Affordable VS Luxury
Okay, these are just my thoughts - but I have been interested in having a discussion on this subject for some time.
To start, I do not want to get too into the weeds of what defines a "luxury watch". To me, it can run the gamut from $1k on up, but for the sake of this argument, I am going to start at the $3k mark.
For that amount of money, I am somewhat dismayed at the number of flaws that can sometimes come with watches of this caliber. Rolexes costing $10k straight from the factory with dust or scratches on the dial. Movements that have issues almost immediately and require a 6 month visit to the manufacturer for repair. The QC of some of these companies is seriously lacking.
And when I compare those expensive watches to a $500 Seiko or Citizen, I am amazed at the incredible value these more affordable watches have to offer. Solid movements. Nice design. Decent finishing. Good water resistance.
I want to mention that isn't a put down on those who purchase a luxury watch. I have had some and still do, and they are among my favorites.
Nevertheless, dollar to dollar, I am really coming 'round to the idea that less is more. And it's making me really appreciate the more affordable watches in my collection.
I am beginning to view some luxury watch makers as robber barons making fools of us. Some (I won't name names) are resting on their laurels and taking serious advantage of their customers.
Anyway, if you own an affordable, well-made watch, I say, wear it with pride. If you wear a luxury watch, also wear it with pride (many are stunning pieces), but I wouldn't look down my nose at others whilst doing so.
I have been collecting watches for many years. I appreciate all types, from affordable to expensive. IG: @Daily_Dial
I am coming to the same opinion. Expensive watches are very nice and the finishing is usually superb, but the prices are going north and no signs of stopping. I have a couple of expensive watches that it took me a long time to save for. If you have an large budget and great job with lots of spare cash then fair enough, but for most of us mere mortals, its either save up for some time or set yourself a budget which I have done. I think there is a sweet spot though and its different for everyone, but there has to be a point of diminishing returns as it were in regards to quality etc. Take the famous Casio Duro that has many fans on here. I have one I changed strap and glass to sapphire and all in under £100, its a great watch (if a bit big) and finished nicely. I has made me appreciate more of my affordable watches more. My personal budget now, is never going to pay over £1000ish for a special watch, but in most cases you can get a great quality and finish for well under £500.
The only thing holding me back from owning luxury watches is the price tag 😂
I think like everything it’s a case of diminishing returns. There’s a huge difference between a cheap plastic Swatch and a nice Seiko Presage Sharp Edge but there’s not a lot more you can do with a watch after a certain point. I think you get this with a lot of luxury goods, but as someone who solely buys watches under €1000 I’m looking forward to eventually buying that first luxury piece, just like I wouldn’t mind upgrading my very practical Subaru Forrester to something a bit nicer.
Got a couple of Omega's, got my Mrs a Cartier so I'm no stranger to posh watches. But honestly I prefer my Seiko Willard - I'm probably a luddite but can't really tell the difference in finishing, if anything the Seiko is better as it has diashield coating & is scratch free despite being my beater (the Omega's scratch seem to pick up marks just looking at them!). Biggest plus on my Seamaster is the coaxial movement, mine runs spot on (after a £485 service)
So for me the sweet spot is mid tier Seiko's, around the £1k mark - all the extras the less pricey ones don't have , eg diashield, sapphire, 6r movements . ( Not just based on my Willard, also own spb147, Alpinist 59 reissue & a mm200) . Just much better value imho ( possibly microbrands are even better, but not found owt I like yet)
Well, thank God for quality microbrands elbowing their way in as the disrupters to the insanity. Brew, Farer, Studio Underd0g, CW… are the Trader Joe’s of the industry 😘👍👏
At this point in time, most luxury watches are just jewelry since we have $20 Casios with the same or more functionality. Even affordable watches are “jewelry” in the sense that wearing a Turtle makes us feel a bit like Captain Willard in Apocalypse Now or perhaps a Khaki Field makes us feel like a soldier from Band Of Brothers…we are trying to say something about our style or what we value (or aspire to). While I can afford luxury watches, I choose to wear affordable watches (Seiko, Victorinox, Timex, Casio, etc.) to tell the world that I’m practical and modest, but appreciate the engineering and heritage of watchmaking (and being on-time 😁).
Yes, I am frequently very impressed with Hamilton as a brand. 👍🏽
There is no shame in my game. I roll with whatever makes me happy.
Well, thank God for quality microbrands elbowing their way in as the disrupters to the insanity. Brew, Farer, Studio Underd0g, CW… are the Trader Joe’s of the industry 😘👍👏
And even the wealthiest of the wealthy can't deny the value proposition of the Trader Joe's frozen section . . . might have to email Studio Underd0g for a Green Chile Tamales watch haha. I was just telling my wife that I'm watching that company with great interest. If their future gen watches graduate to better movements even with a slightly higher price then it would be the perfect quirky watch.
When I got my Grand Seiko I was waffling about the price and then I handled them in person and felt like that $$$ was totally worth it . . . I couldn't say the same about some other watches in the same 5 to 10k range. And maybe that's a nod to how Seiko (esp. GS) approaches watch making . . . the GS production is quite cottage industry and artisan.
