Have we all become a little too safe?

[sarky]

Being new here, apart from the flak what I've found so different from my real life community is how members seem to be very much into buying what is class as 'safe' watches. The incoming threads seem to be very much of the main brands.

I've been browsing forums for years and followed the herd so to speak, buying many boutique brands - Helson, Deep Blue etc and then upped that interest in price terms to some of the more unusual brands. That led on to Rolex acquisition, of which I've a few now. However, more recently I've developed an interest in those watches of a similar price, but these don't seem to feature much. I've a couple of Cartier - Santos and diver and although a well known name, I also don't see them much online, but regularly in real life.

On to my point (eventually) of my latest interest - Linde Werdelin - a really cool range and following my initial enquiry, their rep made the time to pop out and see me, with a selection of watches, straps and accessories. The one to one experience was really refreshing to be honest and something main dealers could learn from. I couldn't make up my mind, but the favourite is pictured below.

Yes, the price will bomb as soon as I strap it on, so I suppose that is my question - I don't think everyone is buying Subs to nessesarily follow the herd, but I do think the knowledge gleaned on here leads us to be conscious of value retention - will forums such as this lead to photo after photo of mass production watches in years to come?

I'd be interested in your thoughts.

[Neilw3030]

It does seem to me that we become conditioned to buy certain brands, through peer pressure, conformity and just plain old herd mentality. I am no exception to this at all, probably followed the path trod by many in my journey.
The desire to have nice things (watches at least) is always going to be balanced by value both present and future.
I just don't have a big enough disposable income to indulge myself in brands that i will take a beating on when or if I sell, the micro brands in the £200-£600 range i am much happier to try out as generally the loses are much smaller, although over time they pile up.
Would definitely like to see more out there watches make it onto the forum rather than endless rows of Rolex/Omega, even though i like them and have my share.

[RAJEN]

I am not sure I follow your line of thought even if I have some sense of what you are trying to say.
Popularity breeds more confidence in buying public and success begets success.
There is always a reason behind success and popularity and value retention is just one of them.
Having said that, I do agree that I sometimes feel the forum could do with some more individuality and less of a herd mentality. If one is looking for safe choices- a red sub or a Speedie or an Explorer or a TF watch or a small simple gold vintage trinket will always have people going ga ga over them.
It is what it is.
LW make some excellent watches but they have lost me with the Spidolites.
Much prefer their biformeter and Earlier watches.

[Alansmithee]

It is what it is - this is my main online forum for watches but really if you want to get in-depth knowledge of a lot of brands you need to go elsewhere.

[Omegamanic]

Reputation and repeated selling and good warranty back up add greatly to a brands value. Along with market positioning.

Certain brands get the above right and continue to improve. Whilst others simply stay still.

There is a reason certain brands remain the go to brands, and why some increase in market share, some decrease and some stagnate.

Most people on here own more than one watch, and most more than one brand. Quite a few own many different brands at many different price points, and at different positions in the market.

Most none forum watch buyers I've met buy what they like at the price point they feel comfortable with, and maybe have one or two watches - they are the ones mainly buying; we are a small percentage of the market.

[mtagrant]

I think experience makes people cautious. If you are a serial flipper, it is a very expensive business to always go for interesting watches, and so it is a safer bet to pick up something popular that you can move on easily.

That said, if you buy right and buy secondhand, then you can limit your losses. I do like the LW watches and they have a selection of secondhand on their website - last time I looked, prices were reasonable, just not had one that I really wanted yet.

[Itsguy]

You only have to lose a large sum on an 'interesting' choice once, and then be the same about short on the one you want next to realise that in demand watches that hold their value are part of what makes this hobby sustainable. Most watches seem like a lifetime keeper when you buy them, it's part of the man maths that justifies the decision, but experience shows that this doesn't always turn out to be the case.

It's not the be all and end all though, and it's a pity we don't see as many 'interesting' vintage pieces as we may have, which are more affordable and may well also hold their value reasonably well. There's a natural tendency to consolidate over the years though, and all roads seem to end up leading to Switzerland.

[sarky]

Thanks for the initial responses, which follow my thinking - apologies if my waffling don't make it clear btw.

