Designer Watches.

kneemos

So many fakes about does anybody buy Rolex's or the like.
If I saw one I'd automatically think it was made in China.

NachoBusiness

Haven't worn a watch since phones became backlit.

When they make an android watch that doesn't make me look like I live in my parent's basement and know dozens of porn star's by name, I may consider becoming a wrist watch connoisseur again.

Sheep Lover

I wear a designer watch. Very expensive but so worth it. I love my Gucky watch.

kjl

IWC £10,000

Ruu

I wear one around my neck.

Odyssey 2005

The pub has a clock ☺

C.K Dexter Haven

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

The pub has a clock ☺

my clock has a pub:cool:

ancapailldorcha

I'm a massive fan of watches myself. I love how intricate and beautifully crafted they are. That said, I'd never splurge on a Rolex or an Omega unless I'd won the lottery as I'd be paranoid about anything happening to it.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Every watch is a designer watch. Somebody has to have designed it.

Designer is a designation I always felt was pointless.

triggermortis

I have an Omega Seamaster. I always wanted one and treated myself for my 40th as no-one else was going to. Wear it everyday

Odyssey 2005

C.K Dexter Haven wrote: »

my clock has a pub:cool:

You need to get a smaller clock
I got a Movado about 14 years ago. Thin as a credit card and hasn't missed a beat since.

Menas

I have a 60 year old iwc...I love it. Completely pointless having an expensive watch but hard to resist.

harry Bailey esq

I got a lovely tag huer watch off my dear ma for my 30th,a beautiful timepiece.Dunno how much it cost but its the real deal.I rarely wear it though,my everyday watch is a french connection one that only cost 115 sheets,still quite stylish though

kneemos

triggermortis wrote: »

I have an Omega Seamaster. I always wanted one and treated myself for my 40th as no-one else was going to. Wear it everyday

It's a bit like buying a supercar disguised as a Skoda though isn't it?
Nobody knows what it is.

conorh91

My parents bought me a nice Longines watch for my 21st. I'd never buy a watch myself.

Nice watch, came with an ugly-ass canvas strap; the man in the shop told my mother so many people complain about the strap, he routinely offers a leather replacement.

An ugly strap can turn a great watch into a pound-shop job. I can't understand why adults wear rubber or canvas straps.

Odyssey 2005

triggermortis wrote: »

I have an Omega Seamaster. I always wanted one and treated myself for my 40th as no-one else was going to. Wear it everyday

No point keeping it in a drawer,they're made to wear.

Joe Doe

Function over design is the primary concern for watches (IMO).

Sure have a $10 Rolex (replica) from the Rolex store on 5th Ave (now the shop was closed, but some other wee local chap had a quick stall setup outside). Looks like the real thing, all gold like.

But the usual watch setup (RRP <50e) that does ALL of the following:

• Timer
• Countdown
• Dualtime
• 100m WProof
• Luminous readout
• Compass! (luminous)
• WorldTime x24 Cities
• TeleMemo storage (addressbook)
• Backlight option if really dark
• 5 Alarms (one with snooze)
• Tells the time accurately.
• Fairly indestructible
• Hourly alerts
• 10yr battery

Can anybody's else do all that, with their fancy Swiss autos?


....just wish it had moon phase and tide level readings too

harry Bailey esq

kneemos wrote: »

It's a bit like buying a supercar disguised as a Skoda though isn't it?
Nobody knows what it is.

An omega? Anybody with the remotest interest in watches knows what that is

Simonigs1.0

harry Bailey esq wrote: »

An omega? Anybody with the remotest interest in watches knows what that is

Pretty much.

Anybody with the remotest interest in watches will know a real from a fake.

kneemos

harry Bailey esq wrote: »

An omega? Anybody with the remotest interest in watches knows what that is

My point .
How many have the remotest interest in watches . I've heard of Rolex and Omega but they'd need to be held in front of my face before I'd notice.

harry Bailey esq

Simonigs1.0 wrote: »

Pretty much.

Anybody with the remotest interest in watches will know a real from a fake.

Its pretty easy to tell.Incidentally,one high end watchmaker that ive never seen a knockoff of is Raymond Viel,im sure there are knockoffs but I've yet to see one

harry Bailey esq

kneemos wrote: »

I've heard of Rolex and Omega but they'd need to be held in front of my face before I'd notice.

That's my point.A nice watch shouldn't 'stick out in front of your face' An expensive timepiece is a question of understated style.You can tell a lot about a chap by the watch he's wearing

Faith+1

I'd sell my first born for a Pakek!

bnt

I wouldn't call Rolex, Omega, Tag Heuer etc. "designer" watches as such. On the Goldsmiths website, for example, they are under "Luxury Watches", while "Designer Watches" are watches with fashion designer labels (Armani, Marc Jacobs etc.).

Me, my nicest watch is probably the Skagen I received as a company long service gift. I've been considering getting myself something nicer, ideally something that doesn't require batteries. But I often find myself not wearing a watch.

mailforkev

I'd associate the term "designer watches" with fashion branded stuff like those awful chintzy Michael Kors watches that every second shop seems to sell these days. Real watches should be mechanical in my opinion.

