Wait for perfection or settle? (at $1500 USD equivalent)

Wow, I’ve never seen a 💯 % poll before!

If the hands is the only thing you dislike, you could ask the brand if they can use a handset from another model/colorway, especially smaller brands. And if not, you can buy a pair of hands somewhere else and fit them yourself or ask a watchmaker. :)

I would chose option E

[E] wait a few weeks after a new watch comes out. If it is till as compelling, pull the trigger.

Never buy an expensive watch spontaneously, because it has such big impact on the personal finances.

In my experience a 'perfect' watch is so rare it might as well be rocking horse poo.

Whether it's a date window, the dimensions or another thing, there's always something on the 'cons' side of the ledger and it's mostly an excerise in what imperfections you can live with.

Disagree. I know of many perfect watches. If only they were available in 38mm 😉

They may make adjustments if haute horology or a work shop microbrand. Farer would have ordered 100s units from a supplier, I doubt they'd make individual adjustments (beyond external engraving). Of course agree, with your option E, "Act in haste, repent at leisure".

While I chose A, I would like to add: "With a discount".

Yea I know that its not very probable, but It can be worth a try! An email doesn’t take long to write :D

You are right! But I think we'd choose "with discount" if A, B, or C 🤣.

That is true, yes. The best watch is made better, with a discount.

I'd buy used, try it out to see if I can live with it, if i can great, nothing perfect, love the one you're with

If it keeps bothering me after a few months of ownership, flip it at a small loss

The reason why to buy used is to minimize flipping losses, I never buy watches new period end sentence, let someone else take the hit of the depreciation driving the car off the lot. If you can't find it used, well there's your answer, wasn't meant to be - but waiting for something used to show up on eBay / sales forums is the thrill of the hunt/half the fun

Past a certain price point (subjective to each individual), I refuse to settle. If the watch isn't perfect for my tastes, I'm not buying it. I will wait for the brand to hopefully improve on the design with the next iterations, or as a last resort mod the watch/build one myself to my liking and specifications.

Ever since seeing the Seiko SPB383 I've wanted a black-on-black MM200. The SPB383 has a date window at 4 o'clock which is a deal breaker for me. The SPB185 has a black dial but a steel bezel. The SPB187 has a black bezel but a blue dial. After months of back and forth, I decided to buy an SPB185 dial and make my own black-on-black MM200 since this monochrome version isn't available in the Seiko catalog. 😂

Never settle.

Agree on Farer. Lovely watches, daft colours.

I personally love that the colours are “daft” and own and enjoy one, but surely understand why they are not everyone’s cup of tea.

Buy it, but if you can, buy pre-loved. Then if you do sell down the line, you minimize your losses. Plus you let someone else buy the markup.

I wait.

In Japanese aesthetics, wabi-sabi (侘び寂び) is a world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection.

I'm with you, on that with colour dials. That one for me, is the prx. They release so many versions, that only a matter of time it's just right. Luckily, Nodus seem to also try new stuff. If we wait at the bus stop long enough, hopefully that bus arrives 🍻.

I feel that's more the imperfection of transience, thus our acceptance. The watch is permanently imperfect at this time. Maybe it requires our mindset to be more organically transient in this sense 🙏.

C or if they unplug the line, which is not a bad idea for a bad idea.

I will tell: if you really likes a watch wait a bit to buy it. If after some time you still in love... wait a bit more. Then, if the love perdures, go for it. But, if you see imperfections, thinks that you'll change... maybe you don't like that watch enough to buy it. But... that's my point of view, and how I decide.

However, I bought watches that I think they're not perfect, but I still want this watch, perfect or not, I really like and want them.

But, what if better watch appears in the future... I'm not able to predict that, never, so I don't think about that.

Agree I love their colours, but the hand colours need some co-ordination. If you look at Nomos, they do bright colours but hands are more neutral. Other brands can do funky colours, but their handset is far less poppy. If you wear bright red sneakers, you don't also need to wear yellow laces.

I've never found a watch where I wouldn't change at least 1 detail. To me, there is no perfect watch. I've learned that if I love everything about a watch except for a detail or two, that I can quickly get over the thing(s) I didn't like. If I was only buying "perfect" watches, I'd have no watches. Shoot, some of those details I hated initially have turned into some of my favorite details. I hated the hands on my White Birch when I first got it because 1 hand is short and stubby and the other is long and skinny. They looked odd to me at first, but now I wish every watch had hands like that because it makes it sooo easy to tell the time at a quick glance and never mix up the two hands.

I found a watch that checks all the boxes (Rado diastar). Only the bracelet was a no-go as it had no micro adjustments. But luckily that something one can change.

GS White Birch is a beauty. For me, there are many perfect looking watches when you go up the price tiers. Value wise there are diminishing returns but it gets there. Indeed I have only a few watches, but all I consider perfect. My poll seems to have found a good split, between perfection seekers and those prepared for a small compromise.

the devil's in the details

watches are emotional purchases at the end of the day and a minor detail might become the focal point simply because you know that minor issue exists and it is just a tiny, annoying, little nagging thing that's in between what you would otherwise consider a perfect watch.

it's happened to me on several pieces that I eventually ended up selling:

• learned I disliked orange accents

• clasp that was a little too sharp

• 21mm lug width (seriously, why?)

• index markers blended into the dial so that setting the time was slightly annoying

at the end of the day, you're the only one who can decide if a small detail will disappear or be magnified once the watch is on your wrist.

Once I cross a certain price threshold, I personally don’t settle — did that twice and never bonded with either, too expensive a mistake to make; if I don’t love it, I don’t buy it, as a result almost every watch I currently own is a ‘love’ not a ‘like’.

What that price threshold is for you will be relative. Get an alternative if you love it, but no, never settle.

No watch is perfect! The longer you’ve been at this hobby the more you need to manage your expectations. There are flaws that you need to get over and then there are flaws that are deal breakers. It’s just a case of having the wisdom to know the difference.

For me, the IWC Pilot Mark series is a perfect example. I’ve loved the series for 20 years starting with the Mark XV. Forward wind 10 years and I was hunting for a new watch, and immediately thought of the Mark series, but alas the only option (new) was the Mark XVII. It’s flaws were many and I knew it was a dud. So I waited. It took another 10 years, but with the launch of the Mark XX, I finally felt the series was back on track, and it was time to pull the trigger. It’s now my most worn watch. But have no doubt, it’s not perfect:

- it’s too big: 38mm would be sooo much better;

- the font for the numerals are clumsy, mirroring those introduced with the Mark XVII;

- and although I like the legibility of the sword hands, they’re Flieger through and though and should be dirty dozen sticks.

But these flaws I can (and have) come to terms with. Would I trade it in if IWC were to remedy all these issues: probably not! In correcting these flaws, they’re sure to introduce new ones, maybe even another triple date display… yuck! I’m fine with the flaws on mine.

I'm 100% with you on orange accents! Especially the orange on white, on so many explorer 2 homages. And the 21mm, but I'm probably the only person to prefer 19mm lug widths to 20mm. Indeed, focal point only you have to live with.

That's a laundry list of things you are living with. IWC is a great looking watch which flaws don't obviously stand out. I think mine jar, and when they stick in the mind it's like seeing a mona lisa wearing a clowns nose you can't unsee. Indeed, know thy deal breakers.