The Emperor's new clothes.

How good are CW? I’ve just ordered one, I’m hoping for it to be here in the next few days and just want someone’s opinion who has one. Thx

I have one, 2023 C60 Sapphire, can’t fault the finishing, my only tiny niggles would be slightly larger second hand and date window, but i am old and need glasses. Got the CW bracelet which is also superbly finished.

I have the same model of C63, and I came to the same conclusions shortly after it arrived.

Yes there are differences in build between a C63 and an AT or DJ, but to me they aren't worth the several thousand dollars more that Omega and Rolex charge.

TBH I absolutely love the C63. It's stopped me wanting/buying an Aqua Terra and I don't think you can give a higher praise than that.

I’ve owned a CW for some time now, it’s finishing and design are very good for the price and the movements are reliable workhorses. You can’t go wrong

The same principle for so many pursuits. Can the audiophile hear the 5% improvement he paid $5k more for? Can the photographer see the extra, expensive megapixel? If you deduct the virtually imperceptible difference, most high end stuff is a waste of money.

There comes a point when something is "good enough" this will be subjective but IMO if you need a loupe you've past that point.

You will find flaws at a certain magnification level on any watch. The Rolex / San Martin was a bit skewed in that regard, especially since one could tell that the magnification used was fairly high. (Aside from that fact that it ignored so many other aspects.) I have no experience with CW, but if you know where to look, you will find flaws.

From a modding perspective I can easily spend $500 on a good case alone, one that will make a difference on the final product. There is really no limit on how much you want to spend on a dial. But what matters is the overall product, dial and the entire watch.

Even with a modest NH35 mode I can easily rack up several hundred dollars that still have an impact on the end result. I'm currently wearing a case that cost about $100. The satinized sides are great, the transitions are nothing to brag about. It is not bad for the price, actually rather good, but there is plenty of room for improvement.

I knew someone years ago who had a separate electric supply from the rest of his house just for his hi-fi. Always amused me as he was in his 60's, but the bat's probably appreciated the high frequencies. LOL. Get deep into any hobby and it can go to the Nth degree.

I would have to disagree here. And not because CW makes a technically inferior watch. They make excellent watches for the price. There is no argument there. But, when you buy a watch, you also buy brand history and brand status. CW does not have the same history as Rolex, or Omega, or Longines. We always say that every watch has a story. So, with these other brands you are also buying a longer, more interesting story. So, technically, you may be getting a better deal with CW, but story wise, CW has a long way to go.

I'm in the camp of the cult of Rolex being all about the brand & how everyone perceives it, not because the watches are that much better than everyone else.

If Rolex finishing is better and it takes a loupe to determine it, I think that makes a pretty strong case for that line of thinking.

I have owned them for over 8 years. Absolutely love the quality you get for the price. The Sealander and Tridents are well worth the investment!

The other aspect is the materials Rolex uses vs these other brands. They are their own foundry. Not to mention, the precision and accuracy of their movements vs others. Rolexes can survive quite the beating and still maintain better results than the competitors.

My question would be: why do YOU buy a watch? Is it for style? Is it for longevity? Is it to wear and pass down? Etc

Very true but until the market sees it that way there will be a massive disparity in the monetary value (resale or new) between these two.

The market dictates the monetary value unfortunately.

One side will say a Rolex is over priced and another will say it is under priced (to market). The important thing is that you are happy and satisfied with your watch (which it definitely sounds like you are!)

Rolex has basically lost every single quality comparison I’ve seen to any brand that has gone against it including Omega, Grand Seiko, and now San Martin. But Rolex fanboys will argue to the death that Rolex is king because they own their foundry and have like $10 of white gold in their hands 🤦‍♂️

Same reason I have a 1080p, and don't have a 4k TV. The benefit would be lost on me at the extra cost. However, a watch is not bought purely based on objective measures.

I owned that very same watch, it's lovely but I just felt it looked a bit too small on my wrist but could never quite put my finger on why I felt that way!!! Eventually sold it as never wore it, looks great on the black/orange rubber strap they sell as well 👍

I bet you’ll be happy with yours. I have a CW Aquitaine in bronze and it always impresses me with its details. I have yet to buy another piece from them but I may, I think they’re great.

I’m looking at a bronze watch next. Is interested in your thoughts on these. Sadly I’ve got a self imposed ban on my collection, I’m only buying 1 piece from every brand. So I’m looking at a Bremont next in bronze and I’m also going down a bit of a British brand subcategory after mainly buying Swiss. Thx

Totally agree, through in that the Daytona had a zenith movement until 2003 then it all looks average at best. All down to marketing. However regardless where they nicked the ideas from they are the leaders and others follow.

