Because I wonder if some people ever buy watches, regardless of brand or price. Seems some just like to run down others choices all the time, and seldom have anything to say about their own watches. Or lack of.
And some spend most of their time bigging themselves up in the Bear Pit. I wonder who.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
I know we live in a post-truth World, and it's become normal for politicians to wilfuly misunderstand people to make some unrelated point that takes the heat off them and their party, but here... Not so much.
I'll admit I'm surprised that Casio and Seiko still make that many watches, but even if they do, it misses the point, which is that Rolex are mass-produced watches - the number bandied-about being in the two million ballpark.
I did not assert that San Martin make fashion watches, rather implying that watches are all no more than fashion items if we are being objective. San Martin happen to cater to those who like the look of upscale brands, but either can't afford or can't justify the exploitative prices. We may sneer all we want, but it's a successful business model for them and a good many other lookalikes - and SM at least take the trouble to make really good lookalikes, better than the originals in some ways...
What's significant about Rolex going down in value, is that most of The Faithful insist this doesn't happen, cannot happen. Yet even a company with profoundly vested interests in unceasing price inflation is having to acknowledge that it is... That's all. Undoubtedly a way will be found to reinflate the bubble at some point, that's as inevitable as human greed.
Very little that goes on in watch interest groups is horology, obviously, that is the topic not the activity - but for a Rolex enthusiast to suggest that any kind of cult exists around cheap copies is special pleading taken to an irony-deficient extreme. Never mind pointing out that these things lose value! I mean, who knew?! Almost all things that humans can make lose value, mostly due to wear and tear - even Rolexes can lose value on that basis: which is why all self respecting accolytes dare not actually wear them and instead must keep them in their safes with the plastic protectors still on them - until its time to cash-in their investments of course.
I notice that among the Faithful, there are always those who take personal offence that their belief system is being questioned - it's oddly as true of Rolex as it is of religions. This is Too Bad, because these things should always be questioned - dogma is dangerous, repressive, regressive stuff, and just as religion has sometimes hampered mankind's progress, so too has the tumour-like growth of the Rolex obsession in our little corner of existence toxified an entire hobby, warping it away from a geeky passion for an obsolete technology into an ugly numbers game where only one brand is seen as important, and only its stored monetary value really counting for anything even then. It's always the retort of last resort "At least my Rolex hasn't lost me any money!" - like that's all that really matters in life and in this hobby...
However much it makes arguing simple, neither me, nor anyone else who dares point-out that the emperor is in fact naked does so because we hate or envy Rolex or its owners, it's not personal - it's just the bullshit that goes with the brand, the zealotry of the more vocal owners, and the toxic effects that ripple out across everything else. Those are loathesome...
In fairness, with respect V, the buying and wearing of any watch regardless of brand in and of itself isn't horology, horology being the scientific study of time...a horologist is a person or company that makes or repairs clocks or watches...The pastime under discussion is probably most honestly described as shopping and collecting. Though there are doubtless some few horologists among the TZ ranks. Likewise donning a pair of trainers, any pair, doesn't bestow athleticism despite what the billions spent on advertising may seek to suggest otherwise...sigh, if only it were that easy.
Last edited by Passenger; 2nd May 2024 at 07:56.
Rubbish. Many people who buy Rolex wear them every day. In fact I would go so far as to say the vast majority do.
I myself wear every watch I own, some more than others, the Rolex models more than most.
Those keeping them in safes for a couple of years hoping to cash in most likely aren’t Rolex fans, they’re investors, attracted by the prospect of a quick buck. That’s why they moan when prices begin to fall.
Me I don’t care, I’ll be buying the Rolexes off them if they take a bath because I like the watches.
I’ll also probably buy some more beaters as well, like San Martins, when their owners realise no matter how much they look like a Rolex nobody cares what watch you wear in the real world.
