The Official Watch Thread.

[Count Steer]

Funny enough, Mrs. Gremlin has just booked a big family holiday to Turkey. Guess I'll be able to find a bargain Rolex out there.

You'll probably need to put a new battery in it by the time you get home.

My mate has a snide Breitling he bought in Turkey. It cost him about £100, but it does look the part. As the bloke said to him, 'Don't buy those cheap, fake watches. Mine are so much better because they are expensive fake watches!'

Hard to argue with the logic.

I remember an old cartoon strip (Alex?) where someone pointed out his up-market logo was on the wrong side of his shirt. His response was 'Of course, how else will people know I've been to the Far East for my holiday?'

[Cousin Jack]

Funny enough, Mrs. Gremlin has just booked a big family holiday to Turkey. Guess I'll be able to find a bargain Rolex out there.

Here you go.

[KungFooBob]

Mate of mine got a £20 speedmaster from turkey 20 years ago.

It still works fine and has some interesting patina to it

[gremlin]

I popped into Rolex on the Champs-Elysees to enquire about the availability of Sub whilst in Paris the other week, where I was told, 'No chance, monsieur'.

Clearly she needs to get herself over to Turkey, as they seem to have loads of stock over there.

[wheelnut]

So, dilemma....

Our 25th wedding anniversary is coming up and Mrs. Gremlin says I'm so lovely that she wants to spoil me rotten. OK, I'm paraphrasing, but she asked me if I would like a Rolex. Now, I will confess that I like the Sub for it's simplicity and lack of gauche, if you catch my drift.

The thing that annoys me is the waiting. Let's be honest, I ain't gonna see hide nor hair for 2 years in all likelihood. Do I fall for the marketing and put my name on the list, like some bloke waiting forlornly outside a club in the pissing rain hoping the bouncer will let me in, or go for a Seamaster and be able to have my anniversary pressie this decade..?

I know it’s subjective, but the Seamaster is the better watch……

[Potter]

I have heard that Rolex are now encouraging their dealers to sell to first time buyers, so you may be lucky, try visiting a few dealers, tell them a long and heartfelt story about it being your dream watch and your birthday and see what happens. Although in the UK chain stores you should be prepared for the possible arrogance of the assistants that is enough to qualify for a smack in the mouth in some cases.
I'd be prepared to be disappointed.

I wouldn't buy any used watch for a premium, this current Rolex situation probably won't last forever.

If you fancy going berserk then go to Patek and enquire about a Calatrava, I think they're also on a wait list now but you might not wait as long and it's a much nicer experience and a way nicer watch, more expensive though. It's a genuine heirloom though.

[wheelnut]

So, dilemma....

Our 25th wedding anniversary is coming up and Mrs. Gremlin says I'm so lovely that she wants to spoil me rotten. OK, I'm paraphrasing, but she asked me if I would like a Rolex. Now, I will confess that I like the Sub for it's simplicity and lack of gauche, if you catch my drift.

The thing that annoys me is the waiting. Let's be honest, I ain't gonna see hide nor hair for 2 years in all likelihood. Do I fall for the marketing and put my name on the list, like some bloke waiting forlornly outside a club in the pissing rain hoping the bouncer will let me in, or go for a Seamaster and be able to have my anniversary pressie this decade..?

I know it’s subjective, but the Seamaster is the better watch……

A BB58 may be worth considering. With it being a bit smaller it’s lot less in your face when you’re wearing it. It’s nice and comfortable on my skinny girls wrists. It’s also a great strap whore. I’ve took mine off the bracelet and put it on a good quality copy of the single pass nato they have (I couldn’t bring myself to pay for a Tudor one). It’s my daily wearer now.

[gremlin]

I've never seen a PP that hasn't struck me as a bit twee and dated in looks. Not my bag at all.

And their adverts on the back of the glossy magazines make me feel slightly nauseous, too.

[Potter]

I've never seen a PP that hasn't struck me as a bit twee and dated in looks. Not my bag at all.

And their adverts on the back of the glossy magazines make me feel slightly nauseous, too.

Their adverts do have a touch of the Werthers Originals about them
The Nautilus and Aquanaut are bang on trend though if you want to mix it with todays rappers and Instagram stars.

You have to be a bit of a watch nerd to appreciate their more traditional watches though.

[Taipan]

Would it be quicker to get an old one? (if possibly more expensive).

The newer ones, to me, just 'look' like pastiche fakes.

It's an option and I've bought a 'previously loved' watch before. Just grates my ballsack paying a premium over new for second hand. Sorry, 'previously loved'. I do know a bloke who has a jewelry shop that deals in quite nice high end used watches. I've never seen him with a Rolex, but he might know people....

Funny enough, Mrs. Gremlin has just booked a big family holiday to Turkey. Guess I'll be able to find a bargain Rolex out there.

There's a lot of snobbery, and reverse snobbery, around Rolexes (Rolei?). As far as luxury watches go, there's more expensive, rarer, and more complex, but for some reason Rolex are still seen as one of the 'best' by anyone who doesn't live and breathe watches they can't possibly afford. Personally I think it's the 'Bond' effect and Rolex have taken that 'leg up' and used it very well to keep themselves in the public eye. (F1 and other sport sponsorship doesn't detract obviously).

