Reply With QuoteWhat separates a brightly coloured resin watch from a G shock though?
I'm very open-minded about watches (see my sig). I'll happily wear/buy anything from a ten pound Casio to something...erm, not so cheap.
But if I see someone wearing an Emporio Armani, especially any male over the age of 25, I can't help thinking 'naff'....like they've gone to a High St. jewellers and bought the most high-volume, mass market-aimed tat with a fashion name on it - or someone's done it for them.
Its perhaps only EA, Toy Watch and those other brightly coloured resin watches that I also feel this way about.
Is there any brand or style, at either end of the market, that you find just...naff?
What separates a brightly coloured resin watch from a G shock though?
Watches over about 45mm in diameter. And, extremely naff, square watches that big.
Best wishes,
Bob
Not quite naff.
DKNY because I always read it as Donkey. Not sure if EA watches (or Hugo Boss or Calvin Klein or Burberry) are naff, they just steal their design cues from elsewhere. Perhaps just unoriginal.
Anything that looks like it's "trying too hard"- oversized watches, excessive dial clutter.
I still have difficulty with bi-metal bracelets, but I suspect they have some fans here.
Originally Posted by Lazydonkey
Nothing much, they are both plastic tat
Gray
naff is anything that is not to my liking, because of course everyone should have the same great taste as what i have got, innit !
I use to struggle greatly with chronos. I am coming round to them now but for years I just looked at the busy dials and just could not see the appeal !
This ...
& others of a similar ilk from Diesel, Timberland, Police etc.
z
I too struggle with chrono's, busy dials, that weird wobbly effect lettering where the numerals are enlarged or 'warped' like some art deco painting. Old tag heur bracelets are naff. New luminox colourmark and trasers are naff. They used to be decent /mil style watches now its all radical colours, gawdy silly designs, plus they think they are even better brand adding auto movements in them. Horrible.
It almost goes without saying that there are plenty of watches out there that are gaudy baubles of bling (from all the brands good or bad) - chunky gold sports watches sometimes encrusted with gems. These are clearly not designed for the more conservative tastes of Northern Europeans and other similar nations. Likewise the overly elaborate or shiny stuff that is just too much, like many Breitings and also the Zeniths from a few years ago (when they went through their bad patch).
So if looking at what's popular in more conservative countries and still naff, I would say without hesitation it's all the silly Walter Mitty watches that have become the fashion over the last few years. Particularly the never ending numbers of ridiculously over engineered, oversized, over priced, statement diver watches. They are worn by office workers and other professions that do not require them and have absurd depth ratings (that exceed world record depth dives by thousands of metres) and Helium Escape Valves (that only a tiny fraction of specialised commercial divers would ever need). Individual parts of the watch are made to be a statement with unnecessarily complex mechanisms that don't achieve any added benefits (eg. JLC diver crowns). They are so large, clumsy and heavy that they compromise comfort and cannot be worn like a general sports watch can (e.g. running, diy, tennis, sailing, etc.) and end up getting bashed around and scraped on things so are vulnerable to damage. I think they have become popular in our society because we have an ever decreasing amount of masculinity in our lives with few macho jobs remaining and modern man is expected to hide any aggression or competitiveness. Many men also have little understanding or need for practicality in their sheltered lives. The watches are an unsubtle caricature of what people subconsciously think makes you look tough, capable and dangerous (and women seem to increasingly have a craving for us to be more masculine again as well - to be the capable protector). They are also a sign that few people can now remember or have ever been taught how to look elegant and stylish - most people these days are fashionable but are usually inappropriately and badly dressed (baggy shapeless suits, chunky rubber soled shoes). If you work in an office what's so wrong with a well fitted classic suit and dress watch (or even a steel Datejust)? A confident person does not need props.
Last edited by petespendthrift; 15th October 2012 at 10:22.
Any male watch with diamonds (or imitation diamonds if it's the cheaper end of the spectrum) on it.
This:
Pretty much what you said; fashion watches. Fashion anything really, but for the purposes of this thread, fashion watches.I'm very open-minded about watches (see my sig
But if I see someone wearing an Emporio Armani, especially any male over the age of 25, I can't help thinking 'naff'....like they've gone to a High St. jewellers and bought the most high-volume, mass market-aimed tat with a fashion name on it - or someone's done it for them.
Its perhaps only EA, Toy Watch and those other brightly coloured resin watches that I also feel this way about.
Is there any brand or style, at either end of the market, that you find just...naff?
