Why the expensive watch?

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IceBergSLiM

Lifer
Jul 11, 2000
29,932
3
81
when it comes to expensive accessories....they are not really selling a watch. THey are selling an emotion. How one feels when they wear it. Same thing luxury cars.
 

Golgatha

Lifer
Jul 18, 2003
12,400
1,076
126
Read the book "The Millionaire Next Door". I believe the average millionaire spends less than $500 on a watch and a large portion of that group spends $200 or less.
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
52,691
46,423
136
A lot of people buy them for status like any other luxury item or simply because they can afford what is popularly considered the best.

Expensive watches always seemed like a waste of money and too flashy for me personally. I have no interest in wearing 5-20K on my wrist, though I never have liked the feel of rings/watches/etc.. on me. I have a decent Sieko that only gets worn with my suit (about 1-2 times a year).
 

SSSnail

Lifer
Nov 29, 2006
17,458
83
86
Originally posted by: EngenZerO
Patek(s)

i lust over the 5140G and 5039G

I would like to be able to get a 5127/1g, not for that price. I love the simplicity of the watch. But, I'd like to be able to purchase this one of these day without blinking.
 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
6
81
Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven
Originally posted by: Mwilding
A watch, like a man's shoes can you tell you a lot about a person.

I'm water resistant to a depth of 165 meters.

Do you glow in the dark for a few hours are being in direct sunlight, too? :laugh:
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,581
982
126
A guy at work has a Rolex Submariner on his wrist...he drives a Honda Civic. I'm guessing it's a fake.
 
May 31, 2001
15,326
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0
Originally posted by: Mwilding
Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven
Originally posted by: Mwilding
A watch, like a man's shoes can you tell you a lot about a person.

I'm water resistant to a depth of 165 meters.

Do you glow in the dark for a few hours are being in direct sunlight, too? :laugh:

Push the right button and I'll glow anytime. ;)
 

LS20

Banned
Jan 22, 2002
5,858
0
0
Originally posted by: K1052
A lot of people buy them for status like any other luxury item or simply because they can afford what is popularly considered the best.

Expensive watches always seemed like a waste of money and too flashy for me personally. I have no interest in wearing 5-20K on my wrist, though I never have liked the feel of rings/watches/etc.. on me. I have a decent Sieko that only gets worn with my suit (about 1-2 times a year).

actually, many expensive watches are elegant and understated

the flashy watches are the overpriced 800$ quartz chronographs that look like a helicopter instrument panel

this insistence on watches as status symbols is narrowminded. wealthy people dont care what watches other people wear. most people dont recognize the value of an iwc, or glashuette, or lange. therefore a watch doesnt serve to one's image. a wristwatch is there to satisfy its wearer and its wearer only
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
52,691
46,423
136
Originally posted by: LS20
Originally posted by: K1052
A lot of people buy them for status like any other luxury item or simply because they can afford what is popularly considered the best.

Expensive watches always seemed like a waste of money and too flashy for me personally. I have no interest in wearing 5-20K on my wrist, though I never have liked the feel of rings/watches/etc.. on me. I have a decent Sieko that only gets worn with my suit (about 1-2 times a year).

actually, many expensive watches are elegant and understated

the flashy watches are the overpriced 800$ quartz chronographs that look like a helicopter instrument panel

this insistence on watches as status symbols is narrowminded. wealthy people dont care what watches other people wear. most people dont recognize the value of an iwc, or glashuette, or lange. therefore a watch doesnt serve to one's image. a wristwatch is there to satisfy its wearer and its wearer only

That hasn't been my experience when it comes to expensive watches with most of the people I know. Then again most of them would not actually be what I would consider wealthy more like they are trying to project that image. The few legitamately wealthy people I know either don't wear a watch or wear a relatively cheap one.
 

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
22,258
6,443
136
I had always thought guys that wear the bling bling watches were trying to show off how much money they have, or how important they think they are.
 

compuwiz1

Admin Emeritus Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
27,112
930
126
Originally posted by: Greenman
I had always thought guys that wear the bling bling watches were trying to show off how much money they have, or how important they think they are.