With another thread running on LV prices, it seems forum members do make price retention a major factor when considering purchase, but even then, we make 'mistakes' however, more selling them and seeing an increase.

I'm still in the mindset the reason we don't see many Cartier is because they tank on purchase, but with an achievable 30% off new, it's less painful. The key is to buy for pleasure and without a short term expectation of sale I'd say.

[MB2]

I agree if you are a flipper or are simply looking to park some money then I quite see why people buy Rolex especially pre-owned. They also have mass appeal as everyone knows the brand so many will still see this as their aspiration and be happy to buy knowing it is a safe bet. I don't have any Rolex instead I have Hublot, Schofield and JLC this does mean my collection is a lot less "fluid" but there are many of us with more eclectic purchases it is just they are probably more stable so less commented on. I too like LW and good service and would much prefer that experience to joining a queue at a dealer for a ubiquitous but hard to buy watch.


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[Wallasey Runner]

Residuals clearly have a role to play in the thought process, especially if you are prone to flipping - which I used to be

I know purists would rather talk about the watch rather than the money, but there are certain brands that I would feel uncomfortable buying if you are going to lose a shedload the minute you put it on your wrist.

That doesn't mean don't stray wide of Rolex and Omega, I have owned brands like Steinhart, CWC, Smiths and Orient etc and the residuals on those were very small, if any at all. In most cases just losing a few quid on postage costs etc.

The good thing about the this forum is the introduction to brands that I wasn't aware of before joining. I have since owned a Blancpain, a PP Aquanaut and a Hamilton Khaki amongst the usual Rolex and Omega suspects, so not totally safe, if anything drifting out of my original comfort zone.

[Itsguy]

I'm still in the mindset the reason we don't see many Cartier is because they tank on purchase ...

Oh that's why it's called the Cartier Tank, I see it now...

[ataripower]

I took a big hit on a Zenith which was purchased early on in my watch collecting phase. I initially loved the watch and was convinced it was a keeper but something else came along and it had to go. That hurt and i've been wary ever since, now sticking to the main brands or less the popular brands only when bought with a very big reduction on RRP.

[RAJEN]

I took a big hit on a Zenith which was purchased early on in my watch collecting phase. I initially loved the watch and was convinced it was a keeper but something else came along and it had to go. That hurt and i've been wary ever since, now sticking to the main brands or less the popular brands only when bought with a very big reduction on RRP.

Exactly. Buy secondhand-risk exposure is far less. Might take longer to move as well.

[seffrican]

It seems to me that there used to be (I'm thinking maybe 4 or 5 years back) a far greater variety of watches being discussed in Watch Talk, and that the Friday thread was far more interesting. As to the cause, there was a period when the completely normal and understandable Rolex enthusiasm became mixed with a certain amount of hostility towards non-Rolex pieces. There were (and still are) rude dismissals of people who posted non-Rolex, often along the lines of "you don't own one because you can't afford it". The result was the general predominance of Rolex threads, and the rise of non-Rolex brands that are at least as, or more, expensive, so that the "can't afford it" insult wouldn't stick.

Having driven the forum overall towards more expensive brands, many members have become more concerned about the residual value of their watches. Many of us can buy a $200 Seiko and really not worry about whether we can recover the money somehow, but not that many of us can drop £10k on a watch and not care whether we can get all or most of it back.

And those factors lead to a vicious cycle. Groupthink is a real phenomenon. Rolex posts get a lot of discussion, everyone wanting to be seen as a worthy and reliable Rolex owner (with a view to being able to sell their Rolexes on easily) and most other watches receiving little attention, and non-Rolex threads dying after a page or so at most. (of course that's a slight oversimplification, there are certain brands that will still get decent attention and respect here, Nomos and Sinn for example, but they're exceptional.)

There are a lot of pretty Rolexes out there, but the forum is a little poorer for focusing so tightly on a single brand and its associated price bracket and ownership costs.





...aaaaand I know the flavour of the responses I will get to this post, because there are people here who could be offended by a blueberry muffin, and even though I'm not dissing Rolex. Plus ça change....

