SOTC(state of the collection) thread.

893bet · 01-05-2021 8:20am

My name is Fitz and I am a Rolexholic. I have not bought one in 5 days.

Cyclingtourist · 01-05-2021 10:41am

SOPOTC

Fitz II · 01-05-2021 11:07am

893bet wrote: »

My name is Fitz and I am a Rolexholic. I have not bought one in 5 2 days.

FYP

redlead · 01-05-2021 3:08pm

A proper rolex fan boy collection. Shame about the the fillers in the box .... ahem, the AP and Patek ;-)

I'm really liking the root beer I have to say. That and the chocolate yachtmaster don't get the love they deserve.

Cyclingtourist · 02-05-2021 2:14pm

And.

Cyclingtourist · 02-05-2021 2:16pm

And finally.

Total 24.

Wibbs · 02-05-2021 2:17pm

I thought there was an and coming.

Cyclingtourist · 02-05-2021 2:18pm

Wibbs wrote: »

I thought there was an and coming.

Two ands, don't know if you caught the second one.

blue5000 · 02-05-2021 4:16pm

Thanks both of you for sharing. What's on the radar(s)?

Cyclingtourist · 02-05-2021 5:43pm

blue5000 wrote: »

Thanks both of you for sharing. What's on the radar(s)?

Radar? Nothing, I'm all watched up. Need to downsize if anything.

Wibbs · 02-05-2021 7:55pm

and buy more bike stuff.

The water still flows, it finds another path.

Fitz II · 03-05-2021 7:23am

blue5000 wrote: »

Thanks both of you for sharing. What's on the radar(s)?

At the moment nothing, but there is always another. I will let it find me rather than actively looking.

david · 04-05-2021 2:37pm

It's been a while since I've shared my modest collection. At that time, I had the Sinn 104 and Stowa Marine 40 (both sadly departed to good homes). As this crazy addiction progresses, I've gravitated towards more modest sized pieces. The ethos of my SOTC remains the same, restrained where possible to two pieces, one steel and one dress to cover most bases (G-Shocks don't count right?)

Tudor Black Bay 79030N
Nomos Tangente 139
Casio G-Shock GW-5000-1JF

blue5000 · 06-05-2021 10:31am

Perfect! A dress watch, a tool watch and a diver, if we could all get back to that adverts would be flooded.

Edt. You just need a chrono and all bases are covered.

Fitz II · 06-05-2021 10:32am

blue5000 wrote: »

Perfect! A dress watch, a tool watch and a diver, if we could all get back to that adverts would be flooded.

Only once you have reached watch collecting maturity, this illness wont allow such restraint for me, but I am trying.

893bet · 06-05-2021 10:35am

Fitz II wrote: »

this illness wont allow such restraint for me, but I am trying.

And you are failing wonderfully

Fitz II · 06-05-2021 10:36am

893bet wrote: »

And you are failing wonderfully

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

Wibbs · 06-05-2021 11:55am

blue5000 wrote: »

Perfect! A dress watch, a tool watch and a diver, if we could all get back to that adverts would be flooded.

In my humble Dave nails it with his collection and has in both iterations.

NIMAN · 01-06-2021 7:34pm

To bring this thread into June, here's the current collection, minus a few digitals.

[IMG][/img]

SOTC by

Frankie5Angels · 02-06-2021 12:06pm

No change for me - was sensible and bought a motor vehicle instead. But my 1967 diver has its bezel reshaped and reattached now after a few months out of action and the Legend diver has new shoes (and I'm bored in 'work', so why not!). Hope to add at least one to the collection this year.

Calculator123 · 04-06-2021 11:46am

A new convert to collecting and it's a bit of a mixed bag! I find the Slava to be the most interesting of the pocket/stopwatches. All in working order although not sure how to wind the old pocket watch. Love looking at them all

Top from left:
Pocketwatch from 1889 made in Dublin by William Hug
Seiko Kinetic circa 2000
G Shock
Sólás Starlight

Bottom from left:
Slava Rattrapante stopwatch from Russia. Prob 1980s, or 90s
Elgin railroad pocketwatch from 1925
Hamilton railroad pocketwatch from 1934

fulladapipes · 06-06-2021 6:04pm

Fitz II wrote: »

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

Or, as Quentin Crisp famously said: "If at first you don't succeed, failure may be your style."

njburke · 06-06-2021 10:31pm

fulladapipes wrote: »

Or, as Quentin Crisp famously said: "If at first you don't succeed, failure may be your style."

There is a blast from the past. An Englishman in .New York.

LMHC · 06-06-2021 10:39pm

I've a second hand AP Royal oak jumbo 15202ST I purchased in February and I love it.

