BobM Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 For the first time ever, somebody noticed and made coment about a watch I was wearing. I was at the bank, making a deposit ... had my hands up on the counter filling out the deposit slip, etc. After the transaciion, as I turned away the young teller said, "Have a nice day. Nice watch." Huh! I turned back ... I couldn't believe it. I had to ask, "What did you say?" "Nice watch.", he replied. I smiled. "Thank you." I have never before had anyone make any comment - good, bad, or indifferent - about any of the several watches I might wear. That doesn't mean someone may not have noticed a watch but said nothing. In reality, though, I think nobody but us really cares. Since that is the way it is, if it isn't sufficient that it pleases just YOU, you are into the wrong hobby. Oh, the watch I was wearing ... a 30 year old knockoff of the Corum Liberty head double eagle gold coin watch with a burgundy alligator strap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 For the first time ever, somebody noticed and made coment about a watch I was wearing. I was at the bank, making a deposit ... had my hands up on the counter filling out the deposit slip, etc. After the transaciion, as I turned away the young teller said, "Have a nice day. Nice watch." Huh! I turned back ... I couldn't believe it. I had to ask, "What did you say?" "Nice watch.", he replied. I smiled. "Thank you." YAY!! What a great story. I'm so happy for you. It's hard to explain, this double-take we have when we hear a compliment about our watch, BobM. I liken it to getting my teeth bonded when I was a kid. Before I had a saucy, Madonna-gap between my two front teeth. Then around the age of 16-17, I walked away from the cosmetic dentist's office (in the US, naturally. The British could care less) with perfect joined pearlies. Two days later, a metre maid (actually a guy) told me not to park where I was, having leant into my car to say so, and as he lifted his hand from my car window, he said, "You have a million watt smile". The same little gurgle of satisfaction, mixed with modest shyness, and deep gratefulness I felt then, is how I feel whenever someone compliments me on my watch. And I love how it's blue-collar people who are the ones who spare one a nice word. I don't think any one of my richie friends has said word Uno, about my watches. Oh, the watch I was wearing ... a 30 year old knockoff of the Corum Liberty head double eagle gold coin watch with a burgundy alligator strap. Bah. Trust a banker to notice a gold coin watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xyphis Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 Rep/Gen/whatever. Always say "Nice watch" You get to see a nice watch. They get to feel good about what you said all day. It's not too often that the world allows us a WIN-WIN situation. Zen bliss, all is well in the world, and all that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docblackrock Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 metre maidThe cultural mongrel rears its head Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DET11 Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 Unfortunately, it is a rare occurrence that someone says something about the watches we wear. However, isn't it a great feeling when one does!....the rarity of it somehow makes it that much sweeter doesn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrgod Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 Cool story. I remember the first time somebody commented on my watch.... Last year I was in the US for the very first time (Houston). I had been shopping at Fry's ( the big electronic store) and at the exit there was a man who checked the contents of my bag against the receipt. As I held up the bag, he commented "Nice watch, what is it?". It made my day. Great customer care. The watch I was wearing? Vintage 1972 Omega Speedmaster Professional Mark II, which I had bought three days earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobM Posted November 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 Rep/Gen/whatever. Always say "Nice watch" You get to see a nice watch. They get to feel good about what you said all day. It's not too often that the world allows us a WIN-WIN situation. Zen bliss, all is well in the world, and all that... Outstanding point! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobM Posted November 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 Cool story. I remember the first time somebody commented on my watch.... Last year I was in the US for the very first time (Houston). I had been shopping at Fry's ( the big electronic store) and at the exit there was a man who checked the contents of my bag against the receipt. As I held up the bag, he commented "Nice watch, what is it?". It made my day. Great customer care. The watch I was wearing? Vintage 1972 Omega Speedmaster Professional Mark II, which I had bought three days earlier. We in Houston are friendy folk. I am glad one of us helped make your visit pleasant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 The watch I was wearing? Vintage 1972 Omega Speedmaster Professional Mark II, which I had bought three days earlier. Awesome story, and magnificent watch, Chrgod. Happy it was in Houston it happened to you (that town has serious money, and they are used to beautiful watches). My last compliment was about my gen Rolex TT -- not the one you saw in the Wristies -- last Sunday. This worries me a little, since both Bob, you and I have gotten compliments about gens in our stories. Only the fantasy HBB in YG has gotten me regular compliments...would love to hear compliments about reps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 I think you would be surprised at how many people actually notice your watch (why do you think they sell so many watches, both gens & reps). But the vast majority of people are either too shy to talk to a stranger or feel that by complimenting you (without having something of similar complimentary value on their wrist) they would be diminishing their social rank by acknowledging the potential bank account strapped to your wrist. Sociologists have a term for this reduction of status among peers, but it escapes me at the moment (and I know the term for that one -- absent-minded). