Okay I'm into watches again. Post your favorite models

[SirBannedAlot]

SirBannedAlot you;ve been holding out an extra kidney on us all this time?!?!

I'm heading to the Rolex and Omega ADs this weekend to mostly have a look. I'll report back

I wish you could do an undercover video, to see if they are as bad as people say. lol

At the very least, make a video when you get back, discussing the experience?

 

[basstracker89]

So let's say you love the look of the Rolex Daytona, but don't want to wait 6 years on a BS waiting list and have to sell all 3 kidneys to afford it? What's a girl to do? You want something like that, but you don't want a knockoff or homage...

Well...

Well there you go

 

[steviesterno]

not making a video because I'm ugly, but here you go.

went to Lennox mall yesterday. Had always heard mixed reviews about the safety of the place and didn't carry because I'd heard there were scanners and dogs, but I didn't get murdered. There were armored cops everywhere and at the entrance to most stores, kinda crazy. I didn't see scanners or dogs so I think carry at your own risk.

I'm a chubby, gray haired middle aged white dude and was dressed business casual but nothing nicer than LL bean for reference. Wore my Pelagos, too.

Anyway, first stop was Tudor. Salesperson was very nice, attentive. First watch I tried on was the 18k black bay in solid gold, but they didn't have the gold bracelet version. I loved it, and will likely work on saving up for one soon. Much nicer in real life than the pictures would have you believe. So if anyone wants to buy a kidney... Got to check out a few other Tudors including the bronze which was cool, and the monochrome I really liked online I was very "meh" about in person. The sales person also told me about the Rolex store expansion and joked about why they need more space when they don't actually sell anything.

Rolex and AP are under construction, so no dice there. Went to Meyers to look at Omegas. 3 security guards and one old sales dude. You have to be let into the store, and at least one of the guards was right over my shoulder at all times. Super annoying. Guy seemed nice but they didn't have anything I really liked. The gold speedy I had liked in my reading was nice but I don't love the chrono dials, and it makes it look cluttered. I need a watch I can read above all else.
Didn't offer to even open a case now that I think about it. Didn't think the version of the aqua terra I told him about existed (it does) and he couldn't find it in his reference book. They did have some Rolex, AP, and other nice brands on hand but a lot of them looked more RM style (maybe marc jacobs? IDK I hated them)

Then went to Grand Seiko as I'd never seen one of their watch stores in person before. They are really a lot nicer in person than they are online. The depth of the dials are fantastic, the 44mm GMT I checked out was more comfy and felt smaller than my 42 Pelagos, and I ended up really liking a watch for my wife. The internet is right, the bracelets feel cheaper than the price point for sure. Girl ended up being super helpful and nice, I got to try stuff on and chat, but didn't buy anything.

Then I went across the street to the Omega Boutique. They had a gold speedy, too, but again no luck with a gold aqua terra. Same bunch of guards, no offer to see anything else in person, nothing really great about the experience.


Overall I'm glad I went, seeing a few of my grail watched in person changed my mind about them, both positive and negative. It's weird I'd consider buying a watch that would be worth more than my truck, but seeing all the super expensive clothing and bags and basic ass jewelry (all of which I genuinely don't care about) was really kind of off putting. it felt like copious consumption for it's own sake. I mean it is, and in an area/shopping center built around that idea, but I couldn't help thinking about how many of the fancy cars I passed in the lot were likely financed to the tits, how crazy it is to have a $6k purse, and went home to put on a $4 old navy sweatshirt and drink rubber bottle whiskey, all while shopping grey market sights to maybe buy a gold watch.

 

[SirBannedAlot]

not making a video because I'm ugly, but here you go.

went to Lennox mall yesterday. Had always heard mixed reviews about the safety of the place and didn't carry because I'd heard there were scanners and dogs, but I didn't get murdered. There were armored cops everywhere and at the entrance to most stores, kinda crazy. I didn't see scanners or dogs so I think carry at your own risk.

I'm a chubby, gray haired middle aged white dude and was dressed business casual but nothing nicer than LL bean for reference. Wore my Pelagos, too.

Anyway, first stop was Tudor. Salesperson was very nice, attentive. First watch I tried on was the 18k black bay in solid gold, but they didn't have the gold bracelet version. I loved it, and will likely work on saving up for one soon. Much nicer in real life than the pictures would have you believe. So if anyone wants to buy a kidney... Got to check out a few other Tudors including the bronze which was cool, and the monochrome I really liked online I was very "meh" about in person. The sales person also told me about the Rolex store expansion and joked about why they need more space when they don't actually sell anything.

Rolex and AP are under construction, so no dice there. Went to Meyers to look at Omegas. 3 security guards and one old sales dude. You have to be let into the store, and at least one of the guards was right over my shoulder at all times. Super annoying. Guy seemed nice but they didn't have anything I really liked. The gold speedy I had liked in my reading was nice but I don't love the chrono dials, and it makes it look cluttered. I need a watch I can read above all else.
Didn't offer to even open a case now that I think about it. Didn't think the version of the aqua terra I told him about existed (it does) and he couldn't find it in his reference book. They did have some Rolex, AP, and other nice brands on hand but a lot of them looked more RM style (maybe marc jacobs? IDK I hated them)

Then went to Grand Seiko as I'd never seen one of their watch stores in person before. They are really a lot nicer in person than they are online. The depth of the dials are fantastic, the 44mm GMT I checked out was more comfy and felt smaller than my 42 Pelagos, and I ended up really liking a watch for my wife. The internet is right, the bracelets feel cheaper than the price point for sure. Girl ended up being super helpful and nice, I got to try stuff on and chat, but didn't buy anything.

