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

[Ambulance Chaser]

I think the story goes that he was under contract for Magnum and couldn't fulfill the obligation. A similar story with Pierce Brosnan when he was under contract with Scarecrow & Mrs. King and had to pass on Bond. It went to Timothy Dalton instead.

Brosnan's TV show was Remington Steele.

Interestingly, Dalton (my favorite Bond and criminally underrated) was offered the Bond role in 1969 as Connery's replacement and turned it down because he thought he was too young. He was offered the role several more times before accepting it for The Living Daylights in 1987. He made one more Bond movie--License to Kill in 1989. I really wish he could have gotten a third movie.

 

[Alcibiades]

I think the increase in the Blue DJ41 interest and pricing has to do with a few things...

1) As demand has increased for Rolex, and the hype for Sub/GMT/Daytona/etc skyrockets, interest moved to the DJ and the OP, which were more readily available (were being key for the OP)
2) Certain DJ models have been deemed “hot” by influencers - the various Wimbledon models and the Blue dial being the most notable (now even the TT models are selling above MSRP). In particular the blue dial DJ is an easy leap for a lot of sports model enthusiasts who for some reason desperately want to avoid wearing watches they perceive as too dressy
3) Biden may have had a small impact, but 1 and 2 are more meaningful

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Brosnan's TV show was Remington Steele.

Interestingly, Dalton (my favorite Bond and criminally underrated) was offered the Bond role in 1969 as Connery's replacement and turned it down because he thought he was too young. He was offered the role several more times before accepting it for The Living Daylights in 1987. He made one more Bond movie--License to Kill in 1989. I really wish he could have gotten a third movie.

oh that’s right! Remington Steele. I’m getting my 80’s shows mixed up. At least I didn’t say A-Team.

 

[Piobaire]

Only person I know in that group is Slash.

If you only check out one on that list check out your fellow Texan Gary Clark Jr. YouTube Numb to get started.

 

[radicaldog]

You of all people probably understand why I quoted Debord. We moved from living lives (diver's watches competing on features for actual divers) to appearing to live lives (yuppies bringing the divers to work to show off that they went diving in the weekend, a la The Graduate scuba-in-the-pool scene), to a state where not having lived is a prerequisite for belonging to the spectacle (gold "divers", two tone explorers...) and those who live do not (divers and their dive computers, rarely posted here except as a joke). So the real features we should be judging Rolex on is "how well do they appear to have added the type of functionality that can be talked about as part of the show". Like "they don't even decorate the movements, because these are practical sports watches".

I think I'd missed your earlier post. I agree that Rolex are now in the business of adding the type of functionality that can be talked about as part of the show. I would add that they're doing that while also adding as much bling as possible even to the "tool" watches, and these days they're barely bothering with the plausible deniability about their motives for doing that. Not a good look if you ask me.

 

[dopey]

All this DJ love is baffling. It's not the worst Rolex but no better than second to worst.

 

[Texasmade]

All this DJ love is baffling. It's not the worst Rolex but no better than second to worst.

Airking is the worst Rolex.

 

[dopey]

Airking is the worst Rolex.

I think of the Airking and the OP as basically the same watch and rate them highly. Why do you dislike it?

 

[officine]

If you only check out one on that list check out your fellow Texan Gary Clark Jr. YouTube Numb to get started.

Thanks for that. I had heard of him but not made the effort. My mistake.

Have you checked out Vieux Farka Toure? That guy's guitar playing really connects with me and really seems to show the link with American blues (if there was a direct link).

 

[Texasmade]

I think of the Airking and the OP as basically the same watch and rate them highly. Why do you dislike it?

The AK dial is a cluttered mess.

 

[dopey]

The AK dial is a cluttered mess.

Don't disagree; the current dial sucks. But I don't pay much attention to dials when thinking about the different models and whether they are "good" or not. The dials always change. They were fine in the 2000s and they might be fine again in the next refresh. Functionally, Airking=Explorer=OP. The only difference is the particular dial (Explorer is pretty fixed) and where the movement is in the Rolex update cycle and what case size in that model is available that year.
But I won't argue that current Airking dial doesn't suck.

 

[Omega Male]

Yacht-Master II is the worst Rolex. Brooking no arguments.

 

[Kaplan]

@radicaldog, haven't you been asking for more technological updates to watches? Maybe not what you had in mind, but you may still find it interesting that this Tank runs on solar power:

- the solar cells are hidden behind perforations in the black roman numerals and it will only require a service every 16 years. It should have taken them four years to develop.

(Apologies if this had already been posted and I missed it.)

 

[dopey]

Yacht-Master II is the worst Rolex. Brooking no arguments.

View attachment 1589872

I thought of that and have a good argument for why you are wrong but I won't make it.

 

[brokeassp]

Anyone know when the new JLC Ultra Thin gets released this yr? 36mm would be perfect