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 I think you would be surprised at how many people actually notice your watch (why do you think they sell so many watches, both gens & reps). But the vast majority of people are either too shy to talk to a stranger or feel that by complimenting you (without having something of similar complimentary value on their wrist) they would be diminishing their social status by acknowledging the potential bank account strapped to your wrist. Good point. But they don't even compliment when it's a cute cheapie watch either. I am a big-time complimenter. Watches, jewelry, earrings. And I always notice when my porters downstairs have gotten a haircut. I'm a people-person, in that inimitable American phrase. Sociologists have a term for this reduction of status among peers, Oh yeah! What is that term...now it's going to kill me until I remember, Freddy. In the Social Norms class we had at school, they spoke about this. It's a similar reason as to why newly middle-class people have a tendency to treat their servants badly, whereas the "to the manor born" rarely do. The nouveau bourgeois do this to separate themselves from those now they consider under them, in part to be effective in ordering them about. Of course, in England it's considered rude to point out anything personal about a person: watch, haircut, tattoo. Trust me to be rebellious about this... I can't wait to hear if Bob ever gets another compliment, since I notice they come in pairs, one after the other. but it escapes me at the moment (and I know the term for that one -- absent-minded). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 I took my new (de-rotored) 7750-powered 6263 out for its first test-drive to a local upscale restaurant last night and, sadly, not a word was spoken. But I know it attracted some eyeballs during its brief public appearances from underneath my shirtcuff. Unfortunately, my camera was not in attendance in the dining room, so I could not snap any pics from the scene of the crime. But here is the guilty party Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subzero1 Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 We in Houston are friendy folk. I am glad one of us helped make your visit pleasant. People in Houston are very good people, from my time there. Great place to live except for the crushing heat. Re: Watches, what I find more amusing is when 2 people (say, me and another guy) are in a coffee shop, w/sleeves rolled up and big fancy watches on, and trying to check out each other's watch without being obvious. Sort of a furtive glance / look away / look back / avoid eye contact dance. Quite funny actually Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plant Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 Makes me laugh that I never get comments on my rolex's, omegas or tags but on my Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieselpower Posted November 10, 2007 Report Share Posted November 10, 2007 This thread reminds me of a time when I went for a lunch with my wife to a nice pub in the English countryside. We were happily enjoying our meal and drinks when a gentleman and his wife/girlfriend sat at a table across the room from us. I couldn't help noticing that the man was paying quite alot of attention to me which at first I found a little unsettling and I tried to (subtly) figure out why he was staring at me. Somehow I thought his eyes were directed at my wrist and I got a glimpse of his wrist whilst he was not looking. He was wearing a GMT master and I immediately realised he was a watch fan and that he could not take his eyes off my (rep) Explorer I 1016. Now I know that there is alot wrong with this rep (basic one ETA mvmt bought from Josh no mods) but at a distance it is nigh on impossible to call it out. I carried on with my meal and was talking with my wife but keeping an eye and ear open for the couple opposite. The man then started to tell his partner about what I was wearing and she then tried to subtly glimpse my wrist. Of course I realised what was happening and I played a little game with them and moved the watch out of view and then when they clearly were not looking I would put my hand up to my face or something to tempt them into staring again. It was great fun and they never said a thing and neither did I. The great thing about the vintage reps (not just that they are nicer watches! ) but alot of people, even watch fans do not realise that you can get fakes of them, indeed I remember the first good fake I ever saw was a steel and gold Daytona which I studied closely and worked the stopwatch etc and I (at the time) did not know such things existed and I had worked in a vintage watch shop (off and on) for 2 years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted November 10, 2007 Report Share Posted November 10, 2007 People in Houston are very good people, from my time there. Great place to live except for the crushing heat. Not just the heat. The HUMIDITY. That's the scourge of the South... With apologies to our Dallas RWG'ers, but your city has all that, and it's dusty. REALLY dusty. With bad highways. Was that just a fluke when I went there (mid-90s) or is that the case always? Re: