Your Wristwatches

4kicks

Tiffany´s in New York has a dedicated room where divorcees are led when they have to be told their now ex-hubbie swapped the diamonds for cubic zirconia the last time their jewels went to be "cleaned":

twist83

22stu wrote:

twist83 wrote:

Genuine Replicas

To be fair I have seen some of the high end Reps. I am talking £1000 modified pieces and they are staggering quality wise. Impressive. Would easily fool 99% of the general public and collectors and probably a good chunk of the dealers.

There are whole forums dedicated to replicas. I suspect the Turkey ones are not of this quality

I don't see the point in fakes. There are plenty of stunning watches in the price bracket fakes cost. Also when you are talking Hublot and Pateks. We are talking serious expensive watches which are a dead give away when the owners climb into a Mondeo.

There are some amazing replicas - friend of mine who collects a good few watches paid over 20k for a Audemars Piguet from a dealer, actually turned out to be a replica. Fortunately dealer was very prompt in returning his funds!

Doesn't surprise me! At least the dealer was honest.

lone wheeler

My current stash!...

Anonymous

manoirdelourde wrote:

seanoconn wrote:

manoirdelourde wrote:

I have a TAG F1, not expensive by their standards, it was a present for a significant birthday. I would post a photo but it has been with TAG since May for a new battery and I was phoned on Monday to say that it will be another 4 weeks . . . would I buy another TAG?
Love the look of Panerai but way outside my budget.

Do you think they've lost it?

Apparently not . . . but if it doesn't turn up in 4 weeks . .

I had to send a TAG back to them for a new strap pin, and it was stolen by Royal Mail!

I got a call from TAG saying they had the package, but no watch inside.
They said it was something that had happened before as people know what is in the parcels.

Got full new for old replacement cost back from Royal Mail and bought a Sea Dweller, so it worked out well.

Why does it take so long to replace a battery?

Garry H

twist83 wrote:

Genuine Replicas

To be fair I have seen some of the high end Reps. I am talking £1000 modified pieces and they are staggering quality wise. Impressive. Would easily fool 99% of the general public and collectors and probably a good chunk of the dealers.

There are whole forums dedicated to replicas. I suspect the Turkey ones are not of this quality

I don't see the point in fakes. There are plenty of stunning watches in the price bracket fakes cost. Also when you are talking Hublot and Pateks. We are talking serious expensive watches which are a dead give away when the owners climb into a Mondeo.

I can see the point in cheap replicas, but not ones that cost 1000 pounds, unless you manage to sell it off as a genuine.

tangled_metal

I'm guessing the high end replicas are really good quality watches made by similar quality methods as those watch brands they are copying. It is only the name and history/reputation that means they're not highly regarded under their own name.

Personally I'd rather have a no name, high quality watch than an overpriced Rolex. What I mean is I'd rather save money by only spending £1000 on those high end replicas than £30,000 or whatever top watches cost these days. Same quality but a lot less money. Mind you I balk at £300 for a watch, happy with something cheaper if it works well.

Rigga

FocusZing wrote:

Having mobile phones makes watches as useful as t1ts on a fish. It's just an excuse for poncey jewelry for vain men.

Yeah but mobiles look stupid fastened to your wrist.

tangled_metal

I don't actually carry on a phone everywhere but I do use my watch to tell the time with. It may be jewellery to some but personally I often need to know the time and wristwatches are the most.convenient.

Now I don't.spend a lot, £180 is my limit but I feel you get something more reliable at the £150 mark. If you spend fortunes on.a watch then perhaps it becomes more about the image and as a result jewellery is more applicable.

Anonymous

Gotta love the nice watch haters lol.
Even better than the nice bike haters.

All about money as usual.

Thing is my nice bike is much better value than a mediocre one, and my nice watch is worth more than I paid for it.

