closing tag is in template navbar
timefactors watches



TZ-UK Fundraiser
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 50 of 123

Thread: What watch would make you speak to a stranger?

  1. #1
    Craftsman bigmul's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    NE29
    Posts
    739

    What watch would make you speak to a stranger?

    From reading another thread and also thinking about when on public transport etc, if you saw a particular watch, would that make you think about asking about watches in general?

    Eg - JDM Seiko or Precista would make me consider asking, whereas Tag / Rolex I wouldn't...

    Anything that would make you consider striking up a conversation?

  2. #2
    Master Cirrus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    North Wales
    Posts
    5,367
    Last for me was a vintage speedie... saw the lad absently winding it in Costa and was intrigued as to what mechanical watch a fairly young guy would be wearing. Turned out his dad had left it to him... which was both sad and nice I suppose.

  3. #3
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Rugby, UK
    Posts
    523
    I once sat beside someone with a speedmaster prof and told him it was a good choice. I think I was the first stranger to comment on his watch.

  4. #4
    Banned
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    London
    Posts
    5,831
    Blog Entries
    2
    Quote Originally Posted by Cirrus View Post
    Last for me was a vintage speedie... saw the lad absently winding it in Costa and was intrigued as to what mechanical watch a fairly young guy would be wearing. Turned out his dad had left it to him... which was both sad and nice I suppose.
    very similar to me, a mechanic I met, was winding his watch on his wrist, I couldn't help but ask him what his 'winder' was and he let me see, his speedie

  5. #5
    Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Somerset, UK
    Posts
    4,167
    Service desk guy at the local merc dealer and his 1016 Explorer left to him by his father. He didn't really know what it was, apart from it being valuable, as a Rolex.

    I wish he was a stranger, but I got to spend quite a lot of time talking with him as the car went back so many times

  6. #6
    Craftsman bigmul's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    NE29
    Posts
    739
    There's a guy in one of the offices that wears a seiko SKX009 on rubber sometimes and other times something digital. Still not said anything though...

  7. #7
    Probably one of Eddie's.

  8. #8
    Only if they were wearing mine..,,

  9. #9
    Master Geronimo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Hannover, Germany
    Posts
    1,019
    Quote Originally Posted by simoscribbler View Post
    Only if they were wearing mine..,,
    ...and had been previously stolen :)

  10. #10
    Anything interesting - but depends on whether I like the look of them ;)
    It's just a matter of time...

  11. #11
    Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Lincoln
    Posts
    2,054
    A Christopher ward trident fle not many about and stunning watches

  12. #12
    Master .olli.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Hampshire
    Posts
    2,157
    Tuna, precista, maybe at a push something on NATO...

  13. #13
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    29,758
    spoke to some geezer once who was wearing an mbII and had quite a nice convo about watches
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  14. #14
    Craftsman bigmul's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    NE29
    Posts
    739
    Tuna is a good call, never seen anyone whales ring in the wild!

    Maybe any microbrand, so also Kemmner, Steinhard etc...

  15. #15
    Grand Master JasonM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Cambridgeshire
    Posts
    16,145
    Nothing mainstream unless it was vintage, anything non high street, like Sinn or Grand Seiko ( I know GS are sort of High Street but you would need to be a wis to buy one really ) ...
    Cheers..
    Jase

  16. #16
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    29,758
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonM View Post
    Nothing mainstream unless it was vintage, anything non high street, like Sinn or Grand Seiko ( I know GS are sort of High Street but you would need to be a wis to buy one really ) ...
    gs are completely un high st, surely?
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  17. #17
    Banned
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Bangkok
    Posts
    4,666
    Blog Entries
    1
    It would have to be something fairly extreme like G and F or MB&F.

  18. #18
    Master murkeywaters's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Near the sea
    Posts
    7,122
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonM View Post
    Nothing mainstream unless it was vintage, anything non high street, like Sinn or Grand Seiko ( I know GS are sort of High Street but you would need to be a wis to buy one really ) ...
    Seiko are high street but not Grand Seiko...where in the UK are GS sold? nearest place I thought was Paris in the Seiko AD boutique.

  19. #19
    Banned
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    On The Fringe
    Posts
    17,010
    Quote Originally Posted by murkeywaters View Post
    Seiko are high street but not Grand Seiko...where in the UK are GS sold? nearest place I thought was Paris in the Seiko AD boutique.
    Jura

  20. #20
    Grand Master learningtofly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Everywhere & nowhere, baby
    Posts
    37,530
    Pretty much any of them in the Chronoporn thread

  21. #21
    Master murkeywaters's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Near the sea
    Posts
    7,122
    Most weeks I attend several weddings so I see lots of nice watches and as I deal with the guests I just strike up a quick conversation, chatted to guy the other day with a Longines Hydroconquest but I don't bother any more with Omega/Tag owners as I would be chatting all day as everybody seems to own PL or SM or a Aquaracer..