I think I like the Sub (60-70s version) simply because it's the one my Dad had, and so was what I always aspired to* (and the Bond effect, obviously! )



* I think it's probably the one single 'aspiration' that I've had most of my life - every other 'I want to do that' thought hasn't stood the test of time at all.

Rolex are a bit like Range Rover. There are certainly better options out there, but they seem to own the ideal. They are a true success in marketing, still behind Hoover mind...

The main problem with Rolex is they are so imitated they are almost unnoticeable! Who doesn't produce a watch that doesn't look like a sub? Plus they are worn by everyone from James Bond to people in the Railway Tavern next to a sink estate. If you want to make a watch statement, then wearing Rolex probably isn't going to cut it. If you're happy with your own knowledge that its a real one, then good for you?

[Cousin Jack]

The main problem with Rolex is they are so imitated they are almost unnoticeable! Who doesn't produce a watch that doesn't look like a sub? Plus they are worn by everyone from James Bond to people in the Railway Tavern next to a sink estate. If you want to make a watch statement, then wearing Rolex probably isn't going to cut it. If you're happy with your own knowledge that its a real one, then good for you?

I think some people can tell the difference. Wear an imitation in the Railway Tavern and you will fit right in. Wear a real one and you will be mugged halfway across the car park.

[Count Steer]

I've never seen a PP that hasn't struck me as a bit twee and dated in looks. Not my bag at all.

And their adverts on the back of the glossy magazines make me feel slightly nauseous, too.

Most watch ads seem designed to put people off buying one. No, I don't aspire to look moody like David Beckham (Tudor) or to be housewives favourite (Roger Federer) or even to be up to my neck in water (Daniel Craig). Not even to copy that actor bloke that advertises coffee pods - Clooney? Why don't they get a decent ad agency and can the rather naff aspirational stuff - buy this, be like him

The PP ones just seem to want remind to you you're going to die and the kids will argue who gets what.

[gremlin]

The PP ones just seem to want remind you you're going to die and the kids will argue who gets what.

Genuine lol.

"You never actually own a Patek Phillipe, coz the kids have already got first dobs on it when you get taken into the care home"

[Potter]

Most watch ads seem designed to put people off buying one. No, I don't aspire to look moody like David Beckham (Tudor) or to be housewives favourite (Roger Federer) or even to be up to my neck in water (Daniel Craig). Not even to copy that actor bloke that advertises coffee pods - Clooney? Why don't they get a decent ad agency and can the rather naff aspirational stuff - buy this, be like him

The PP ones just seem to want remind to you you're going to die and the kids will argue who gets what.

The adverts aren't actually aimed at everyone, it's just that everyone sees them because they're out there.

Tudor advertise to people that want to be like David Beckham, Omega advertise to people that want to be James Bond, Rolex advertise to people that want to be wealthy and Patek advertise to people that are wealthy and can afford to drop tens of thousands on a watch and make sure all their kids get one.

In fact, some watch companies know that their adverts get seen by people that they don't really want to sell to, so they make it almost impossible for them to get a new one from them.

Audemars Piquet are the pinnacle of this, before they would sell me a watch I had to have an interview, provide my credentials, business card, etc, then they sent that bio back to Geneve for them to vet me to decide if I was the sort of chap that they think should be wearing one of their watches.
Although Patek will also do the same if you request certain watches that are order only.

Rolex just look you up and down when you walk in and turn you away unless you ooze charm and give off an air of wealth

Some people hate the snobbery of the game, some people love the challenge of it.
Some people get huffy and some don't care, and some watch companies don't care who they sell to, they'll sell you anything if you have the money.
There is something for everyone.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Bristol used to be the same with cars (I don't even know if you can still buy a Bristol - I want to say "no" but I'd not be surprised if the answer is still somehow "yes").

There were always stories that the owner was properly picky and eccentric. Wouldn't sell you a car unless you could beat him at Scalextric and stuff like that. James May apparently got black listed simply due to the fact he knows Jeremy Clarkson

[Noggin]

Bristol used to be the same with cars (I don't even know if you can still buy a Bristol - I want to say "no" but I'd not be surprised if the answer is still somehow "yes").

There were always stories that the owner was properly picky and eccentric. Wouldn't sell you a car unless you could beat him at Scalextric and stuff like that. James May apparently got black listed simply due to the fact he knows Jeremy Clarkson

That has properly made me laugh - and be quite happy!!! (I think I like Jeremy Clarkson about as much as Mr Bristol!! LOL )

[MrLongbeard]

MMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Bristols

[Noggin]

MMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Bristols

I'm glad I came in here tonight! I've basically had a pretty shit day and I've proper laughed out loud (alone in my apartment) twice in one thread and giggled over some others

AWESOME

[KungFooBob]

I bought a watch!

I like it.

I was cheap.

But I mainly bought it because I like it.

https://www.fhinds.co.uk/watches/mens-w ... tch-W24136 (got 10% Blue Light off it too)

[Mussels]

Your idea of cheap is different to mine.