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

[Ambulance Chaser]

I'm pretty sure Rolex ceased to be a tool watch with the five-digit references (glossy dial, white gold surrounds).

 

[mak1277]

I'm pretty sure Rolex ceased to be a tool watch with the five-digit references (glossy dial, white gold surrounds).

I just think they're even more beautiful tool watches than ever before!

 

[Belligero]

View attachment 1345273

I can live with that. I’ve been called worse! ?

OK, I change my vote. That watch is just insanely good-looking. I much prefer the classic metal bezel to the ceramic one.

I'm pretty sure Rolex ceased to be a tool watch with the five-digit references (glossy dial, white gold surrounds).

Eh, they still work fine for me; I regularly do stuff like skiing, swimming and diving with 4-, 5- and 6-digit references.

If anything, the newer models are even better than their predecessors in terms of functionality.

You can’t fault the watch for how buyers choose to use or not use them, as they’re still more than up to the tasks for which they were originally designed.

 

[Neville Southall]

I remember someone, maybe on here, saying that a tool watch in precious metal is a watch for tools.

Takes one to know one, huh?

 

[Dino944]

OK, I change my vote. That watch is just insanely good-looking. I much prefer the classic metal bezel to the ceramic one.

Thanks! I also still prefer the thinner hour markers of the 5 digit Daytonas, although the larger lum plots are more functional on the later Daytonas.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Once I learned that the top two subdials of the in-house Daytona did not line up with the hour markers at three and nine, I could not unsee it.

Not that it would reject that watch for that reason if someone gifted it to me or offered it to me for a low price.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Is Hodinkee's posting of an ad posing as a story a new thing? The Chopard "story" currently at the top of its page is pretty blatant. And I like the Alpine Eagle.

 

[Belligero]

They were always quite deferential — it’s impossible to find a critical review — but the shift to straight-up advertorials really got underway about four or five years ago when they partnered up with tech money and started releasing their own branded editions with some of the watch companies.

Ironically, their most obsequious ass-kisser is Jack Forster, who once lamented the “toothless” state of watch writing.

The Good, The Bad, And The Inexcusable: On Writing About Watches

"What?" --Customs Agent, JFK, On Hearing The Words, "Watch Journalist" After spending nearly fifteen years looking at watches as an enthusiast, and seven writing about them full time, I'm still not comfortable outright panning a watch –operating on the assumption that if you don't have anything...

www.forbes.com

I’m not sure how bad the current state is, since I haven’t checked their site in a long time. The reference points series is probably still great; they did an impressive one on the Submariner a year or two ago if I recall correctly.

 

[d4nimal]

"Talking Watches" has always been the best part of Hodinkee for me.

 

[earthdragon]

At least the 2 AD's I work with have never mentioned "paying above MSRP" for a Rolex.
One will ship out of state for me and the other flatly refuses.

I would be curious to know just what the Rolex policy is for discounting from MSRP, as I was offered -5% in Macau in December, while nothing in Hong Kong... I would be too scared to entertain the idea of even mentioning to an AD here...

One is super Anal about removing all protective stickers and will not even include the bezel protector, claiming that is is Rolex policy. All sees a little arbitrary IMHO...

 

[Texasmade]

They were always quite deferential — it’s impossible to find a critical review — but the shift to straight-up advertorials really got underway about four or five years ago when they partnered up with tech money and started releasing their own branded editions with some of the watch companies.

Ironically, their most obsequious ass-kisser is Jack Forster, who once lamented the “toothless” state of watch writing.

The Good, The Bad, And The Inexcusable: On Writing About Watches

"What?" --Customs Agent, JFK, On Hearing The Words, "Watch Journalist" After spending nearly fifteen years looking at watches as an enthusiast, and seven writing about them full time, I'm still not comfortable outright panning a watch –operating on the assumption that if you don't have anything...

www.forbes.com

I’m not sure how bad the current state is, since I haven’t checked their site in a long time. The reference points series is probably still great; they did an impressive one on the Submariner a year or two ago if I recall correctly.

I always liked their coverage on new releases for BW and SIHH. It was convenient to see the big brand releases on one site along with detailed descriptions. Other than that, I don't really read the site anymore.

 

[cyc wid it]

Found something beautiful, POR - I thought it might land in my budget. Alas, no.

 

[Dino944]

At least the 2 AD's I work with have never mentioned "paying above MSRP" for a Rolex.
One will ship out of state for me and the other flatly refuses.

I would be curious to know just what the Rolex policy is for discounting from MSRP, as I was offered -5% in Macau in December, while nothing in Hong Kong... I would be too scared to entertain the idea of even mentioning to an AD here...

One is super Anal about removing all protective stickers and will not even include the bezel protector, claiming that is is Rolex policy. All sees a little arbitrary IMHO...

Policies seem to be different around the world. In the US for example, at least years ago you could call an AD to see if they had the watch in stock, but you could not give them your credit card and purchase it over the phone and have it shipped. I had this happen once, and had to send a friend who lived in state to complete the purchase for me. In addition, in Europe it is/was common to for example purchase a different color dial or a different bezel and keep your old one. In the US, Rolex USA insists on keeping the old parts. In the past I've had dealers who did not care about taking off the protective stickers and they would give you the bezel protector. My last purchase, they insisted it was a new Rolex policy to remove all protective stickers. A few years ago I heard some one on a Rolex forum complain that to buy a new steel Rolex his ADs insisted on engraving his initials on the case back. IIRC, if you refused to have the watch engraved and you still wanted to purchase it, they would sell it to you, but they would keep the papers/warranty card etc...to be sure you were not buying and flipping it immediately.

As for discounts, no one in the US that I've dealt with in recent years was willing to discount a steel model. Years ago, I used to encounter some ADs that said Rolex insists on no discounts, other dealers would do a 5% discount if you asked (provided it wasn't a steel Daytona) and you could get larger discounts on two tones models and an even larger discount on all gold or platinum models. Another dealer I used to purchase from would have a tag on the watch with the MSRP and a second price that was a 10% discount on all steel watches (except steel Daytonas and green Subs, there was no GMT craze at that point). I think he did 15% on tutone and 20%+ on all gold. So in my experience, it all depended on the dealer and they kind of made up the rules as they went along.

 

[Dino944]

"Talking Watches" has always been the best part of Hodinkee for me.

I've enjoyed some of those episodes. Although, I find Hodinkee in general sort of hit or miss. Also, the emails I get from them about new arrivals in their vintage watch department are sort of a joke. Even when I open them immediately, almost anything they post that is interesting or from Rolex, PP, VC, etc is already sold. It's like going to a restaurant, and being given a menu with last night's specials: lobster, fillet mignon, and chocolate lava cake, and then being told all they have left to serve you tonight is a frozen fish sticks, baked beans, and half eaten candy bar.

 

[d4nimal]

I've enjoyed some of those episodes. Although, I find Hodinkee in general sort of hit or miss. Also, the emails I get from them about new arrivals in their vintage watch department are sort of a joke. Even when I open them immediately, almost anything they post that is interesting or from Rolex, PP, VC, etc is already sold. It's like going to a restaurant, and being given a menu with last night's specials: lobster, fillet mignon, and chocolate lava cake, and then being told all they have left to serve you tonight is a frozen fish sticks, baked beans, and half eaten candy bar.

Agreed, though honestly I love a good fish stick and baked beans. Depending on who at the other half of the candy bar, I'm also open to negotiation.