Aurich, I hope you didn't really take that joke seriously. It was just a joke. I'm sure there are one or two bmw drivers that aren't pricks I used to ride a harley and still think this one's funny: whats the difference between a vacuum cleaner and a harley? The position of the dirtbag. I couldn't care less what anyone here drives. I bet you'd wannna talk to me...I'm a pinball nerd!

I love Breitling watches. This is my favorite model (Breitling Chronomat Evolution B13356). I've had one for 7 years and still wear it daily.

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this thread got too grim and serious

I almost went back and edited my post to be clear I wasn't taking offense at your joke, all good. I've heard it before, it doesn't bug me. I honestly pretty much never get grief about my car because anyone who knows me knows how mellow I am in person. And I love talking with pinheads, no matter what they drive or wear. If you see me at Expo or a show come up and say hi!

But my general point is really true: yes, there are douchebags with Rolexes and BMWs. There are also really cool people who enjoy ... Rolexes and BMWs. On a forum full of super expensive toys let's not be too judgmental.

I owned a BMW, I guess that puts me in the brotherhood of "pricks"

This is just internet chitter chatter, don't take it too seriously

I ride a Harley , drive a BMW and have nice watches . So I am a fn super dick!!!!!!!!
I'm over it .
Meanwhile life goes on...image.jpg

Razor that watch is so beautiful!! Nice choice!

I think this thread has sort of gone off topic,

Bottom line, Were guys, We like expensive toys,

Some people like "This" brand, Other people like "That" brand
Buy what you like with what you can afford, There's going to be haters in all walks of life,

We buy wooden boxes with steel balls for thousands of monies, who are we to judge anyone

Can't we all just get along

Actually it is the extra special Cambodian edition

My wife bought me a Ball Fireman's watch for my 50th. Very simple and understated and I adore it. When I saw she'd bought me a nice watch I kind of groaned, as I never thought of myself as a guy who'd want a fancy watch. But that feeling quickly turned to satisfaction. This isn't in the class of a Rolex or Breitling, but it's such a treat. I've really taken to it.

now THAT is a 50th birthday party

Agree. I get so frustrated trying to find a normal sized watch. It is to the point that women's watches are now the size of what used to be a men's watch.

So true. I get shit from the people at my work since I recently got my wife a Bretling watch, however these are the same people who blow $40K+ on new pickup trucks every 3 years, have $10-20K+ boats, cabins in the woods, and spend tons of money on hunting. I drive a 20yr old car with 150K miles and don't make comments to them because they can spend their money on what they want, it's just amazing how they think it's perfectly fine to blow money on stuff they enjoy like $40K+ trucks but make comments since I decided to buy my wife a nice watch.

I love my watches. This is my "Masterpiece." I happen to be wearing it today. It needs a little cleaning, but you get the idea.

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I have a Pontiac Vibe and a BMW Z4. It is amazing the difference in the way people treat you depending on what you drive. If I'm in the Pontiac, aggresive drivers will run all over me, nice drivers will let me merge/get in line in front of them, and the general public treats me like I'm normal. If I'm in the BMW, aggressive drivers stay away from me because they don't want to hit my car, nobody lets me in line in front of them at all, and the general public treats me like I'm a rich snob. I quickly learned to take the BMW to car sales lots if I ever want to test drive anything because they'll just hand me the new car keys, and never ever go to yard sales in it because people will never give you discounts/bargains because of course you are rich and can afford whatever.

It's probably the same with watches, but honestly I know nothing about them. I used to wear a cheap generic watch all the time, but since my phone is never more than 3 feet away from me, I just use it so there's one less thing I have to deal with. You guys have some nice watches though. I particularly like the Mickey Mouse one. (I used to have a Goofy one that ran backwards.)

See? there's one!

My trusty old Gruen
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A friend of mines dad passed away quiet a few years ago. He loved his crossword puzzles and his rolex president. He was buried with both and also a pencil and glasses so he could see while doing the puzzles.

i would not consider a volatile market like "collectibles" to be an inflation hedge in any way...

i was around when the "stamp collecting" market crashed through the floor....

Im all for a nice watch, however I have never liked rolex. Seems very 70's-80's for me. I know that they aren't the most upscale watches however I have a few Movado and Tiffany's watches. They range from 1500-3500. They all just sit in a case, because the reality is that my iphone is more reliable. I usually only wear a watch when I get dressed up. I have a Movado that is made out of tungsten, that watch I wore a ton because I could beat the crap out of it, change oil and whatever and it never would get scratched.

My wife has a BMW...is she a prickette?

My Tag Heuer was a 10th anniversary gift. Maybe another decade from now I can get a Rolex. image.jpg

Oh I wanted this so bad....

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My wife has a BMW as well. I figure if momma is happy everybody is happy. Plus she doesn't complain about my pinball addiction. I just bring them home as I find them...

I've got one of those too. Still love it.
My latest is the Tag Carrera Calibre 1887 Automatic Chronograph Monaco Grand Prix. I'd been wanting an all black watch forever and couldn't pass this one up.
I couldn't get a good pic, so this'll have to do:

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My wife complains sometimes...."Do you know we could have spent 2 weeks in Ireland for what you just spent on that movie poster!" Sooooo, I had to take her to Ireland! Poor me...

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Historically, collectable stuff like firearms, antiques, artwork, coins, stamps, etc was used by rich people to protect their money from inflation risk.

Like back in the jimmy carter era, when inflation was 12%, you'd have to be making a 12% return on all your investments just to break even.

I've been thinking about this thread.

Ultimately, the only thing I personally really care about is getting value for my money.