They see the condescending smile they get when they tell someone that their 100 quid watch is as good as a Rolex then want their money back. Thing is they’re virtually worthless because most people can afford 100 quid for a new one. Handy for gardening and workshop duties though.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
I put my Day Date on this morning, when setting it i was thinking how can anyone know if its two or three seconds out, no one can tell just by looking at it, my eyes aren't even good enough to see the faint second markers on the dial, so why does it matter, i cant remember the last time i set a watch precisely, its an indication of the time, there or there abouts is good enough.
why did i put that watch on this morning? because its pretty, attractive, nice looking.................one of them
Heck I'm with you on there or thereabouts re timekeeping, but you can't deny it's a pretty substantial FAB for the R brand, being they nearly always stick a reference to the certificate of superlative time keeping, the implication of which is presumably meritorious, smack dab on the dial there as a permanent reminder.
Much like you I wear mine cos they make me smile, look attractive, keep good enough time, cope with the days activities.
One imagines IF Rolex were to achieve investment grade status, no doubt they'd stick the credit rating somewhere on the dial too, AAA, chuckle, just a little tongue in cheek humour.
(Well bought and managed property both commercial/ industrial and residential, in the right location, will almost always rise in value, IME...just to add to the views expressed, on the point about all stuff potentially losing money.)
Last edited by Passenger; 2nd May 2024 at 08:40.
Green Party spokesman Gerard Bankvole comments:
"Whilst solar, wind and tidal have previously formed the main focus for environmentally friendly power generation, recent developments in watch forum technology promise to revolutionise the sector. Any thread concerning Rolex watches, whether started in a critical or positive tone, is guaranteed to generate hot air that, if fully captured, could drive a turbine generating up to 5 megawatts of clean electricity, and in some cases much more. A recent thread "Why my Invicta Pro Diver is a better watch than the Rolex SD, and will one day be worth more" created a surge of thermal bloviation sufficient to power Barnsley for a month. Behavioural psychologists specialising in watch twat studies are currently collaborating with clean energy researchers to develop even more powerful Rolex-based s***posts. A recent experimental thread planted by undercover scientists on Watchuseek using the handle "OGRolexBro" and entitled "Jealous paupers hate my Root Beer because they will never own one" has already generated such intense heat that it is theorised it could be utilised to kickstart a nuclear fusion reactor. We live in very exciting times."
Sorry, but you're not helping your case here.
Firstly you're reducing a vast (which you note yourself when citing production numbers) group of people to "the faithful" and making some highly entertaining statements.
Who are these "faithful" exactly?
I'm a fan of the brand, am I one of the "faithful" who insists that Rolex cannot lose value? Because I think if you look back on this thread, I've said exactly the opposite and noted that it's about time that the bubble burst because it was falsely inflated by stupidity.
I also like wear and enjoy other brands so do most other posters on this forum, so your narrative that Rolex fans cannot appreciate watches unless theres a crown logo on the dial is inaccurate and disappointingly puerile tbh.
There is no irony in noting that people who go to the lengths of amassing copies and homages in order to compare them to the real thing and declare that they are definitely better is cult-like behaviour.
The definition of a cult is a small group that is not part of a larger and more accepted religion, or a relatively small group of people having religious practices or beliefs which are regarded by others as strange.
Given that you're utterly insistent that "The Followers" of Rolex are wide spread sheeple effectively polluting horology for the "real enthusiasts" TM then Rolex must be a pretty broad church with a large congregation. Are you following?
Therefore the "My homage is just as good as.. please click and subscribe on my hundredth video extolling the virtues of the Mitty Martin" is a relatively small group exhibiting practices or beliefs which are regarded by others as strange.
No irony there.
You can pout and complain that the retort of the Rolex owner is that "at least my Rolex hasn't lost me money" but it wasn't Rolex owners that introduced a graph to make a point, was it?
It wasnt any of the sheep, it was you. So I would suggest that if you don't want Rolex owners to respond with commentary about value retention - don't introduce it with a barely contained semi because you've observed a drop in market prices.
This drop hasn't affected anybody who bought their watch because they wanted to wear it.