Generally they're poor quality quartz movements, dressed up in a badly made case. Totally impractical; easily scratched finish, little or no water resistance, inaccurate, and difficult to read. The only thing in their favour? That they're fashionable. Everyone else has one. 'No, it doesn't suit me, was expensive, and is rubbish, but at least I fit in'. Recently I keep being reminded of something Oscar Wilde said 'Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.'. Forgivable in those young enough to not know any better, but men over 25 really should have a little more self respect, and opinions of their own.
I had to look up naff. Didn't realise it was a Polari word.
But that's my point. Many on this board (self included) think they are brilliant watches, but to many outsiders my collection of g shocks are exactly the same as Toy or ICE watches in the plastic tat sense.Nothing much, they are both plastic tat
Also many on this board would class TAGs as naff, whereas to non WIS they are an aspirational brand on par with Omega et al.
My other half considered my Seiko orange monster to be naff ! I loved it but it is a very marmite watch which I should not have sold :( I think I need another orange diver now !
G-Shocks can be said to serve a purpose (leaving aside the brightly coloured ones they can come in too..I don't think that's necessary) - hardy watches that can be used for anything.
But something like this..what is it but a fashion statement? A silly one at that.
Now Monsters are anything BUT Naff!!! (IMO of course)
I'm very open-minded about watches (see my sig
But if I see someone wearing an Emporio Armani, especially any male over the age of 25, I can't help thinking 'naff'....like they've gone to a High St. jewellers and bought the most high-volume, mass market-aimed tat with a fashion name on it - or someone's done it for them.
Its perhaps only EA, Toy Watch and those other brightly coloured resin watches that I also feel this way about.
Is there any brand or style, at either end of the market, that you find just...naff?
A mate of mine owns three building firms and turns a couple of million quid a year. Drives a new Merc and wears... an Armani. He just isn't a 'watch person', and he thinks it's a good watch, in fact he is always showing it off when we have a poker night or some such. I think a lot of people believe that a £200 watch (regardless of movement or make) is up there in terms of quality.
Even with his cash he sees 1000 pound watches as excessive and/or pointless.
I'm the same with pens. I've tried nice ones but they just do nothing for me. I'm more than happy with a 20p bic or a 50p papermate than a £200 Mont Blanc.
The things I think are really naff are the awful 'gold' coloured things that swamped the market a while back and won't go away! The dark 'brown' gold plated Bulova things which filtered down to the Armani and D&G stuff.
"Tactical" when applied to any none military equipment.
I think the wtaches and clothing are made for wanna be soldiers who have outgrown their action man dolls, but still want to dress-up.
http://www.511tactical.com/Shop
You can get tactical trousers, torch, and underpants - excellent.
Big watches (anything over 42mm on most wrists), gold watches, tool watches when worn as fashion items rather than for purpose, the cyclops on Rolex and Tudor date models.
I find full face lume pretty naff. I guess it reminds me of timex indiglo which I associate with kids watches.
o'boy where to start?
Breitling, Tag, all fashion watches, slap a new colour dial in and call it a limited edition!! freaky steam gauge size "swiss made" monstrosities and anything with liam neeson in it!
Examples please. I'm struggling to think of any tool watch that is worn for its perceived purpose these days. Maybe I misunderstand the description of tool watch.
It was just a long winded way of saying "tool watches", really :-) I'm not really a fan.
You sir, have impeccable taste :)
These fit the bill....
http://www.neffwatches.com/
Gray
Harder to think of a watch co that doesn't have naff stuff in amongst the good stuff. Only one I can think of where I've liked all the watches I know of is damasko.
ive always found roman numerals a bit naff.
I must agree with the emporio Armani, dkny, d&g, toy watches to me are a little naff. I don't care much for Gucci or men wearing Chanel watches. Overly bling diamond watches aren't to my taste but what's even worse is the huge watches with pieces of glass resembling diamonds in it. Last of all and I'll probably get shot down for this is that I don't care much for Nato straps, not naff but just never got them. Be gentle...
Ludicrous topic.
Firstly ´naff´ means uncool/unfashionable. How can fashionable watches like DNKY, Diesel etc. be naff?
Secondly; why would thóse fashionable watches be any more/less naff than fashionable watches costing more only because they are branded with a name which once upon a time had heritage.
Watches with some spurious link to the military!
Usually worn by some geek with 5' wrists who would struggle to open the door to the careers office.
"007" on the seconds hand of the limited edition Bond SMP.
that's naff.
Petrus, the question was asked of people's opinions, which everyone is entitled to. What one finds naff another doesn't. Not a difficult concept.