And like a previous poster I fully agree that decent watches are there to wear not to just keep in a safe, even if it's only on special occasions for the more expensive ones.

robman60

I plan on buying a really expensive watch when I become solvent after my student days and then I'll hand it down and it will become a family heirloom.

conorh91

harry Bailey esq wrote: »

You can tell a lot about a chap by the watch he's wearing

Can you? Like what?

GobBass

To me, this is the ultimate watch.

Best £19 I ever spent on Amazon.

Ghost Train

conorh91 wrote: »

Can you? Like what?

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Forever-Alone-Rage-Face-Comic-Meme-Art-Wrist-Watch-/331489917384?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d2e56b9c8

dxhound2005

bnt wrote: »

I wouldn't call Rolex, Omega, Tag Heuer etc. "designer" watches as such. On the Goldsmiths website, for example, they are under "Luxury Watches", while "Designer Watches" are watches with fashion designer labels (Armani, Marc Jacobs etc.).

Me, my nicest watch is probably the Skagen I received as a company long service gift. I've been considering getting myself something nicer, ideally something that doesn't require batteries. But I often find myself not wearing a watch.

You could consider a solar watch. Also something different is radio controlled.

http://www.watchshop.com/Radio-Controlled-Watches.html
http://www.watchshop.com/mens-casio-oceanus-manta-titanium-chronograph-radio-controlled-solar-powered-watch-ocw-s2400e-1ajf-p99972372.html

They keep perfect time by receiving a radio signal. In this part of the world the transmitter is in England. The signal is shown here being received on a communications receiver. That frequency, 60 kHz is below the long wave broadcasting band.

martinedwards

wrist watch?

no.

I started wearing pocket watches when I turned 40.

the best one.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O25KP7a0Gk

15 jewel
14K gold huntercased size 18s
Waltham pocket watch
Appleton tracey 1883 model
manufactured 1886

belonged to my great grandfather, and my dad passed it on to me.

and it's ticking like a 129 year old American watch!

lau1247

kneemos wrote: »

So many fakes about does anybody buy Rolex's or the like.
If I saw one I'd automatically think it was made in China.

To be honest, people thinking that it is a knock off does bother me, less chance of being robbed. As long as i know myself that it is genuine, i like the design and paid a price that i think is fair then all the better i'd say.

Jawgap

I wear a watch most of the time and like to think I collect them - my preference is for manual military or military style chronographs.

My Omega Speedmaster rarely draws a comment, whereas my Chinese 1963 Seagull which cost a fraction of the Speedie gets commented on all the time.

harry Bailey esq

GobBass wrote: »

To me, this is the ultimate watch.

Best £19 I ever spent on Amazon.

Nice one

DoYouEvenLift

I've no interest in owning watches because I just never wear them, but watching (lol) videos of them being disassembled for repair and reassembled is almost therapeutic. I always knew the mechanics of them were complicated but some of the high end ones are unbelievably complex, watching someone who knows every little thing's place taking them apart is great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfNOgWGME_c

A luxury watch is something I will definitely own at some point. They are beautiful pieces of kit. I wouldn't have any interest in a fake as even if nobody noticed (and plenty would notice the difference) I would know I was wearing something fake.

My preference would be for a Tag Heur or a Breitling. My uncle bought a Breitling a few years ago and all you need to do is hold it and you can feel that's it's the real deal.

kneemos

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

I've no interest in owning watches because I just never wear them, but watching (lol) videos of them being disassembled for repair and reassembled is almost therapeutic. I always knew the mechanics of them were complicated but some of the high end ones are unbelievably complex, watching someone who knows every little thing's place taking them apart is great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfNOgWGME_c

Manicured nails.

Amirani

I have a pretty nice Tag Heuer that I got whilst in university. I had spent a few years previous to that without one, but I'm not sure I could anymore. There are some situations where checking a phone isn't particularly appropriate - a presentation, a business meeting or even some formal dinners.

I don't like wearing them. I have a pocket watch, a cheapy but cute one, that I do need to get fixed

Still, I do like the look of the ones by these guys
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41XgKYsdR9L._SY300_.jpg

speedboatchase

I'd like to buy a Tag in the future but I remember hearing that they're hated by some purists because they use Seiko parts and therefore aren't 100% Swiss-made - is that correct? I know that's not something I should care about but if I'm going to drop a few grand on a watch I'd rather it was a well-respected brand.

Jawgap

kneemos wrote: »

Manicured nails.

I'm off to the Isle of Man if I win the lottery!!

Pumpkinseeds

I've never seen a Rolex that I've actually liked. Can't see the attraction in them, must just be a wa*ker thing with people wanting others to know they're rich, but with a lack of class or taste.

Tugboats

My first night in Bangkok I got a Tag and a blowie for around 2000b. Still works perfectly 3 years later. I recently got a new battery for it and the guy in the watch shop was impressed with the standard of it.

kneemos

Tugboats wrote: »

My first night in Bangkok I got a Tag and a blowie for around 2000b. Still works perfectly 3 years later. I recently got a new battery for it and the guy in the watch shop was impressed with the standard of it.

