Do Members Usually Only Buy Watches They could Afford

[tode1640]

I fail to see why people bother about this. Plenty of people buy reproduction furniture or artwork to adorn their homes, and there is never any stigma in that. It is possible to buy an extremely good copy of a Van Gogh painting for a few hundred dollars. People own these because they like being surrounded by things of great beauty. Does anyone worry that they couldn't afford the $16 million to buy the original?! I have worn reps for years because they too are things of beauty. Only once has anyone ever talked to me about a watch I am wearing, and that was someone else who wears reps. I don't care how much the gen costs, all I want is a nice watch. Virtually no one I know cares what watch I wear. If anyone does, then I really don't care what other people thin.

That said, I could in theory afford most of my watches as gens. I don't buy gens costing thousands of dollars, because although I like watches, I don't like them that much! However, the price of the gen has nothing to do with my decision to buy a rep - I just choose watches that I like, and I guess that I have cheap(ish) tastes (I certainly loathe bling with a passion). Mind you, although I mostly have cheap tastes, I do get an occasional yearning for a Patek Philippe grand complication! If I ever see a really nice rep of one of those I will probably succumb.

[siesta181]

I used to buy reps that I theoretically can afford. Breitlings, IWCs and Panerais. After a while... I just didn't care anymore. My rep collection now consist of vintage Panerais (sf240s and a 202a) and 3 vintage rolexes (gen market value of about 20k each). I came to the realization that 99% of the general population don't know of i was wearing and the 1% that knows, dont care.

Just wear what makes you happy, the people who pass judgement are probably not worth you time anyways. Having said that, I make it a point to wear a non-descript <40mm watch when I make a client visit, a tudor MC or a Rolex 6542 most of the time. To me, its not the value of the watch, just making sure that the center of attraction is not whats on your wrist. Its about the right watch for the right occasion for me....

[panerai153]

I suppose one thing that you learn as you get older, people really don't give a darn what you're wearing,driving, etc. At least where i live, most folks don't. Maybe if you are in an environment of young "wannabes" folks notice what you wear or drive or where you eat. It took me a long,long time to figure all this out, and I probably spent a fair amount of money buying cars, watches, etc. that were different from the average. When you live in a small rural community, driving a Porsche, BMW or Range Rover stands out, or so I thought. Finally realized, no one cares!! Now i'm a lot more comfortable with myself, I wear what I like, I drive what I want to drive and I eat where the food and service are good, not to be seen. Personal satisfaction is a heck of a lot more important to me now than what others think about me.

Watchwise, I have a fair number of reps of watches that were 500 dollar watches 30- 40 years ago, but are expensive now such as a DRSD 1665 and a 1680, few genuine that are moderately expensive such as a Rolex 16610, Tudor 9411/0 and a Rolex 16750 GMT. I also have a few cheap reps that are reps of rather expensive watches such as a Lange Flyback, a Breguet Chronograph, and a UN Maxi Marine Blue Wave. Probably the watches that get the most wrist time are a couple of MKII homages to the 6568 "Bond " Rolex, and a OCean 7 LM-5 GMT that sort of looks like a Rolex GMT master on steroids!.

So my advice to you would be, buy and wear what you like and feel comfortable with. If every time you strap on a rep of a 50K watch, and spend the evening trying to hide your arm in your pocket, then, it's pretty obvious that those type watches are outside your comfort zone, and you shouldn't wear them. On the other hand if you don't worry about being "Called out" and your watch isn't spoiling your evening, then by all means wear what you want. And on the subject of being "called out" I believe that it's far too overrated. Here again, unless you are standing at a bar bragging about your 50K watch, no one will notice and /or give a darn.Of course I temper this with the fact that most people around here couldn't tell a Rolex from a Timex, and probably where you are it's pretty much the same. Want it noticed, find the best looking girl in the place, showing a lot of cleavage, have her hang your watch around her neck like a pendant and see how much notice it gets!

[gran]

After a while... I just didn't care anymore.

+1000000000000000000

[Muaitai]

I totally agree with you Panerai153.

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[TeeJay]

I'm finding myself forced into modifying my opinion I was in my local supermarket, where I recently saw a management type wearing a TT Submariner. I thought about it for a moment, and figured on a manager's salary and a credit card: gen = plausible. My latest sighting though. Was a guy in his late teens/early twenties stacking the cooler while wearing a white dialled modern Daytona!!! OMG I know, I've been saying 'wear what you like', but wearing a Daytona while stacking shelves ?!? That's not even trying to be subtle If I was to find myself in employment again, depending on the job, I'd either be wearing my plastic Submariner or my DateJust, just to stay 'below the radar'... This hasn't changed my mind enough to say I would only buy what I could theoretically afford, but it has certainly reinforced my view on 'right watch for the right activity/wardrobe

[Muaitai]

When I was 19 I was working as a receiver agent in a computer distributor warehouse, the owner put his son to work there because the guy was a junk, the only thing was that he would drive a jaguar to work and wear a Rolex president if I am not mistaken on the model, back then I did not make a big deal out if it but today I think that depending on how did you get the watch it really doesnt matter much how you use it.

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Edited June 24, 2012 by Muaitai