Another watch thread...............

[Deleted member 126251]

All the oiks at work have them now. They pay monthly.

Or wear fakes. Many fantastic copies around.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Imechanical watch running when you're not wearing it is like putting miles on your cars when you're not driving them. You're just wearing them out unnecessarily.

While what you say is true, it is so insignificant. My father in-law wore his Omega (Constellation.. I think) for over 50 years (no services) and it never missed a beat. It was battered and beaten but still ticking when he died at 95. I wore my submariner day and night (never took it off except when doing some sort of heavy work that might get it damaged) from 1997 to 2017 until I retired (so 20 years of non stop working). It still keeps perfect time ( yea I know, not like a quartz).

A person I know, purchased 3 Rolexes at once a couple of years ago. He wanted a winder at the same time & the Rolex dealer told him that there was no need to keep them ticking as it was older lubricants that had been a problem.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

I have to say that I see far more Rolex than Omegas, generally speaking.
Does this prove the old saying "Rolex for show,Omega for those that know"?

I'll get my coat. Taxi!

The "old saying" was coined by people who could not afford a Rolex.

I’ve had both. The Rolex (IMO) can take a beating that Omega cannot. Just a more robust watch.

 

[Larkone]

While what you say is true, it is so insignificant. My father in-law wore his Omega (Constellation.. I think) for over 50 years (no services) and it never missed a beat. It was battered and beaten but still ticking when he died at 95. I wore my submariner day and night (never took it off except when doing some sort of heavy work that might get it damaged) from 1997 to 2017 until I retired (so 20 years of non stop working). It still keeps perfect time ( yea I know, not like a quartz).

A person I know, purchased 3 Rolexes at once a couple of years ago. He wanted a winder at the same time & the Rolex dealer told him that there was no need to keep them ticking as it was older lubricants that had been a problem.

Watches are just the same as cars - if they do not have a comprehensive service record then the value drops significantly.

 

[JHS]

The "old saying" was coined by people who could not afford a Rolex.

I’ve had both. The Rolex (IMO) can take a beating that Omega cannot. Just a more robust watch.

It all comes down to individual choice and experience in the end. There is no right or wrong choice. A cheap and cheerful Seconda from a charity shop keeps better time than my Omega ever could, but I have got used to my Omega and cannot wait for it to come back from service.
My wife had a Rolex that refused to keep any sort of time. When the dealer opened it, it was contaminated by swarf. Sold it back to him at original price and bought her an Omega.
That has, rightly or wrongly, coloured my view of Rolex.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Watches are just the same as cars - if they do not have a comprehensive service record then the value drops significantly.

mmmmm not to sure about that. I’ve never heard of people wanting a service history even when trading in a Rolex. As long as it is working and not beaten up. Certainly no service booklets.

 

[Larkone]

mmmmm not to sure about that. I’ve never heard of people wanting a service history even when trading in a Rolex. As long as it is working and not beaten up. Certainly no service booklets.

All buying guides I have read advise that servicing is important to maintain the value, papers and original boxes also help. Makes complete sense for the same reason it is important for cars. Would you drop a couple of thousand on a watch with no service history or one with good service history?

Why should I get my Rolex serviced?

Connecting you with a network of hand picked luxury watch retailers to ensure you get the highest level of service. Simply load your request, compare offers and purchase. Start Hunting for your perfect watch today!

chronohunter.com

 

[alabbasi]

While what you say is true, it is so insignificant

I'd call these outliers. Mechanical watches are machines that keep time. Moving parts wear out with use. That's normal

 

[ToeKnee]

After seeing all the prices of some of these watches and the servicing costs I'll stick to my Tissot Powermatic 80

 

[alabbasi]

After seeing all the prices of some of these watches and the servicing costs I'll stick to my Tissot Powermatic 80

Cheaper automatic movements also needs servicing. Unfortunately the service will cost more than a new watch and make them throw away items. That's why when quartz movements were introduced in the 70's, they pretty much decimated the mechanical watch industry.

 

[Meldrew2]

A word of warning, don't buy an automatic watch if you are retiring. The watch will last a number of years and at retirement you will begin to slow down, you will go to bed earlier, get up later, the watch will stop! Since retirement 11 years ago I have sold most of my auto watches and now wear a quartz watch, time keeping is better and there are some very nice quartz watches about including Omega, Rolex and Ebel to name but a few

The Christopher Ward "Trident" automatics can also be wound like a manual - so this isn't as much of an issue.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

All buying guides I have read advise that servicing is important to maintain the value, papers and original boxes also help. Makes complete sense for the same reason it is important for cars. Would you drop a couple of thousand on a watch with no service history or one with good service history?