And I've a Fitbit Versa 2 and Yonmig Fitness tracker.

Recently went to sheerins in town looking at a Breitling but nothing caught the eye.

893bet · 06-06-2021 10:51pm

LMHC wrote: »

I've a second hand AP Royal oak jumbo 15202ST I purchased in February and I love it.

And I've a Fitbit Versa 2 and Yonmig Fitness tracker.

Recently went to sheerins in town looking at a Breitling but nothing caught the eye.

Where did you get the AP! That wasn’t cheap. What colour? Any pics?

If you are ever selling let me know! That’s one of the few APs I would buy to make my trilogy.

LMHC · 06-06-2021 10:54pm

893bet wrote: »

Where did you get the AP! That wasn’t cheap. What colour? Any pics?

If you are ever selling let me know! That’s one of the few APs I would buy to make my trilogy.

I got the AP in Bethnal green in London. Best place for second hand watches if your willing to spend. Its a blue dial, 39mm.

How do I post pics? I've a few

893bet · 06-06-2021 11:15pm

LMHC wrote: »

I got the AP in Bethnal green in London. Best place for second hand watches if your willing to spend. Its a blue dial, 39mm.

How do I post pics? I've a few

Nice! Eye watering no expensive though! Host them below and copy the forum link in then

https://postimages.org/

LMHC · 06-06-2021 11:19pm

893bet wrote: »

Nice! Eye watering no expensive though! Host them below and copy the forum link in then

https://postimages.org/

What do you mean host them sorry I'm not the most tech savvy. I click the link, post them on that site yes?

893bet · 06-06-2021 11:31pm

Yes. Follow on the on screen instructions and then it will give you forum tags you can copy over and post here.

Sebastian Dangerfield · 09-06-2021 10:55pm

I started with the Stuhrling and Fossil, and was given the Daniel Wellington as a gift. None get much wear these days.
I started to take more of an interest from there, and sold some other fashion brand watches to pay for the Dan Henry and Tissot Gentleman. Added the Ingersoll Trenton last year which is probably my favourite, and the Seiko Presage Cocktail Mojito which looks a lot nicer in person than it does in the picture.
I recently got the Orient Kanno just to try an Orient.
Im aiming for a Bulova Oceanographer and a Seiko SSA231k1 to fill the box, and something higher value next year for a big birthday.

https://postimg.cc/3WnVZWyn

Lorddrakul · 10-06-2021 9:52am

@SebastienDangerfield: Here you go:

All you need to do is right click the image on the PostImage page, then select copy link to image/image location, or something to that effect.

Then, when you go to post here, click the image icon on the post window, paste in the URL and that's it.

scwazrh · 12-06-2021 3:20pm

I got a new Watch box for my Seiko’s today in the post .A couple of spaces left in it which will hopefully be filled with a Pogue and a grand seiko of some sort in the future

Might as well put up a pic of my non seiko box as well.That box is a 24 watch box so plenty of space for future purchases.

Frankie5Angels · 20-07-2021 10:14am

See the grey chrono second from the top on the right (seiko box) - what's the model number there? Interesting look about it, to me at least.

scwazrh · 20-07-2021 10:30am

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117636003#Comment_117636003

It’s a 7t62 ( movement ) 0dk0 model , not sure of the exact reference as there is a few different dial colours .It’s a nice cheap and cheerful quartz alarm but one of the more sentimental ones I have.My wife bought it for me out of her last weeks wages when she finished work to raise our kids back in 2002 .

She went back to work just before last Xmas and bought me a Panerai out of her first months salary so she’s definitely a keeper !

Frankie5Angels · 20-07-2021 1:41pm

That's a nice story, glad I asked now! :)

Fitz II · 14-08-2021 8:26am

Current SOTC https://i.ibb.co/CbctB84/Screenshot-2021-08-14-083658.png for high res version. Got the lighting nice and I have kept the camera locked at distance so the relative sizing is correct.

Left to Right

Sub No Date Ceramic (wife wears this almost all the time despite having her own collection)
JLC Reverso Grand Date (like this a lot, I am not a leather strap guy, but this has a sport vibe and is something different)
Rolex Hulk (Rebuy, photos dont do these justice)
Patel Rose Gold Aquanaut (no explanation necessary, swoon)
Batgirl (fancy but sporty, colours much better than Pepsi IMHO)
AP Royal Oak Chrono 41mm (glorious)
Daytona White Gold (getting better with age)
Preceramic Kermit (unbelievably undervalued at the moment, bracelet not a patch on the new ones, Bezel colour is brilliant, safe queen)

Got rid of the ceramic Daytona cause it simply was not worth it for what I paid. Various Tudors and Omegas were trade in pawns and all gone now traded on the Reverso.

