Similar to @KevinK I think it's smart to go by "the total value of your watches should be less than 10% of your liquid cash" (probably fine to include non-retirement brokerage). That way you leave enough flexibility for unexpected expenditures or economic turmoil + save responsibly for retirement

Looks great! Hopefully the experience makes the watch a bit more memorable, at least the end result was good!

Yeah i thought about buying through forums, but given the huge market for fake Rolexes (and Explorers are probably easier to replicate surface level given no open case-back), I feel like I'd lean towards a professional dealer even though it comes with a higher premium. 

If you're willing to go through the forums, there are postings for $8-9k for 2021-2022 models which isn't too far off from MSRP + tax. I think professional grey market dealer, they can be had for around $9.5k-10.5k based on what I've seen. Paying 1.5k premium isn't terrible per say but if the wait is just a few months, then I might as well wait a little longer

Thanks for the anecdote! Hopefully US market is experiencing similar patterns

Congrats on being able to get yours! What do people normally talk about when they revisit the AD? Other models they're interested in to make it seem like you might be a good repeat customer? Guess I should be more chatty, because I was hoping showing explicit interest in one watch would give the impression that I'm an "easy" customer and not looking to flip lol

Thanks for chiming in! Is there a year + price combo you would consider the sweet spot? Early 2000s? 2010s?

I hate the vibe at most ADs: pretentious, cold, and brown-nosing, but sounds like I should put on a smile and hope they don't get annoyed by me popping in even if I don't buy anything else haha

Amongst the general public? Probably not. I think GS would have to make a super popular sports/diver that appeals to the average Joe + start doing aggressive marketing in order to be as common of a household name as even Omega. 

As others have mentioned, most folks also don't care enough about watches to differentiate between a Seiko vs GS. However, that should not dissuade you from owning the brand at some point, even if you're concerned about losing money on resell as enthusiasts will always be able to recognize real quality which should give some downside protection.

Those who want a watch brand to elevate their social perception are looking for validation amongst the wrong people. Those who are "impressed" by a watch probably can't help your career. Those who are highly "successful" financially could care less about your watch as they could casually afford it tomorrow if they wanted to.