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

[pmeis]

Nice.

So I got call from local AD today that a Pepsi GMT with my name on it had come in. I didn't even remember the request, as it was 36 months ago. In the interim I purchased a 2002 version which I'm quite satisfied with in rotation. I'm actually torn -- buy to flip, buy and sell the older version, or let someone else have the opportunity?

I asked for 24hrs to decide.

No brainer, buy it, wear it a bit, decide later what you want to do with it.

 

[chrfi]

Wore my brother's Speedmaster First Omega in Space over the weekend, on the Forstner flatlink I got him for it.

I almost think it's too small for me; or at least, that the more muscular/chunky case on the Speedy Professional is more to my taste.

It does wear significantly smaller than the Professional. I have slim wrists and went for the FOIS for that reason.

 

[9thsymph]

Nice.

So I got call from local AD today that a Pepsi GMT with my name on it had come in. I didn't even remember the request, as it was 36 months ago. In the interim I purchased a 2002 version which I'm quite satisfied with in rotation. I'm actually torn -- buy to flip, buy and sell the older version, or let someone else have the opportunity?

I asked for 24hrs to decide.

The pre ceramic GMTs are so good looking, but I went with the new one because I feel like I can be more active with it - worry less about water resistance and general service. And then there’s the upgraded movement, with a better power reserve and anti magnetic properties...

Good luck deciding! (Fun dilemma...)

 

[officine]

No brainer, buy it, wear it a bit, decide later what you want to do with it.

The pre ceramic GMTs are so good looking, but I went with the new one because I feel like I can be more active with it - worry less about water resistance and general service. And then there’s the upgraded movement, with a better power reserve and anti magnetic properties...

Good luck deciding! (Fun dilemma...)

Thanks.

Both thoughts crossed my mind, but was wondering if I wouldn't be contributing to this current issue with people genuinely wanting to own their first Rolex and just not being able to get them at reasonable prices. Of course, if I pass, the next guy on the list probably already owns multiple as well.

 

[9thsymph]

The pre ceramic GMTs are so good looking, but I went with the new one because I feel like I can be more active with it - worry less about water resistance and general service. And then there’s the upgraded movement, with a better power reserve and anti magnetic properties...

Good luck deciding! (Fun dilemma...)

Speaking of the devil...

 

[Neville Southall]

Speaking of the devil...

Lovely sportcoat, man.

 

[Newcomer]

Thanks.

Both thoughts crossed my mine, but was wondering if I wouldn't be contributing to this current issue with people genuinely wanting to own their first Rolex and just not being able to get them at reasonable prices. Of course, if I pass, the next guy on the list probably already owns multiple as well.

Nowadays, my position is to only buy things that are going to remain in the stable. In other words, if I think there is a decent chance that I am going to sell something, I am probably going to pass on it.

I know it is ridiculous, but I would like to do my part to not exacerbate the current state of affairs. I also want to keep a squeaky clean record with my AD.

 

[officine]

Nowadays, my position is to only buy things that are going to remain in the stable. In other words, if I think there is a decent chance that I am going to sell something, I am probably going to pass on it.

I know it is ridiculous, but I would like to do my part to not exacerbate the current state of affairs. I also want to keep a squeaky clean record with my AD.

Btw, how do ADs find out? Do they really make the effort, or is this just a myth/scare tactic?

 

[Neville Southall]

The sickest, actually.

 

[mak1277]

Thanks.

Both thoughts crossed my mind, but was wondering if I wouldn't be contributing to this current issue with people genuinely wanting to own their first Rolex and just not being able to get them at reasonable prices. Of course, if I pass, the next guy on the list probably already owns multiple as well.

If you like it but are genuinely unsure, I don’t think there’s anything at all wrong with buying, trying and deciding after a month or two what you want to do long term.

 

[double00]

haha really enjoying the ethical dilemma as presented here

 

[Newcomer]

Btw, how do ADs find out? Do they really make the effort, or is this just a myth/scare tactic?

Well, for me, I visit my AD pretty regularly, my AD asks about my pieces in regular conversation, and he would likely notice when I am not wearing a hot piece that I asked for. Not gauging whether or not I sold something, but we talk about how I am enjoying something, etc. If he asked me how I was enjoying a watch I sold, I would feel bad lying about it. My AD is not very large and my contact there is an owner, who has pretty tight reins on who the watches are sold to. I guess that is how you keep your status as an AD in a smaller market.

In short, I do think my circumstance is different from the circumstances of others.

If you think you will keep it, I would also consider selling it back to the AD - or at least making the AD an offer.

 

[Dino944]

Btw, how do ADs find out? Do they really make the effort, or is this just a myth/scare tactic?

Well the easiest way would be if there were some sort of issue with the watch, it goes in for warranty work and the owner isn't you. Probably fairly rare with Rolex even though they make about a million watches a year. I've owned many Rolex watches, but only had a warranty issue with 1 (although actually, that one had 2 warranty issues just at different times).

I am not sure if they check local gray dealers, or look for online ads. As has been mentioned around here before, some Patek AD wouldn't sell a watch to Foo because they discovered he had sold some watches in the past (I think he believed they found a few of his online ads). In addition, a friend of mine who was buying an AP at our local boutique last year was given a warning in somewhat friendly manner (as he described it) that they were aware he had sold an Offshore, which he bought at the Florida AP boutique about 2 years earlier, and that if he sold this new watch, AP wouldn't sell him another watch. He wasn't sure how it got back to them. He had sold that watch to a gray dealer.

 

[9thsymph]

Lovely sportcoat, man.

Porter & Harding, Glorious 12th

 

[Newcomer]

A follow up point: something I see often, particularly on, say, TRF, are posters who say "I have requested 10 watches (Submariner, GMT in any variation, Daytona in any variation, Explorer, Explorer II, OP, etc.) and I will buy any that I am offered." Or even, "I was offered 'x', and I had to say yes!"

Given the current, and extreme, power imbalance, I feel there is a tendency to buy what is offered without consideration of what it is, how it fits into your collection, etc. (obviously, @officine is clearly doing the opposite of that). This tendency has put a bad taste in my mouth. I buy my watches for keeps, and very seldomly sell anything - let alone watches.

So, particularly now-a-days, I have decided to buy one watch at a time, and to do so in a sequential manner. I do not have a bunch of feelers out there, hoping that one of them hits.