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

[New Shoes1]

Guys, I'm having trouble finding a super expensive Nato strap that's better than a super cheap one! Please advise...

Traditional nato: Ute straps (Hodinkee store) or Crown & Buckle supreme nato

Single pass: Haveston or Crown & Buckle Chevron

More fun, more comfortable and more expensive: Erika's Original MN strap

 

[9thsymph]

Traditional nato: Ute straps (Hodinkee store) or Crown & Buckle supreme nato

Single pass: Haveston or Crown & Buckle Chevron

More fun, more comfortable and more expensive: Erika's Original MN strap

Forgive me! It was a rhetorical question. I was being facetious. I have an array of excellent Natos for around $20 each...expensive Natos are...hmmm...how do I say this....a scam?

 

[9thsymph]

People be like: "I can't put my 20k watch on a $20 Nato!"

Me: "Yes. Yes you can. It is the way."

 

[New Shoes1]

Forgive me! It was a rhetorical question. I was being facetious. I have an array of excellent Natos for around $20 each...expensive Natos are...hmmm...how do I say this....a scam?

Everything above is $30 or less, other than the Erika's Original MN straps. So, I guess I inadvertently supported your proposition with regard to true nato's, but threw a wildcard at you with the EO straps?

 

[Omega Male]

I don't wear Nato straps anymore to protest their unprovoked aggression against the peace-loving Russian Federation.

 

[9thsymph]

I don't wear Nato straps anymore to protest their unprovoked aggression against the peace-loving Russian Federation.

too soon?

 

[George Red]

I don't wear Nato straps anymore to protest their unprovoked aggression against the peace-loving Russian Federation.

Unless you’re Sean Connery, NATO straps are douche alerts.

 

[Omega Male]

Unless you’re Sean Connery, NATO straps are douche alerts.

Admit it, you just can't get them tight enough to satisfy your wrist choking fetish.

 

[George Red]

Admit it, you just can't get them tight enough to satisfy your wrist choking fetish.

Leather chokers > cloth ones.

 

[George Red]

Wearing a NATO strap is a lot like wearing flip flops. Is it more comfortable? Maybe. Do you look more relaxed and casual? Sure. Good for summer? Some would say. Are you also telegraphing that you’re a disgusting poor that earns less than $1 million a year and sends your kids to public school? Yup.

I bet your mini van ain’t even bubble gum blue. Gross.

 

[Dino944]

General reply to everyone that chipped in on my "dilemma". Thank you, btw.

I went in and tried it on and made the purchase.

A few interesting things happened. They would not allow me to purchase over the phone. They insisted on removing all the plastic, protective film and tags from the watch. They insisted on sizing the bracelet to my wrist. I inquired if this was all in an effort to discourage an immediate flip to grey dealer and they acknowledged it was. Not sure that this really would discourage anyone to do so, but it is their policy.

We had a discussion about the current state of affairs with Rolex. The manager acknowledged the frustration that many first time buyers where experiencing and indicated that it is market reality not soon to abate (btw, their case was reasonably well stocked with with samples that could not be purchased - Batman, two tone Daytona, Sub). They did indicate that they do not play the quid pro quo game and would never "request" that a person make other purchases to get on a list. We talked about my specific case - although I have purchased from them in the past, I am no where near what they would consider a big fish. I was told that if that had been the criteria that I would not have passed (watches bring in the big fish, but jewelry is their bread and butter...I've never purchased any jewelry from them). They took into account:

• Loyalty/purchase history over time (I've purchased 4 watches from them since 2012....so not a tremendous pace)
• Proximity (they won't sell Rolex to out of towners or vacationers)
• Likelihood of keeping the watch (not sure how they assess this)
• Likelihood to promote the store to friends/colleagues in local community (not sure how they assess this either)

Not sure sure that these criteria are necessarily cogent, but it got me through the process. The general area is full of well heeled and loaded individuals, so it clearly was not determined by absolute amount of $$$ spend. The store manager was around for my last purchase last fall (Cartier Santos), but had no personal connection with me prior to our conversation.

In any event.... View attachment 1795288

The no phone purchase is a decades old Rolex rule. I ran into that back in 2004. They said, Rolex jewelers are supposed to purchase the watch in person, not over the phone from several states away. They didn't want them selling outside of "Their territory." I got that explanation when I called Rolex in NY to verify the no phone purchase issue. The removing all the protective film and sizing the watch are newer policies. I encountered that back in 2019, when I purchased an Explorer 2. It wasn't the policy back when I got my Batman in 2015.

Most importantly, the watch looks great! Congrats and enjoy it!!!

 

[classicalthunde]

I don't know if this was posted here already or not, but this was a good quick read about an everyman who wound up with a Tiffany stamped 5711 and wore the shit out of it.

Watch Of The Week: Why I Wore The Living Hell Out Of My Tiffany-Signed Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711

The story of #TheLovedPatek, the most famous Tiffany-signed Nautilus on Instagram.

www.hodinkee.com

 

[9thsymph]

I don't know if this was posted here already or not, but this was a good quick read about an everyman who wound up with a Tiffany stamped 5711 and wore the shit out of it.

Watch Of The Week: Why I Wore The Living Hell Out Of My Tiffany-Signed Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711

The story of #TheLovedPatek, the most famous Tiffany-signed Nautilus on Instagram.

www.hodinkee.com

I like how the dude was like: "I wore it everywhere...I never took it off my wrist....I did everything in that watch...except once AT A WATCH EVENT when I put it in my packet and it was stolen..."

I don't know, man. Sounds like a bit of a fairy tale...dude sold the watch...haha....

 

[mebiuspower]

I like how the dude was like: "I wore it everywhere...I never took it off my wrist....I did everything in that watch...except once AT A WATCH EVENT when I put it in my packet and it was stolen..."

I don't know, man. Sounds like a bit of a fairy tale...dude sold the watch...haha....

Dear penthhouse...

 

[classicalthunde]

I like how the dude was like: "I wore it everywhere...I never took it off my wrist....I did everything in that watch...except once AT A WATCH EVENT when I put it in my packet and it was stolen..."

I don't know, man. Sounds like a bit of a fairy tale...dude sold the watch...haha....

could very well be, at the very least I hope it was properly insured