I can’t bring myself to consider paying more than 500 bucks for a watch.
I got my Marlin for a song on clearance for $11.00. Now…I know that is a fluke and I was just in the right place (Walmart) at the right time. No arguments there. But so far, it has been such a stylish, comfortable and accurate addition to my collection that I just can’t envision dropping a lot of money on any new watch in the future. I mean…I haven’t worn it for about a month and it has only gained one second.
This Tudor BB58 lists for $3625. It’s a beautiful watch no doubt. The hands are what really make it in my opinion. But my Marlin resembles this Tudor closely enough that I feel it would be like me dropping money into a pocket with a hole in it if I ever made the herculean leap to buy one.
Back in the good old 80’s, Chrysler ran an ad campaign comparing the front end of a K Car to that of a Mercedes 240…noting how similar they looked. The ad’s consensus was that it made the K Car just as desirable though retailing at a vastly-lower price. Yes…it was a bit absurd and there was a waft of a rancid stench of embellishment in the air from this claim. But, I did drive a light blue Plymouth Reliant from 1987 to 1989 all around the wilds of Alaska — often in deep snow — and the 4 cylinder vermin never got stuck once. Though I will say the front fabric bench was a little too springy for me. But…I digress.
To get to the point of my query: Why spend so much more for a watch like the Tudor when you can get something like a Casio Marlin for far less…with no loss of reliance or accuracy?
After all, even Dale Griffith the shower curtain ring guy had some pretty good insight about this.
Am I just cheap, or missing something? Or is paying a boat-load for a watch a bit excessive despite one’s income level?
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There's a happy medium between $11 dollars and $5,000 where you are maximizing the value of what you're putting into the watch. A Hamilton Khaki Field Auto is worth every dollar of the $500 you're spending (more, in fact) - but that ratio of value/dollar does plateau before you get into the luxury watch world.
There's a happy medium between $11 dollars and $5,000 where you are maximizing the value of what you're putting into the watch. A Hamilton Khaki Field Auto is worth every dollar of the $500 you're spending (more, in fact) - but that ratio of value/dollar does plateau before you get into the luxury watch world.
I do agree about the Khaki. Heritage can go a long way when it comes to value.
Yes and no. Most of us have a grail watch and usually they are expensive. I have mostly affordable watches, to me that's under £150. I might spend a bit more for the odd watch. I do have a couple of expensive watches and appreciate the quality etc. I also have a Duro/Marlin as well. I put sapphire and changed the strap, but even stock its a cracking watch, I wear it more than my expensive ones and enjoy the watch just as much, if not more, as I appreciate the quality/price. Now when I look at expensive watches they are getting hard to justify. What has changed for me is that quite a few of the micro brands have upped their game so much that spending 10 times more seems daft. But I guess it depends on how much disposable income you have.
Haha, I had a light blue Reliant K with that amazing, bulletproof 2.2L engine. It got me where I needed to go. Even had a bench front seat!
I feel as you do about spending over $500 on a watch. If you saw my recent post about my birthday present from my wife - a trip to Germany - and wanting to buy a watch there under $2000...that is going to be an exception. I know how expensive a nice German watch can be and I wanted to mark the occasion in my collection. If I find one much cheaper you can bet I'll buy it!
But I suppose if one is a wealthy man, one can buy watches like we buy hamburgers.
Same, it’s hard to fathom dropping a huge bag of cash for what essentially is a nice to have, but unnecessary piece of stuff. That being said, we all like shiny things so everyone will have a different tolerance or appetite for spending.
Yes and no. Most of us have a grail watch and usually they are expensive. I have mostly affordable watches, to me that's under £150. I might spend a bit more for the odd watch. I do have a couple of expensive watches and appreciate the quality etc. I also have a Duro/Marlin as well. I put sapphire and changed the strap, but even stock its a cracking watch, I wear it more than my expensive ones and enjoy the watch just as much, if not more, as I appreciate the quality/price. Now when I look at expensive watches they are getting hard to justify. What has changed for me is that quite a few of the micro brands have upped their game so much that spending 10 times more seems daft. But I guess it depends on how much disposable income you have.
Good point. I have a couple of Islanders with sapphire glass, really nice solid link bracelets and great finishing for far less than what one could only get in a lofty luxury brand. I believe this to be a welcome renaissance in the watch world.