Both are an absolute joy to own rather than just a means to an end, and neither were out of financial reach for most people on here, they just chose to spend (waste?) their money on other things

Garry H

Tangled Metal wrote:

I'm guessing the high end replicas are really good quality watches made by similar quality methods as those watch brands they are copying. It is only the name and history/reputation that means they're not highly regarded under their own name.

Personally I'd rather have a no name, high quality watch than an overpriced Rolex. What I mean is I'd rather save money by only spending £1000 on those high end replicas than £30,000 or whatever top watches cost these days. Same quality but a lot less money. Mind you I balk at £300 for a watch, happy with something cheaper if it works well.

I'd rather spend a thousand pounds on a quality watch that doesn't pretend to be something else.

Throbbe

One of them. I had a few others, but just ended up wearing the same watch all the time so moved the others on.

That cosmonaut watch would be my favourite on this thread.

tangled_metal

I'd prefer to buy a cheaper watch that'll still keep good time than spend £1000 on a watch replica or not. I've also not got that spare money to buy such a priced watch.

TBH if I had £1000 or so spare I'd buy a better bike not a better watch. Possibly a surly disc trucker and buy a Casio g-shock watch.

carrock

I inherited a watch from my Dad after he passed away. An old Eberhard Contograf that apart from sentimental value is rare. So had it restored. Had to scour the world for some missing parts for the movement. Tracked down the bits in Argentina.

Before



After

tangled_metal

Nice watch, but different strap. Not criticising with this question. What are people's views on changing straps? What I mean is the original watch was designed, part of the design included the strap. Do you place any importance on keeping a good watch authentic?

Is it anything like putting a Lamborghini door on a Ferrari? What I mean you would repair a classic car authentically as possible, do you have the same view about classic watches?

I actually prefer the strap you put on the watch. With never having had a true quality watch with heritage I kind of like to think I'd put my aesthetics aside and replace old strap with new equivalent. I'm a watch snob without the watch to be snobbish about!

slowmart

It's accessorising an accessory.Changing the strap doesn't alter the authenticity of the watch but gives it a more personal look.

Just keep the original strap for when you move the watch on.

pblakeney

Current watch



If I win the lottery. (Have to start doing it first).

seanoconn

carrock wrote:

I inherited a watch from my Dad after he passed away. An old Eberhard Contograf that apart from sentimental value is rare. So had it restored. Had to scour the world for some missing parts for the movement. Tracked down the bits in Argentina.

Before



After

Very cool looking watch, the sentimental value and the effort that's gone in to restoring it adds to the appeal. Wear with pride.

seanoconn

Slowmart wrote:

It's accessorising an accessory.Changing the strap doesn't alter the authenticity of the watch but gives it a more personal look.

Just keep the original strap for when you move the watch on.

Very much this. Changing that strap alters the whole look of a watch to suit the occasion or mood. Keep the original strap.

seanoconn

PBlakeney wrote:

Current watch



If I win the lottery. (Have to start doing it first).

Purely personal and I'm sure I'm in a minority but this Patek doesn't do anything for me. I really don't like Roman numerals on watches and apart from the name there's nothing about the look that screams 'Buy me!'

pblakeney

seanoconn wrote:

Purely personal and I'm sure I'm in a minority but this Patek doesn't do anything for me. I really don't like Roman numerals on watches and apart from the name there's nothing about the look that screams 'Buy me!'

Understated, simple class.
Each to their own.

seanoconn

Yep, definitely understated and simple.

Anonymous

Defo each to their own, nothing wrong with stating dislikes in a thread of mutual interest though
Just don't bring money into it.

I am not a fan of Roman numerals either, so CDLXXVI AD.

Had a Rolex with Arabic numerals (normal numbers) on, mainly because I thought it looked the best of the three main options, but also because it was a revolt against nonsensical (IMO as watches were 1000 years away, and even then took generations to make it to a wrist) Roman numerals.