[sarky]

Thank heavens I didn't put you on ignore lol! That's as good an explanation of my thinking as I could have asked for, thanks.

I have read the new arrival thread page by page, but very few seem to follow up with an arrival thread of their own, unless it's either their first Rolex, or a rare and interesting one (recent red sub). I too am sorry to pick on Rolex, but that said, why are they taking over in discussion terms? Why aren't we seeing more threads started on less valuable incomings?

Personally I think many are out off because they think no one is interested, but in truth variety would make Watch stalk more vibrant. OK off to buy a new Christoper Ward

[Wallasey Runner]

Why aren't we seeing more threads started on less valuable incomings?

I have done new arrival posts and even done a few dedicated threads on Steinhart and Orient and in the main people pass complimentary comments, but you do attract a lot of haters though with these kinds of threads, the usual why not save up for a proper watch etc and why don't these people just design their own watches instead of copying...

But as stated, these threads rarely make it to a second page.

The threads with the most responses and views tend to be the ones where there is scope for a fight to break out, as the OP well knows

[sarky]

The threads with the most responses and views tend to be the ones where there is scope for a fight to break out, as the OP well knows

You can't win here.

[Wallasey Runner]

You can't win here.

Said in jest old chap

[Devonian]

I'm still in the mindset the reason we don't see many Cartier is because they tank on purchase, but with an achievable 30% off new, it's less painful. The key is to buy for pleasure and without a short term expectation of sale I'd say.

You've got to consider that the majority of people who buy watches aren't on these forums and probably have little or no idea as to retained values as it's not in their thought process. I've a few times seen in the Caribbean, say St Thomas or St Maarten, couples go into a Rolex shop and buy his and hers date just's or YM's and clearly there is no consideration in future value, as the commitment is to each other and their watches. And who knows maybe they are a lot happier with their watches totally unaware of a potential hit, than the many of us hardened by these forums and the knowledge gleaned here about buying well, saleability, residuals etc. Slightly tongue in cheek but there's some truth in it.

As for buying right I think it's no different with cars or even holidays, people like to do a lot of research and hopefully buy well. Maybe that does narrow brands slightly but if you don't bond with the watch it's good to know you won't lose lots.

[sarky]

You've got to consider that the majority of people who buy watches aren't on these forums and probably have little or no idea as to retained values as it's not in their thought process. I've a few times seen in the Caribbean, say St Thomas or St Maarten, couples go into a Rolex shop and buy his and hers date just's or YM's and clearly there is no consideration in future value, as the commitment is to each other and their watches. And who knows maybe they are a lot happier with their watches totally unaware of a potential hit, than the many of us hardened by these forums and the knowledge gleaned here about buying well, saleability, residuals etc. Slightly tongue in cheek but there's some truth in it.

As for buying right I think it's no different with cars or even holidays, people like to do a lot of research and hopefully buy well. Maybe that does narrow brands slightly but if you don't bond with the watch it's good to know you won't lose lots.

Agree completely.

My opening rambles are centred around forum life so to speak, rather than watch hobbyists. I doubt even most look for discounts, maybe offers, but not discounts. I'd say the watch buying public, in the main, will do it only once or twice in their adult lifetime.

[Mitch]

It seems to me that there used to be (I'm thinking maybe 4 or 5 years back) a far greater variety of watches being discussed in Watch Talk, and that the Friday thread was far more interesting. As to the cause, there was a period when the completely normal and understandable Rolex enthusiasm became mixed with a certain amount of hostility towards non-Rolex pieces. There were (and still are) rude dismissals of people who posted non-Rolex, often along the lines of "you don't own one because you can't afford it". The result was the general predominance of Rolex threads, and the rise of non-Rolex brands that are at least as, or more, expensive, so that the "can't afford it" insult wouldn't stick.

Having driven the forum overall towards more expensive brands, many members have become more concerned about the residual value of their watches. Many of us can buy a $200 Seiko and really not worry about whether we can recover the money somehow, but not that many of us can drop £10k on a watch and not care whether we can get all or most of it back.

