Thinking about not getting the expensive watch?
A week ago @KyRealtorSteve posted a thread asking what watches you'd buy from an AD that stocks everything, with a budget of 5 grand. Find that thread here.
This question has been in my mind these last few days and it's making me think about the Rolex Air King. I am obsessed with that watch. I have "registered my interest" at a couple of ADs (both with purchase history) and am hopeful for 'the call'.
I have the cash waiting to buy the watch when I get that call.
But that means I'm now in the situation laid out with that hypothetical AD. I have the money, and my AD (the internet) has anything I could want, for example if I throw an extra grand into my current Rolex pot, I could actually get an Air King tomorrow.
Alternatively, I could break that £6,250 down and buy several of the other watches on my list.
I'll preface this list by reiterating my Bio: I love GMT watches and I'm a big fan of Longines. Remember, I'm not asking you to rate my choice in watches, more what you think you might do in a similar situation, whatever your chosen budget might be. Now, let's go through them.
The Bamford GMT - £1,450
This is exactly what I like in a watch. British brand, Swiss Made, bright colour, even the GMT movement I like (Sellita SW330-2).
The Laco Frankfurt GMT - £1,455
Yes, another GMT. Told you I like them. Yes, same movement as the Bamford (and the Farer and the Chris Ward I already own) but it's my collection and I'll buy what I want. This one is a celebration of me living in Germany and would likely be my only German piece.
The Vario 1918 Pilot - ~£500 tbc
The outlier here: a hand wound, Miyota movement, 3 hander. Not the sort of watch that fits my mold, but I love the canted over dial and those numerals! I'll definitely be buying this watch when it's released at the end of the year.
The Longines Avigation Oversized Crown Single Push Piece Chronograph - £2,500 (discontinued, 2018 model shown)
We've done the GMTs, we've had the outlier, now onto my obsession with Longines. Here with it's ridiculously long name is a fancy chronograph from Longines with the biggest Onion Crown I've ever seen. As a rule, I don't really like Chrono's, but this is the exception.
So, four watches that I'm super keen on and at least two of them I'll buy regardless of whether I buy the Air King or not. The conundrum is whether I feel like the Air King could give the same or more satisfaction as the other four watches listed here.
I've not owned a Rolex, would I feel like I'd suddenly hit the big time owning one? Would I feel like I got value for money from my 6 grand? Would I get a load more Instagram followers if I had one? (I joke, but I'm sure for some that's a deal breaker)
As I said, with the cash waiting for the AD call, I could in theory go online shopping tomorrow and be posting a bunch on New Watch Alerts next week. But would I be left still pining for the Air King?
Im going to continue ruminating on this, and I look forward to reading your thoughts on the subject.
Ps. I'd also be tempted to swap out that Longines for the Zenith Type 20 GMT, but that would break the budget a little.
Brit in Germany. I love GMT watches and i'm a big fan of Longines.
The Air King is "the" itch. Nothing else will do I'm afraid. Love the Air King BTW. 😁
I love Pilot watches but the Air King is one of those watches that I feel like it was a lazy attempt from Rolex trying to capture magic like the Rolex GMT. Basically an Explorer with a 60 minute dial. I think you get way more heritage and better looks with a Breitling Navitimer, A Zenith Type XX or even the Hanhart route. Sinn and Fortis are amazing looking watches and the Laco GMT melts my brain.
My top choices:
Longines Avigation
The new Spirit Flyback Chrono (just wow)
The 417es Panda
I can accept the Rolex GMT for their heritage and is a nice looking watch. But the Air King for the looks it does not justify the price tag.
So many choices. It's good to have choices like these.
It's the airking for me , love the dial.
You not interested in a black dial Explorer II? Kinda the best of both worlds no? GMT and similar dial?
I'm totally infatuated with the Air King. And I would not have your patience.
I smell an 🧅 crown infatuation!! All wonderful watches but the Laco is new to me and looks great.
I smell an 🧅 crown infatuation!! All wonderful watches but the Laco is new to me and looks great.
hahaha, I genuinely don't think I realised this til you pointed it out!
I'm totally infatuated with the Air King. And I would not have your patience.
Is it patience, or is it not wanting to give someone else the profit for buying at retail and selling on?
And you can be assured, if I do choose to move away from the Air King, i'll be ordering all the other watches post-haste!
You not interested in a black dial Explorer II? Kinda the best of both worlds no? GMT and similar dial?
Mmm, interesting one. On the Exp2 I actually prefer the white dial, but I like it as a GMT, the same way I like my Longines Zulu Time.
