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

[pmeis]

Is that so? If only i knew half what you think you know. .. Right?

Well, the obvious question is, why don't i like Rolex? it certainly isn't envy. guess i could swing one if i wanted to. but the only reason to do so would be the "I got a Rolex" at the Bar. when all the poly blend suits and button collar ***** come in with their drunk ass party.Bragging on their BMW lease. complaining about their mortgage later. . . but they put the pride in their watches. like they worked for that. suffered indignities for that. saved their bonuses for the first 4 years in the job for that.
oh. it will come up. as i try to be polite. "hey, is that a Speedy?" nice man. Congrats. it looks great. you chose well. stoked with banter with a foreigner, and a solid compliment. dude tells my barmaid friend to send me a beer. I graciously accept. and pat him on the shoulder. and tell him to enjoy the atmosphere.
I sigh for him. and his table.
Later send a round of Absinthe shots. with a cheers. the ones who can hold it have something to talk about. And i give them a thumbs up. maybe sing Aerosmith. put on a show. before the 5th Whiskey and Coke. Time to time, a dude will stumble up.with a quick conversation.
a wiser one will see the game. stay and talk for a while. about watches and cars and wives and stuff.

These poor souls. see a brand as a benchmark. and the guys with a Rolex? had to give up so much more. it hurts my heart.
The guy with the Rolex? Always has it visible. he earned it.

No thanks "Brand", perhaps if you made something worth the hurt.

That's a lot of projection.

 

[Keith T]

Andy, I believe the hamlet you're searching for is called "Bienne".

 

[Thin White Duke]

Both look great! Congrats! I'm still waiting for the call about a new Pepsi! Wishing you many years of enjoyment from both!

Ditto to all of this.
@Andy57 your posting that new Pepsi isn’t helping my lack of patience. 18 months and counting on that list, I think I’m going back to the shop soon to pester that manager.

 

[Andy57]

Andy, I believe the hamlet you're searching for is called "Bienne".

I believe you may be right.

 

[an draoi]

I can't quite decide if this makes me an idiot or an arriviste...

View attachment 1278566

Perhaps I'm an arriviste idiot?

And, does this make me a vintage idiot?

View attachment 1278568

I guess it must be possible to be a vintage idiot. Can someone give me directions back to my village?

An idiot arrivant?

 

[Andy57]

An idiot arrivant?

No, I don't think arrivant carries the same pejorative weight.

 

[dopey]

For what it's worth, I largely share this assessment. I suppose one can go vintage and thus reduce the bling factor. Pre-1980s Rolexes also made more sense from a design perspective.

The bling factor doesn't really bother me, especially since some of it, like on the bezels, is a result of better materials. But I do prefer the smaller size, 36 for a plain time only and max 40 for a sub or daytona, so that would be push me towards either vintage, or an Oyster Perpetual 36mm

 

[LA Guy]

For what it's worth, I largely share this assessment. I suppose one can go vintage and thus reduce the bling factor. Pre-1980s Rolexes also made more sense from a design perspective.

The bling factor doesn't really bother me, especially since some of it, like on the bezels, is a result of better materials. But I do prefer the smaller size, 36 for a plain time only and max 40 for a sub or daytona, so that would be push me towards either vintage, or an Oyster Perpetual 36mm

I do like the Rolexes from the 60s and 70s. I really like the engine turned bezels on the 1603 and 106030, and I find the linen step dials on some the 1603s to be beautiful.

Just to clarify, I like some of the Rolex designs, and even have one on the way (another one, I guess I should say?) I am not really a fan of the Sub or the GMT, though I realize that that's possibly due purely to the association I have of them with loud, tacky Hong Kong-nese with a little bit of money. This might change in the future. I just don't know.

I don't think that it's an attack on anyone to say that while Rolex is the most sought after watch brands in the world, and possibly because of that, some of the very popular models are associated with tackiness, the merits of the watch notwithstanding.
@dopey, I like the Oyster Perpetual 36mm, but I think that I like the more ornate bezels.

 

[an draoi]

For a company that is rightly credited with creating some of the most enduring classic watch designs, Rolex certainly isn't shy about churning out vast numbers of gaudy, trashy variations. The two-tones, the jewels, the mothers of pearl...

Sadly, even many of the Professional watches have been infected with bling - PCLs, jubilees, precious metals, shiny ceramics. @Andy57's side-by-side pictures of the GMTs illustrates this perfectly. And the current Daytona is positively dazzling at 50 yards.

This is not to discount the many things that Roles gets right. Nonetheless, I find it hard to take seriously the argument that Rolex have remained true to some pure ideal of no-nonsense does-what-it-says-on-the-tin watchmaking when this is the same company that gave us the Rainbow Cosmograph. In Everose.

Anyway, the debate over the kind of clientele that Rolex attracts reminds me of the infamous video of Mugabe's sons (admittedly, not exactly typical) pouring champagne over their watches a couple of years ago. At least one of the watches was in fact an horrifically tacky diamond encrusted RO, but the fact that the media almost exclusively reported the watches to be Rolexes says much about their perception in the wider public, I think.

 

[Andy57]

Sadly, even many of the Professional watches have been infected with bling - PCLs, jubilees, precious metals, shiny ceramics. @Andy57's side-by-side pictures of the GMTs illustrates this perfectly. And the current Daytona is positively dazzling at 50 yards.

A ceramic bezel is bling?

 

[Lumaca]

I can't quite decide if this makes me an idiot or an arriviste...

View attachment 1278566

Perhaps I'm an arriviste idiot?

And, does this make me a vintage idiot?

View attachment 1278568

I guess it must be possible to be a vintage idiot. Can someone give me directions back to my village?

If all that soft drink ever give you problems with the blood sugar level, I'd be happy to "take care" of a Pepsi for you!

 

[doctorman]

If all that soft drink ever give you problems with the blood sugar level, I'd be happy to "take care" of a Pepsi for you!

it was a diet pepsi. nice try though.

 

[Andy57]

If all that soft drink ever give you problems with the blood sugar level, I'd be happy to "take care" of a Pepsi for you!

 

[Ebitdaddy]

I avoid Rolex too because it has a bad connotation in high finance. Especially when you're well under 30.

That being said I 100% just bought a Milgauss because g r e e n

 

[Ebitdaddy]

Also...