Watch Brands You Want To Like, But Don’t (At Least Not Yet)

I really, really want to like Grand Seiko.  I know that enthusiasts keep enthusing all over them, but somehow their watches have never spoken to me.  

• Their Elegance and Heritage line watches are too shiny and blingy, like fashion watches that you find at mall kiosks - look like Tommy Hilfiger watches to me
• Their sports watches don't have enough water resistance.  How in the world can you have a diver with only 200M water resistance???  Come on!  I need at least 600M if I'm gonna plunge my arms into the sink when doing dishes!!!
• Their bracelets suck!!!  I mean, no micro-adjust???  I mean, in the mornings here, it's -15C  at which point my wrist is 10.3cm, during the afternoon it shoots up to 30C and my wrist swells to 23.2cm, and then when the sun sets, it's back down to 0C and 18.6cm.  How am I supposed to wear this crap without a micro-adjust???

As a result of not being able to connect, I only have 12 GS'es at this point.

For me it’s Junghans also not a huge fan of Nomos but Junghans is more in my price range. I can appreciate the craftsmanship that goes in to these Bauhaus pieces but I just don’t find them interesting. 

Lol! Well, maybe if you got just one more, you’ll finely be able to make that connection. lol. Thanks for sharing. 

I hear you on that. 

Oris is a big one for me.  I have been in their airstream twice, everyone was awesome, and there are a couple of watches that I like... But not enough to pull the trigger. 

Both are beautiful and on my list as well. 

Tissot and their PRX....

Couldn’t agree more. I’ve been in their airstream as well. By all objective measure, I should love Oris and own one… but haven’t found one that fits me. 

I agree and their little brother Seiko!! Oh gawd awful watches!!! 

AP - as one of the oldest makers and holy trilogy member I feel I should like something, anything they make, but just don’t care.

Citizen - I would love to try an Eco-drive watch, but most of their interesting watches are just too big for me. :(

Nomos - Interesting brand because I was gifted a really cool Skagen watch. (It gets more compliments than any of my other watches!) As I got serious about watch collecting, I learned of Nomos which seems to have "inspired" the look of Skagen watches. But after seeing a few Nomos watches up close, I can't help but feel underwhelmed by the very bland and sterile look of the watches - especially for the price.

Rolex - I feel like the pressure to get a Rolex is purely external hype. Personally the designs have an "old man watch" vibe, and most of their case sizes look and feel bulky. The finishing is also less impressive compared to other brands. But I'm curious about the Yacht Master 37 so maybe that will change my mind.

Watches I can't afford 😎

Stowa and Laco for me. I love the history and function-dictating-form aspect but I just don't enjoy wearing the watches.

Citizen, Sinn, Nomos, Longines, to name a few. I’m sure there are others. 

For me Nomos, I agree with @robbits, I want to like them, but in person I just don’t get close to pulling the trigger. I’ll look at them again next week at a watch fair. 

Also Tudor, same story as the Nomos, when I see them in person, they don’t come close. I’ll try once more with the new Pelgos FXD; titanium and fixed lugs are worth a look, but my hopes aren’t up. 

Finally Rolex, as with @robbits, it has always said ‘old man watch’ to me. Blocky, big without a style that I like. I think I’ve been at the dock too often with the ’unpleasant Rolex guy’ around that I have a bias. 

So, that’s my list.

Thanks!!

Thanks! Not sure when mine is from. I purchased from Burdeen's on eBay back in 2020 for $775. The list price is $1,850. Here is the link to the reference on Oris's website:

Artelier Small Second, Pointer Date - Artelier - Watches - 01 744 7665 4054-07 5 22 71FC - Oris. Swiss Watches in Hölstein since 1904.

It's a large watch with case size of 42mm. The dial is really gorgeous in person.

Hit the nail on the head with Oris. Every time I get an email from them about their conservation efforts, I look at my collection plan and wonder if there is a space for them, but there isn’t a watch that stands out to me. 

Other brands I want to like but don’t are: Frederique Constant, Rado, Bauhaus brands like Nomos and Junghans, and Vacheron Constantin. Frederique Constant and Rado watches look like toys on my wrist. I know they are technically marvellous but the watches look plastic-y and give off an impression of lower build quality. Simple dress watches from German brands are in vogue but it feels like I am overpaying for a simple design - but I’ve never tried on a Nomos so I could be wrong. And Vacheron Constantin is in the price category where if I were spending that much money on a dress watch, I’d rather buy a Patek or Lange. But all these brands make great watches and I admire them.
 

I feel the same way when I get updates about what Oris has been doing. I feel similar about Rado and Frédérique Constant. I also feel that way about Mido and Breitling 

The clasp broke and I couldn‘t get it off 🤣 and it ran way too inconsistently in different positions…  guess it is something with the hairspring. It‘s at home in Japan now for at least 2 months :(

Sorry to hear that.  I suspect buying the 9SA5 caliber right when it first came out is akin to buying the new model year of any car...  it's always a gamble!  You gotta wait for the manufacturer to work out all the production kinks!

I have it with #iwc, I really want to like it but can not wrap my head around it

I guess so… Although I think I just got unlucky because I didn‘t even notice it at first. I wore it every day and it didn‘t really gain or lose time at all. When I got my Explorer and the GS became the second pick, I started noticing that the Birch runs between +10 and - 15(!!?) s/d when I put it down in different positions for more than a day. The guy at the GS dealer (they are incredibly knowledgeable there) told me he sold a ton of these watches and so far hasn‘t seen one running outside of + or - 5s. So he told me to send it in… Hope it gets back to me well!

Vacheron Constintan just doesn’t do it for me.  I don’t see how they’re worth so much more the similar JLC watches.  I’m not saying there bad, I just don’t think they live up to the hype.  Panerai is another.  In face value I should like them, but just don’t. 

1. IWC. That’s a lot of money for a Nazi watch.
2. Cartier. Because it’s 2022, not 1922.
3. Nomos. The lugs. 
4. Breitling. I want a slide-rule watch, just not theirs. 
5. AP. I just don’t get it. 🛑 
6. MB&F. Creative, but no.
7. FP Journe. I know they are nice and I like some light Latin reading material, but they just don’t connect with me. 
    

I get why other people like these watches, but they are not for me yet.

omega. I like their heritage, the prestige, their designs, the technological advancements they continue to make, their community, the value... I just don't love them...yet. i've handled my friends' seamasters, planet oceans, and speedys. I'm looking at an aqua terra as my first

What color aqua terra?

blue! they all look fantastic though, haven't seen a color that didn't work

I want to like Longines, but outside of the Spirit, their designs seem all a bit forced. I want to like Nomos, but I don't understand the price point. I'm trying hard to like Tag Heuer, but then comes the next marketing stunt. Citizen, ah Citizen. I really want your watches in a smaller size.

Two tone, i.e. gold ? steel, anything.