Do You Find Yourself Hesitating to Wear Cheap Watches Because of What Strangers Might Think?
Yeah, yeah, I know, the vast majority of people you meet don't care what watch you wear and most won't even notice. BUTTTT what if you happen to meet a fellow watch geek while wearing a famously cheap piece, like the one pictured, and (s)he gets the impression that you are not only poor but also completely unaware of the finer pleasures of the field of horology? What if (s)he ERRONEOUSLY draws the conclusion that you just have no idea, and that you're just cheaply bumbling your way through life unaware of the need to display signs of luxury and status through the medium of watches, like some kind of uncultured, happy individual? The horror!
Yeah I know, I really shouldn't entertain that kind of thinking, but I confess that that thought does enter my mind whenever I look at my collection in the morning, trying to decide what watch to wear today.
Swedish guy with a Master's degree in Japanese and an interest in traditional culture and aesthetics.
Nope. Very rare anyone notices or knows what's on your wrist.
I know this is mostly satire but holy shit imagine thinking like this. How embarrassing.
I find it's the opposite, a true enthusiast will often have more appreciation for the cheaper watches, how much it's worth doesn't equate to how much people care.
I've seen a $3 novelty T-Rex watch on WRUW get twice the amount of likes and reaction than an adjacent Rolex submariner.
I know this is mostly satire but holy shit imagine thinking like this. How embarrassing.
Haha, to be sure.
But still...
I find it's the opposite, a true enthusiast will often have more appreciation for the cheaper watches, how much it's worth doesn't equate to how much people care.
I've seen a $3 novelty T-Rex watch on WRUW get twice the amount of likes and reaction than an adjacent Rolex submariner.
That is true. Real watch enthusiasts appreciate more than simple monetary value. Besides, there's no shortage of Rolexes on this site.
My family thinks I’m not financially stable cause I wear Seiko🤣
When we walk out into the world each day what we wear, even our watch, is part of an effort to project to the people we meet a message about us. For some it is wealth, status, frugality, intelligence, competence, or beauty. Often, we start by projecting to ourselves. Today, I will be the no-frills hyper-competent manager, this watch fits that image.
Contra to the worry of the original post, I don't think cheap watches necessarily project cheapness or poverty. They often project seriousness or economy.
My family thinks I’m not financially stable cause I wear Seiko🤣
That surprises me. I see Seiko as perhaps the only brand respected and appreciated by people of all income levels. 🤔
I only have cheap watches relative to this crazy expensive luxurious hobby and I'm proud of my value beasts and what they say about my research and pursuit of items that punch above their price point. 💪
When we walk out into the world each day what we wear, even our watch, is part of an effort to project to the people we meet a message about us. For some it is wealth, status, frugality, intelligence, competence, or beauty. Often, we start by projecting to ourselves. Today, I will be the no-frills hyper-competent manager, this watch fits that image.
Contra to the worry of the original post, I don't think cheap watches necessarily project cheapness or poverty. They often project seriousness or economy.
Well spoken! Yes, just as the clothes we put on, the watch is a part of the outfit and the story/image we try to tell to both the people around us and to ourselves.
That surprises me. I see Seiko as perhaps the only brand respected and appreciated by people of all income levels. 🤔
My family lives in Hong Kong 🤣
My family lives in Hong Kong 🤣
Ahh, that makes sense. 😂
I appreciate the honesty here. I work in a very judgmental industry we’re everyone notices every detail of your outward appearance. That being said, I agree and do the same thing. It usually depends on the situation. BUT! This does give me opportunity to be excited when I wear my cheaper watches. I know it sounds weird but when I have a day of I get weirdly excited NOT to wear my luxury prices but my bargain pieces. Weird I know but I literally just had this convo this week.
Some of my most complimented watches is are my vintage timexes. I have always loved the budget end of watches.
That watch in particular would be praised by a true watch geek!
Never I rock everything with confidence and cheap manufacturing quality I won’t get but some of the (cheap) affordable is great quality I have a skmei automatic that runs better than some seiko s I have
Within my income level and current interests, my ceiling for a watch is barely $500 for a once-a-decade purchase and $200 or less for the occasional snap purchase. So...I guess I don't have that problem...plus, my selection in those price tiers is more than enough for my needs.
