Thoughts on First 4-figure watch
Lately I have been thinking about the idea of breaking the 3-figure barrier.
So I wanted to ask you:
How was it like when you walked out of the dealer with the piece in your hands?
How were the days before you made this decision?
What was it that pushed you to this particular watch and not another one?
What were your first impressions when you wore it for the first time?
Any signs of regret?
All these questions jump out at me because for most of us, stepping up to a 4-figure watch is usually a very important and thoughtful decision, as it is a very large amount of money for many and I have always been curious about what it was like the first time in this very expensive hobby.
And perhaps the most morbid question, what piece was your first time with?
Building my collection. To date, Casio, Seiko and Tissot.
I was a little shaky after having spent that much.
The days were normal. It was a family vacation and I happened to stumble a dealer in St. Maarten which wasn't even planned.
The watch (PAM 372) was something I wanted for years prior, and seeing it in person for the first time sealed the deal.
Minor regret? It suits me and my style better than anything, aside from a Rolex Explorer 1.
First time doing what? 👀
Do your research and make sure the price matches a tangible notion of value, but if you really long for it then you're gonna love it.
Mine was the GS sbge253, I was (and still am) obsessed with the movement, and the fact that I definitely knew and could feel it was a tier up to what I had known before played a great part.
No regrets, still got the watch and will most likely never sell it.
Havent had a 5-figure watch in mind yet, unless I could get a black dial Daytona at retail, but that's not happening.
My first was The Oris Sixty-Five. And I bought it second hand in great condition. I was very excited and loved that watch and kinda still do even though I sold it after having it for several years. I didn't wear it enough because it felt so delicate (it was robust enough for most things). My other expensive watch it the Black Bay 36(also used and in rough condition) and I wear it all the time even though it did cost more than the Oris. But it feels more rugged.
I don't know how to give advice on this... Buy used if you are unsure. Them you can sell it with little loss if you don't like it 😊
https://www.watchcrunch.com/Edge168n/posts/roasting-my-oldest-watch-and-other-stories-12202
Follow the link for the deets, but broadly speaking.
The experience was lovely but the credit card bill later was less lovely.
There was remarkably little thinking leading up into it. I mostly showed up vaguely intending to buy a watch and then succeeding.
The saleslady was exceptionally persuasive but I'll admit to enjoying the look. The Tonneau is very different looking. Though I could have had a GMT Master at slightly off retail which I suspect would have been the better financial purchase. But you know, watches are emotional.
I loved it. I still love it. There'a always grass is greener stuff but it animated the right parts of my brain.
Cartier Roadster Chronograph XL and I went from three figures to five. Not that it was worth five. It was not a very prudent buy. 😉🤣😉🤣
During my first big purchase, I told the AD that if my card accepts the charge, I’ll buy the watch. If the card declines, that’s that. It was almost like roulette. I didn’t even know which way it was going to go. The charge was accepted and I got my first Rolex.
During my first big purchase, I told the AD that if my card accepts the charge, I’ll buy the watch. If the card declines, that’s that. It was almost like roulette. I didn’t even know which way it was going to go. The charge was accepted and I got my first Rolex.
Ugh! I would NOT do that. Visa seems to think it would be okay for me to purchase a new Land Rover on my card with the absurd limit they’ve set.
How was it like when you walked out of the dealer with the piece in your hands? phenominal
How were the days before you made this decision? concerning
What was it that pushed you to this particular watch and not another one? Brand, Functions, Style & Color were all right.
What were your first impressions when you wore it for the first time? Joy!
Any signs of regret? None, perhaps if money were to get tight but a four figure watch should be resellable.
All these questions jump out at me because for most of us, stepping up to a 4-figure watch is usually a very important and thoughtful decision, as it is a very large amount of money for many and I have always been curious about what it was like the first time in this very expensive hobby. You will go through it again shortly with your first 5 figure watch.
And perhaps the most morbid question, what piece was your first time with? Ulysse Nardin San Marco GMT +-
I was a little shaky after having spent that much.
