Biggest watch disappointment?

[By-Tor]

As the title suggests: What was your biggest rep disappointment? A watch that looked great on the pictures but when you had it on your wrist it didn't "grab" you at all? I'm not talking about disappointing flaws, crooked dial markers or anything like that... but the watches that you simply didn't like (as a watch), as much as you thought you would... rep or gen.

This might be a bit negative subject, but still interesting (imho).

For me it was the MBW 1680. My friend Palp did a great job with the dial aging, but I never really grew to like it.

One thing was the highly protruded crystal... another was the vintage look (which admittedly looked very authentic) which I felt didn't suit for a guy in his (back then) early 30's. Weird, huh? Of course another reason was the cost of getting all the gen parts... and I never thought it was worth the effort, since the red dial on the MBW looks so wrong anyway.

My friends Nanuq and Stephane will probably hate me for this, but I guess I'm not much of a vintage Rolex guy. The only vintage model that I really find fascinating is the 1675, and that's because it's the watch that I grew up with (my dad's watch that I always admired). Okay... I could live with the Orange hand McQueen Explorer II and white SeaDweller (similar as Ubi's) too.

Don't get me wrong, I find the vintage Rolexes very fascinating and interesting, and I completely understand the attraction... but they're not for me.

So... let's hear your stories.

[Fidestro]

The Skyland, nice rep but too damn big!

[Shundi]

Edited For Relevance...See post below.

[By-Tor]

Thanks Shunid, but like the post stated: I didn't mean "inaccurate reps" or watches that had technical problems. I meant watch brands or models that you didn't like (as a watch).

Like how it wore, too big, too small, disappointing design, etc.

And please explain why you didn't like them.

[Noel Fleischer]

when i got this Tag Grand Carrera i thought it was just too big.

in fact, i tried to sell it the next day but the guy chickened out.

now its kind of 'grown on me'

[LegendofSpeed]

I remember when I simply had to have a Chopard Ltd Ed Grey dial.... I got one from a friend that had been lumed by The Zigmeister..... it was getting a really hot girl in bed only to find out she is a really bad lay..... seriously, I thought it was going to be an all-time keeper... but nope...

Simply put, it felt awful on my wrist and was so uncomfortable that I couldn't live with it anymore... I ended up moving it to someone you all know.. I hope he enjoyed it far more than I did...

[LordRasta]

The gold Day/Date for me. I was hot for the watch and the only time I ever wore it was from the Post Office to my house. For some reason in person it just yelled FAKE to me.

[Guest carlsbadrolex]

Without a doubt the GMT IIc CHS... In my opinion a beautiful watch that simply does not work. I have had three of them, they are all dead. If it wasnt simply silly, I would wear them even without them working.

T

[Logan]

Mine would be pretty much any Rolex, real or rep. I've owned near enough to ten reps and a couple of genuines and never really worn any for an extended period. The worst was the stainless Daytona, They looked awesome in pictures and even in the showroom, but the rep just fell flat for me. Likewise the genuine GMT Master I had a few years back.. got really excited to own the real thing finally.. but I just felt like an idiot wearing it. Partly because I had a damm near indistinguishable rep sitting in the watch case. The only Rolex I really wear is the Sea Dweller.

[Corgi]

The gold Day/Date for me. I was hot for the watch and the only time I ever wore it was from the Post Office to my house. For some reason in person it just yelled FAKE to me.

Same thing for me, although initially I adored this watch. Eventually the gold started to peel off... and then the hands misaligned. And yes, does it ever scream FAKE - I keep it on permanent display now and haven't worn it for months.

[dluddy]

AP Royal Oak on bracelet. I still own it but I just can't get it comfortable on the wrist.

[Shundi]

Ah...Roger, sorry By-Tor...

I'd have to say my SSD V1... The rehut and bezel issues (not to mention the dial print on the 5 minute indices) were real dealbreakers... I've since modified a V2 to about as close to Gen as I could get it.

[fotoman]

my first Rolex day-date

MBW Great White

Orange gator strap from BOB

corum casino

breitling 2 tone bracelet

on the flip side - the watches that i like MORE then i liked the photos - seconds@12 Rubberclad and top Gun IWC - both better than expected

[Omega Fan]

I have to say that it was also the MBW Great White! Really was looking forward to it, but once it arrived it just didnt get any wrist time. My modern sub sits much more comfortable on the wrist compared to the GW.

Oddly enough I want to share my experience about the rep I didnt have any high expectations for but turned out to be the watch that gets most wrist time of them all. Its a Frank Muller Color Dreams I got as a present from Dubai. Really cheap at least compared to the others, but really accurate, sits and looks awesom, keeps great time, and tursn most heads.

So its funny how you spend a lot of money and expectations on a rep that turns out not to be your type of watch, and on the other hand you get a simple present that you grow really fond of.

Those are my biggest disappointments and my biggest surprises!

[USMC8404]

For some reason I am attracted to two tone watches. I have owned several of them and they never seem to get any wrist time. I think the biggest disappointment was the Gen Omega Seamaster Pro with white dial face. It was a beautiful watch to look at, but just didn't feel or look right on the wrist.

By the way, I still have the two (2) Two Tone Subs up for grabs. Tried selling them here a few weeks ago but didn't get any serious interest. Make me any reasonable offers now and I'd be likely to let them go fairly cheap!

