

I also would say that it might be worth trying on the leather strap because it really changes vibe of the watch. If anything get both the bracelet and leather strap with the clasp/buckle. The wife and I liked the leather strap so much we ordered a second one for when the original wears out.

Hope to see pics in soon of yours!

 

[George Red]

My wife got to our new Explorer before me this morning and decided to wear it. So I retaliated and took her Tudor Black Bay 58 in blue...
View attachment 1565788

So clean!

 

[Phileas Fogg]

My wife got to our new Explorer before me this morning and decided to wear it. So I retaliated and took her Tudor Black Bay 58 in blue...
View attachment 1565788

That’ll teach her!

 

[Nickd]

The Black Bay 58 looks so right. For those of us with smaller wrists it may even be a better choice than a Rolex Sub.

On this subject of straps, my first nice watch was a Tag Heuer Monaco that I bought lightly used about 10 years ago. The strap lasted about a year of fairly heavy use and Tag quoted £350 for a replacement, not including the clasp. I’ve gone for aftermarket straps that fit the existing clasp at around £60 a time ever since and never looked back. I don’t mind paying for quality, but the original was no better, and probably a little worse than the straps 6 x cheaper.

 

[am55]

Ouch:

 

[Scuppers]

Ouch:

The lower picture is stunning!