The days were normal. It was a family vacation and I happened to stumble a dealer in St. Maarten which wasn't even planned.
The watch (PAM 372) was something I wanted for years prior, and seeing it in person for the first time sealed the deal.
Minor regret? It suits me and my style better than anything, aside from a Rolex Explorer 1.
First time doing what? 👀
Ha! Got my JLC in St. Maarten. It was my first major watch purchase. I walked out and immediately needed the restroom when I thought about the amount spent.
Ha! Got my JLC in St. Maarten. It was my first major watch purchase. I walked out and immediately needed the restroom when I thought about the amount spent.
Art Of Time!
Mine was a Longines silver arrow, was $1500 usd plus taxes and got it online from toppers. I had no regrets and still don't until this day. I felt nervous though, and guilty of dropping so much money on a watch, tried to justify myself however I could but the guilt remained, my wife helped alleviate that by reminding me how hard I worked and how long I saved.
I had this one in mind since forever, spent months mulling it over, everyday I would look at photos, watched videos and the magic was still there.
So I guess some takeaways are, think it through, sleep on it and go back, it's a big purchase and you gotta get "true love". Save specifically for it, bonus money, tips (unless tips are part of your regular income), gift money, etc. makes it easier to justify spending that much money on a watch.
Art Of Time!
Yes, sir!
A four figure watch is like buying a nicer instrument. You will enjoy the better craftsmanship and performance it produces from winding to watching it move under a scope. (not for its accuracy per se)
Beside just the visual, you can hear a difference in tones, ticks and resonances. I like the rolex 3135 movement in the 34-36mm oystercase, it has a very unique sound. It is almost like there is a whirl sound in the background of the tick frequency. The tudor mt5621 movement in the North Flag has a resonance to its movement sounds. The tag calibre 8 is quiet with a muted tick almost like the escapement has padding on it. I find the sounds are more distict and there are more differences as you get out of 3 figure watches, I can tell most of my watches apart through sound alone, from frequency to pitch and resonace. ETA 2824, SW200 (higher frequency), Seiko 7019a movements all sound heavier and staccato / like Quartz.
I would buy the watch you love. Not one you would settle for based just on budget. My first watch of that figure was 15210 Rolex. It was because I like Art Deco design, the gullioche process, silver, smaller watch and a well crafted instrument. The sound it made was also captivating, never heard it in any watch I had previously owned. The price was more than secondary as it did fit within a preset budget.
Most importantly, I saw the watch in person, wore several other sizes of watches to have a feel. Since it all worked, I consider buying it. I have not sold a watch that I have bought in this matter.
We get these watches because of what they are. The effort that was put into designing and producing an instrument is subtle, most of the time. It is all in the details. The soul of it comes from you, will you take care of it? will you wear it? will you pass it on? All your experiences.
Bought mine online since I found a much better price shipping it from Japan (it was my Nomos Orion). Was a little nervous, mind's a little hazy since I think I used whiskey to improve the buying process lmao
My first was a SPB143. I think it was just over $1000 at the time?
Anyways I didn’t think much of it since I spend an absurd amount road bikes already 😅
In my opinion there's just not that much value over a grand compared to some of the really nice options that cost only a few hundred nowadays.
And more importantly I don't see the fun in a watch that you have to stress over and can't wear without worrying about how much money you could lose.
And most of the time the expensive stuff is actually much worse - very fragile, less accurate, expensive to service, with much fewer useful features, etc.
Often the only real feature is that the butthole side of the watch looks fancy - which is fine but I just don't see the appeal personally.
I'd love to see any "luxury" mechanical take the same beating as a Citizen Eco Drive or Casio Tough Solar watch. Often mechanicals are dead after a single drop on a hard floor which is just insane to me.
I think this Citizen C3085 is the perfect example. It's titanium and has GPS so it's accurate anywhere on Earth without even needing the location input from the user.
Or my 160 dollar Casio LCW that has almost every watch spec and feature ever invented with beautiful finishing as well.