  22. #22
    Master murkeywaters's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Near the sea
    Posts
    7,122
    Quote Originally Posted by burnsey66 View Post
    Jura
    Ahh, didn't know that..cheers, not that I will be purchasing anytime soon and if I do it will be with Mr Higuchi (Katsu San)

  23. #23
    Craftsman Mortis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Surrey
    Posts
    335
    I've done it twice, once for a Seiko SKX009 (simply because I was wearing the same watch at the time) and once for a Christopher Ward C11.

    Neither of my victims was a watch person, so I just looked like a total weirdo.

  24. #24
    Master nibby's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    North Wilts
    Posts
    2,511
    Quote Originally Posted by murkeywaters View Post
    Seiko are high street but not Grand Seiko...where in the UK are GS sold? nearest place I thought was Paris in the Seiko AD boutique.
    Deacons in Swindon sell GS as well.

  25. #25
    Master murkeywaters's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Near the sea
    Posts
    7,122
    Quote Originally Posted by nibby View Post
    Deacons in Swindon sell GS as well.
    Don't tell me that I'm going to Swindon this week...going to have to go and have a look in there then, cheers..

  26. #26
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Mostly Germany
    Posts
    17,392
    Not sure it's such a good idea to judge the entire worth of an individual on the basis of something so narrow-interest... But if I somehow and without extreme social awkwardness discovered someone wearing a 1967 Citizen Crystal Seven with the sunburst silver dial and cushion case, I might tell him my granddad bought the same one in Singapore on a visit to see old army friends in the 60s.

    By the way, James Dowling of The Other Timezone tells a good story about getting into a lift with someone wearing a vintage metres-first Rolex Speedy Dweller crackle-dial pre-CBS Moonwatch Pro something or other. I forget. On commenting how refined and discerning the wearer must be, the fellow announced "I'm not gay." pressed the button for the next available floor and got out early. So just be careful out there.
    ...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!

  27. #27
    Master Joe.K's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Tesco's-on-Sea
    Posts
    1,577

    What watch would make you speak to a stranger?

    Crime watch!

  28. #28
    Grand Master snowman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Hampshire
    Posts
    14,535
    Quote Originally Posted by andrew View Post
    On commenting how refined and discerning the wearer must be, the fellow announced "I'm not gay." pressed the button for the next available floor and got out early. So just be careful out there.
    How odd... methinks he was in denial.

    I mean, is that not a tad over-reacting?

    M.
    Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?

  29. #29
    Craftsman Vahalis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    the Netherlands
    Posts
    403
    Last time I did that the guy was wearing a IWC Portuguese Perpetual. I thought it was special enough to compliment him and he didn't get out on the next floor :)

  30. #30
    Craftsman Dr_Niss's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    347
    The last/first time I did this it was an orient. He was really proud of it and I agreed it was a nice watch

  31. #31
    Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Northern Ireland
    Posts
    6,697
    If I saw a Milsub I don't think I could hold back

  32. #32
    A complete stranger? I doubt I'd ever just walk up and start up a conversation cold, but I might remark to someone serving me in a pub or a shop etc. that I'd not met before.
    Andy

    Wanted - Damasko DC57

  33. #33
    Journeyman
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    144
    Years ago, round about the mid-nineties, I was sitting on the train going home....this guy sits down next to me....he looks at my TAG 2000 Pro....."nice watch" he says....he was a great big lump of a bloke.....only thing I could blurt out at the time was "I hope you're not going to take it from me".....I'd been doing Karate for some time at Brighton SAMA Club, so thought I was a bit tasty, young and stupid more like!

    Now I'm older and wiser, there's a few guys that I've struck up conversations with on the train home from London, last one was a guy who gets off after me he admired my ceramic LV and I admired his non-ceramic LV.....thank goodness for maturity!

  34. #34
    Master Harry Tuttle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Ayrshire
    Posts
    1,627
    The only time I've ever seen anything interesting on someone's wrist that wasn't a submariner (or submariner like watch) was a bloke on the Edinburgh-Glasgow Central train who was wearing a Speedmaster 4,5. I didn't have enough courage to strike up a conversation but what I saw of the watch out of the corner of my eye I liked so much I bought one myself.

    I think if it was another Timefactors watch I'd be more inclined to say something as I guess buying one feels like one is joining a club. My young son used to wear Ben 10 Omnitrix and could start playing with any one else that was wearing any sort of Ben 10 gear. I 'd like to think that wearing a Timefactors watch might be similar.

