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

[Dino944]

Rolex doesn't actually own their boutiques. It's usually another AD that built out a Rolex exclusive store so Rolex doesn't really retain 100% of the profit.

Yes, you are correct that they have partnership's with some AD's that built out the boutiques (They are opening one in Boston with Long's Jewelers), but it is my understanding they also do own a few themselves.

 

[jischwar]

My uncommon Rolex, bought to commemorate the birth of my first son. I needed a dress watch for my collection and was drawn to the glacier blue dial, heft of platinum and the fact that they only produced these for 6ish years.

 

[Andy57]

A vast majority of people on this thread, probably not. In the real world, a watch which retails at close to GBP10k but which changes hands for more than twice that and which glitters like a piece of jewellery would be regarded as a piece of bling by the vast majority of people, regardless of its material of construction or its nominal utility. If you don't understand this, then you really do need to get out more.

You don't make your highly speculative point any more valid by insulting me.

 

[earthdragon]

BLACK FRIDAY

 

[d4nimal]

Thought it might be a good time to take a pause from the Rolex fever dream fantasy scenarios to share my new watch.

I posted a while back asking for advice, so thank you all for your thoughts. In the end, I just fell in love with the 60th Anniversary Speedy for various reasons. Now that I've had it on my wrist for about a month, I can say a few things: 1) the straight lugs and no crown guards definitely makes a difference on my baby wrists (6.25"), even though the lug length is about the same as the vanilla speedies 2) the grey dial appears from almost black to charcoal, depending on light. It could have been a touch darker, honestly, but it reads similar to older speedies I've looked at 3) the "faded" lume looks good to me in this setting. I think it would have looked weird, actually, if it was stark white, though as a consequence of the color treatment, the actual luminosity of it is poor. I don't really care about that, personally. 4) I still love this watch as much as the day I got it. It's incredible, and I think fits my daily wardrobe really well.

I've since put it on a brown strap, but I was surprised to like the bracelet as much as I did.

I meant to save up and buy the watch next year when my first kid is expected to arrive, but I randomly saw one for sale from a reputable dealer (DavidSW) and he cut me discount that made the price less than private sellers were asking, so I jumped on it. As luck would have it, it actually ended up arriving the day the wife and I went to the first doctor's appointment and heard our first heartbeat, so it was still a pretty amazing moment having the two in tandem.

Here are a couple shots on the wrist.

 

[bdavro23]

You don't make your highly speculative point any more valid by insulting me.

With respect Andy, his point is more valid than speculative. I think the majority of the population would consider Rolex as "bling", or fancy jewelry, owing largely to Rolex's own very successful marketing machine. As for them being tool watches, they may have been designed as such but are only "tools" in name at this point. Anyone who actually needs a watch as a professional is likely wearing a G-Shock or the equivelant.

I own Rolex and am largely positive on them, but I think its difficult to argue that they havent become something of the standard bearer for luxury goods.

 

[am55]

What do Uber rides cost where you are if Uber drivers can afford Rolexes?!

USD 3-4 base rate and probably around USD 10 for 20-30 minutes? It used to be cheaper when Uber was still around before Softbank decided owning a number of local monopolies was better than letting one win everywhere. Then USD 1-2 was not uncommon and I took a number of free rides home during discount wars...
edit - 22 free rides according to a quick inbox search

Spoiler

 

[Andy57]

With respect Andy, his point is more valid than speculative. I think the majority of the population would consider Rolex as "bling", or fancy jewelry, owing largely to Rolex's own very successful marketing machine. As for them being tool watches, they may have been designed as such but are only "tools" in name at this point. Anyone who actually needs a watch as a professional is likely wearing a G-Shock or the equivelant.

I own Rolex and am largely positive on them, but I think its difficult to argue that they havent become something of the standard bearer for luxury goods.

With respect, unless you have actual data, this argument is entirely speculative. Show me actual data, not opinion.

 

[dopey]

BLACK FRIDAY

I really love the engineering behind the Skydweller and think it is Rolex's most interesting watch. As I wrote above, I think they made a design choice I don't really love - they designed it to look a lot like a classic Rolex sport watch which resulted in a cluttered, weird dial. I wish they would have instead designed its appearance more around its unique functions, which I think would have resulted in something a little cleaner looking. But maybe I will get used to it in time. I also don't have a great idea for HOW to do it better, just that somehow, it should be possible. Still, it is very cool. How do you find owning and using it?

 

[dopey]

Thought it might be a good time to take a pause from the Rolex fever dream fantasy scenarios to share my new watch.

I posted a while back asking for advice, so thank you all for your thoughts. In the end, I just fell in love with the 60th Anniversary Speedy for various reasons. Now that I've had it on my wrist for about a month, I can say a few things: 1) the straight lugs and no crown guards definitely makes a difference on my baby wrists (6.25"), even though the lug length is about the same as the vanilla speedies 2) the grey dial appears from almost black to charcoal, depending on light. It could have been a touch darker, honestly, but it reads similar to older speedies I've looked at 3) the "faded" lume looks good to me in this setting. I think it would have looked weird, actually, if it was stark white, though as a consequence of the color treatment, the actual luminosity of it is poor. I don't really care about that, personally. 4) I still love this watch as much as the day I got it. It's incredible, and I think fits my daily wardrobe really well.

I've since put it on a brown strap, but I was surprised to like the bracelet as much as I did.

I meant to save up and buy the watch next year when my first kid is expected to arrive, but I randomly saw one for sale from a reputable dealer (DavidSW) and he cut me discount that made the price less than private sellers were asking, so I jumped on it. As luck would have it, it actually ended up arriving the day the wife and I went to the first doctor's appointment and heard our first heartbeat, so it was still a pretty amazing moment having the two in tandem.

Here are a couple shots on the wrist.

View attachment 1279515

View attachment 1279516

View attachment 1279517

Very cool. I have two 321 cal early Speedmasters, as well as the 125 Anniversary model, which is a massive chunk of steel and, as my wife said, looks like something a 1970s James Bond would wear windsurfing.

 

[bdavro23]

With respect, unless you have actual data, this argument is entirely speculative. Show me actual data, not opinion.

You're right. Rolex, the most famous luxury brand in the world, definitely isnt a luxury brand. Got it.

 

[mak1277]

You're right. Rolex, the most famous luxury brand in the world, definitely isnt a luxury brand. Got it.

I think you all are having two different conversations.

Simply being a luxury brand does not mean the watches are blingy. Sure Rolex has some gaudy models, but their bread and butter is far from what I would call bling. Simply being expensive doesn’t make the watches gaudy or “blingy”

 

[d4nimal]

Very cool. I have two 321 cal early Speedmasters, as well as the 125 Anniversary model, which is a massive chunk of steel and, as my wife said, looks like something a 1970s James Bond would wear windsurfing.

Thanks dude! And you have TWO cal 321s? Is the extra one for me?

 

[dopey]

Thanks dude! And you have TWO cal 321s? Is the extra one for me?

Slightly different dials. But, really, no good reason to have two. But I don't sell stuff. That's for mysids to do.

 

[d4nimal]

Slightly different dials. But, really, no good reason to have two. But I don't sell stuff. That's for mysids to do.

Well, tbh I wasn't so much asking to buy it as I was asking for you to gift it to me as your new best friend. So there's no real conflict of principle.