Reply With QuoteNo -- like you, very rarely (if ever) had a comment -- apart from a couple of WIS colleagues when I worked in Germany.
I quite like that situation, as it means my watches fly under the radar (and I'm less likely to get mugged).
Probably been discussed many times before but curious if people get many watch comments out and about from people?
Over the years I’ve had very few and in the main it’s been on cruise ships or in casinos in Vegas, so the one I had this week stood out.
Went to London for 3 days to help take a few things up for my son whose just moved up to start his new job. I normally just wear my Fitbit to London but this time I thought I’d wear a watch. I try and wear all my watches and if I don’t, I sell them. I’ve a green sub (cermit) that I’ve not really worn it much and not sure it’s a keeper for me so thought a few days with it might help decide (still on the fence though).
Getting an ice cream in Southbank and the guy running the van asks if it’s a hulk that I’m wearing. I said it’s the newer version that they call the cermit and we chat about it for a while. Says his friend bought the hulk for 10k before it was discontinued and was pleased with the way it had rocketed in value. Very rare anyone has ever mentioned watches so it stuck out in my mind.
No -- like you, very rarely (if ever) had a comment -- apart from a couple of WIS colleagues when I worked in Germany.
I quite like that situation, as it means my watches fly under the radar (and I'm less likely to get mugged).
Very few times. It’s usually me commenting on other people’s watches. Tricky thing as can be quite awkward sometimes.
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A work colleague commented that my Fortis B-42 looked like a salesman's watch.
Car dealer business manager clocked my Tudor day-date last week. Think that’s the first time ever.
I’ve been asked if my Rolex was a fake (yes is the default answer to a stranger asking that question 😁), but apart from that, the only people who’ve commented have been colleagues who either know I like a watch or also share the interest.
Except a couple of times wearing less recognised stuff I’ve had a couple of comments (or spotted someone eyeing the watch up).
A few from friends and colleagues who know I'm interested in watches.
One was a big fan of my Speedmaster.
I bought a wind chime from a street trader in Santa Monica once and the chap selling it (who also made them as a side line) commented.on how much he liked my Dreadnought Voyager, telling me he was a design.student and he really admired the design of the Voyager's dial especially.
M
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Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
I was on a week long glider course and another attendee was wearing aCWC G10 Sapphire and we chatted about watches. I was wearing my Hamilton W10. He had a vintage Smiths belonging to her father that has started his interest in the watches. I've have also had a few chats with people (Rolex, Bremont, Panerai) at work, but I rarely talk about my own interest. Otherwise the only comments on my watches came from my sister - Smiths Everest 'nice watch'.
Only once, a delivery driver saw my Precista Prs-10 and said he was issued with one in the Army. I didn’t say he was probably issued with a similar looking CWC.
Cheers....Just had a flashback..... Was on holiday in the summer and was in the swimming pool changing rooms in that state of undress ( ok naked) when the other guy in the changing room says 'nice watch' and then proceeds to talk about the differences between battery and automatic watches..... I was wearing my yellow avenger....I quickly got dressed, mumbled and left. Wife thought it was hilarious
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"Your watch stopped running." Co-worker noticed the chrono sweep hand was not moving on my Hanhart chronograph. I had to point out the small seconds hand on the sub-dial was moving.
Another co-worker asked about my Speedmaster 2998 LE panda: "Is that a Tag?"
Family, friends and work - yes (they know I like watches). Outside of these - no (and I wouldn't appreciate it if there was).
I've been advised in the past that the "glass bit" was missing from my Damasko DC56 . . .
F.T.F.A.
I’ve only ever had people (4 total) comment on one watch I own. The steeldive 1970 homage.
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Sales assistants clocking my Horrids BlackBay - twice.
A lady SA in a Chanel boutique asked me what number it was; and a Goldsmiths SA asked how long I had it and how to get one.
Local VW dealer straight away commented nice Tudor when I was in a few months back, mentioned another young bought one who he introduced me. BB steel chrono, he’s after the same BB58 I had.
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In my job as a shooting instructor or additionally as a vaccinator working for St John Ambulance for the last 6 months I get close up to people and see watches of all styles on a regular basis.
Certainly as a vaccinator, if required, my distraction techniques will include a watch chat and I would say that about 75% of people are keen to talk to me about the watch they are wearing. However, some people wearing something like a Rolex seem a bit embarrassed.
Last edited by PeterT; 15th August 2021 at 21:12.
I like to try to be as low key as possible so would feel a bit self conscious if someone was to mention my watch. I’ve stopped wearing recognisable brands in recent years as none of them really do anything for me and are little more than shiny pieces of marketing (IMO) which are too expensive for me to scratch.
I now only have a couple of CWC’s and a G Shock that attract little attention.
The only time a stranger has made a direct comment on my watch was when I was hanging from a rope half way up a mountain in the alps. A faster, Slovakian climber passed me and as he did so he greeted me and said ‘nice seiko’ referring to my SKX009. We had a quick chat about Seiko’s as he belayed up his partner before we parted ways.
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You wore a Rolex to London, as a tourist? A limited edition Rolex, on the Southbank? You talked to an ice cream seller about your £14k watch, which you don't even know if you like or not?
And it's 'Kermit', as in the frog, you know ... because of the green?
Are you trolling or have you been hacked? Seems like quite a naive post.
Well, it’s Cermit as in ceramic Kermit apparently.Originally Posted by Onelasttime
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Ah, one of them. Still … taking it to London; madness I tell you.
Had a comment on my 14060 Sub at a recent wedding, father of the bride said - ahh, a man with taste, only to roll up his sleeve and show me his 14060!