Have a couple others

Seiko SKX on strapcode (there to remind me not to buy any more Seiko's)
Solas Starlight (support for our man Thirdfox)
Tag Aquaracer (wedding watch, maturing with age like milk)

My beaters:

Casioak
Duro

What's next?

White Gold Day-Date with green dial (want this at retail but fupping expensive)
Patek 5968a Chrono Aquanaut on Orange Strap (a man can dream, need to be retail, again this even at retail would hurt)
Some sort of Panerai (need to try a Panerai but nothing too expensive)
Omega Dark Side of the Moon is nagging at me. Still waiting on a Silver Snoopy.

General Comments

Market showing little sign of softening.
Watches getting harder and harder to get.
When I go to sell there is a massive disconnect between dealer asking prices and offer prices.
Getting watches at retail difficult.
New boards.ie still sucks but slowly getting better.
Watchfinder France is very very slow at the moment.
A lot of my friend who were a year ago not into watches or only at a superficial level are getting precious metal Daytona's, Heavy hitters etc. Watch collecting is much more main stream now. Watches that were dogs 6 months ago, and now purchased with relish and excitement.
So interesting to go back over previous SOTC and see how things change, Highly recommended to all, its like a diary.

Cyclingtourist · 14-08-2021 10:03am

Think you've gotten mixed up between 5 & 7 Fitz.

"A lot of my friend who were a year ago not into watches or only at a superficial level are getting precious metal Daytona's, Heavy hitters etc. Watch collecting is much more main stream now. "

LOL.

Nice collection.

scwazrh · 17-08-2021 12:21am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117750931#Comment_117750931

Really is an incredible collection.The Tag heuer being the obvious crown jewel …

The what’s next is hard .

The JLC seems a backwards step .Omega the same .I’m a fan of Panerai but is it needed when you have a gold Patek?You’ve all the desirable Rolex’s done (The root beer you had is a grail of mine ) .A nautilus is the obvious direction for you to go as far as I can see.

Have you any interest in vintage?? That minefield would certainly fill the research stage , A Paul Newman or similar would also soak up the finance fairly quickly.

I hope the market is softening soon.My to buy list is growing rapidly and I’d love to see some sort of price slow down.I think it will happen over the next few months ,money is being spent on travel again , shopping trips etc.COVID had a lot of people with excess cash and nothing to spend it on .Life getting back to normal will give plenty of other areas to take that cash.

Fitz II · 17-08-2021 7:11am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117764843#Comment_117764843

Thanks, all valid points too. Yes the root beer was a very nice watch and a lot of people told me keep it. Friend of mine got one resently in weirs with basically no history there and only 3 months wait. The JLC and Omega are kinda backwards but the JLC I got to fill that leather strap watch itch and its not so expensive that I am twitchy about the money I am into it. The Omega may be a catch and release.

Nautilus was an obcession of mine for a long time, but I tried a few on and found them less than I would wish for that sort of money. Vintage scares me, not that keen to get into it, I also find vintage watchs not that nice to wear....watches have improved a lot in the last 20 years from a quality feeling and any vintage watch I ever tried feels like a fake.

Cyrus · 17-08-2021 9:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117764843#Comment_117764843

there is something about the dark side of the moon. i bought fitz's from him (having owned a grey side and a dstom pitch black previously) its an amazing watch and oddly the one my wife most comments on that she likes as well.

scwazrh · 17-08-2021 8:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117765496#Comment_117765496

Which one would you recommend?Typical omega there’s a load of variations in the dark side of the moon collection.The Apollo 8 grabs me most .I find the standard moonwatch a little uncomfortable at times and the Apollo8 one is larger so not sure how I’d get on with it .

Fitz II · 17-08-2021 8:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117768892#Comment_117768892

The Apollo * is manual wind so its a good bit thinner which I personally like, very nice watch with a very elaborate dial. The OG Darkside is IMHO the best version.

Cyrus · 17-08-2021 9:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117768940#Comment_117768940

Yes OG

Or the sedna gold if feeling flush, I have the sedna strap on my og and it sets it off well imo.

scwazrh · 18-08-2021 7:59pm

Spent a bit of time looking at the DSOTM watches .I was dismissive of them too quickly , the Apollo 8 is a very interesting watch. The ceramic case , sapphire Crystal , decorated movement and interesting dial make the €8500ish grey market price seem very good value.

I tried on a 41mm OP over the weekend which I had decided was my next watch and is similar market price .Need to decide which one to go for.The 41mm OP is so much better than the 39mm I had . Fits perfectly, silky smooth and just pure simple class .