When they do that, all it means is, they have good enough credit to get in debt for a Rolex. People who have real, green folding money, have no need for such BS gratification. I know this, trust me. ;)

 

SZLiao214

Diamond Member
Sep 9, 2003
3,270
2
81
Surprisingly, i hardly ever wear a watch. I just use my cellphone as a clock.

I've always wanted a nice metallic watch, but i usually find the band feeling a bit awkward on my wrist.
 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
6
81
Originally posted by: LS20most people dont recognize the value of an iwc, or glashuette, or lange. therefore a watch doesnt serve to one's image. a wristwatch is there to satisfy its wearer and its wearer only
I now wear a Ball watch. It's a very nice watch, but noone knows the Ball brand, so, for the most part, the watch is for my benefit. I am looking forward to someone recognizing it, as it will probably lead to a discussion of watches...

A short amount of time spent at PMWF.com (poor man's watch forum) will soon show you that there are some VERY nice watches to be had for not very much money at all.

 

CptObvious

Platinum Member
Mar 5, 2004
2,501
7
81
Connoisseurs of anything prize the most labor-intensive version of whatever they're interested in, even if that version is outdated and less functional. Even though electronic quartz watches took over in the 70's and keep better time than any automatic/mechanical watch, the latter is preferred by watch collectors because they take more skill to produce.

Another example - jeans used to be produced on old-fashioned shuttle looms (the denim is called selvage), until projectile looms took over. Selvage denim is denser, requires more fabric and takes longer to produce. Even though most people might prefer regular jeans because you don't have to spend months breaking them in, selvage is very fashionable with denimheads.

 

aldamon

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2000
3,280
0
76
My Coleman watch was $20 and has a white LED flashlight built in. It's the shiznit.
 

slpaulson

Diamond Member
Jun 5, 2000
4,414
14
81
I just wear one that I think looks nice.

I spent about $200 on my current accutron watch. I bought it because I was sick of adjusting my mechanical, and I think it looks really nice.
 

Descartes

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
13,968
2
0
Actually, some of the best watches go completely unnoticed by most people. Sure, you can buy your $100k watches completely inundated with diamonds, but truly quality watches are more about the craftsmanship than flashy character.

I bought my Rolex because I wanted a mechanical watch (automatic), and one that would last me for a lifetime. I also wanted something I could I could pass down to my children when/if I have them. It's not the most expensive Rolex and certainly not the most flashy; in fact, 99% of people don't even know it's a Rolex, and I like that.

Originally posted by: CptObvious
Connoisseurs of anything prize the most labor-intensive version of whatever they're interested in, even if that version is outdated and less functional. Even though electronic quartz watches took over in the 70's and keep better time than any automatic/mechanical watch, the latter is preferred by watch collectors because they take more skill to produce.

Exactly.
 

Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,945
11
81
"You see this watch? This watch cost more than your car. I made $970,000 last year, how much you make?"
 

z0mb13

Lifer
May 19, 2002
18,106
1
76
some reasons:
-because some people can afford to.
-a nice watch is usually the only piece of jewelry worn by a man
-some nice watches dont go down in value (especially if you buy it used)
-some people collect nice watches

go to timezone.com to see watch enthusiasts. Patek, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin are genereally thought as the holy trinity of watches. But there are watch brands that are more expensive than these.
 

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
44
91
Originally posted by: dighn
or has special interest in high quality mechanical watches.
And we have a winner. I understand how everything inside a mechanical watch works and the movements are pieces of art. There's just something special about a mechanical watch that a quartz watch doesn't have.

ZV
 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
6
81
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: dighn
or has special interest in high quality mechanical watches.
And we have a winner. I understand how everything inside a mechanical watch works and the movements are pieces of art. There's just something special about a mechanical watch that a quartz watch doesn't have.

ZV

It is also a lot cooler to swirl your stopped watch around to make it go that to go to a watch store and get a new battery...