Not £12k different thats for sure. I have a Rolex Datejust and i wanted a titanium yacht master. Obviously that is a completely unobtainable item so i bought a San Martin to see if i would wear a similar design. I actually posted this yesterday but these conversations have been started by Gary on I Like Watches. His video was very interesting. I took some close up on my phone. I cant get any closer however you can clearly see that tolerances are great as are the applied markers and the hands. They also give the option to drop in an SW200 and for a Grade 5 titanium watch (incluflding the braclet) i am simply stunned. I paid £350 i think which is same price as a moonswatch!

The photo at 12 looks like its misaligned but thats just the camera it is perfectly aligned

Let's face it Rolex is all about status. Many will argue they don't buy one for this reason & I dare say they are telling the truth. The fact remains that there are no other brands as successful at portraying success, wealth & status than Rolex. Those that love watches know there are way better alternatives for less money out there.

I think they are excellent. If they get around to dropping a Swiss true GMT into C63 then you have a very interesting choice to make as it would seriously undercut Tudor so the likes of Longines would have a serious contender.

As a Rolex owner I think that goes for a lot of watches. You can buy into some serious horology for the price of my Datejust or my Monaco (£7k now!) or Omega’s. But not a lot of people do. For £11k you can pick up the below. It will divide opinion but GMT + chrono in the slimmest package ever, stunning achievement. Or buy a quartz, a Citizen with a calibre 0100, the most accurate watch ever made, but we don’t and that not just the Rolex fan boys that’s most. I bought mine because I likes the dial. If it have been on a watch half the price I would have still bought it. Look at Moser. Most buy because…A) the dials look great B) because people that know, know = status. What about the PP Nautilus, you can’t buy a plainer watch apart from the Aquanaut. Are they worth 10 times the price of OP? 100 times more than the CW? 1000 times more than a San Martin. Ultimately we like what we like and there is a huge variation on why we buy them. All I know is I struggle to justify to the Mrs why I need to spend £xxx when I get the following

question, and I quote ‘do the other ones not work anymore?’ 😂😂😂😂

So my bronze CW has developed a great looking patina, and I really like it. They being said it’s my first and last bronze watch. When it was new it would stain my skin a bit, more so if I sweat in it. The clasp was bronze as well and that would do the same.

As the patina developed that happened less and less. Now no staining has happened in quite some time. That may be because I haven’t sweated in it much in the past year though.

I don’t know if all bronze would do that stain on me the same, I’m sure we all react to it differently too.

So first, the bezel on my CW is a teeny tiny bit misaligned, nothing to bother me but I do feel like it’s worth mentioning as it’s the closest thing to a real negative on the watch. Past that the case shape is beautiful and the satin-ey dial is just remarkable. I love the sapphire bezel, the applied indices and hands have a bronze look too but in the case they’ll never patina which gives a great contrast of the worn case and shiny bronze hands. I found a NATO with bronze looking hardware and it’s been my favorite look on the watch so far. I like a lot of CW’s stuff but the Aquitaine remains such a favorite of mine.

Don’t own a Rolex, but can say the finishing on my Glashutte Original is several times better than on my CW. BUT: not 10 times better - which is the price difference. IMHO, CW case finishing is very good (see pic of my C63 GMT below), GO’s is very, very good.

GO:

Honestly don't see it. 🤷

Can fully understand from the pics! In person, there is a real difference / but not a huge one.

My comment is geared towards those that buy a watch purely for status, not because they find watches fascinating. They buy the Rolex because it’s universally known & thought of in this regard.

Rolex make some beautiful watches. I happen to prefer their simple, understated, stainless steel OP & Datejust. For those that want everyone to know they have a Rolex, these models don’t make enough of a statement. They want a bit more bling for their money.

None of the above is a criticism. Who am I to judge how someone else spends their own money? If status & bling are what you’re after, fill your boots. Even though I don’t yearn for a Presidential day/date I’d most definitely compliment someone wearing one should we meet.

Only about half of the price paid for a Rolex is for the watch itself, which is why there are so many watches for the same or less money that are, objectively, at least as good if not far better. The other half of the price paid is for the experience of buying and owning a Rolex—the pomp at the AD, the membership into the club, the status the brand projects, and the position it holds with the general public—which no other watch brand can touch. But all the marketing, all the sponsorships, and all the endorsement deals that create that sense of prestige and status cost a LOT of money and to many buyers, especially non-enthusiasts who just want a really nice watch, that’s worth paying for.