893bet · 18-08-2021 9:05pm

Fat Fred had reviewed your collection and offer his opinion. From the 6.50 mark.

https://youtu.be/I2IDhW0fK7I

you gotta too many Toyota (I used call the sub the bmw 5 series but seems they got downgraded).

Fitz II · 19-08-2021 8:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117773597#Comment_117773597

Fed is trying to sell those Piaget and H. Mosers again I see

Wibbs · 19-08-2021 9:12am

He's pretty much spot on in his critique on the horological front, but the market and buyers very much think otherwise and that's the cold hard reality of it. The market and buyers themselves have changed massively in the last ten years and it and they are quite different and his opinion matters little in that context. Never mind that we're talking about a luxury product here and that itself often if not usually defies logic. Rolex leveraged that brilliantly and pretty much since their foundation they showed they know their market very very well. Where once that was in the "good watch" category in Britain and her commonwealth, they've moved themselves into worldwide "luxury" and have even moved what was their "cheap" brand Tudor that was on nobody's radar into the lower end of the same bracket. Omega, who have innovated more on a lazy Friday afternoon than Rolex have in their entire history have tried and largely failed to do that. Today if you have Tudor/Omega money to spend, Tudor is the better bet for your money. Ten, even five years ago we'd be saying "eh... wut?" to that.

Fitz II · 19-08-2021 11:43am

I get this all the time in comments on my videos. Guy come on and go "nerve of this guy the tudor movement is better than the Daytona" or "Only idots wait on a lists for a Rolex the Omega 9900 is a better movement and watch".....and these are all valid points. But I think it sorts misses the point. People want the Rolex cause it is hard to get, it is desirable. Rolex as a brand is not based on high horology, never was. And to suddeny beat them over the head with the horology hammer is to like giving out that your car cant fly. Never do people call Rolex crap and then say they buy only Patek, or ALS. Always its the cheaper more available option that is superior in their eyes...very convienant.

Watches are small objects of desire, the function is secondary (cue a WIS who really get their jollies on lever escapements). And if function is primary then there are a good few very inexpensive watches out there that will walk all over your mechanical watch, so best not to open that Pandora's box. Fed there is making his points (all internall valid) that Rolex is not luxury tier in a horological sense, but it is high tier in a Brand sense. Also all Fed alternatives are dress watches, and lets be honest the dress watch market is dead. When it comes to sports modesl its Rolex, a couple of Pateks, One ALS, a few Zeniths, some tudors, Omega.

This dismissal of anyone who likes Rolex as somehow a lesser collector is a sort of reverse fanoism. The "anything but united" people who are going to be individuals and not follow the herd by buying watches made in vast numbers so long as they dont have a certain branding. There is no brand I watch I dislike all that much...hell some Hublots even appeal to me. I do feel a watch should make you feel good, proud and be worthy of your time. For a lot of people thats Rolex. But an Omega collector is not less enthusiastic.

Fed is also just grumpy cause the gastric band leaves him hungry.

Wibbs · 19-08-2021 3:00pm

Unless you're rocking a co-ax Omega they're all feckin lever escapements. 😁

FitzII Fed there is making his points (all internall valid) that Rolex is not luxury tier in a horological sense, but it is high tier in a Brand sense. Also all Fed alternatives are dress watches, and lets be honest the dress watch market is dead.

+1 to both. I'd go so far as to say brand wise they're currently the highest tier of all. Pretty much every muggle out there knows Rolex, precious few would have heard of Patek or ALS or VC. A lot more would know Omega and among the muggles they hold their own, but among watch nutters they've slipped.

And yep the dress watch is kaput. Has been for a good while too. The gold or gold plated good watch for men had a good innings from after WW1 to the 1970's and they were still rocking along in the late 90's but were on the slide, when commentators started to cool hunt military and other tool watches the nails in that coffin were hammered shut. Precious metals are on the back foot too. Vintage Pateks in steel go for nutty money today because they were vanishingly rare when new. When the steel luxury watch was pushed in the 70's and contrary to what is often claimed of late it was a very hard sell and many spent years on jeweller shop shelves(The AP Royal Oak's first run of a 1000 pieces took the rest of the decade to sell out). The same models quickly became gold or two tone because that sold. Today that trend is pretty much entirely reversed. Steel tool watches from Rolex, Omega et al sold well alright, but that's because they were a month's wages or less to buy, rather than six months or more, so a very different market indeed. Even so the gold watch was more the standard. You often enough see 60's and 70's steel Rolexes in their original boxes unworn pop up at auctions and the back story is often along the lines of someone buying one, but actually wearing a gold watch for daily driving.

RMDrive · 19-08-2021 3:42pm

I still like dress watches. Not gold (plated) ones but I still like the aesthetic in general. 😟