One downside of working alone :-(
So I started a new job this week so there's been plenty of the usual trying to work out what the hell is going on and what that means etc etc. Anyways one of the 'perks' of the week has been the watch spotting that has taken place. So far in 4 full days I've spotted numerous Rolexes, an IWC, a couple of garish Hublots but the one that has caught my attention the most is a white dial Omega Aqua Terra on a brown strap, understated is an understatement and certainly on the list.
Anyone else 'admire' at work?
One downside of working alone :-(
Guilty! Of the 400+ people at work there are a few Tags, only 1 Rolex (CEO), a nice vintage Smiths, and another vintage Omega. Other than that it's just a sea of Casio, Sekonda, Seikos or fashion watches.
The only real chance of a decent spot is in meetings with technical sales people from vendors who often have something decent.
Plenty of mainstream "nice" watches at my place (some may even be real ) plus some mahoosive monstrosities. Gold (and I mean yellow and rose gold) appears to be quite popular too.
Today, I wore my new orange/black Monster and it caught a few eyes.
I travel a lot, so end up watch spotting at various airports. Today on a flight from Amsterdam to Birmingham one guy was sporting what looked like a Ulysse Nardin El Toro Perpetual Calendar in rose gold.
One you don't see everyday.
z
Actually, on second thoughts it was probably the Helsinki to Amsterdam flight. We parted at the arrival gate, so he could be anywhere now.
Looking on the web, the clasps are black but his was rose gold - may be a variation of that model ?
z
I've seen one Tag Heuer, but when I tried to strike up a conversation with the guy, I got a blank stare. I'm concluding his wife bought it for him and he doesn't give a flying f*** about watches. Then there was a younger guy who told me he was a "watch guy". He had a humongous Invicta Sub-aqua NOMA, whatever that is, about the size of a hockey puck and half as attractive. ShopNBC has done a lot of damage here in the states. He quit a few months ago, thankfully.
Couple of Omega POs & SMPs + a few Breitlings.
I love watch spotting at work
Lots of JLCs, a few vintage Omegas, two serious aficionados with PP and VCs. One partner keeps a couple in safe in his office as well. Others get promoted or a bonus. I get to touch his
watches :(
Plenty of watch spotting at my workplace.
There's a new graphic designer at work who is an accidental WIS with a Speedy, a DJ, a Genève Dynamic and something else which he can't remember.
Our production manager wears this 16700, courtesy of his generous wife (and Blowers.)
The receptionist has a Cartier Santos Demoiselle.
A director has a 45mm PO 2500.
There are a couple of TW Steels, a fake Exp II white face, a Cilla-special - the Casio FW-91 and an Omega AT 8500.
This - shudder....
The chap that wore this, has sadly left the company.
Our chief design consultant has this:
And finally, excluding my exquisite good taste, there's a lovely vintage Seamaster worn by one of our programmers who inherited it from his father; a Seamaster 600 from 1962/63 with a scuffed acrylic crystal and I believe a c.611 manual wind. I've no pics yet but I've been asked to change the strap and polywatch the crystal - similar to this one from the web.
David
Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations
not much where i work.. my boss wears a tag and another guy has a B&R. im the only one that has this hobby and the rest think im crazy!
Lots of G-Shocks at my work. Maybe that's why I'm so addicted to the things!
I am guilty of this too
At the place I work there are mainly SMP & POs, and a few speedies, in fact I am starting to wonder if there is a special deal with a local AD I don't know about.
I work on my own so there's a very high level of watch taste in my office!
"A man of little significance"
Not much to excite in my team at work. There is my Panerai, a JLC Master Compressor, a Rolex Sub, a Rolex Datejust (bi-metal 80s look to it - owned by one of the older partners since, I suspect, the 80s), and then lots of Tag Heuers (mostly 2000 series quartz) and a smattering of bland Tissot dress watches.
In one of the other teams is someone who (I understand) used to be a trader of some sort who got bonuses every time he completed a deal. If the deal/bonus was a big one, he would treat himself to a new watch. I always sneak a peak at his wrist if I pass him in the corridor - I've spotted some nice stuff on there.
A veritable sea of subs here - gets boring - only the odd SD or LV keeps me watching.... Most of the top guys have cheap Tags or Seikos - one boss did have a collection which made meetings interesting ( would go from a nautilus 5712 to a deep sea to a JLC - anything might pop up)
Yesterday saw a platinum DJ up close - was beautiful
Between me and partners at the mo:-
DSSD
AP ROC
Panerai chrono
IWC Top gun
IWC 7 day auto
At work we have a rolex date just, a few Breitling and many many Omega SMP's both quartz and auto. The rest are stuff I have not even noticed as it is the usual fashion watches.