If I pay $2,000 for a top-quality refrigerator or whatever, I want a refrigerator that's worth $2000.

I don't want to get a $1300 refrigerator and pay an extra $700 because the refrigerator company has awesome marketing and product branding.

that's my problem with buying a lot of top-shelf products, the products might be excellent but they seem overpriced to me.

Obviously most people don't feel this way, because the free market bears the current prices

You can't really compare a fridge to a watch. There's absolutely no practical value to a mechanical luxury watch. It won't keep time as well as a $5 Timex even. You're buying it for the intangibles.

Better to compare it to pinball. Let's say MMR. You can buy a Rolex for $8k. So similar price. Is MMR really eight thousand dollars of fun? Is it twice as fun as a $4k game? You can't look at it like that. You can only decided if having one feels worth it to you, and if you can afford it.

If you can, and it makes you happy? Why not. You only live once, and you can't take it with you. Be responsible, but also enjoy your life. That's my take at least.

For me, purchasing a Patek, Lange, JLC or Blancpain is akin to purchasing a piece of fine art. Most sit on watch winders in my office so I can admire them on a daily basis.

I am not purchasing any of them to tell time.

I look at a HEP restore in the same light.

Have a few watches, but my Corum Admiral's Cup Tides & Omega Seamaster Pro Chrono are two of my favs

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I think you missed my point.

If Rolex was a brand new product without decades and decades of expensive marketing, realistically they would be selling a submariner for around $2500.

Aside from all that,

I think this effeminate snobbery among watch buyers is basically ruining the marketplace.

Everyone is tremendously pleased by being overcharged, nobody can explain why.

It's like back when everyone was drinking Perrier with a smug look on their face, the water came from a dirty rubber garden hose in a shed in NY

So anyway, who's going to trade a pinball for a rolex with the original poster?

It says his account is frozen

I'm not missing the point, that is my point. If it wasn't OMG MEDIEVAL MADNESS would anyone be paying $8k for a remake of an old game? Again, it's the intangibles. Yes, when you buy a Rolex you're paying for the name and the history as much as anything else, it's not purely cost of materials and development with a markup. MM is just a pile of wood and metal and plastic like any other game. But it has status, lots of people see it as the best, and it's worth more because of that to people who care.

It's too much for me, I didn't get in on that. But I spent more than I ever thought I would on a pin for my METLE, so I'm not casting stones or anything.

I won't argue with you about watch prices getting ridiculous though. When I bought my Omega Speedmaster it was before they moved to shut down indie dealers and go to the boutique model. I'd find it much harder to walk in and pull the trigger on a new watch now, they've really ramped up their pricing in a seriously aggressive fashion. Probably to keep up with Rolex.

Tiffanys, Cartier, prada, Burberry.,All brands my girlfriend has and loves, yet seem to be of the same value as things from target to me. However it's the flash that goes with those name brands that people really are looking for, so thats where they see the true value.

Irobot,
Married or girlfriend? You never buy her a Chanel purse or Prada?

Just buy her the Birkin bag and be done with it.

all true.....the value for the "label" has always bothered me.

I love the look of watches, and every month at work is a bunch of magazines, that showcase some amazing watches...often only a few are made...those I marvel at.

But having 4 generations of watchmakers before me..and my father worked for Bulova, Seiko, and Rolex, (playing with watches as a kid, repairing, fabricating), and I learned about the industry, I was shocked at the changes from handmade watches to mass production. I couldnt understand paying $400 for something that cost $10 to make.....but thats just me.
But when I see these pics of what people like, I see the art....I love it, I see all the joy it brings people....It just means I am a cheap person to buy the "remake" and a great counterfeit is under $100.
Its that ratio that tilts my brain. A MM, like a Rolex for 10K, make a new one, same metal, look, functions for a $100. Other then the "legality", Id take an MMR at that Ratio for $80!

Now diamonds and jewelry are worse...especially "branded" and I am just as guilty.

I love the "retail" prices of watches. Retail: $22,000...sold for $8,000.

As a collector of fine timepieces the funniest description of Rolex I have heard from another collector was that they were Disco watches. I find that description to be so accurate. With the exception of the Deep Sea Sea Dweller which I own and possibly the Daytona and Submariner (as long as they are not two tone), their watches look horribly dated and are primarily known for their name only. I tell everyone I know looking to buy a fine watch to check out other brands like AP, Panerai, Patek, Lange, Blancpain, Breguet, Vacheron, Hublot, IWC, Jaeger, and Omega. But just like pins, to each their own.

I also really like the autowind Raymond Weil....

i know i'd like to win a rolex daytona watch...

but sadly, my driving skills limit me to running over cones in parking lots...

My G-SHOCK is the perfect autocross watch.

It's always a little awkward when someone constantly overshares inane details of their financial success on the pinball threads, we're making whole separate threads about it now? C'mon guys we get it, y'all make loot, rubbing each other's noses in it is really pushing the tacky side.

I make too much money to listen to you....

My monocle fogs up sometimes while I'm playing! I can't find any mechs that will accept gold coins! Will a pin fit in my Rolls Royce?

A little perspective never hurt anyone!

Looks like someone did not get that pair of Christian Louboutin pumps she wanted for Xmas.

So you have a problem with folks enjoying their watches? Pins cost as much. Its another thing people enjoy. But for some reason if they talk about it suddenly the butt hurts come out giving them crap.

Let me hop over on a boat thread and call them all a holes.

Hey don't blame me if your wife has lame interests! I'm fine with my shoes thanks

Not that there is nothing cooler than a woman in chucks either ; )