At the same time, whatever you enjoy is fine if that's what you want.
I just think that we've been sold so much on the idea that fancy mechanicals are "luxurious" that we've forgotten that they are actually just overpriced toys that often have very little value beyond the brand recognition.
And to me a brand only has real value if it portrays the quality and functionality of the products they make.
But whatever. When you think about it, nothing really matters. Does it?
This whole universe is just some stupid bullshit anyways so who cares.
Do what you want. Fly across the world. Have dinner with a goat. Stick your dick in a toaster. It's all good.
I was ready for it. My 40th birthday was at the beginning of the pandemic, so I used my travel budget for a slightly belated 40th birthday gift for myself once I realized travel was off the table for a while.
It still felt weird spending that amount on a single watch, but I still love it.
What drew me in was the spring drive movement and beautiful dial 🙂
My first was the SBGA407 Skyflake.
Gotta think back a little…
ok, first over 1k was an Oris, and having had several watches in the mid hundreds, 2k for a watch I was really excited about seemed ok. I had enough financial security and figured I could always resell to recoup a good portion if needed.
What was interesting was that I had just helped my dad sell his old explorer 1016 for 20k. It blew my mind that a watch he bought in 1967 was worth that much. So shortly thereafter spending 2k on myself suddenly seemed NBD. 😂
I’ve yet to venture much higher than 2k mind you, will need to feel more financially stable for that.
My advice - if you don't plan to go to five figures, then save yourself and don't go to four figures.
This is how we all get drawn into this...we purchase affordable watches...catch the bug...it festers and then you move to mid-tier watches in the four figure range.
You then realize how much better the four figure watches are made from the three figure watches (don't believe the Crunchers who say that there is no difference between them - it just ain't the truth). Now you have full blown infection.
You slowly move up the four figure range...and then blam...you now start eyeing those beautiful watches in the five figure range...
Do I need a new car? Nope. That Blancpain Fifty Fathoms is so much more worth it than a new car...forget the down payment...I'll keep driving this one, but now I'll be wearing the iconic original dive watch on my wrist!
So steer clear my friend...you start here...
And before you know it...you're here...
The only four figures I've ever broken into was that bag of 10 McChickens I had ordered for $18.99 instead of the McNuggets I had actually meant.
In all seriousness, my first and only four-figure purchase was my Christopher Ward at ~$1200 at the time. They're online-only, so I didn't get the satisfaction of even trying it on in-store before I bought it.
I started wearing it immediately, and remembered why I bought it, instead of how much it cost---my watch signifies my achievement of finishing university, earning a degree, and heading into the workforce. Pictures for reference.
Life should not be defined by making purchases so I felt absolutely normal. There was no feeling of having crossed a threshold or that a significant event just happened. I just bought a watch, that's all.
What pushed me to this decision? I liked it, I had the money, end of story.
What I felt when I wore it the first time: I was filled with anticipation when I took it out of the box and peeled all the films. This is the best part of the deal IMO. Wearing it felt...normal and I forgot about it being new within minutes.
If we go back to the anticipation part, one should note that one should not expect a tremendous difference in quality, fit, finish or even movement between 600-900 US$ watches and 1000-1300 US$ watches. So maybe here is where managing expectations might prevent disappointment or regrets.
The only four figures I've ever broken into was that bag of 10 McChickens I had ordered for $18.99 instead of the McNuggets I had actually meant.
In all seriousness, my first and only four-figure purchase was my Christopher Ward at ~$1200 at the time. They're online-only, so I didn't get the satisfaction of even trying it on in-store before I bought it.
I started wearing it immediately, and remembered why I bought it, instead of how much it cost---my watch signifies my achievement of finishing university, earning a degree, and heading into the workforce. Pictures for reference.