I once had a complete stranger approach me when I was at a playcentre with my kids - along the lines of ‘oh my god is that a left handed Panerai?! - that’s my dream watch’ - we ended up having a great conversation about watches. This must have been 15 years ago, when Panerai were not that well known - if it had been on the street it might have been a bit different but in a safe space like a playcentre it was fine
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What part seemed naive/trolling? The fact he wore a nice watch in London? Half the people in London are wearing nice watches... stop believing the hype. Or was it just you didn't know what a Cermit was?
Seems like quite an abrasive claim to make out of the blue...
It is actually Cermit you knob - because of the ceramic.
I must admit I thought the original 16610LV was the Kermit, the newer version with green dial and bezel is known as the Hulk. Never heard it referred to as a Cermit before but I don’t keep up with Rolex nicknames any more
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The Hulk (green dial + green bezel) has been discontinued. The new one is a ceramic green bezel with a black dial.
The troll here as always is you. Grow up and go and get a life.
He’s not worth bothering with. Seems to enjoy having digs. Sad really.
To get back to the thread....
I've had very few comments, but do sometimes strike up a conversation with others. Chatted to a great guy on the beach in Greece 3 weeks ago who was wearing a Patek Aquanaut chronograph complete with orange strap-braver than me!
Had a fair few comments on my Hulk and one offer to buy it from a Chinese fella in an airport duty free shop!
Other than that it’s actually mainly comments on my straps, mainly NATOs.
Last one I recall was with a black bezel Tudor Black Bay when some guy said 'nice vintage Sub mate!'
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Here's me leaving my London home to pop into the shops wearing a Rolex.
When I was commuting into the office the tube was a great place to watch spot - Rolex, AP’s and even the odd Patek. One of the things I admire about the Pateks is that they never stand out, so I always felt like a proper WiS when I spotted one.
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Young receptionist at a hotel commented on my BB58 as he’d just bought one. Someone also spotted my GMT on a night out and assumed it was fake which didn’t leave me unhappy.
Airport security once commented ‘nice watch’ on clocking my Hulk.
‘thanks’ was all I could muster in reply …
z
I think it's because "Rolex" and "investment" are now almost intertwined and Joe Public now knows this. I was at a wedding yesterday and one of my friends who couldn't care less about watches asked me what watch I was wearing and if he could try it on.
After he said "I don't really understand watches at all or why they're worth so much, but it's gotta be better than losing money on crypto or stocks".
I have posted previously on similar threads that a chat about my 7016 helped secure a large contract for me. On the first formal meeting post appointment the client told me he preferred the snowflake to the Speedmaster Pro I had worn that day.
Every time we met we had a chat about watches either before or after the meetings.
Other than that and the obligatory watch chat in the office around bonus time (people asking me what they should buy and moaning about not being able to get a Rolex) the only other watch chat was at Shannon Airport. I took my U1 off and gave it to the security guard to hold as the scanner went off. He looked at it and said “oooo that’s really nice, I have never seen one in the metal before”.
Been a collector for forty years and never once have I had any watch recognition from any random passer by.
Perhaps I'm not hanging round the right ice cream carts?
Cheers,
Neil.
Once, in a nice pub in Glasgow, the chap standing next to me commented on my Panerai.
'It's a bit different from the one I'm wearing,' he said. He then showed me a £20, lookie-lookie man, Benidorm special. 'What do you think?' he asked. I had to lie, I'm afraid...
______
Jim.
I had a PAM662 a couple of years back and a woman in a coffee shop said she liked my watch because it was old fashioned looking.
My most commented watch (from people who don't know I have an interest in watches) is my Mondaine quartz as loads of people like the Swiss Railways look. Several random people have commented on that one.
At work, a guy wearing an Aerospace commented on my Aerospace as it was almost identical to his and an attractive (I think French) lady commented on my Datejust once which is the only lady ever to comment on a watch I was wearing!
But like most people, usually nothing in the way of comments!
Actually a trouser salesman once commented on my Gruppo Gamma bronze watch saying he liked it.
15 minutes later after I stopped talking about micro brands, bronze watches and mechanical movements I realised that he had simply meant-"I like the look of your watch...."
Don’t think I’ve ever had a comment from a stranger on a watch I was wearing. My lad usually asks what I’ve got on, but only because he knows I’ve probably bought the watch since I last saw him.
I’ve spoken to a few people though. I remember an old guy in the pub wearing an Ed White, he claimed he didn’t know anything about it, he just knew it was an old Speedmaster.
Other than friends and family who know I like watches, only the once.
It was in a restaurant in Tenerife, the manager came to ask about our meal and said "I really like your watch".
It was an Undone Urban Killy, never had a comment on any of my others.
I remember sitting in a bird hide on Rutland Water. Four of us there, my wife and me and another couple.
Started chatting and I commented on his 16610. His wife looked over and asked me how long I had had my Polar Explorer II.
From the expression on his face, he was clearly a man whose wife paid more attention to his watch collecting habit, then he was comfortable with!
I once had a comment a few years ago on my Rolex 16800 in a Pret on Piccadilly from a lady "Lovely watch" while getting a coffee after leaving Rolex St James.
There was also a comment on my Seiko recently where a young lad in my company said nice Rolex, I explained it wasn't a Rolex but a Seiko worth a few hundred pounds!
Generally though I have found most people do not comment even if they do notice something you are wearing.
I recall being on a train journey, many years ago, to Montenegro. I was joined for dinner by a delightful young lady who, at some point, noticed my SMP. She seemed surprised that it wasn't a Rolex but did go on to state 'beautiful'.
😂😂 no holding back
Sounds like a scene from a Bond movie.....
Just once, sitting in a bar in Ibiza when a street seller was doing the rounds and spotted the Tag F1 I was wearing. "Nice watch, want to buy a real one?"
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