Grail Watches...Does such a thing exist?
Hey everyone!
Decided to do a bit of a different video this time & put forward my own opinion on the topic of "The Grail Watch"...
Having achieved my personal Grail..I was disappointed to find that my desire then moved on to another watch, and another and then.....another.
When is enough, enough? - It leads me to think about the concept of the Grail watch.
Should you ever own your "Grail" watch? Has owning it been everything you thought it would be?
Keen to hear your thoughts on this topic.
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Alistair
Amateur Watch Review Channel on Youtube - I have been collecting, flipping & evolving my collection for the past 20 odd years! I love watches without prejudice - watch snobbery is not my cup of tea!!
Sydney, Australia
Member since
Last active: 1 year ago
At some point I think people reach a stage where they either sell and get a few high end watches , or go back to affordable ones
I think my grail would be a Roles GMT root beer , but im a long way away from that point and im focusing on building a solid collection that represents my tastes.
I have 19 watches and incredibly… 19 grails 😮 I’d say pour one out for my bank account but inevitably one of my 19 cups would catch it. You’re likely opening up the debate to the definition of a “grail” watch, a discussion that belongs in a museum!
In all honesty I don’t care what we call the watches we dream of owning one day… call’em grails, unobtainium, or infinity stones... so long as we all agree that a Tiffany Patek 5711 would not be the cup of a carpenter.
A Grail watch should be looked at like the Holy Grail, something so hard to get that getting one is not a matter of saving for a few years. It should be RARE and probably expensive. A Rolex or Omega etc are not grails, they are easy to find expensive watches. The chances are you will never get it and maybe never see it. I call the one I have to save and think about for years as my realistic grail, or goal piece.
I consider the platinum Daytona my grail. I’ve tried it on. I love it. I will never own one.
The current delta between its retail price and market price is about what I paid for my house. I’m not high enough on anyone’s list to be offered one at retail even if I won a lottery.
I have 19 watches and incredibly… 19 grails 😮 I’d say pour one out for my bank account but inevitably one of my 19 cups would catch it. You’re likely opening up the debate to the definition of a “grail” watch, a discussion that belongs in a museum!
In all honesty I don’t care what we call the watches we dream of owning one day… call’em grails, unobtainium, or infinity stones... so long as we all agree that a Tiffany Patek 5711 would not be the cup of a carpenter.
Love it. Did not want to leave a emoji response to a profound observation (horological perspective - still doesn't solve world hunger, the next frontier).
A Grail watch should be looked at like the Holy Grail, something so hard to get that getting one is not a matter of saving for a few years. It should be RARE and probably expensive. A Rolex or Omega etc are not grails, they are easy to find expensive watches. The chances are you will never get it and maybe never see it. I call the one I have to save and think about for years as my realistic grail, or goal piece.
There is almost a certain mysticism about it too. For me, it is either a 3940J first series.
I live in London and I see some great pieces in the wild but I am confident that I will not come across one in the streets, or in the second hand shops.
The term grail watches gets used a lots and mixed in with the 'hot' watches like the Daytona (not even the Newman), Nautilus etc. There is plenty of them on Chrono24 but the prices are simply stratospheric.
Nice vid! Totally true as well. I think half the enjoyment is the hunt and the initial purchase. That experience is why I believe we’re never actually done looking for a new watch.
But I’ll respectfully disagree with you on the idea of a grail watch. 😅 I’ve listened to so many ideas and opinions on this and there’s clearly no “right” answer. It’s all very subjective. But the idea of a “grail“ refers to the Holy Grail. Technically unobtainable but still, one hopes to find or obtain some day.
For me, I would say there are a few F. P. Journe models that simply captivate me. And complete unobtainable for me as well. That to me is the definition of a grail piece.
So, in short, I think the idea of a “grail“ piece is really nothing more than a fun “thought-project“.