The Air King for me is different, the appeal is how it stands out from the rolex lineup, that flash of green and gold on the dial, the fact it's the only product in the rolex catalogue with no options. I feel like they made it perfect and stopped. "Why would we offer this with different dial colours, or different bracelet/strap options when this one is perfect?"
I love Pilot watches but the Air King is one of those watches that I feel like it was a lazy attempt from Rolex trying to capture magic like the Rolex GMT. Basically an Explorer with a 60 minute dial. I think you get way more heritage and better looks with a Breitling Navitimer, A Zenith Type XX or even the Hanhart route. Sinn and Fortis are amazing looking watches and the Laco GMT melts my brain.
My top choices:
Longines Avigation
The new Spirit Flyback Chrono (just wow)
The 417es Panda
I can accept the Rolex GMT for their heritage and is a nice looking watch. But the Air King for the looks it does not justify the price tag.
Thanks for your input. I'd say I disagree with the design on the Air King, the 2016 model was such a departure from previous versions, there's clearly been some thought put in. It makes a space for itself in the Rolex lineup that wasn't being filled, whilst keeping the brand image as restrained as it likes to be (obviously that seems to have changed with the OP Celebration dial and the DayDate Jigsaw).
Decent suggestions, but as I already have the Longines Spirit Zulu Time,i'm not looking at the Big Eye or the Flyback. Both great watches, but too close to home, if that makes sense. Actually, my issue with the Big Eye is the lack of Winged Hourglass logo on the dial. That's one of my favourite bits on the Zulu Time, and on Longines watches in general.
I'm not a fan on the Navitimer, I find the dial just a little too busy and the style doesn't quite attract for some reason. The Zenith, as I put at the bottom of my post, is high on the list and could well be on the purchase list with the Rolex money.
Stick with your love of Longines and GMTs. Add a Longines of your choosing, get the Laco for 🇩🇪 win, and add a Grand Seiko 9F GMT black dial in place of the Rolex.
Not knowing or understanding why you like the AK, I genuinely think you’d feel like you overpaid and waited too long for the AK. It’s not their best offering and for the price and wait I’d feel a bit disheartened with it on my wrist. It’s not a Longines or GMT.
This isn’t to squash the Rolex, I currently own Rolex and have owned previous generations of the AK.
80% of watch buying is in the look,mainly the dial.
If the AK is that look for you then buy it - you will always be able to sell it.
If time allows, maybe buy the Pagani homage and wear it for a while,although you might be contacted quicker than you think for the AK.
There will always be watches to buy but if that itch has to be scratched then it really has to be scratched as otherwise there will always be the "What if....".
Stick with your love of Longines and GMTs. Add a Longines of your choosing, get the Laco for 🇩🇪 win, and add a Grand Seiko 9F GMT black dial in place of the Rolex.
Not knowing or understanding why you like the AK, I genuinely think you’d feel like you overpaid and waited too long for the AK. It’s not their best offering and for the price and wait I’d feel a bit disheartened with it on my wrist. It’s not a Longines or GMT.
This isn’t to squash the Rolex, I currently own Rolex and have owned previous generations of the AK.
Mmm, I get your thinking. 6k is a big chunk of money, and that's the element of doubt I have. I've tried the watch on multiple times but what if it doesn't live up to expectations?
80% of watch buying is in the look,mainly the dial.
If the AK is that look for you then buy it - you will always be able to sell it.
If time allows, maybe buy the Pagani homage and wear it for a while,although you might be contacted quicker than you think for the AK.
There will always be watches to buy but if that itch has to be scratched then it really has to be scratched as otherwise there will always be the "What if....".
I think you're right, a lot of the desire is for the aesthetics, but I think the prestige of the Rolex brand (to me at least) is worth a lot. I'm not sure I'd enjoy the Pagani because it would feel like a "fake" to me.
> I'm not asking you to rate my choice in watches, more what you think you might do in a similar situation
Ok. I read the post and I was not convinced that you really want to purchase the AK. My impression was that it was very important to have the world Rolex written on the dial. I did not read anything that described the obsession with the AK but I did see another 8 other watches in the post along with their prices. So, there is a comparison going on between getting a few watches or a single watch. If the obsession was very high with the AK then there would only be the AK and the other watches would not have been part of the post along with their prices.
Don't drop the AK from the list but I think it would be a good idea to experiment with less expensive watches. Having a good understand of what one likes in watches take time then it become easier to go and a make large purchase once that is understood.
