I hankered after a BLNR for several years but went for a sub. Regretted not getting a BLNR (although didn't regret getting the sub) so went on the list. Got the call in May, very happy.
Shift 3 months later. I've worn the watch once, it's basically as new, and I took it away when working last week and couldn't bring myself to wear it - the dreaded 'don't want to mark the PCL's; feeling. Daft really. However, as I have a PAM312 on a leather, this seems easier to wear. I sold my sub to fund the BLNR.
So now I'm debating letting it go. I love it, want to keep it but not sure I'll wear it. I know its the 'just wear the thing' thought process I should be in but I remember how the PCL's were easy to mark on my previous GMTc. So while it's in as new I feel it's in the best condition to sell it if you get me.
I've responded tentatively to a WTB and said I will make my mind up at the weekend.
Am I being daft????? Or given how I feel, is moving it on the right thing to do? I know it will be my own decision in the end and everyone will feel differently, but.... I can't justify having it sat there in the safe.
I'd sell any watch if I wasn't wearing it, so that would be my advice. You can always buy another one in the future- they're rare but not impossible to get hold of by any means, and I daresay you won't be losing much money selling yours now (if that is a factor in your decision). You'll be doing a nice thing for the person with the wtb as well
Brush the centre links, it's those that seem to be causing the issue.
Pretty much sums up what I was going to say.Originally Posted by Thom4711
I'd sell any watch if I wasn't wearing it, so that would be my advice
What will you do with the money? Buy another sub?
If you are not prepared to wear it I would question the point in owning it. However, I was initially very precious with mine, but relaxed into it and now wear it in rotation with no concerns. Still take it off when dry stone walling tho... 😁😁
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Brush the links, get a super jubilee or rubber B
Sell it and buy something that you truly enjoy wearing, 3 months is long enough to know how you feel.
I empathize with you senwar.
whenever I get a new watch I switch out the factory band for a nice leather or nato in most cases.
that way I can enjoy the watch without worrying about scratching up the bracelet.
Then when/if I decide to flip, the watch head is usually in great condition and the bracelet is mint.
The reluctance to wear is probably being driven, consciously or unconsciously, by the value and the loss of money involved.
This watch is not that rare, is still being produced in fair numbers and for an unknown period, a lot of people will be doing what you are doing, i.e. leaving them as pristine, with a view to value. Personally, if I was you and I could get all my money back, or make a few bob, I would sell. I doubt in the medium term that it will keep its value as there will just be too many pristine watches, that are second hand and starting to approach a time of servicing, about.
What is going to hold the market up? Are there truly loads more luxury watch mechanical enthusiasts likely to be entering the market to match the growth of these pristine but not now rare watches? I don't see it long term.
Mitch
I got a white gold Daytona earlier in the year; like you I was reluctant to wear it. Easily marked, gold is soft, gold bracelet can scratch and so on. But then I realised this is daft...like refusing to drive a new car or wear new clothes.
Now I wear the Daytona a great deal, I don't inspect it, I don't worry about 'value', I just enjoy it.
This stuff about the 'market', and what it's 'worth ' just drains fun from the hobby.
I de-stickered my 116710 BLNR over the 126600 Sea-Dweller for a recent holiday to Ibiza. This is the clasp after 2 weeks constant wear, beach, pool, literally 24/7.
I was surprised myself how many scratches it picked up but I wouldn't change it. Its the nature of the beast. Out of all my watches though this one has drawn more comments over the 2-3 weeks of wear than any other watch I have ever owned. Partially due to the polished centre links but also the Blue and Black bezel, it really looks amazing in the sun.
Like you I have considered selling it to pursue a 16610LV to go with my 126600, double 50th anniversary set. I'd even put it back away in the box and started wearing my AP again but after a few wanted more pics yesterday for a potential sale it went back on my wrist and is still there.
It is very tempting to sell a watch at more than you paid but in this instance I think I'd end up wanting another and would likely have to pay even more again.
Good luck with your decision, from what you have said though, I'd sell as you seem to prefer the Submariner ;-)
Sell it if you do not wear it. I went to a local AD last weekend to just ask about a BLNR and there was 1 person on the list and she said it would be a 3-4 month wait if that for the watch to arrive. So it would be easy enough to replace if you needed to.
Thanks for the reponses all. Some interesting comments and fair points re: the amount of time I've had it being enough to decide.
I'm not looking to sell for more, would only sell for what I paid which was RRP. As for what I'd do, I'd possibly get a sub again but have a think for a while (and probably pop myself on some lists).
I suppose it's taking that plunge - wear it now and if I feel the same in a month I've probably devalued it as a sale item. Whilst I'd love to have it with brushed centre links, that takes away the style of the watch plus I'd only do that via buying another bracelet instead of modding the current one.