Why should I get my Rolex serviced?

Connecting you with a network of hand picked luxury watch retailers to ensure you get the highest level of service. Simply load your request, compare offers and purchase. Start Hunting for your perfect watch today!

chronohunter.com

It is not like you can check a meter that tells you how many hours the watch was worn. Never heard of any method of service records for watches. Does a watch that lay in a safe unused for 10 years need the same servicing as one worn daily. Keeping boxes & papers is important, I agree but disagree on servicing. Happy to agree to disagree.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Cheaper automatic movements also needs servicing. Unfortunately the service will cost more than a new watch and make them throw away items. That's why when quartz movements were introduced in the 70's, they pretty much decimated the mechanical watch industry.

Quartz was cheap, mass produced, very accurate (compared to cheap mechanical watches of the day) and very much a must have gizmo in it’s day. I recall when the early digital watches were becoming popular in teh 70s. LED at the time with terrible battery life.

The mechanical watch industry could not compete on price, quantity and accuracy. Nobody serviced watches - you wore it till it broke and then took it to the watch maker to be fixed if he could.

 

[JHS]

Quartz was cheap, mass produced, very accurate (compared to cheap mechanical watches of the day) and very much a must have gizmo in it’s day. I recall when the early digital watches were becoming popular in teh 70s. LED at the time with terrible battery life.

Sinclair Black Watch not so cheap now. Wish that I had kept mine.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Sinclair Black Watch not so cheap now. Wish that I had kept mine.

He was ahead of his time. I had a ZX80 and a scientific calculator. Amazing at the time.

 

[Meldrew2]

Quartz was cheap, mass produced, very accurate (compared to cheap mechanical watches of the day) and very much a must have gizmo in it’s day. I recall when the early digital watches were becoming popular in teh 70s. LED at the time with terrible battery life.

The mechanical watch industry could not compete on price, quantity and accuracy. Nobody serviced watches - you wore it till it broke and then took it to the watch maker to be fixed if he could.

This is probably the reason that most of the "Prestige" watch brands are still mechanical while Quartz movements have taken over the mass market.

I love my Breitling Superocean - but I will readily admit that a Sekonda will do the same job for a fraction of the price.

 

[chic0821]

Those "flippers" who bought them around two years ago thinking they were a good investment that was only was only going to increase in value are having a "squeaky bum moment" now with the price drop , add that to a recession then they are starting to get a bit more sensible price wise.

Not immediately but by 2029. The flippers will be flipped

Rolex plans new factory and 2,000 jobs in Switzerland​

 

[ChrisHGTV]

Quartz was cheap, mass produced, very accurate (compared to cheap mechanical watches of the day) and very much a must have gizmo in it’s day. I recall when the early digital watches were becoming popular in teh 70s. LED at the time with terrible battery life.

The mechanical watch industry could not compete on price, quantity and accuracy. Nobody serviced watches - you wore it till it broke and then took it to the watch maker to be fixed if he could.

Have you seen the watches in the Science Museum in London? It's a fantastic display with some of the very early digital watches and some real weird timepieces! It's fascinating to see the evolution, especially of the digital watches.
Regarding mechanical watch servicing i am sure i read somewhere that one of the more prestige brands (i can't remember which) that were using ETA movements would often replace the movement during a service as it was cheaper than performing a proper service on the original movement. I can actually believe that given the relative low cost of some of the ETA movements and what some of the manufacturers charge for servicing. I assume they would swap over the rotor etc or anything that had some machining work done on it to differentiate it from the standard ETA. Daniel who i use at Exacta watches is very good - £350 for a full service on my Fortis chrono (ETA 7750 Top Grade) including a clean of the dial and replacement of a broken part. He had it just over a week. He also sourced a new old stock Omega movement (actually a rebranded ETA) for one of my wifes watches for £140, and replaced the capacitor in my Seiko for £70!

 

[ChrisHGTV]

This is probably the reason that most of the "Prestige" watch brands are still mechanical while Quartz movements have taken over the mass market.

I love my Breitling Superocean - but I will readily admit that a Sekonda will do the same job for a fraction of the price.

Bit of interesting info on the movement.

Superocean

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The "old saying" was coined by people who could not afford a Rolex. .

AP, PP and VC owners smile when they hear or read Rolex owners suggesting that