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

[Texasmade]

Make an appointment. All the luxury stores in Miami are a zoo recently. You probably won’t get a discount but sometimes they’ll throw in a free strap or something.

Beat me to it.

 

[TheFoo]

Casual Tuesday?

Casual everyday.

 

[am55]

Grand Seiko is such an awesome, yet frustrating brand. I started my collection with Seiko, and Seiko has been, and always will be, a darling of mine. And the Snowflake is one of the first watches that I fell in love with.

Part of the problem, in my opinion - I have wanted a Grand Seiko for years, and would like to pull the trigger, but I am completely paralyzed! Do I get the SBGY007, which is gorgeous and has a clean dial but is a little bulbous and has scant WR? Do I get the the SLGH005, which has a gorgeous dial, and an impressive new movement, but has blunted hands and strange 22mm lugs? Do I get the OG, the SBGA211, which was my first love but is kind of too big now and is too thick for my tastes. The SBGA413, with the cherry blossom dial? Or the SBGA415, which the more muted winter dial? Do I get the SLGA007, which, sure, has the weird 22mm lugs but is a boutique edition and has a gorgeous blue dial and the new spring drive movement?

Or do I wait for a more perfect watch? Is that more perfect watch going to happen? Are they going to return to the samurai hands?

I've got to say - Rolex may be on to something. Here is the Explorer. It is one size. You can get it in SS or TT. The prior version is discontinued. There is something to be said about simplifying things for consumers.

Of the foregoing, I think the SBGA413 is my favorite. But I'll let you know what I think tomorrow.

Having handled most if not all of these watches in the flesh (which I assume you have) my view is that, even in the US, the aesthetic of all except the 007 is too out of whack with prevailing Western aesthetics.

I could go on forever but to name just two, they're usually too wide and the dauphine hands too large for the dial. Also, finishing is not what it used to be. The 007 is a bit of a strange exception; it'd be an excellent dress watch except for the bulbousness being just a tad too pronounced, almost like some of these diver watches from Doxa, and it really does not show in the photos but looks ridiculous in the hand and on the wrist (IMO). They could have deviated from the classic form without making it so obvious - such a flat surface behind the dial makes for a pronounced shadowed angle that really separates it already so why go further? And the rest being (for once) delicate and well proportioned, why such thick utilitarian lugs? The ice blue, to be fair, is less plasticky than usual, and the large crown is a Seiko fixture. It is still the best looking of the lot if you're after a dressier lawyer watch.

Given your previous choices over the years I'd almost be willing to bet that you'll be initially amused then sell most of that list (except perhaps the 007) after a month or two as you fail to gel with it, but I could be wrong.

 

[Ebitdaddy]

Antiboomer watch

 

[am55]

View attachment 1716614
Antiboomer watch

Mechanical watches are a boomer hobby, Breguet is the Ur-Boomer brand capturing all the prized values of the boomer generation (longest history of all, most famous name, continuous production of watches, yearly mechanical innovation, hand finishing, refuses to play the marketing and market manipulation games that pushed Patek and Rolex ahead which gives it "authenticity of values" if not of perception, etc.). I mean this piece literally has a guilloched dial and, well, "Breguet hands". But to some extent being Ur-Boomer is a form of being antiboomer in a post modern world dominated by irony, as you can see from how the inspiration for it is presented by the supposed modernist:

 

[reidd]

 

[Phileas Fogg]

View attachment 1716699

which one of those two women would be more fun in bed?

 

[mak1277]

which one of those two women would be more fun in bed?

The mom, because her husband is away working all the time to afford her patek habit

 

[Texasmade]

which one of those two women would be more fun in bed?

It’s always the one you least expect.

 

[SixOhNine]

Mechanical watches are a boomer hobby, Breguet is the Ur-Boomer brand capturing all the prized values of the boomer generation (longest history of all, most famous name, continuous production of watches, yearly mechanical innovation, hand finishing, refuses to play the marketing and market manipulation games that pushed Patek and Rolex ahead which gives it "authenticity of values" if not of perception, etc.). I mean this piece literally has a guilloched dial and, well, "Breguet hands". But to some extent being Ur-Boomer is a form of being antiboomer in a post modern world dominated by irony, as you can see from how the inspiration for it is presented by the supposed modernist:

View attachment 1716668

I think he meant anti-Boomer as in, Boomers are old and have bad vision, so they need big dials on their watches to see what time it is.

But maybe I'm overthinking it.

 

[Dino944]

I will be in Miami in February on business. Staying at the Fontainebleu in Miami Beach. I want to go look at a Cartier Tank in person and potentially buy it from the boutique in Miami, maybe even a Panthere for my wife if I'm feeling generous. Anyone have experience with the boutique there? Are discounts viable at Cartier boutiques?

Never visited the Miami boutique. As others have stated, no discounts at Cartier boutiques, but they should give you an extra strap if you ask. If they won't give you an extra strap, then come up north for a weekend getaway, and I hook you up with my sales associate, who I'm sure will. In addition, to making an appointment, you may want to tell them which pieces you want to see. You don't want to get there to find out that they had the pieces you wanted a few days earlier and sold them. In addition, if the Tank model you want to see is a Tank Louis Cartier, they may need to request one as its a somewhat limited production model that isn't always at the boutiques. Wishing you lots of luck and fun shopping for watches.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

The Miami Cartier boutique is located in the Design District, Miami's equivalent of Rodeo Drive. All the watch boutiques surround a courtyard, making it very easy pre-pandemic to see a lot of watches in a short period of time. Sadly, most of the boutiques are open by appointment only now. If you like contemporary art, the de la Cruz Collection and the ICA are free and a few blocks away.

 

[classicalthunde]

In addition, if the Tank model you want to see is a Tank Louis Cartier, they may need to request one as its a somewhat limited production model that isn't always at the boutiques. Wishing you lots of luck and fun shopping for watches.

Second this...The past two times I was in NYC I popped in the Cartier boutique/maison to look at the rose gold Tank Louis Cartier and both times they did not have one on hand. Granted, these were last minute appointments made as I was walking up the block, so obviously not through any fault of the SAs

 

[George Red]

Gathering our community’s input, please. I’m into this. It’s available. May pull the trigger. Any feedback from current or past owners of this watch? Would occupy a dress watch slot in my collection. Thank you.

 

[NakedYoga]

Gathering our community’s input, please. I’m into this. It’s available. May pull the trigger. Any feedback from current or past owners of this watch? Would occupy a dress watch slot in my collection. Thank you.
View attachment 1716798

Not a current or past owner, but I love it. Go for it.