  35. #35
    Master
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Bedfordshire
    Posts
    1,051
    My interest in watches is quite new so there aren't many that I'd be able to identify from far enough away that I'd have to walk over to ask someone about - and I probably wouldn't anyway unless maybe it was something uncommon and interesting like a Timefactors or maybe an Orient. Even then it'd feel a bit odd.

    If someone nearby has a nice watch (sat next to me on the train for example) then I might mention it in passing.

  36. #36
    I wouldn't mention someone's watch if it was available from a provincial shopping mall.

  37. #37
    Patek, most things JLC, anything interesting vintage of any brand.

  38. #38
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Bolton, England
    Posts
    392
    Quote Originally Posted by demonloop View Post
    If I saw a Milsub I don't think I could hold back
    Same here. But I don't think I ever will. I'll just have to be happy with my Steinhart OVM

  39. #39
    Journeyman RudeDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Berkshire but I'm really a Northerner
    Posts
    188
    An Urwerk

  40. #40
    Bloke behind me in Costa the other day was wearing an AP ROO, nearly said something but he was with someone else and they were chatting so I just quietly admired it. Had never been a fan before but I have to admit it did look rather good.

  41. #41
    Master TakesALickin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Indianapolis, USA
    Posts
    2,343
    I've stopped asking - too many people with fake Rolexes and Omegas out there, and the people with the real watches didn't always buy the watch because they have some abiding interest in watches. I've gotten too many blank stares and awkward responses. If I saw something really, really unusual I might break my rule. But I haven't seen anything like that in years.

  42. #42
    Craftsman ghwatch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Japan
    Posts
    417
    vintage seiko or heuer, must be a WIS if wearing one of these

    ladies in Tokyo, however, don't need to wear anything for me to speak to...

  43. #43
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Saudi Arabia
    Posts
    582
    In Manchester Airport about 6 months ago at the bar noticed a Seadweller on the bloke sat next to me, in the interest of conversation i stated "nice watch that mate" to which he said " Thanks, had it about 6 months now" and proceded to show me the big scratch on the bezel that was also on the glass. " Did that on a barnacle" he said one of the hazards of his job.... Diver on the Rigs in the middle east.
    He also liked my speedy pro. Ended up talking watches for 10 minutes before he had to catch his flight.

  44. #44
    Master pacifichrono's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    7,939
    Maybe a vintage Heuer.

  45. #45
    Watch stalking!! I must have stopped a few dozen strangers to talk about their watches, and haven't been shot yet!

    Memorable ones include:

    ~a rare vintage Rolex 6234 chronograph on the wrist of its original owner on a tourist tram in Florida
    ~a full-spec milSub on the wrist of an ex-Navy man reading electricity meters in my home town one sunny Saturday afternoon
    ~a peachy orange hand Rolex Explorer II - which I still own!! ;-)
    ~another one on the wrist of a fellow passenger on an Easyjet flight back from Nice
    ~a lovely gilt dial Rolex Explorer worn by an old guy walking past me whilst I was drinking coffee at an outdoor cafe in Lytham. It was worth scalding my mouth so I could run after him and look at his watch!

    There are more...

    :-)

  46. #46
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    OVER MACHO GRANDE
    Posts
    12,137
    I spoke to a pilot while on a ART72 flight to Dublin recently, he was wearing a DS, looked a little big for him, he told me that he flies a A320 but takes his watch off and places it next to the yolk.

  47. #47
    Grand Master Neil.C's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    SE England
    Posts
    27,035
    A complete stranger?

    Never. You look like a weirdo.

    I do know dealers who do this all the time but they are trying to buy them!
    Cheers,
    Neil.

    My Speedmaster website:

    http://www.freewebs.com/neil271052

  48. #48
    Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Herts
    Posts
    1,541
    A Navitimer 809 in a lift at work - trapped in a lift he couldn't avoid me ;-)
    A Seadweller Double Red sitting opposite me on the train.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Wood View Post

    ~a full-spec milSub on the wrist of an ex-Navy man reading electricity meters in my home town one sunny Saturday afternoon
    Bet you gave him the shock of his life when you told him the value...

  49. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by Vahalis View Post
    Last time I did that the guy was wearing a IWC Portuguese Perpetual. I thought it was special enough to compliment him and he didn't get out on the next floor :)
    Did it lead to anything further then? ;)
    It's just a matter of time...

  50. #50
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Sutton Coldfield
    Posts
    1,801
    Was at a conference in the USA last year and the guy next to me had a Sinn U1 (or U2.. don't remember) on - I did mention it and strike up a small conversation about watches as a result.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Do Not Sell My Personal Information