And those factors lead to a vicious cycle. Groupthink is a real phenomenon. Rolex posts get a lot of discussion, everyone wanting to be seen as a worthy and reliable Rolex owner (with a view to being able to sell their Rolexes on easily) and most other watches receiving little attention, and non-Rolex threads dying after a page or so at most. (of course that's a slight oversimplification, there are certain brands that will still get decent attention and respect here, Nomos and Sinn for example, but they're exceptional.)

There are a lot of pretty Rolexes out there, but the forum is a little poorer for focusing so tightly on a single brand and its associated price bracket and ownership costs.





...aaaaand I know the flavour of the responses I will get to this post, because there are people here who could be offended by a blueberry muffin, and even though I'm not dissing Rolex. Plus ça change....

I agree with your judgement here.

The danger, for the general health and interest of the forum, is if this self reinforcing behaviour continues to increase. Clearly there is an incentive to comment on, in favourable terms, a watch you own if it was obtained at least partially for its future value.

If this continues we will see this trend, of more and more threads on the first page of the forum for the forum 'favourites', continue and deepen. I like a good Rolex and Omega Moonwatch as much as the next man, have owned or still own them. I just don't want to see a thread about a basic model for the thousandth time at the expense of something I haven't or rarely see or some other aspect of the hobby.



Mitch

[seffrican]

If this continues we will see this trend, of more and more threads on the first page of the forum for the forum 'favourites', continue and deepen. I like a good Rolex and Omega Moonwatch as much as the next man, have owned or still own them. I just don't want to see a thread about a basic model for the thousandth time at the expense of something I haven't or rarely see or some other aspect of the hobby.

Unfortunately, the feedback cycle is real. I don't think it's going to stop until some forumites start (and keep) posting "YAWN!" in response to those threads. I think it in my head when I see them piled on the top of Watch Talk, but even I find it difficult to muster the rudeness necessary to actually post it. maybe a battle cry is needed to energise the resistance.

MAKE TZ-UK GREAT AGAIN!!

[Wallasey Runner]

People have posted threads about genuine WIS issues or micro-brands and they die very quickly, yet when DMR wanted to keep Wayne's guarantee card for 6 months it sparked over 500 responses.

That must say something about the way discussions are going...

[RAJEN]

Seffricqn is partly right.
Rolex obsession is real and frustrating.
I do appreciate the excitement of first time Rolex buyers and they should have a place to celebrate it.
But,the endless threads about availability,marketing,stickers,guarantee cards,coffins, Rolex St.James,price rises etc are annoying. And both Rolex lovers and haters are equally to blame.
I try to make posts on as many non Rolex topics/watches as possible but they hardly get the same play and attention.
Sometimes, it makes you feel why even bother. Because it is time consuming to take pictures and post your impressions.
But that is the nature of online forums. Some topics are always going to ignite more passion on either side.

[paskinner]

This issue arises with other, similar, hobbies, such as audio and photography. The real cause is the addiction to endless changes. Few people can do that as it means a repeated loss of money. The next step is preferring 'safe' brands . It's that or a second mortgage.
I don't know the answer. It is endemic to the way hobbyists tend to think. Perfectly rational , but deadly boring after a while. Banning discussion of Rolex price issues for a year would be a start.

[J J Carter]

Linde Werdelin Spidospeed Chronograph DLC would be £11,500 new, which many would say is high for a watch using a tarted-up 7750 movement (Concepto manufacture caliber 2251)

Available 2nd hand for £5,300 on Chrono24, not many peeps on here can take that hit when selling on.

I took advice from Paul Pluta, can't go wrong with Speedy, SMP 300, Explorer II 16570 etc.

[RustyBin5]

Sarky - I feel you have kind of asked a question then gone on to unknowingly answer it yourself. By our nature multi watch owners tend to buy and flip quite a lot. As such one of the criteria we use is resale value or depreciation when looking at our next purchase. Your own words "the price will bomb as soon as I strap it on" illustrate why micro or boutique brands remain as such. I think you will find the the buyers of such pieces are much more driven by the aesthetic than the investment potential. The speedy Tuesday is an example of a watch bought by many simply because it's a Ltd Edition Omega so flipping will be a breeze. The Linde Werdelin is s lovely piece but it takes absolute certainty of decision to spend £10k on a watch that you KNOW you will lose 40% on instantly if you decide to move it on?