Watches, what I find more amusing is when 2 people (say, me and another guy) are in a coffee shop, w/sleeves rolled up and big fancy watches on, and trying to check out each other's watch without being obvious. Sort of a furtive glance / look away / look back / avoid eye contact dance. Quite funny actually. Reading this is like getting a secret peak into the world of men. Because the furtive glances, the look aways, whispers, look backs is something which is par for the course for women. Only we're not so furtive. Love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POTR Posted November 10, 2007 Report Share Posted November 10, 2007 Once there was this guy, obviously playing with his Reverso Grande in an attempt to get me to notice it, I presume, so he could get a better look at my TT Sub... I kind of felt bad ignoring him and not starting up a conversation, but as we were in the waiting area of the local clinic and I had pneumonia, I really didn't feel like chatting it up (or adding the flu to my list of complaints)... I just kind of made sure to leave my arm out there on the arm rest of the chair so he could look, and tried not to notice him looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r11co Posted November 10, 2007 Report Share Posted November 10, 2007 The one and only time I've had a stranger comment on my watch was when I was sat right under the stage at Jongleurs Comedy Club in Glasgow while wearing my PAM 231. We just knew that we were going to be in the firing line of the acts' wit, but the compere came bounding on, scanned his victims for material, then spotted the watch and instinctively said 'oooh, look at that chap's big watch'..... then died a little as he was clearly trying to resist an urge to genuinely compliment it and couldn't think of anything derogatory to say. Now, if it had been Neil on the stage....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie7s Posted November 10, 2007 Report Share Posted November 10, 2007 The first time I ever got complimented on my watch was in Las Vegas by a gay cab driver. I was wearing my 029. It was around 3am and I was getting a cab back from the Palms Hotel to the Venetian. I was more than a little drunk and poured myself into the backseat. I mumbled something that sounded like. "The Venetian, please." and he laughed and said "OK Panerai-boy." At the time I didn't think anything of it, until I was reading a thread on how Panerai has become a status symbol for gay males. Im just glad somebody noticed my watch!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TTK Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Jongleurs Comedy Club Where....when.....and why don't I know about that......oh...I know......I don't live there anymore.....still.... good news for when I go home...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TTK Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Jongleurs Comedy Club Where....when.....and why don't I know about that......oh...I know......I don't live there anymore.....still.... good news for when I go home...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Of course, in England it's considered rude to point out anything personal about a person: watch, haircut, tattoo. Trust me to be rebellious about this... This is so true. People might make a comment on such things to friends or family (and even then, that's pushing it ) but to do so to a stranger is almost unheard of. Closest I can think of, is when a lady asked my fiance where she'd gotten her glasses from. I've noticed someone eyeballing my 111h on a bus before, and when I adjusted it back to British time on the plane, the guy next to me gave it a sideways glance, but still never said anything. If he had, I'd've explained that it was a replica of a watch worn by Italian frogmen from WWII, but it was a conversation that never came up. Infact, the only time I can think of someone commenting on my watch, was a friend who I showed my Planet Ocean to, explaining that it was a rep, but he actually recognized the brand, which was rather cool. I have to admit, something I do like about the PAMs is how to the uninitiated, they either go under the radar, or are just dismissed as 'large watches', rather than being truly questioned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Nice thing friday night i was actualy asked which rep i was wearing as all the people i work with know i collect them, it was nice to hand over the gen vintage omega for inspection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bark3rd Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 The first time I ever got complimented on my watch was in Las Vegas by a gay cab driver. I was wearing my 029. It was around 3am and I was getting a cab back from the Palms Hotel to the Venetian. I was more than a little drunk and poured myself into the backseat. I mumbled something that sounded like. "The Venetian, please." and he laughed and said "OK Panerai-boy." At the time I didn't think anything of it, until I was reading a thread on how Panerai has become a status symbol for gay males. Im just glad somebody noticed my watch!! Note to self.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perry563 Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 I have about 30 gens and 15 or so reps. I can think of only three times someone actually noticed the watch I was wearing enough to make a comment. Gen Rado Ceramic Gen Montblanc Miesterstuck 18k plated with white dial - "wonderful timepiece you have there' Rep Brietling Ult EVO - drunk cornered me at a starbucks in Seattle. Rep Rolex president blk diamond dial and diamond bezel - beatiful stewardess saw my watch "nice watch..lots of bling" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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