When I don't study I'm working at Sweden's largest bank and at the office we haven't got so much at all. About 65 employees and one Rolex DJ, one Seamaster quartz, one breitling chrono, a couple of quartz tissots, one Sjöö & Sandström (Swedish brand) one quartz Seiko and the rest worthless "design watches".
A couple of PO's
A Speedy Pro
An AP RO
A couple of Breitlings
I work in aviation, so loads of watches on pilots and passengers alike; most notable recently;had a group of pax from Singapore, 12 of them and all had Panerais, we had a laugh, most of the pro- golfers seem to be wearing Rolex.
Pilots in general have all sorts of watches, mostly just '' normal'' non high end battery operated watches ....
I'd estimate about 20% on my office wears a Sub. There's a GMTII, an ExplorerI, a Monaco, a Baume & Mercier something or other, and then my director has a lot of very nice vintage watches, ranging from Rolex to Patek Philippe.
I work in a small business, but the 6 partners all have money and drive fancy cars, but none are into watches - all 6 of their watches are probably worth £100 combined used!
I keep trying to wear them down, but they look at me with horror when they ask how much ££ i have spent.
At least my watches wont depreciate like their cars!
Nothing to look at except one IWC Mk XVI and two Breitlings, a Colt Auto and a Superocean, and those are owned by two people. Our overseas offices are more fun, there's a few guys who between them have some Daytonas, Chaumets, Pateks, Mosers, JLCs, IWCs, Chopards, etc.
A couple of Omega Seamasters and I think I spotted a B&R on the finance director one day.
Lots of 'fashion' brands amongst the younger sales guys.
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Most people in my office wear the usual fashion tat.. The only nice pieces have been seen on our directors wrists;
MD - Rolex Sub, an old Doxa
Ops director - Rolex lady DJ in bi-metal
Purchasing director - PAM chrono & frederique constant shiny/dressy thing
Purchasing director tells me he's 'into watches', and he always asks what i've got on when we're chatting.
5 other guys in the chamber with me, we have
3 sea dweller
1 planet ocean chrono
2 Casio.
I work in a big place and so far haven't seen anything special. A veritable sea of fashion tat (including a few garish storm watches) and the odd g-shock. I have spotted a couple of subs and a sea dweller too. My boss wears a longines that I was convinced was a Rolex
Our head of sales has a Radiomir Chrono and head of customer service has a Breitling Chrono.
Nobody else has anything of note other than the CEO's PA who has a Cartier Tank.
Three of my team have the exact same Fossil Chrono with a weird blue tint to the crystal. I pointed out the fact they were wearing the same watch and they'd never noticed.
Only 1 or 2 of us in the office are interested in watches, the rest think we are mad.
So no, it is boring LOL.
Quite a lot of people in my office (in the thousands rather than hundreds) so watch-spotting can be fun. Rolex Subs/GMTs are pretty common. On my floor though there is a row with one guy with a Hublot Big Bang, a couple of IWC Portuguese, one guy who wears a different AP ROO every day (he has a big collection) and a Rolex GMT II C. Some other nice watches scattered around the department too - Rolex and Omegas mostly.
I don't often wear 'nice' pieces to work but as I got my AP ROC from the safe deposit box last weekend, I've worn it a couple of times to work. It's not bling but it catches the eye.
One guy who I know likes watches (seen him wearing a Cartier) has blatantly been staring at it whilst talking to me on a few occasions. It was almost to the point where I was going to strike up a conversation and say "you like watches I think? Noticed you looking at mine..." but didn't in the end.
It is an interesting hobby which bonds you to people who like watches too. A strange little club where only we know how to spot other watch-lovers/WIS.
Nothing of note, CEO wears an Accurist that looks like a Rolex from about 10 feet away, few other fashion watches - Superdy eugh! I wear my trusty Citizen Calibre 8700 and a few other Citizens, a Bulova Accutron, I work mainly with women.. hence the crappy watch choices!
Sorry to generalise, I am aware there are some members wives on here with impeccable taste, but you ask the average woman on the street what an PAM is and I guarantee it'll not be what you think either..