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[sarky]

Linde Werdelin Spidospeed Chronograph DLC would be £11,500 new, which many would say is high for a watch using a tarted-up 7750 movement (Concepto manufacture caliber 2251)

Available 2nd hand for £5,300 on Chrono24, not many peeps on here can take that hit when selling on.

I took advice from Paul Pluta, can't go wrong with Speedy, SMP 300, Explorer II 16570 etc.

Sarky - I feel you have kind of asked a question then gone on to unknowingly answer it yourself. By our nature multi watch owners tend to buy and flip quite a lot. As such one of the criteria we use is resale value or depreciation when looking at our next purchase. Your own words "the price will bomb as soon as I strap it on" illustrate why micro or boutique brands remain as such. I think you will find the the buyers of such pieces are much more driven by the aesthetic than the investment potential. The speedy Tuesday is an example of a watch bought by many simply because it's a Ltd Edition Omega so flipping will be a breeze. The Linde Werdelin is s lovely piece but it takes absolute certainty of decision to spend £10k on a watch that you KNOW you will lose 40% on instantly if you decide to move it on?


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Thanks again and yes, I think I knew the answer to 'what is safe', but suppose I was highlighting the difference in forum life and real life. Any watch I buy in the 'risky' category I do so knowing the pitfalls, but if I do and still proceed, the feeling must be strong. I'm not a big flipper and I've made enough good decisions to balance the 'bad' ones if that makes any sense.

[Robsmck]

I have experience of swopping a "safe" watch for an "unsafe", if that is correct terminology.
I sold a TT YM in 2009 to buy my first Panerai, only 100stg difference. Now the YM would be worth approx twice what the PAM is worth. Do I regret the change? Absolutely not. I still adore my PAM and enjoy wearing it, probably my most versatile piece and would be the last of my small collection to go, should circumstances dictate.
To sum, buy what you love and enjoy wearing. If it appreciates so much the better.

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[coldwarkid]

The watch making industry is generally very conservative and traditional. Watch collecting is a very conservative hobby. This forum is on the conservative end of the spectrum where this hobby is concerned.

That's hardly a breeding ground for extroverts and innovators is it?

There's helpful friendly advice to be gleaned from lots of folks though, with a real passion for horology.

One of the best things about this forum is you can still learn loads about none mainstream brands or models and if you come from a northern mill town like me that's invaluable, as the only other place you see nice watches is in shop windows, not on a wrist were you can start a conversation with the person about that particular piece.

I recently started a thread asking where people thought the value was these days. I got a recommendation from Seikopath that a Seiko Turtle was the only watch I needed ( obviously tongue in cheek).

Having been away from the hobby for over 2 years I hadn't heard of it so googled it and loved everything about it. Within a few hours I'd ordered one and it's been on my wrist for 24 hours, HAS LOST 1 SECOND and is the only 45mm watch I've ever worn that really fits my slender wrists.

I may have never even come across this model if it hadn't been for someone taking two minutes out of their day to recommend it.

[cmcm3]

Totally get what is being said and I agree that the forum has become far less diverse in the watches you see and particularly the watches that are celebrated. To put a slightly different perspective on it though, I LOVE Rolex watches. I love the build quality, I love the style, I love their size, I love steel ones, gold ones and I particularly love platinum ones. So I don't find the Rolex threads boring, but I'm as guilty as the next man of having forsaken diversity. That said, you post something like a Nautilus, which is comparatively rare and the majority of forumers have never seen in real life or had on their wrists and you get no end of grief from people having sly digs or talking them down. Indeed there was a rather mean spirited thread dedicated to how s**t they are! So it's not only at the lower end of the price range that there's been a shift in attitude...

[Neilw3030]

When I started in this hobby, I stepped up to some micro brands, Deep Blue, Prometheus, Obris Morgan and the like, having sold them all on and missing some I find the prices have gone up and they are scarce.
I must have had probably a dozen Deep Blues at around £100 a pop, sold them for largely what I paid to find it's hard to find the same examples at twice the price.
Seiko Monsters are another example, had a bunch of those at £80-£100 now they are trading at much more especially the different ones like the Dracula.
I like seeing different brands and find the rubbishing of some disappointing, let's not forget variety is the spice of life, so let's all support threads on the less common, and most of us will have a whole bunch of them hiding in the box or drawer.