A lot of the more luxury brands that I like still have an independent sensibility, a sense that they are part of their towns, their environment, that it's a bunch of people who believe in the mission. Glashutte Original is another one that I think punches well above its weight and is worth the cost.
I own both affordable and objectively luxury watches . . . but I think for me it's less about broad categories and more about the individual company philosophies and perceived work and community ethic behind production. You can laud Rolex for a lot, but I think things can get lost in the shuffle when you're a big powerhouse like that. Sort of like the old rock band trope . . . "I liked their earlier stuff" / "I liked them before they got big" haha. Lots of new players who are proving you can produce refined timepieces that aren't just carbon copies of the same old thing that everyone at your company is wearing.
I agree with you. While I have nothing against high end luxury pieces, honestly, if I had $100k or more to drop on just about anything it would be a house. And you're right....there is absolutely NO excuse for a $500 watch to be superior in some ways to pieces running upwards of five figures or more. I bottom feed exclusively at the $1k and below range and am just as happy as the next high roller. Like another poster said awhile back...if you think lower costing timepieces are BAD, you don't know watches.
I personally do not subscribe to the whole categorisation into luxury and "affordable". I guess most of the people here are doing well in life, since otherwise they would have bigger issues than what watch to buy next. I think we need to be aware that this is not the case for everybody. And even among us watch nerds, the watches I consider quite big achievements are pedestrian beaters for some. The watches that I feel comfortable wearing even when I am doing manual work in the lab are unobtainable grails to people born in less fortunate circumstances (I would never wear one of my watches when they are seriously in danger though :D). I think keeping that in mind is important when writing on an international forum.
From the watches that friends of mine or I myself own I can say that the law of deminishing returns definitely applies to the watch world. Is my friend's seamaster 300m clearly more refined than my Seiko diver? Yes. Is it 6 times better? Hell no. Is my Tank Must XL clearly more refined than his Tissot dress watch? Yes. Is it clearly less refined than the tank Louis I also checked out at the store? A little. Not enough to go up for me. But that is only for me and my budget.
Also:
I never heard of a Rolex having a scratch or dust on the dial from the factory. If yes, any dealer will be ashamed to have even shown it to you and if it slipped past him will get it fixed. I think that is even the case in the current Rolex market (of course there might be shadier ads than mine out there).
I laughed when I saw this post because I was just going through the same issues. I had been a anything under $1000 guy. But I had that itch for a luxury watch and was thoroughly disappointed in the watches I purchase. I tried a Tudor Ranger, Longines Spirit and a Sinn 556. All had there flaws and all were sold. I’m going back to the cheaper watches
As someone who has owned many affordables, starting to own more luxury pieces, and have handled many many more from all across the board…. I think this is a great perspective. It can be tough to justify 5-10x the price of some watches over others that “do the same job” just as good.
There is something to be said with finishing and resale value, but it’s also about what the wearer prefers the most! Sadly there are manufacturers out there that do take advantage of the situation and bleed people dry. I hope that won’t be me!!
Regardless, wear what you like and make memories with pieces that are cheap and expensive! As long as they function and make you keep looking at your wrist, keep on keeping on!!
Luxury is all about brands, reputation, and creating desire through clever marketing campaigns. You do not need to spend crazy amounts of money on quality timepieces. There are many choices within Citizen and Seiko that are really good value for money. Also if you want to buy Swiss, Tissot, Longines, and others are good value for money on the second hand market
There is no shame in my game. I roll with whatever makes me happy.
Completely agree. I have San Martins to Rolex’s and wear them all fairly equally
At this moment in time. having tried on everything my local ADs have to offer and handling all of the watches for enough time to check them over quite thoroughly, I can tell you from my own experience that luxury brands are all a scam.
The Seikos I handled, although also a bit overpriced now, are significantly better finished in nearly every way compared to Tudors or even Omegas. Maybe under a microscope the indices and dials are to a higher standard, but to the naked eye, the cheaper ones look less like children's toys under the bright shop lights.
It's become all about people wanting to belong to groups, a product of living in modern society where our primal hunter/gatherer instincts have become sublimated, which has led consumers to be scammed by clever marketing into desiring and buying these extortionate trophies, even though ultimately, they will never provide the rewards which are promised and are often likely to cause even more feelings of futility.
Oh my...I think we are in different worlds..but heck you certainly have your opinion..that is what makes this hobby fun..
This argument isn't really about luxury vs affordability. Its about value or perceived value. What you feel you get for the dollar spent. That's different for everyone.
I happen to think that the Rolex Submariner is a great value, if you can afford it. There aren't a whole lot of watches in the market where the minute you walk out the AD's door, the watch is worth more. Look at a Seiko King Turtle, again I think it's an excellent value for the money. You get sapphire crystal, ceramic bezel, stainless steel case and in-house for under $700 (list price).
Now can you compare the Seiko vs the Rolex, the answer is no! They are way different watches at different spectrum's for vastly different sums.
That rainbow is amazing