What's your unpopular opinion about luxury watches?

I would say that Rolex have been surpassed in every way possible, they're living of the brand image alone at this point. There are many better and more exciting watches for a less money.

What's your hot take on luxury watches?

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 yeah but they still cool though :-)

My unpopular opinion is that luxury quartz watches are great.

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That even as luxury items, they are quite possibly overpriced — which is why Apple Watch is doing so well, because it too is a luxury item but doesn’t suffer the same problem. 

The symbolism of ownership has overtaken the reality. 


However, it’s possible this is very much down to manufacturing costs, and the way the market has become tied to collectibility and investment. 

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They are pointless.

Their main use is to serve as wrist accessories for demonstrating wealth, but nobody really care  or notice anymore, except for ladies of the night in Vegas apparently.

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Ok, I'll say it, Rolex isn't a real "luxury" brand.  Try AP, JLC, Breguet, or something in the $10,000 plus range if you want real luxury.

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i had enough with rolex submariner 😂

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DLove61

Ok, I'll say it, Rolex isn't a real "luxury" brand.  Try AP, JLC, Breguet, or something in the $10,000 plus range if you want real luxury.

That is an unpopular opinion to me. I know some disagree. But luxury is realtive.

Especially if it's the point of excess of Rolexes that make it non-luxury. A product doesn't become luxurious before someone "comsumes" it. And it won't be luxury to someone who have many and a lot of money.

 A G-Shock can be a luxury good IMO. It might be an expensive product and hard to access for some and the quality is high 🤔

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How long you got?

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Rolex may have been surpassed on some of their line up. But the fact that most watches are compared to the Rolex itself shows how important the brand is. 

Unpopular opinion - 99% of us would buy a Rolex if the AD called right now (and we had the funds available)

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To be honest - the watches are not the problem here as they are just a product item. Opinionated  people on the other hand...

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Imagine if a new "luxury" car debuted with carburetion, bias-ply tires, leaf springs, and drum brakes. They'd preen about the paint and leather and hand-whittled parts, but it would struggle to perform in the realm of economy cars. This is exactly how silly the idea of a "luxury" mechanical watch has been since the Quartz Revolution. 

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A luxury watch loses its appeal the more you are actually able to afford it.

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Justingalore

 yeah but they still cool though :-)

My unpopular opinion is that luxury quartz watches are great.

Absolutely true, I still love Rolex watches

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Porthole

How long you got?

All daaaay 😂

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hbein2022

A luxury watch loses its appeal the more you are actually able to afford it.

Never taught about that actually, but god damn that's very true 

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IWC…. $9000 for a Fleiger with an in house movement?  I’ll take an Orient Pilots watch with an in house movement for $200 and take a cruise and buy a purple bed.

just Doesn’t make sense to me, i know they make other cool stuff, but who buys those Fleigers and why? 

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WatchN

Rolex may have been surpassed on some of their line up. But the fact that most watches are compared to the Rolex itself shows how important the brand is. 

Unpopular opinion - 99% of us would buy a Rolex if the AD called right now (and we had the funds available)

As an Omega fanboy, that rings very true. Rolex, whether we like it or not, are the benchmark for the watch industry. I don't hate their watches. I just hate the brand, if that makes sense. 

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Bsblaw

It irks me when I hear watches being referred to as “pieces”. I don’t know why. I am sorry, many does it, nothing against y’all and its all love here. Just an unpopular opinion…

Forgive us writers. Sometimes we have to use it because otherwise the word "watch" is everywhere and you begin to sound a bit boring. I do agree we could use another synonym for them. 

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MVWEncyclopedia

As an Omega fanboy, that rings very true. Rolex, whether we like it or not, are the benchmark for the watch industry. I don't hate their watches. I just hate the brand, if that makes sense. 

I’m not really a fanboy of any brand. I own one of each Omega, Rolex, Tudor, Cartier, Casio. 
I've never taken sides when people have debated for specific brands. I just appreciate the models I like and don’t pay any mind to the ones I don’t. 
 

The brand thing you’re talking about is off-putting for sure but it only affects you as much as you let it. I’ve told my AD what I want and if he calls he does, if not there’s plenty other ways to spend that money 😉

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Justingalore

 yeah but they still cool though :-)

My unpopular opinion is that luxury quartz watches are great.

see my poll :) I agree

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I tend towards Vacheron for in my mind what is best brand and designs , I like Rolex about fifth behind Patek , A Lange & Sonne , H Moser & Cie :)

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Have never understood the Rolex craze. Forgive me - but I think Rolex’es are ugly, except some old vintage ones which are not, I understand, what most are after. However, taste cannot be discussed and people should buy what they like…

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Firstly we have to determine what a luxury watch is, then determine what over payment means. I own a Rolex OP 36mm. Purely from a sum of it's parts point of view, of course it is overpriced, but when you can buy a watch for XX then sell it five years later for XXX, how can it be over priced. The next best thing I have to a luxury watch is  Tudor BB36, which some people will class as a luxury watch. Great watch, but no better than any of my Chris Ward watches that cost about 40% of the price. 

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What my Dad told me back in the '70s. Every pimp & drug dealer in the country buys a Rolex as soon as he has the money for one.

He was an Omega fanboy just like me.

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Not every way possible. Like, you know, market share and revenue.

https://watchesbysjx.com/2021/03/morgan-stanley-swiss-watch-industry-report-2021.html

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hbein2022

A luxury watch loses its appeal the more you are actually able to afford it.

I have to disagree,I've worked all my life and can now afford luxury items,if anything I appreciate them more ,I understand if your born in to money it might be different 

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Oldmanwatches

I have to disagree,I've worked all my life and can now afford luxury items,if anything I appreciate them more ,I understand if your born in to money it might be different 

I was definitely not born into money. Back in the days when Wempe was still selling Seiko quartz watches, my grandmother took me there. It appeared very fancy to me at that time. But when I actually look at watches these days, with a very different financial outlook, they are no longer more than watches. The aspirational aspect is gone. Don't get me wrong, they are beautiful watches. But at the end of the day they do not represent the goal posts of a bigger and better future anymore.

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hbein2022

I was definitely not born into money. Back in the days when Wempe was still selling Seiko quartz watches, my grandmother took me there. It appeared very fancy to me at that time. But when I actually look at watches these days, with a very different financial outlook, they are no longer more than watches. The aspirational aspect is gone. Don't get me wrong, they are beautiful watches. But at the end of the day they do not represent the goal posts of a bigger and better future anymore.

I understand your point of view , everyone is untitled to them 

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I can't afford them!

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My unpopular opinion, whilest admitting that I am a mere neophyte in the watch collector community:

Luxury is relative. Rolex is luxury to some people, but to the average billionaire, Rolex might be yawnsville.

Someone who's broke (like me) might consider any watch above $500 as "luxury." While for other people, their collection of 10-20 everyday watches might all be $500 range watches.

For someone in a third-world environment, ANY watch might be a luxury item. (Not making fun of those people, by the way. Just trying to illustrate an economic reality.)

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that it's ok to like/ want a status symbol. Especially to mark a milestone or big occasion in your life.