Bites: Confession time - I am a petty and small-minded individual.

Thanks for the @

I am somewhat like the lady in the video in terms of wanting to be different. Who doesn't want to be? Its an aspect of my character that keeps me away from vanilla jobs (even good ones) and vanilla watches (even good ones - specifically Rolex.) - I tend to go on a somewhat less well trodden path.

Where I would differ is. Lets say I had a moonwatch. If I saw someone with less spending power in a moonswatch - and they said "look we have the same watch" - if they were enthused and in to it - I'd be delighted for them and would enjoy a conversation about our mutual watches - I don't think I'd be irritated for a moment..

Nope you’re not alone! I felt the same way about the Speedy at first but owning one now and wearing it more and more I see why everyone and I myself love it now too!! Yeah! And the fact @HotWatchChick69 got the green Gmt makes me jealous and want one too… then again I’m easily influenced 😖😂🫨…plus Brian is a celebrity in my head! So don’t ruin it … I always picture @HotWatchChick69 as this…

But I know she/he is more like this…

Cute little puppy ahhh … so cuuuute!!!

Ok I just wanted to post that cute puppy pic for my puppies next haircut…

😁

I’m definitely not well adjusted. I just posted about reading in my beloved Speedy for an Explorer. The feedback from fellow Crunchers on my poll was 68/32% in favor of keeping the Speedy. Now that I’ve solved that problem, I’m already adjusting my search criteria on Chrono24 and eBay to buy a used BB58 Blue… what is wrong with me! HA!

https://www.watchcrunch.com/vmiyanks04/posts/advice-requested-33587

Oh man meeeee tooo!! What’s wrong with me!! I want a blue BB58 as well argh!! Is there a pill a can take so I won’t be obsessed about watche s😵😵‍💫

Yes, I think that is maybe the difference.

I enjoy having something different, but it's so lovely to meet a fellow watch enthusiast in my circles there is no way I would feel upset if someone was wearing the same watch.

It would be much more...

I agreed with your comments about the interview feeling a bit uncomfortable.

It's fine to have differing opinions... that makes life interesting... but she just seemed to be telling the guy he was just plain wrong all the time, rather than being more open to his opinions on Hublot being more well respected than she thought etc.

I still don't think she was really buying watches for herself. She gave off 'Not like other girls' vibes to me.

I love the thought that went into this. I can relate.

What came first: the love of the old and forgotten or the desire to stand out? One of the first things that most people can understand when looking at vintage watches is how rare they are. Each model, each year, has survived against the odds. Most watches ever made reside now in landfills. We have very few from 50 years ago, fewer still from 75. Rare does not equate to valuable. A vintage watch can be your way of owning something unusual and rare with a price that one can afford.

With kids in school and two houses with mortgages I can not afford ten watches of $7,500.00 or more. I have some leeway, but not that much. If I were to buy the most highly praised watches on this site and others I would own maybe five watches. One would be a G-Shock, perhaps a Kamasu or Bambino. I might reach for a BB58. And I would be bored.

I like that I can stand in my own corner with very few others. I can complain about service costs and delays, magnetism, parts. If you were to really try, it would be difficult to replicate most of my collection. The best pieces would be the easiest to find. Neither a Seamaster DeVille or a Zodiac Hermetic is a rara avis, but this is:

(Now if I could just get the thing to work. It tells future time, runs fast.)

I have never wanted to own the same watches as everyone else. This is the ego driving the collection. No one wears the same gown on the red carpet. Same impulse.

I have many issues with eBay. The only thing that I am watching now is a vintage red smoking jacket. I don't smoke. I will be damned if I don't show up to one of these meet-ups with a wrist full of old watches wearing a red smoking jacket. How's that for irrationality?

Need a puppy pic after the hair cut!

And I think my dilemma with the Speedy could be solved by this gold and green beauty...

Honestly though, I can't hate on the speedy at all. The reduced especially is just...🤤

Re: your Speedy comment, you’re right about it being everywhere in the online watch community. However, IRL I never see it, and I’m in the Air Force! I’ve only run into 2 other people in my entire 19-year career that have one and only 1 actually wore it all the time like me. And we were only in the same place at the same time once! So I think you should go for it and wear it IRL, for you!

Re: the eBay thing, I not above a bit of schadenfreude and I will keep watching those listings and hoping it doesn't sell. I could then make an offer lower than my first, but like you, I'm petty and don't want to buy from that seller.

Re: the "I don't want what everyone else has" thing, I too am guilty of that to a degree. I think we all are. We all want to have unique things but custom anything is sooooo expensive for most of us. I think the uniqueness we are looking for can be added by ourselves, bit by bit instead of all at once. I want to make a custom watch storage solution and I want it to be so unique, I'm reluctant to share even the idea for it.

And her "mistake" watch? It was not a mistake. She loved the watch until her delusional bubble of uniqueness was burst. That's not a mistake. Her whole answer to the question from the premise all the way through reeks of elitism.

Another excellent Bites. Association is hard to ignore and we’d be lying if we said we didn’t do it. “I’ll never wear a Rolex/Patek etc because…” then one tries one and gets it. “I’ll never drive a BMW/Porsche etc…” then one drives it and understands the hype. Separating association and objectivity isn’t easy.

With watches, as I’ve aged, I’ve realized no one cares outside of other enthusiasts and at this point I’m not out to impress anyone. If I like it I buy. If some clown shoe happens to own the same thing, so be it. I don’t have to personally associate myself with who that person is.

We feel your pain.

There is no saving us.

We are lost to this illness and all we can do is hope to be examples to others as to why watch collecting is a terrible hobby.

Sure, I enjoy wearing something different. But that is not the reason that I bought them. I has been cause I liked them. Unique, or rarer, watches can have a pretty good reason for being so. They can be quite ugly and no one wants them, or vanted them at the time if vintage.

I have no problem buying watches that are common. The Speedie is a great example of that. I was late to that party. It was not until the new model with the updated bracelet it felt at home. It is a beautiful watch with perfect design. Even if it considered common I think I spotted one twice on someones wrist.

Ha! Planning a WC meetup in San Diego now. You can come meet my puppies in person - and that’s not even a euphemism!

Also, I think we may have a special guest coming too. A certain someone who founded a certain watch enthusiast site and makes YT videos!

In respect to point 2, I want to give you a sellers perspective. I sell things online to raise funds for a charity. I put an asking price well under a used retail price and I allow bidding from a good percentage below that. I'll give an example. X watch has a used retail value of €300. I list it online for €150 with bidding from €100. I can guarantee that people will always ask "what is the least you will accept"?, or offer €75. It is not only frustrating that people are so cheap, it is also extremely disheartening.

Ohhh when? Maybe I can persuade the wife to visit San Diego again!!

Ohh!! I’m picturing you doing this…

The WC call!!