My main bugbear is screws on the bezel though.

veronese68

I must confess I'm not a fan of Roman numerals on watches either, not so bad on a sun dial though. Good job we have varying tastes, wouldn't life be boring otherwise. I did know a bloke that could score a game of 501 in roman numerals, he could chalk them up as soon as the darts hit the board. Another place Roman numerals don't belong.
I do like that restored Eberhard, far more value to the owner for something with sentimental value like that.

carrock

Tangled Metal wrote:

Nice watch, but different strap. Not criticising with this question. What are people's views on changing straps? What I mean is the original watch was designed, part of the design included the strap. Do you place any importance on keeping a good watch authentic?

Is it anything like putting a Lamborghini door on a Ferrari? What I mean you would repair a classic car authentically as possible, do you have the same view about classic watches?

I actually prefer the strap you put on the watch. With never having had a true quality watch with heritage I kind of like to think I'd put my aesthetics aside and replace old strap with new equivalent. I'm a watch snob without the watch to be snobbish about!

The original strap was long gone, replaced with an elasticated cheapie. I couldn't source an OE strap so got a Toshi handmade leather strap.

This watch was only produced in limited numbers in the mid 1960s for the Italian Navy. My dad was in the British Navy so probably won it in a poker game somewhere. I didn't think he realised how valuable it would become.

tangled_metal

It was only a question to find out what people's views are on the idea of authenticity in repairing old heirloom watches. Personally I feel straps are personal choices, I don't see anything wrong with changing them to suit the wearer

I have a very much cheaper watch with a green fabric strap. I liked it new with its leather details but now want to replace it. I'm thinking of finding a metal strap to replace it. It's a Seiko so probably look at one of theirs. I think a simple stainless steel watch body with the same material in the strap looks good.

Stevo_666

Tangled Metal wrote:

Nice watch, but different strap. Not criticising with this question. What are people's views on changing straps? What I mean is the original watch was designed, part of the design included the strap. Do you place any importance on keeping a good watch authentic?

Is it anything like putting a Lamborghini door on a Ferrari? What I mean you would repair a classic car authentically as possible, do you have the same view about classic watches?

I actually prefer the strap you put on the watch. With never having had a true quality watch with heritage I kind of like to think I'd put my aesthetics aside and replace old strap with new equivalent. I'm a watch snob without the watch to be snobbish about!

Do what you want, its your toy. That said, some watch brands like Panerai seem to lend themselves to strap swapping (they even come with two straps as standard).

seanoconn

carrock wrote:

Tangled Metal wrote:

Nice watch, but different strap. Not criticising with this question. What are people's views on changing straps? What I mean is the original watch was designed, part of the design included the strap. Do you place any importance on keeping a good watch authentic?

Is it anything like putting a Lamborghini door on a Ferrari? What I mean you would repair a classic car authentically as possible, do you have the same view about classic watches?

I actually prefer the strap you put on the watch. With never having had a true quality watch with heritage I kind of like to think I'd put my aesthetics aside and replace old strap with new equivalent. I'm a watch snob without the watch to be snobbish about!

The original strap was long gone, replaced with an elasticated cheapie. I couldn't source an OE strap so got a Toshi handmade leather strap.

This watch was only produced in limited numbers in the mid 1960s for the Italian Navy. My dad was in the British Navy so probably won it in a poker game somewhere. I didn't think he realised how valuable it would become.

Mmmm Toshi Shame they cost as much as a reasonable watch.

A nato strap would work well with your watch.

coops1967

I've ended up with one watch for work offshore for four weeks then the other for the four weeks at home... both titanium cases, oddly, so it seemed only fair to assuage my engineery geek side and get a titanium bike too...






That restored Eberhard is excellent - and the new strap suits it, it justs needs wearing in...

seanoconn

Liking the watch and trouser combo

voodooman

A polar m400.

Bit rubbish compared to the rest, but before buying this (in feb this year) I last wore a watch when working offshore back in the mid 90s. It was a Tag chronograph of some sort, and I lost it on a stag do in 97. Never wore one since til this year.