With Rolex, I only like the bracelets they come with (once tried a rubber on my previous GMTc but it wasn't for me).
I'm working from home today and happily have my PAM on - I know I'd never wear my BLNR in this circumstance knowing how the PCL's went when I wore my previous one. I suppose that tells me what I need to know.
By the way paneristi372 - posting the head shot still makes me drool even though I have one a few feet from where I am!
Wear it, enjoy it then have it polished back up if you feel the need :)
I genuinely believe that you could wear it for a few months and still get back what you paid for it. I know WF are pretty much paying retail for 2014 models! IF..... there is a price rise soon as some are speculating you would be in an even better position!
yeah you're probably right. I've been debating for a few weeks now and seeing the WTB pushed me a bit further you see. Will have a good think over the next day or 2
Could you change the bracelet to a rubber b? It's only steel at the end of the day, it'll polish out. At the moment you have a very expensive ornament.
It's easy to place a lot of focus on residuals, but is that the reason you bought it in the first instance?
I wore mine for nearly 18 months and still didn't relax with it...so flipped it.
It annoys me because I still love the look of the BLNR but can't shake the feeling that by the time I'd let it go I really had gone off it. Your post reminds me of how I felt. ie if someone will give me over what I paid for it (which they did) then I've had my time with it.
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Sell.
I'm at a similar point with the PVD sub I bought.
Not wearing it, and I feel like I'm sitting on it waiting for another price rise....
In your case I'd probably sell if you're not wearing it. As others have said, getting another isn't really a challenge as it's a current model and given its success I doubt its going to be discontinued anytime soon.
I've worn mine constantly for the last 6 months since I got it and recognise the PCLs are pretty marked which puts some people off wearing them. That's really only an issue if you've already got a view to sell on or view it as an investment, and anyway it's really only a glorified strap and can always be fixed!
You should just move it on. You won't lose any money and at least youve ticked that box. I had a BLNR for a grand total of 2 weeks. Whilst undoubtedly a beautiful watch I always looked at it but wore my SDc. Dont regret it one bit. .
From what you've said, it's clear you're not feeling it. You'll lose little or nothing and you can use the money for something more pleasurable to you, watch related or otherwise. Perhaps used is the way ahead to make your feel less OCD about damaging a new piece. I think most of us can relate to this psychology in some form or other.
I completely appreciate this dillema. My 116520 I was petrified of wearing in case it shed value. I bought it for £4,850...
My GMT2c I still feel scared to wear. Maybe I'm not 100% sure I'll keep it so I don't want to diminish its resale value.
I've had my ceramic Daytona a week and a half and have only taken it off at bed time. I know I won't sell it. I've adopted the 'every scratch is a memory' attitude and look forward to passing it on to one of my kids.
If you're scared to wear it, you'll be wanting to sell it
Sell the thing, PCL's are a pain and I was offered a new one 18 months ago in Goldsmiths for around £5.9k, loved the head and look but couldnt bear to wear the bracelet so I passed on it. Any watch will collect wear marks over time even tough beasts line Sinn and Damasko but its how it makes you feel when that happens that determines for me whether the watch is for me. I wore a Tudor sub every day for ten years, didnt have it serviced just swilled it under the cold tap every few weeks. Sold it for what I paid (£525) to help fund my first sub back in 2003, the worn look on it was just fine and didnt put the buyer off, hes probably still not had it serviced!
Keith
Much as I like polished centre links I don't like the way they show scratches easily. The problem is that they show up so clearly with the links being flat; even though I can repolish the damned things I'd still be reluctant to have another Rolex with this design. Some bracelets use a combination of polished and brushed links to good effect, and if the polished parts are slightly lower than the brushed they don't scratch easily (Omega SMP Bond is a good example). Unfortunately the Oyster design doesn't work this way and the centre links will always scratch up to a greater or lesser extent.
Paul
Is it just me or does anyone think someone that owns a BLNR is bonkers to want to sell it? I'm currently saving for one, could say it's a grail watch of mine and I wouldn't be worried in the slightest about scratches on the centre links.
If you don't wear it, there's not a huge amount of point in keeping it as it's a current production model with no sign of being discontinued.
Pcls can be polished at service, or completely brushed, or If they're left to amass they actually matte down quite reasonably.
Make a decision either way because scared to wear is not a comfortable existence.
Or brush the polished links and wear the hell out of it!
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If you are not wearing it just for the fear of scratching the PCLs and there is no other reason, I would say don't worry too much about it and just wear it. I had a GMT LN that had the same 'problem' but I wore it all the time regardless. Sure it ended up with micro scratches on the polished parts of the bracelet/clasp (particularly due to desk diving) but they were not really visible from a distance. When I sold it after 1.5 year, the buyer didn't think anything of them and told me he could always get them polished out easily if he was bothered down the line. I replaced it with a GMT BLNR, same issue but since getting it 1year ago it has barely left my wrist. It still looks great after a year of constant use in all kinds of situations.