I see quite a few watches worn by customers that come in. The latest being a Omega PO Chrono with Orange bezel on a leather strap, the other week a gent came in with a Rose gold Aqua Terra, something I'd not seen in the flesh before. My fathers business partner comes in quite often, and he's always sporting his Breitling Aerospace with white dial.
There are only a few of us in my company and I work from home. Three partners including me, one uses his phone, the other, a woman, has numerous vile gold plated movado watches. I have to repair one of them and I have been putting it off for months (never, ever, let people know you tinker with watches!).
I do see interesting watches with our clients. One of my regular clients has a lovely Calatrava. Another has a moonphase patek of some sort that looks to be 80s. Many rolex datejusts of varying degrees of bling (one Iranian I dealt with had diamonds all over the damn thing). A designer I regularly work with has a nice Panerai something or other.
I usually wear my master reveil when working and that is very understated and would not be noticed by someone is not into watches, which appeals to me.
Where I work,Rolexes are kind of ubiquitous. Mostly, Two tone Subs for some reason. A close friend and colleague has a decent collection with two Pateks, a Piaget, Brietling, a Sub, a Yachtmaster a Daytona and a Panerai. Another colleague has a Piaget and one has a couple of Hammies. A Baume Mercier and an Aqualand. A couple of guys who work for me have become watch fanatics under my influence and have a Daytona, a few Tags, an Oris and a few others!
As per others there are many who sport a rolex where I work. However, there are some guys within close vicinity that have some great watches.
These include an ALS Saxonia, RO with JLC movement, Blancpain Villeret, Panerai (42mm), Graham, IWC Ingy (was bought by the guy's wife as he's not really into watches), JLC Reverso. I'm probably missing a few but certainly enough to keep me entertained!
Not people at work but I always have a look at customers wrists. It normally passes the time if they've got something interesting on. Had a guy in yesterday who I've known for about 15 years. He was wearing an LV so we got chatting about watches and it turns out he's got around 25 in his collection. Genuine enthusiast and a pleasant surprise.
The most notable at school has to be my head of year and graphics teacher. They both wear an SS and Gold ladies' Datejust with mother of pearl dial and diamond markers. It just doesn't seem like the kind of thing to wear to school... Head of year doesn't know or give a flying **** about watches, the graphics teacher however, is a little more knowledgeable.
Actually, a fair few of the tech. teachers have some nice watches. The assistant graphics teacher has one of this year's women's De Ville models (gold, on leather)- and she's quite something!
The best, however, has to be the electronics teacher. He has an awesome little collection of vintage Omegas.
Last edited by Alessandro; 2nd June 2013 at 13:43.
Nothing much on my current contract, an Explorer I was the highpoint. I guess the third sector peeps don't like shows of wealth.
Not much here... only one collegue with an Omege Dynamic and a few very old Citizens (mid 60s - quite nice watches, actually). He wears them on natos, the Dynamic on a strap from Ofrei - I pointed him in that direction.
Other collegues wear the usual sh*t.
Some pupils (I'm a teacher) wear G-Shocks. Nice watches!
Menno
There's only 6 of us where I work now and only a couple of us even bother with a watch. One of the sales guys has a nice Tissot.
At my old place (50 odd people) there were quite a few nice pieces, couple of Omegas, a Breitling, an IWC and a couple of TAGs. The MD had a Lange..
Cheers,
Plug
I work for a retail bank and travel about. Most of the staff are women so it's different ball game. The majority just wear a cheap fashion watch; if they wear anything expensive then it is always one of the three following models: Tag Heuer F1 with diamond bezel; Chanel black ceramic quartz; Rolex Datejust. Interestingly the women with the Rolexes always moan about service costs and them not keeping time. The men that are about, wear Tag aqua racers of varying descriptions if they want to be seen with a 'nice' watch. There's one or two rogues with hideous fake Breitlings.
Last edited by AKM; 2nd June 2013 at 19:07.
Pretty much the same as where I am... the boss' boss has a lower level Tag quartz but bought it 'at the airport' years ago because he thought it was a good deal. Apart from myself, my No.2 guy is into watches but is skint and can't afford anything better than a Casio diver. I tend to make him jealous for a bit of sport but other than that it's watch boredom.
Rob
It's usually me commenting on other people's watches however one person who comes to see me usually looks at mine while he shows me his vintage omega picked up from a local watch repairer who has now retired. Apparently it was one left for repair and never reclaimed!
Not many people here seem to wear watches. A colleague wears a Gucci which is horrid.
Then it's just fashion watches mostly. Someone I deal with regularly has a Rado and there are the odd Subs and Seamasters.