Then I went across the street to the Omega Boutique. They had a gold speedy, too, but again no luck with a gold aqua terra. Same bunch of guards, no offer to see anything else in person, nothing really great about the experience.


Overall I'm glad I went, seeing a few of my grail watched in person changed my mind about them, both positive and negative. It's weird I'd consider buying a watch that would be worth more than my truck, but seeing all the super expensive clothing and bags and basic ass jewelry (all of which I genuinely don't care about) was really kind of off putting. it felt like copious consumption for it's own sake. I mean it is, and in an area/shopping center built around that idea, but I couldn't help thinking about how many of the fancy cars I passed in the lot were likely financed to the tits, how crazy it is to have a $6k purse, and went home to put on a $4 old navy sweatshirt and drink rubber bottle whiskey, all while shopping grey market sights to maybe buy a gold watch.

Yeah, I don't go to that part of town unless I have to. The fact that there are armored cops everywhere, but we aren't allowed to carry, is crazy.

I like Jomashop and other grey market retailers, but the problem with that and Rolex, is Rolex will not honor the warranty. They won't even work on it if you offer to pay, nor will they even sell you the parts so that your local shop can work on it... I can see warranty claims, but outright refusing to work on it because you bought it new from someone other than an AD?

Meh... Maybe one day if I find an AD that doesn't try to string me along, I might get an oyster perpetual or something basic, just to have one... We shall see.

 

[basstracker89]

Yeah, I don't go to that part of town unless I have to. The fact that there are armored cops everywhere, but we aren't allowed to carry, is crazy.

I like Jomashop and other grey market retailers, but the problem with that and Rolex, is Rolex will not honor the warranty. They won't even work on it if you offer to pay, nor will they even sell you the parts so that your local shop can work on it... I can see warranty claims, but outright refusing to work on it because you bought it new from someone other than an AD?

Meh... Maybe one day if I find an AD that doesn't try to string me along, I might get an oyster perpetual or something basic, just to have one... We shall see.

All the watches you've had, that would seem a logical choice

 

[LEGENDLITE22]

Yeah, I don't go to that part of town unless I have to. The fact that there are armored cops everywhere, but we aren't allowed to carry, is crazy.

I like Jomashop and other grey market retailers, but the problem with that and Rolex, is Rolex will not honor the warranty. They won't even work on it if you offer to pay, nor will they even sell you the parts so that your local shop can work on it... I can see warranty claims, but outright refusing to work on it because you bought it new from someone other than an AD?

Meh... Maybe one day if I find an AD that doesn't try to string me along, I might get an oyster perpetual or something basic, just to have one... We shall see.

you don't have to go that far if you just buy mine that is for sale

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

So let's say you love the look of the Rolex Daytona, but don't want to wait 6 years on a BS waiting list and have to sell all 3 kidneys to afford it? What's a girl to do? You want something like that, but you don't want a knockoff or homage...

Well...

I agree with the last sentence of your comment. I don't want a knockoff of homage. I guess the big companies make homage watches because that's what sells . That and there ain't but so many ways to design a watch.
I purposely don't own any watches that look even remotely like a Rolex. That has to be the most imitated overall look. I couldn't own anything like that because every time I looked down at my left wrist saw such a watch it would drive me crazy.
That's one of the reasons I dig the retro(ish) Seikos that have the winding crown at 4:00. To me that was just Seiko being Seiko and doing something different. And I guess that's why I also dig some of the micro brands that are also going their own way.
I get emails everyday from Phoibos or Deep Blue or both. Phoibos has some impressive looking pieces at very decent prices. Deep Blue can be kinda boring but they do have some nice pieces at the higher end.

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

I wish you could do an undercover video, to see if they are as bad as people say. lol

At the very least, make a video when you get back, discussing the experience?

He needs those Meta/Ray-Bans with the built in camera. That way he could look cartoonishly nerdy like Zuckerberg AND blow his cover when he spoke up with "Hey Meta...take a picture."

 

[SirBannedAlot]

I agree with the last sentence of your comment. I don't want a knockoff of homage. I guess the big companies make homage watches because that's what sells . That and there ain't but so many ways to design a watch.
I purposely don't own any watches that look even remotely like a Rolex. That has to be the most imitated overall look. I couldn't own anything like that because every time I looked down at my left wrist saw such a watch it would drive me crazy.
That's one of the reasons I dig the retro(ish) Seikos that have the winding crown at 4:00. To me that was just Seiko being Seiko and doing something different. And I guess that's why I also dig some of the micro brands that are also going their own way.
I get emails everyday from Phoibos or Deep Blue or both. Phoibos has some impressive looking pieces at very decent prices. Deep Blue can be kinda boring but they do have some nice pieces at the higher end.

I kinda want a Rolex just to have one, knowing that it would likely make me money over time. haha

But I get what you say about wanting something different. That's why I like Liv Watches... they are unique designs... And its why I spent several thousand on the Cuervo y Sobrinos Churchill that I picked up... I wanted something with a cool history and back story, as well as knowing that I am unlikely to ever walk down the street and see someone else wearing one. :-)

 

[jdh4376]

Anybody know a good watch broker?