Haha, I had a light blue Reliant K with that amazing, bulletproof 2.2L engine. It got me where I needed to go. Even had a bench front seat!
I feel as you do about spending over $500 on a watch. If you saw my recent post about my birthday present from my wife - a trip to Germany - and wanting to buy a watch there under $2000...that is going to be an exception. I know how expensive a nice German watch can be and I wanted to mark the occasion in my collection. If I find one much cheaper you can bet I'll buy it!
But I suppose if one is a wealthy man, one can buy watches like we buy hamburgers.
All hail the K Car indeed! As for hamburgers…give me the Double QPC any day.
I get you totally. Myself right now I'm wondering whether to buy or not the newly released Imperial Watch Royal Guard 200 for 400$... but hesitate since I also have another though as nails 70$ divers that does a great job, which is the Invicta Pro diver that sports the same NH35 movement.
Same for the Lorier Gemini... I LOVE Lorier watches (got myself 3 of them in 6 months - Zephyr, Hyperion and Falcon), but I could get a Sugges Panda dialed chronograph with the same ST19 movement for roughly 150$ rather than 500$.
The thing for Imperial and Lorier (and also Islander that I bought recently) though, at least for myself, is that they are microbrands and I really like to do business at a smaller level, where your contact is directly with the founders and it mostly funds their passion rather than their mansion.
Good point. I have a couple of Islanders with sapphire glass, really nice solid link bracelets and great finishing for far less than what one could only get in a lofty luxury brand. I believe this to be a welcome renaissance in the watch world.
Islanders on my wish list, not sure which ones as they seem to bring new ones out monthly ! They look class, not sure why anyone would spend much more. What was the body style on your Plymouth Reliant?
I completely understand the logic, but watch collecting doesn’t necessarily make sense anyways so that’s the only reason why I don’t overthink it. I do have a price limit as well though so I definitely get it
I get you totally. Myself right now I'm wondering whether to buy or not the newly released Imperial Watch Royal Guard 200 for 400$... but hesitate since I also have another though as nails 70$ divers that does a great job, which is the Invicta Pro diver that sports the same NH35 movement.
Same for the Lorier Gemini... I LOVE Lorier watches (got myself 3 of them in 6 months - Zephyr, Hyperion and Falcon), but I could get a Sugges Panda dialed chronograph with the same ST19 movement for roughly 150$ rather than 500$.
The thing for Imperial and Lorier (and also Islander that I bought recently) though, at least for myself, is that they are microbrands and I really like to do business at a smaller level, where your contact is directly with the founders and it mostly funds their passion rather than their mansion.
True that. I had an issue with my Islander Bethpage and Marc jumped on it like a toad on a log and replaced the movement (shipped out and back to me) in two weeks. I made a post on it. It was some of the best and most responsive customer service I’ve ever had…I’m sure due to his relatively lean and mean business.
Islanders on my wish list, not sure which ones as they seem to bring new ones out monthly ! They look class, not sure why anyone would spend much more. What was the body style on your Plymouth Reliant?
It was a 1987 4 door sedan. Sort of a misty light blue with blue cloth interior, bench seats, and a rough-sounding but tenacious little 2.2 liter (I think) 4-banger that put out go-cart level horse power. But man…I’d drift around the roads of Alaska in pile-deep snow in confidence. It was the weirdest econobox that has left a more indelible mark in my memories than most any other car I have owned since then.
It was a 1987 4 door sedan. Sort of a misty light blue with blue cloth interior, bench seats, and a rough-sounding but tenacious little 2.2 liter (I think) 4-banger that put out go-cart level horse power. But man…I’d drift around the roads of Alaska in pile-deep snow in confidence. It was the weirdest econobox that has left a more indelible mark in my memories than most any other car I have owned since then.
Cheers for the info, As well as watches love cars, and even though from the UK have always followed US cars also.
All collectors have a different view of collecting and they're all right.
Now, about that little Casio keyboard, how long have you had it?
I recall buying one- about 40 years ago!
Don't worry, a lot of us can't make the jump to spend huge amounts of money on watches with little to no actual improvement over the cheaper ones. At the end of the day, it's more about which company's marketing has brainwashed the masses more, because once you get past spending $500 on a watch, it's hard for any of them to truly justify their prices nowadays unless you are looking for precious metals.