Bottom line for me is I'll never own anything above $500, so why worry about it?
Nope!
My grandfather used to have that watch. He was a salesman for Nabisco starting in the late 1950's, all the way to his retirement in the late 1980s. Ah, memories.
If fellow watch geeks are your concern, then there's no problem. All watch geeks know that Casio watches are god tier. They will not judge you; they will simply admire your good taste. If they are the competitive type, they will say something like: "I have all the different-colored Duros, along with 6 G-Shocks, including the new Bluetooth enabled GAB2100-1A. How many Casios do you have in your collection?" 🤣
If fellow watch geeks are your concern, then there's no problem. All watch geeks know that Casio watches are god tier. They will not judge you; they will simply admire your good taste. If they are the competitive type, they will say something like: "I have all the different-colored Duros, along with 6 G-Shocks, including the new Bluetooth enabled GAB2100-1A. How many Casios do you have in your collection?" 🤣
True, that kind of watch geek I wouldn't mind getting shamed by. 🤣
True, that kind of watch geek I wouldn't mind getting shamed by. 🤣
Me, neither. I only have 3 Casios at the moment, but I aspire to that level of geekdom! 🤣
No. All my watches are cheap. No one notices. Or at least no one mentions them.
I'm wearing an Armitron right now, and routinely wear Casios and Timex watches. So I don't have any issue wearing cheaper watches, but I do stay away from certain brands. I got into watches because of Invicta. Twice. Once as a teen and again a few years ago. With that said, I refuse to wear one. Even a normal one like a pro diver, just because of the stigma. I know it's silly, but the idea that I might catch the eye of another watch nerd, and have to say "I'm wearing an Invicta" is off putting. And I own about 6 of them, big silly ones that I wanted as a teen but couldn't get at the time. None of them have seen the sun light.
Considering I've never been approached by a watch geek, ever. It's a silly thing, but it gives me a bit of comfort. Nothing is worse than the fear of public embarrassment.
Fear of public embarrassment is worse than the experience of public embarrassment. Be you!
Well my friend you have nailed it! You are wearing one of the most accurate horologist time pieces around, and tries to be no more than what it is. Joy on the wrist! How you express that is your truth and not for judgement by strangers who probably are unaware what they are looking at! Other than grasping at names to give a nod of approval. No don't hesitate choose how you feel. Cheers
My family thinks I’m not financially stable cause I wear Seiko🤣
you should show them what a seiko goes for these days. Maybe they will rethink about your financial situation.
At this point I expect everyone to be wearing a smart watch. If I see an adult with a real watch I give it the respect it deserves.
I started with a seiko 5 snk, then got bought into smartwatches until recently. Somehow, its more relaxing to wear ordinary watches rather than smartwatches. There are 3 main reason that I prefer ordinary watches:
I keep losing my smartwatches and its getting costly.....
I feel happier when I use ordinary watches, like I genuinely appreciate the timepiece that I'm wearing (even though its only a casio e173 or a seiko 5)
Charging the watch just become a pain after a while, especially when the model changes, the cable also changes...
No I don’t worry about what strangers think about me or my stuff. In my commercial neighbourhood there is a watchmaker who doesn’t even know my name but tells anybody who wanders into his shop that he cannot stand me. A few years ago I wanted to examine an older Omega Speedy in one of his glass cases before making an offer. For whatever reasons he decided that based on my ethnicity that I was not serious, just wasting his time. His shop rests in one of Toronto’s Chinatowns but apparently has a certain antipathy towards most of the persons who populate the area. No worries there are a lot of legit Omega ads who just look at the exp date on your credit card. Lol.
Never, as I have said many times 'people dont care or notice what watch you are wearing' other then us watch nerds and we would, more than likely, think it is cool..LOL enjoy the hobby
If you live in an economic suicidal country like me everday even the cheap king casio f-91w is almost 500 local currency is that nothing is cheap and everything even the cheapest of kings are expensive
Anyone wearing a classic Casio, (a design from 40 years ago) has to be into watches.