I almost splat out my coffee reading your 1st paragraph! 😂
It’s very daunting to spend any amount that’s above what you would normally spend on an item. Back then, I was financially and mentally prepared to part $X for the watch so the aftermath wasn’t so bad. Still at the point of payment, I do feel some level of hesitation but I ”push” through anyway. Looking at that watch now after several years, it still brings me joy so I guess it was a right decision to buy it. Perhaps a suggestion is to park aside the money meant for the watch and see how you feel for the next couple of weeks. If you feel comfortable mentally and financially, then maybe it’s good idea to go ahead. Good luck!
What a fun set of questions! Clearly you're having doubts/worries/concerns - what's important to remember BEFORE you read any of our responses is this - we're all different, our lives, our jobs, our incomes, and our priorities. What matters to me may not even register on your radar. Of course we all share certain similarities amongst ourselves (for one, we like watches, so we're all here haha!) but it's important to not measure yourself against anyone else. You're your own individual, so YOU get to decide what you're looking for, how much you're comfortable spending, what your back-up plan is if you need to liquidate, and just how much of your hard-earned money you're willing to say good-bye to (possibly forever) now, with all that out of the way:
How was it like when you walked out of the dealer with the piece in your hands?
How were the days before you made this decision?
What was it that pushed you to this particular watch and not another one?
What were your first impressions when you wore it for the first time?
Any signs of regret?
All these questions jump out at me because for most of us, stepping up to a 4-figure watch is usually a very important and thoughtful decision, as it is a very large amount of money for many and I have always been curious about what it was like the first time in this very expensive hobby.
And perhaps the most morbid question, what piece was your first time with?
Anyways, glad you decided to join WatchCrunch! Everyone here is very kind, very knowledgeable, and more than willing to share stories/advice/photos! We can all relate to the almost obsessive focus that can come over us when talking watches. I remember researching for over a year until I found the perfect Citizen Promaster Sky JDM version ref PMV65-2271. So don't stress, have fun with it, and good luck on your watch journey my friend 😀👍
It was the month I got engaged. I took my wife to choose an engagement ring. It was 3 months salary at the time. It was a lovely experience and I thought that was that in terms of buying nice things that month.
A few days later she took me into an Omega dealer. She had seen me researching about Seamasters for months before we got engaged, but I had put it aside to save up for the ring.
She asked me which one I liked and could she buy it for me as an engagement gift.
It was not as expensive as the ring, but I felt much more nervous about the decision because it was her money.
However, I had done my research, and the reality matched my expectations - that is the key thing.
These days there are plenty of 4 figure watches that won't be in store to try and you'll have to get them ordered in and/or pay a deposit to even get it on the wrist. I think it is much more difficult to be objective in this situation (especially if they start the sales hype), but it is really important. If the reality of the wear does not match your expectation, you have to be strong enough to walk away. I have kidded myself thinking things like "I can buy it for the investment" or "It's still a limited opportunity and I don't want to miss the chance" and regretted it afterward.
I grew up in the Midwest in a blue collar family. Growing up, I didn’t know too many adults that wore watches; those that did wore inexpensive ones. So, I naturally started with what I knew (Timex). Then I purchase a Mondaine in college — which felt like a huge leap at a couple hundred bucks. A four figure watch followed three years later. Spending that much stung a little, but felt special. Although, I recall it taking over a year for me to wrap my head around wearing that much money on my wrist. But I eventually warmed up to it 😉.
The most challenging part for me wasn’t saving up and spending the money. It was justifying it due to my upbringing and surroundings.
Walking out the AD like...
Thank you for all the replies, it has been a pleasure to read you all.
The truth is that I have not been entirely honest, as I wanted to be a bit dramatic and I am not currently thinking of breaking the 3-figure barrier.
Anyway, as an exercise it has been useful and obviously there are some very good recommendations and reflections that remain here.
That doesn't mean that I won't have these questions in the near future. I have already accomplished several goals in my life (a daughter, playing a solo concert with a big orchestra, leaving music to pursue another career, in a few months my wedding...) so I will probably have a chance to revisit this post when I turn 40 in three years time.
Although nowadays three years can be an eternity, and I have other goals that may come sooner. You never know...
(By the way, my only regret is that I didn't register in this community earlier)