Fifty quid.A bargain.

Menas

kneemos wrote: »

Fifty quid.A bargain.

But did the guy who sold him the watch give him a good blowie?

mailforkev

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I've never seen a Rolex that I've actually liked. Can't see the attraction in them, must just be a wa*ker thing with people wanting others to know they're rich, but with a lack of class or taste.

Most Rolexes aren't that flash at all, look at an Explorer or Perpetual. Even the divers, Sea Dweller for example, are fairly tasteful in my opinion. But they're high quality and maintain their value like little else (most actually go up in value).

If you want something massive and flash with name recognition buy a Breitling.

Wibbs

conorh91 wrote: »

My parents bought me a nice Longines watch for my 21st. I'd never buy a watch myself.

Nice watch, came with an ugly-ass canvas strap; the man in the shop told my mother so many people complain about the strap, he routinely offers a leather replacement.

Longines Legend Diver by the sounds of it? Niiiice.

harry Bailey esq wrote: »

Incidentally,one high end watchmaker that ive never seen a knockoff of is Raymond Viel

High end watchmaker and RV really don't belong in the same sentence HB. They're OK, but very overpriced for what they are.

mailforkev wrote: »

Real watches should be mechanical in my opinion.

That's just mid 80's Swiss marketing that changed a chunk of the buying public's(mostly male) perceptions.

The coming of quartz at the start of the 1970's pretty much killed the Swiss industry. They were in the game at the start, but their quartz were high luxury and VERY expensive, usually quadruple the price of even their top end mechanicals(eg the entry level Omega Electroquartz was over six times the price of an Omega Speedmaster). All the top names were involved, including Patek, Omega, Longines, Girard Perregaux, Rolex, though these days they all tend to downplay that. The Japanese and the Americans steadily and pretty rapidly brought the quartz prices down and brought in LED/LCD, add in a bad exchange rate between the Swiss and everyone else and by the late 70's the Swiss were in real trouble. Mechanical watches were "old fashioned". You couldn't give Breitlings, or Heuers away and both went to the wall only to be bought up by other companies. A lot of "luxury" Swiss names that claim centuries of history today are/were shelf companies with no connection to the past.

Anyway the Swiss banded together and came up with the cheap arse Swatch watch and they sold in their squillions. This gave them money to burn and they then pushed the idea of mechanical watches have "soul", because A) they still had all the machinery to make them they couldn't compete too well with the Japanese and most of all C) the margins on mechanical watches are much larger than on quartz(and they increase that margin year on year). They can also charge a fortune for servicing so it's win win(and servicing by the big boys is an expensive joke. If they were cars, no way would you buy one).

Basically they convinced a segment of the buying public to reject a more rugged, more reliable, cheaper and far more accurate timekeeper in favour of outdated technology. It was and continues to be one of the greatest marketing coups in history.

anewme

You are either a watch person or not.

I'm a woman and wear a Breitling. It's not flash , not big.

I'd come out of a crappy time in my life and was getting back on my feet. Set myself a target that if I saved the five years of Special Savings Accounts (remember them anybody???) that I would buy it for myself ( and save the rest of the SSA)

every time I wear it now, it reminds me of how far I'd come within five years and the value of setting personal goals.


Lots of people notice it too, I once went for a job interview and got the job. Once I started, the interviewer told me they had noticed my lovely watch in the interview.

I don't see the point of fakes to be honest, I'd rather buy a good seiko than a knockoff Omega. I'm the same with handbags, would rather leather M&S than a knockoff Dior or whatever.

whisky_galore

martinedwards wrote: »

wrist watch?

no.

I started wearing pocket watches when I turned 40.

the best one.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O25KP7a0Gk

15 jewel
14K gold huntercased size 18s
Waltham pocket watch
Appleton tracey 1883 model
manufactured 1886

belonged to my great grandfather, and my dad passed it on to me.

and it's ticking like a 129 year old American watch!

Have a 1904 Elgin that still does the business!

Pinch Flat

I like my watch it's an Oris BC3 - not crazy money but bought it for my self for my 30th - I'm 44 in June and it still looks great. It's an automatic / mechanical and I've had complements in it a few times.

Personally I find the Tags a bit naff and overrated. A nice Rolex Like this

http://m.rolex.com/watches/explorer/m214270-0001.html

would be my choice if money was no object.

Some of the lesser brands do lovely watches as well - not mad money either but top quality - I like some of the

Steinharts

http://www.steinhartwatches.de/en/

Archimede

http://www.archimede-watches.com

Autran and vialla

http://www.autranviala-watches.com/Collection.htm

Deenie123

I wear a Longines Ladies Master Collection watch that my parents bought for me as a graduation present. I love it, quite understated but very classy. It doesn't look like a flashy "designer" watch and tbh I don't care if people know whether it's a "designer" watch or not; I love it and it's something I'll have for decades to come.

Piccy: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41SJS79u7OL.jpg

I also have a rake of other watches - GPS watches, sailing watches etc., which are all very useful, but a nice watch is a lovely thing to have.