[ged]

I would agree that there is a narrower range of topics and watches discussed now then when I first started looking at this forum about 7 or 8 years ago. There has always been a large proportion of threads focussing on Rolex and I don't think that has actually increased that much. The thing that has narrowed the discussions are the rather childish and antagonistic way some threads go. A bit sad really because I used to learn loads even after a number of years of being a member, now I don't really see much that holds my attention. We really need a return to those great review type posts that used to be much more frequent.

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[W124]

When I first joined, I found the forum a gold mine of information on interesting purchases such as Blancpain, Breguet and Glashutte Original - brands which were new to me.

Detailed pictures were a pleasure to view, and I learned a lot from members such as Tony (LTF) who would always help with friendly responses to questions.

The feeding frenzy around Rolex appears to have driven up SC asking prices to a point where they remain unsold for weeks.

Only a year ago, Rolex pieces were listed at fair prices, and sold quickly within the forum.

Personally, I would love to see more JLC, Zenith and GO on SC.

[Mitch]

We really need a return to those great review type posts that used to be much more frequent.

I like a detailed review of a watch, with plenty of photos. However, these take quite a long time to construct and post and if you just get a three or four simple responses and the thread gets no traction or interest and just quickly disappears it kind of discourages members from doing it.
Especially when threads like............ 'I saw a bloke wearing a Sub at the local chip shop, is this normal?, get a very large number of responses and interest.



Mitch

[ged]

I like a detailed review of a watch, with plenty of photos. However, these take quite a long time to construct and post and if you just get a three or four simple responses and the thread gets no traction or interest and just quickly disappears it kind of discourages members from doing it.
Especially when threads like............ 'I saw a bloke wearing a Sub at the local chip shop, is this normal?, get a very large number of responses and interest.



Mitch

Yes you are right there. I never bother with those chip shop posts but I loved the recent ones from Brendan re servicing vintage pieces. Maybe this is a sign of the short attention span creeping in.

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[paskinner]

The biggest move-forward to me would be less of the 'how much profit' threads. They are just so depressing. A recent example, among many, the 'speedy tuesday' threads, where more is written about the potential for profiteering than about the actual merits of the watch. Threads on the Rolex SD 4000 after the arrival of the 43mm , seemed to me, one long display of greed.
Of course, this could be because I sold my 4000 before they were discontinued.

[helidoc]

There is a lot of herd behaviour, and we all recognise the forum favourites. I do think this place has got less interesting from a variety perspective over the 7 years I have been here.

So much of the current Rolex obsession is due to supply / demand imbalance, and it would be nice when that settles down, as eventually it must.

This year I so nearly bought a McQueen Monaco, but at the last minute swerved into a ..... Speedy Pro. It was a better choice financially and in horological terms, but part of me is wistfully thinking I should have chosen differently.

Being rational about often very irrational products, it is easy to charge a very premium price, but I would want to see the horological prowess and after sale support to back it up. No disrespect to L-W, but outside of RV, these things matter to me a lot.

Although I seem to have the worlds safest collection, I would like to be a little less safe, but that is easier the less the money matters. Part of me still wants the Monaco, and an Ochs und junior too


Dave


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[100thmonkey]

The forum does have a herd mentality, it does not represent the real world of watches, I can speak on this with authority as I sell several hundred every month!

Its a bit of a shame that people are influenced by others judging their desire for a watch on what its demand is. You should always disregard what ever is currently the forum darling and buy what you really like, Rolex sports are super sellers on here and in the real world but they probably account for less than 20% of the watches Ive sold this month as an uninformed or rather uninfluenced buyer gets a watch they love and cares not for others opinions. There are some amazing watches and brands out there so run your own race because playing safe is like driving a Volvo wearing a Hi Viz vest.

PS No disrespect to Volvo drivers, safety first!

[sarky]

I thought it an interesting topic and judging by the replies, others do too.