[FxrAndy]

I think maybey Rolex explorer 2, it felt so cheep and rattley with the bracelet, i have since found out this was highly accurate!

[Toadtorrent]

I think maybey Rolex explorer 2, it felt so cheep and rattley with the bracelet, i have since found out this was highly accurate!

I was thinking on similar lines with the Noobmariner. Accurate? Yes. But, it's still a Rollie rep which means it does feel kind of cheap...just like my gens. Hah.

I think with Rollie reps, you should really either own or handle a gen a few times first before getting the rep, so you know what you are getting into. When you put on things like HBBs, SMPs, C1s, Skylands, etc...you KNOW you have a watch on when you have 0.25 - 0.5 lbs of steel on your wrist...but a Rollie (rep and gen) is not much more than a Swatch.

I still like them.

I'm like some, I kind of want to put on a solid mid-link bracelet on everything to make it feel heftier even though it's inaccurate.

[TeeJay]

For me, my biggest watch disappointment has got to be the Vacheron Constantin Overseas.

Should have been a definite keeper, as it was a fantastically made, utterly elegant watch. It had features which I require in a watch, such as large hands and indices, it had a gorgeous texture to the dial, it was a brand that most everyday folks would never have even heard of, so it would never even get noticed, let alone called out, but, every time I put it on my wrist, my immediate feeling was "getitoffgetitoffgetitoffgetitoff!!!!!!" For some reason, I just couldn't stand to wear it

In the end, (after owning it for all of a few days) I sent it to a friend as a gift for their father, who, in return, sent me some awesome straps for my PAMs.

Here's a few pics of it from happier times

[FxrAndy]

I am surprised that you did not like the VC, i dont have one my self but it always appeals to me

[TeeJay]

I am surprised that you did not like the VC, i dont have one my self but it always appeals to me

That makes two of us To this day, I still can't put my finger on why I actually didn't like it. For some reason, it just 'felt wrong', although as a piece, it was well made, and looked fantastic.

I tried on a gen Tag Aquaracer yesterday, and was totally unimpressed. I didn't like the clasp, didn't like the feel of the bracelet, didn't like how thick it was at the back, which made it feel like it was way off my wrist, when in truth, it was probably no thicker than the 104 I was wearing (which the sales clerk didn't even look at ) (the silly bimbo didn't even know what watch the Aquaracer was when I asked for it by name, and I had to point it out to her in the display ) But, those are all reasons I can explain and quantify. For the VCO, I can't do that. I can only say "I didn't like it..." but with absolutely no explanation or justification as to why

[V]

Not a dissappointmet but still not what i expected was the Fiddy.. Got one.. didnt liked it and sold it and then i got another one after some months to try it again (because from photos it looks great) but still it was not for me.

Don't know why either but I still couldn't stand it on my wrist.

Of course I hated the Rolex Submariner when I first got it but for this I was a bit prerogative even before getting it so it doesn't count. I just don't like Rolex as an idea... I prefer my '400$ to make' Italian myths

[TeeJay]

Might it have been the size of it? When I first tried one on, it felt ludicrously big (and for some reason, more so at night, when viewing only the numerals ) As the first one had an issue with the lever of the crown guard not closing fully, I sent it back to exchange with the PVD 111g I have. After a while, I also decided to give it 'a second chance' and ordered a new one, but this time, after wearing it a while, absolutely fell in love with it. I admit, I still think it looks large when viewing only the numerals at night, but, during the day, it just doesn't bother me anymore. All that's bothering me now, is that I need to get the dial re-lumed, so I can get the watch back from my watchsmith, and I'm really missing it

[V]

Might it have been the size of it? When I first tried one on, it felt ludicrously big (and for some reason, more so at night, when viewing only the numerals ) As the first one had an issue with the lever of the crown guard not closing fully, I sent it back to exchange with the PVD 111g I have. After a while, I also decided to give it 'a second chance' and ordered a new one, but this time, after wearing it a while, absolutely fell in love with it. I admit, I still think it looks large when viewing only the numerals at night, but, during the day, it just doesn't bother me anymore. All that's bothering me now, is that I need to get the dial re-lumed, so I can get the watch back from my watchsmith, and I'm really missing it

No I don't think it was the size.. At that time I was going to the gym daily so I was more toned than now and I could pull it off.

Plus it was modded and lumed by Mark..

Could it be the gold hands? The domed crystal? Don't really know.. but I ain't trying it for a third time

[andreww]

Surprisingly, the only watch that left me a little disappointed was the Breitling SFSO. Not that it isn't one of the best reps out there, its just that it did nothing for me when I put it on my wrist. I like it better on rubber or leather, but it has been relegated to being my "water" watch, and I hardly ever wear it.

[TeeJay]

No I don't think it was the size.. At that time I was going to the gym daily so I was more toned than now and I could pull it off.

Plus it was modded and lumed by Mark..

Could it be the gold hands? The domed crystal? Don't really know.. but I ain't trying it for a third time

Ahh, that's definitely making sense I admit, the 127 is a monstrosity of a watch in terms of individual details... The gold hands aren't as nice as regular black luminor hands, the domed crystal (when not exploding ) distorts the numerals on the dial, and makes it too big to go under a cuff with ease, the second sweep hand looks too small... So many issues which can be pointed out about it, yet for some reason, like peanut butter and jelly, it just 'works' (although of course, not to everyone's taste )