My 2p: don't let it go and use it if scratching it is the only concern.
Thanks again to everyone that's replied. I see some people have had similar thoughts about watches that I'm having.
I bought the watch as I missed my original gmtc but always loved the look of the blue black. When I bought the sub I made a conscious decision and said that was a watch that could last me into my late years and I didn't think the blnr would. I wore the sub regularly and always felt comfortable with it but hankered after the blnr. Now I've got it I'm not sure it's right due to the pcls.
It was never an investment just a watch I loved and looked forward to wearing. It was taking away last week and not even wanting to put it on that just made me think about this more. I definitely prefer the look of a pcl bracelet when it's clean and new but brushed is probably better for me.
Definitely don't want to change the bracelet so I think I'm veering more to passing it on. I'll not lose anything and it will give me time to have a think about what I want (hulk???).
Thanks again all. It's been an interesting read and has helped me think about things in more detail.
I will add as well - if it was my sole watch then I think it wouldn't be an issue and I'd just get on with it. As it stands I'll always pick my Pam over it. That wasn't the case when I had the sub I alternated them.
It's not a fear as such (well it is but not solely) - perhaps more so just thinking its as new now so as good a time to make the decision as well. I know for a fact I'd not wear it in certain circumstances as well so I just think can I justify keeping it if I won't wear it regularly.
Shift it. If you can't bring yourself to wear it, you shouldn't be letting it stress you out as much as it is.
OK ... sounds like you don't love it. In that case I would also agree with those saying "sell it" (and let someone else scratch it).
My Friend who is a Rolex Watchmaker said if you brush the PCL's you will never get that factory polished finish back. Put me off that's why my BLNR lasted just a couple of weeks!
Last edited by Snoodles; 24th August 2017 at 22:18.
I bought one new £5500
Couldn't get on with it so flipped it.
Then decided i wish i had never sold it and waited 7 months and another grand to pay DOH.
At the end of the day if you like it wear it if you don't flip it.
I am wearing my BLNR this evening at a dinner to support my local oyster festival. A very versatile watch that I totally love. Could be my only one......
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Running at least 1 minute fastI am wearing my BLNR this evening at a dinner to support my local oyster festival. A very versatile watch that I totally love. Could be my only one......
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Actually just home and noticed that the GMT hand is out of sync. Now corrected:-))
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If you do decide to sell, watchfinder are giving good sale values on BLNR's. I recently sold a fully stickered 2016 BLNR to them. A seamless transaction.
Last edited by Daver1966; 25th August 2017 at 04:59.
That's the thing. I DO love it.
I will still love them if i sell it.
Hence my dilemma and wondering if I'm daft. As you say though selling may be right and let someone else enjoy.
- - - Updated - - -
And then I see a pic and think yep you're being daft!I am wearing my BLNR this evening at a dinner to support my local oyster festival. A very versatile watch that I totally love. Could be my only one......
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Looks great on.
Thanks. However if I do I'll sell it to the WTB if they still want it - have promised it him if I let it go.
sell it. If it has crossedur mind it's not meant to be. I think u prefer more toolish wear and forget watches.
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I understand why you are choosing not to wear the watch. The idea of keeping it perfect is a great but in reality thus far all you have done is keep it mint for the next owner should you sell.
If I were in your position I would try to wear it more, enjoy it and should you still be tempted to move it on you can. This way you have at least had some use/enjoyment.
I had this problem with a Steinhart. I had a superb condition OVM mk1 that I wasn't wearing because I was afraid I'll scratch it. I sold it and found one with some scratches here and there and I wear it without any concerns.
Have some fun with it. Buy a few different strap combinations and try them out, safe in the knowledge the bracelet will not get a single scratch on it whilst using the alternative straps. If it then no longer works for you put the bracelet back on and kick it out the door. Life's too short to worry.
As I've mentioned I don't want to change strap on a steel Rolex. I'm happy with straps on other watches just not these.
Altho I'd put a sub 97200 bracelet on IF I could afford it.
My 312 makes everything feel so so.
Move it on.
Pitch
Great wrist shot. So looking forward to owning one in the near future!I am wearing my BLNR this evening at a dinner to support my local oyster festival. A very versatile watch that I totally love. Could be my only one......
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Its a wonderful watch isn't it the 312.
Genuinely adore mine. Can wear it at any time (it's on now). Perhaps if I didn't have it I wouldn't be having this dilemma
Another attempt to try and persuade you to keep it and wear it lol
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