If the AD would deliver that AK tomorrow, I think there would be some big disappointments within 1 week. Personally, I take about 6 to 12 months to buy a watch but once the decision is made then I walk in the AD and buy the watch. They give me the watch in my hands, I inspect it for damage then I buy it.
> I'm not asking you to rate my choice in watches, more what you think you might do in a similar situation
Ok. I read the post and I was not convinced that you really want to purchase the AK. My impression was that it was very important to have the world Rolex written on the dial. I did not read anything that described the obsession with the AK but I did see another 8 other watches in the post along with their prices. So, there is a comparison going on between getting a few watches or a single watch. If the obsession was very high with the AK then there would only be the AK and the other watches would not have been part of the post along with their prices.
Don't drop the AK from the list but I think it would be a good idea to experiment with less expensive watches. Having a good understand of what one likes in watches take time then it become easier to go and a make large purchase once that is understood.
If the AD would deliver that AK tomorrow, I think there would be some big disappointments within 1 week. Personally, I take about 6 to 12 months to buy a watch but once the decision is made then I walk in the AD and buy the watch. They give me the watch in my hands, I inspect it for damage then I buy it.
Thanks for taking the time to write this. Let me see if I can fill in some blanks.
I'd never paid any attention to Rolex before spotting the Air King in Singapore airport last December. I was able to try it on and instantly fell in love with it. Since then, i've been obsessed with it. I've tried one on another 7 times at a few different ADs, the picture at the top is from my visit to the Cayman Islands where I practically begged the sales person to let me buy it, to no avail.
I have taken the time to form a 'relationship' with two ADs, one Watches of Switzerland, one independent, and registered my interest for the watch with both. I also have a purchase history with both ADs, if that actually makes any difference.
With the independent AD (the one I see as my primary), I put my name down back in March and I maintain an active engagement with them. I'm doing as much as I can to get the watch, without buying shit I don't actually want.
You're right in that the brand does bear some importance to me. I will not buy the Pagani copy because I don't approve of the theft of others designs, same reason I wouldn't buy a fake version either.
Hopefully you can see that I do have a real interest in buying the Air King. This "thinking out loud" post I guess is more of a value proposition / being impatient. I don't have the cash in my "watch fund" to go and buy all of these watches tomorrow. If I did, I probably would.
The tiny sliver of doubt I have is to do with value for money. Knowing I could buy 4 watches I want for the same price of the Air King. It makes me wonder if i'd prefer the choice and variation of four watches more than I would just having the watch i've dreamed of for 10 months or so. But this could just be me being impatient and I should wait, save up, and buy all of them anyway...
Thanks for taking the time to write this. Let me see if I can fill in some blanks.
I'd never paid any attention to Rolex before spotting the Air King in Singapore airport last December. I was able to try it on and instantly fell in love with it. Since then, i've been obsessed with it. I've tried one on another 7 times at a few different ADs, the picture at the top is from my visit to the Cayman Islands where I practically begged the sales person to let me buy it, to no avail.
I have taken the time to form a 'relationship' with two ADs, one Watches of Switzerland, one independent, and registered my interest for the watch with both. I also have a purchase history with both ADs, if that actually makes any difference.
With the independent AD (the one I see as my primary), I put my name down back in March and I maintain an active engagement with them. I'm doing as much as I can to get the watch, without buying shit I don't actually want.
You're right in that the brand does bear some importance to me. I will not buy the Pagani copy because I don't approve of the theft of others designs, same reason I wouldn't buy a fake version either.
Hopefully you can see that I do have a real interest in buying the Air King. This "thinking out loud" post I guess is more of a value proposition / being impatient. I don't have the cash in my "watch fund" to go and buy all of these watches tomorrow. If I did, I probably would.
The tiny sliver of doubt I have is to do with value for money. Knowing I could buy 4 watches I want for the same price of the Air King. It makes me wonder if i'd prefer the choice and variation of four watches more than I would just having the watch i've dreamed of for 10 months or so. But this could just be me being impatient and I should wait, save up, and buy all of them anyway...
- from the post above it sounds like waiting for an Air King is the best, even if you must wait a while. I think it’s the only one that’ll satisfy the urge.
As for the others, wait till you’ve had the king for a few months.
That bright Bamford is my fave of the group (including the Rolex)
I don’t care for Rolexes, or for pilot watches, so at least I’m unbiased!
BTW - why is the air king, an “air-king”? Nothing about it says pilot, other than the word “air” 🤔
Love the #laco and #vario