You can say its not personal if you like, but when you position yourself as someone who "simply loves watches" or "is just into horology" or however you phrased it, while consistently referring to people who have one or a few Rolex in their collection as "the followers" or cultists or those who's scales have not yet fallen from their eyes then of course its personal because your elevation as a lover of horology can only succeed in this context by diminishing others.
You're not a man questioning a belief system like some sort of savant.
This sort of narrative isn't new which is probably why you do enjoy some success at getting people to take the bait.
The reality is though that most of us have been on forums and into watches for a number of years and have a broad view and experience of most notable brands.
The safe queen investor crypto Rolex Covid cash crew were never on here, and have long since departed the "watch game" so all you're doing really is attempting to sow division amongst peers.
A few seconds a day is fine but get into ten or twenty seconds per day and you can easily be out by a couple of minutes a week. Maybe that’s ok for most folk but my Seikos drive me crazy because I’m having to reset them so often.
I'll keep it brief because this has become tedious for onlookers and is starting to get personal, which certainly hasn't been my intention, as I thought I'd explained.
All I can see here is you repeatedly ignoring every salient point raised and instead erecting straw-men by putting words in my mouth and ascribing intent to my motives that I have explicitly demurred. If you feel that has advanced your cause, then congratulations, you have achieved a very 2024 victory.
One thing's abundantly clear - the more that people angrily rant that there is no obsessive cult of Rolex fandom, the more I...
Getting personal
Emotional
Repeatedly ignoring salient points
Straw men
Angry ranting
If projection makes you feel better and all that.
Various posters on this thread saying that superlative time keeping doesn't matter to them. Each to their own but I completely disagree. One of the glorious things about Rolex is that, in my experience, they are fantastic time keepers. I'm one of those who obsesses over timekeeping and I expect watches to perform within their stated spec. Good timekeeping is one of the reasons to spend more on a mechanical watch imo.
Anyhoo, how important or otherwise timekeeping is to the wearer is irrelevant when considering the 32xx movement issue. The fact is, if there's a problem Rolex needs to acknowledge it and be transparent. These watches are expensive and if there's an inherent design problem with the current movement it's just not acceptable for Rolex to ignore it. I can understand why used dealers are remaining silent on the issue as it will impact their business but I'd expect more watch commentators to have at least acknowledged it.
If others on here are like myself,then that watch running +/- whatever over the week wouldn't actually matter or be worn for a week if changed as most do,that being a daily change of watch.
Perhaps it could be if worn for the week,but even then are most of us ruled by a couple of minutes plus or minus on our watches.
Can't really say you'd miss a bus or train, & most people get to important meetings/Interviews well before the agreed times.
100% Just the WIS on watch forums to talk about.....Hence the replies & reasons given to justify after reading this!.
Last edited by P9CLY; 2nd May 2024 at 13:56.
Nothing wrong with Rolex - robust + reliable but with output over a million a year just doesn’t attract me any more.
Still like to find out about the 8 Rolex Toshk bought in the last 4 years, which apparently were losing between 1-2 and 3-4 seconds. I don't remember seeing any threads about the problem or any posts mentioning it, perhaps I just missed them.
8 in the last 4 years is pretty good going for someone who called me a 'fanboy'!
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
The issues with the 32 cals have been discussed here - https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...ight=amplitude
Also! Oystersteel is as as soft as 32xx amplitudes
Last edited by Toshk; 2nd May 2024 at 19:32.
I've never seen a San Martin first hand, but I do know that Gary is as much a fanboy (of SM) as Rolex fanboys are.
That said, he's far from alone in praising their high quality finish amongst the Ali brands, which they should have, being double or more the price of some competitors.
As others have said, it's a moot point. You don't cross shop Rolex and San Martin, but it is probably indicative of how good fake Rolexes are these days, which is probably worrying for those shopping for a used Rolex.
I guess the better Rolex 'homage' brands like Steinhart are going to be the ones taking a hit from San Martin, though.
If you want something that looks much like a Rolex Sub, you can buy a £60 Pagani Design. If you want the brand on your wrist, you'll never be satisfied with another brand.
M
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