It looks really good here, sort of everyone looking out for each other in different ways; heads up for tough to find watches, LE updates, but not as someone said to profit here but elsewhere if they wish, dodgy watches on eBay and the likes, the list seems to go on. I still think (as many of you do it seems) current forum is a bit 'false grail' with many going for the big one, then others doing the same. I'm not saying that's bad at all, but it does make those with lesser value watches think twice about starting a new post about one.

Many thanks for your comments.

[J J Carter]

It's ironic Archibald Chesterfield III is banned when his ethos run through the forum like letters in a stick of rock

[Scepticalist]

My first (and most recent) "less obvious" choice was the Blancpain Bathyscaphe, but even then I had an eye on potential loss. If it's your one watch purchase then resale values don't come into it, but most here are enthusiasts and many would want to move on a watch they don't wear and try soemthing different. That becomes tough for most if you're losing thousands per change.

As above, I really fancy something like the Ochs and Junior but it's such an eclectic choice that it's almost impossible to pick up pre-owned - if buy new and have to move it on then there's a considerable potential loss and limited market for it. I've been also tempted by Girrard Perregaux pre-owned though - they're mostly remarkable quality for the money.

Trying out late 60s to early 80s vintage can be a good choice - as long as you steer clear of the few usual suspects.

[Itsguy]

It might be partly related to the economy to be honest - interesting purchases that may depreciate seem more likely when there's plenty of consumer confidence, and pre-owned watches bought in euros have a better exchange rate. Meanwhile interesting vintage models have shot up and it's hard to find a bargain, and many eBay sellers ask for extremely optimistic prices. In these conditions money goes to the safer purchases.

[ged]

There also used to be the occasional pass around. These were usually reasonably priced but interesting pieces. People could try it out for a week or so and then pass it onto the next person who had chipped in. I think there was an agreement on who would end up with buying the watch.

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[seffrican]

There also used to be the occasional pass around. These were usually reasonably priced but interesting pieces. People could try it out for a week or so and then pass it onto the next person who had chipped in. I think there was an agreement on who would end up with buying the watch.

The only one I took part in (2012-2013?) the watches were raffled to the participants at the end. It was pretty cool.

[ged]

The only one I took part in (2012-2013?) the watches were raffled to the participants at the end. It was pretty cool.

Ah was that it. Which watch was it? When was the last one of the pass arounds. I certainly can't remember one since I have been active on here again, which must be 3 years.

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[seffrican]

Ah was that it. Which watch was it? When was the last one of the pass arounds. I certainly can't remember one since I have been active on here again, which must be 3 years.

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I had to search the forum to remind myself - I was in on this one:

http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...w-of-4-watches

There was another one after that, for sure, don't know if it was repeated after 2015. The organiser was kfman, who's been AWOL the past couple of months.

The most interesting watch to me was the Casio Oceanus.

[bedlam]

Interesting read. I have thought TZ-UK has had a narrow focus for the time I have been here. Sometimes it feels like there are more Rolex threads on the first page here than at the Rolex forum :-)

It's true also that competing interests in watches get little comparative attention here. I've posted short reviews of German or Japanese dive watches with pictures of them being used underwater and a bunch of cool critters and you get a dozen or less posts in response (which is perfectly fine). But mention that an AD wants to keep the tags when selling a Sub and you have page upon page of responses.

I expect that if Rolex announced they were going to taper their Sub bracelet half a millimetre more or less the response on threads here would have a thousand posts and an outpouring of emotion that made the Beatles landing at an airport look like a tea-party at a retirement home

[seffrican]

LOL@bedlam.

This thread has been niggling my memory about a previous similar discussion, so I went digging. I think this thread from last year is relevant:

http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...all-own-Rolex)

[MartynJC (UK)]

I like a detailed review of a watch, with plenty of photos. However, these take quite a long time to construct and post and if you just get a three or four simple responses and the thread gets no traction or interest and just quickly disappears it kind of discourages members from doing it. Especially when threads like............ 'I saw a bloke wearing a Sub at the local chip shop, is this normal?, get a very large number of responses and interest.Mitch

check the Reviews section. I try and post one at least one a year.

Martyn