For most.
naff = tacky, vulgar.
originally adapted from polari where "naff" was an acronym for not available for f***ing.. famously used as a substitute for f off by princess anne.
i find tw steel naff.. and pretty much all watches with brazen auto colours/logos etc.. ferrari panerai being one that springs immediately to mind.
Welcome back.You sound a bit angry. I hope you're not sore with me for some of the comments I posted in your dull and predictable thread the other day.
Depends if you agree that fashionable equals cool in the first place. I don't follow fashion..(when it comes to clothes or even watches) I wear what I think is smart and looks good and it doesn't depend on the 'season' for me.Firstly ´naff´ means uncool/unfashionable. How can fashionable watches like DNKY, Diesel etc. be naff?
Because it's an opinion? A subjective thing? That's why it says 'What do you find naff'? Or is there only one definition of 'fashionable' , 'cool' , 'acceptable' in your eyes?Secondly; why would thóse fashionable watches be any more/less naff than fashionable watches costing more only because they are branded with a name which once upon a time had heritage.
(Please - please God - don't bring in any nonsense on quartz and rants about the Swiss industry).
5K worth of luxury dive watch.
Usually worn by some geek with 5' wrists who would be horrified to get it wet.
Etcetera.
Typed while wearing a 42 x 47 x 14 mm. gold plated quartz engined JLC
Usually worn by some old geezer who just wants a good quality watch running on time. Hey, that´s me!
ruining a perfectly decent watch by plating it gold and sticking a battery in it.
corner cutting = a bit naff, really.
Yes, glad its not just me that's always perceived 007 Omegas to be really naff. I just can't see the point of them. If you wear one what kind of image are you portraying? Certainly not one of a British Secret Service agent that's for sure.
Any watch, irrespective of movement manufacturer, where there is a function on the face, and the name of the function is adjacent.
Ie, "moonphase", next to a.................................. you guessed it- moonphase!
Thanks manufacturer!
Oh, Huerty's back
The G-Shock was inspired and inspirational. Kikuo Ibe launched a concept that redefined the utility of watches and created a classless market sector that embraced watch buyers from the military to the youth market. Along the way, a whole sub-culture was formed.
Whether this separation is in the minds of fashionistas in shopping centres is another question, but then most watch buyers don't see the degrees of separation that are evident to watch enthusiasts.
Interesting perception that.
I know that the generally most accepted definition of a watch on this and most watch foras is different but when mine was made it was still an instrument to measure time. I am a bit old fashioned probably.
I realise that it is considered naff on watch fora to look at functionality. I lóve that. It keeps gréat historically important watches affordable for the naff geeks
Just to bash rolex, Rolex explorers that never went further than the corner shop.
I tried to start a list. Then I realised that a list of what isn't naff would be very considerably shorter.
Is there is separation between buyers of ´loud´ G-shocks and watch lovers?
I cannot see ány difference between a G-shock sub culture and Richemont fashionistas right down to the Veblen factor.
It is simply fashionable on watch fora to discard anything ouside of the group think aspirational thing as inferior to their ´proper´ taste.
Watch fora dick fashion watches are cool and anything else not.
Behold the:
I think it cool to the power of cool.
Last edited by Huertecilla; 15th October 2012 at 13:35.
Naff? Getting one's opinions Off The Internet certainly counts. But this from bigbaddes:
naff is anything that is not to my liking, because of course everyone should have the same great taste as what i have got, innit !
Pretty much nails it ;).
Since "naff" has a broad range of meanings including "old-fashioned", I would suggest that old-man watches like the Speedy Pro or the Submariner might well be considered naff by parts of the non-WIS community. Everyone's got an opinion. About the only thing I consider genuinely naff (and this is a probably a bit of a crowd-pleaser) is watches with painted-on subdials, and pushers that push, but don't do anything. Have seen plenty of fashion-style watches with this "function".
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
MARCELLO C.!!!
Just because I can't stand that name on the dial..............
(note, this has nothing to do with looks and/or quality).
Daadel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
The naffest thing in the watch world is the continuing attempt to impose rules about what people should like and not like.
The thread has the predictable stuff about watches over 42mm (arbitrary or what), coloured watches, etc. I'm waiting for someone in particular to drop in and state that anything under a grand is naff.
If someone likes a watch, can afford it, and uses it to tell the time, why complain? Half the world doesn't even wear a watch, why divide up those who do?
That said, java is right. The non-naff list would be shorter.
What he said but the opposite !
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