Reply With QuoteIWC Big Pilot for me...I really like it, but I have tried it and it is obvious there are not too many occasions I would/could wear it. A few years ago went for a Deepsea instead which felt much better on wrist (gone for now).
Here’s a bit of weekend fun (hopefully).
In the few years I’ve been in this hobby I’ve come to a few realisations regarding stuff I like but either can’t pull off or it doesn’t suit my overall lifestyle / dress / MO.
Top picks among these are military watches, some of what I call big and tough watches (Big tool watches like a PO / SD / MM300) and oddly enough proper dressy stuff.
I tend to inhabit the middle of the road with versatile 3-handers which are smartish, I pick up a diver or a chrono now and again for some variety but they don’t tend to stick around long. I love the idea of a Damasko DC66 or a 90s Zenith grande elite, power reserve but deep down, I know they’re not for me.
Has anyone else had similar realisations?
IWC Big Pilot for me...I really like it, but I have tried it and it is obvious there are not too many occasions I would/could wear it. A few years ago went for a Deepsea instead which felt much better on wrist (gone for now).
Definitely not!
The majority of my collection are vintage Omegas that are regarded as dress watches in todays parlance. I never go anywhere remotely formal that justifies a dress watch but I wear them all on a regular basis regardless of where I’m going or what I’m doing. I never wear a proper watch when doing manual tasks but otherwise I simply wear what I fancy wearing. The exception to this rule is the last remaining Rolex I own, I don’t wear it and I doubt I ever will, at some point it will get sold.
Size is a problem, there are watches I like but find too big, I don’t have large wrists and I don’t like watches that fill the wrist, I think a lot of watches look too big for the wearer thesedays but the owners obviously think otherwise.
There's a factory diamond bezel mop dial w/diamond markers datejust at work that I absolutely love.
Couldn't pull it off though but lordy I'd like to try !
For me it’s chronographs. I like the idea but for timing something a dive bezel does everything I need. And as I get older I find it increasingly difficult to see sub dials. I have had a few speedies and Tudor big block chronos but never bonded with them at all - all that effort and engineering for a function I know I won’t use!
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Omega Z-33
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
JLC Reverso for me. Lots of things to admire about it but if I had one, I’m sure I’d never wear it!
This.
Too big, Ceramic case, too Blue, too blingy, too fussy and also too expensive, but I wouldn’t complain if someone bought me one.
Tudor BB 58. Love the look, but too small for me.
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IWC Portugieser
Love the watch but wears like a dinner plate on my wrist.
Loads. Mostly because I know I will never spend £4k or more on a single watch.
Breguet XXI
Rolex Sub
Rolex GMT II
A few JLC watches, like the Memovox Polaris and Deep Sea Chrono
Zenith CP2
And so on.......
Datejust. Great watches and I love the idea of one, especially when I see them being worn on TV shows, movies etc but just too blingy and dressy for me in reality. Also the Planet Ocean, much nicer watch than the SMP but just too big and hefty.
If watches that were simply too large or too expensive were included, we’d be here all night. So best to stick to those that you like but for some reason wouldn’t wear. For me that’s JLCs. Very appealing, I just assume they’re made for someone else, who I imagine would look great wearing them. The same goes for the Rolex Sub. Nothing against them, maxi dial 5513s look great, I’m just not a diver and have never felt like wearing one, that’s someone else’s job.
And then there’s the GS Omiwatari - a fabulous object from both sides. Not for me though, I think it’s the blue, seems like a watch for someone with blonde hair maybe?
But if they did one like this (exactly the opposite hue), I’m in.
You just haven’t found the right one for you, it’s like picking your favourite flavour from a chocolate box. Try vintage with smooth bezel with oyster bracelet, not blingy at all.Originally Posted by davidj54
Absolutely!
Such a classic design, but way too classy for my dress-sense!
The kind of watch you could get a top photo of, frame - and mount on a wall!
Ploprof - love it, but know I would never wear as too big, and it would likely bash off everything…
JLC Reverso. Such an icon, I have tried very hard to like it in the flesh, but I don’t.
Most Grand Seiko, such quality, such lovely details, but I can’t find a harmonious (and thin!) design that works for me.
I love the IWC Big Pilot, but a combination of size and slightly dodgy value retention is likely to keep it off the wrist.
Dave
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So many, so, so many.
Usually because they are impractical, or I would be gutted if I damaged them even slightly.
I guess Omega tops the pile - love to own almost any of them, but I know I'd almost never wear them, and prices have moved well beyond what I think they're actually worth now.
Bulova Lunar Pilot. Tempting, but biiiig.
And nothing like what it claims to be.
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
Plo Prof & Reverso - for the reasons outlined in earlier posts.
Shame - as I really, really like both.
For some time thought the Plo Prof a fugly abomination.
Not now... It's a funny old game.
z
At least half a dozen Grand Seikos
Most Grand Seiko for the styling, just WTF. May as well be a Jacob & Co for the majority of them, but a few look great.
Things like the Seiko MM300, which could have been a contender for an only watch if a little bit more had been spent on a couple of areas. The bracelet is the biggest let down though.
The Zenith CP - something just doesn’t sit right with me and I can’t put my finger on it.
Most dress watches. I’ve been attracted on a number of occasions and spent a fair few thousand trying numerous models, but none seem to hit the spot.
I guess I’m just in to sports/dives watches mainly, with few exceptions.
It's just a matter of time...
PVD watches. I really like how they look, but when I've had them, I just didn't like how they look on my wrist.
Dave E
Skating away on the thin ice of a new day
Rolex and I have had a few.
Not what they are cracked up to be. Endless threads of absolute crap and all it is nowadays is about money.
Wouldn’t go back to that rat race, ruined the hobby for me.
Ditto, Gav. And with many other manufacturers, most dealers and 100% of speculators all trying to ape Rolex antics, your point about ruining the hobby is starting to become absolute, for me.
This is what I had in mind in my OP. To be fair, most AL&S would also fall into this category for me, but not because of the price as that’s not what I was driving at.
The Zenith Defy chronograph on SC right now. It’s lovely but would drive me mad trying to see what time it was.
Same with all skeleton watches really.
This.
Drooling but it will look on me like a saddle on a cow.
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To be fair when I mentioned the Speedmaster was too expensive I meant in relation to Speedmasters. £12k or £13k is too much to pay for tarted up Speedmaster imho.
Exactly what I was going to say. Absolutely love that one, and don't mind thick watches, but think that would be a step too far. Would still love to try one though.
For me anything in a precious metal is something I know I could never pull off.
I appreciate the quality and craftsmanship but I would never wear one nor would it suit me, same for anything remotely dressy / smart.
Last edited by Sinnlover; 6th March 2022 at 12:39.
Likewise!
I think the others for me after the Cartier Tank and Tag Monaco. Love the look of them, just don't think I could carry them off.
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AP ROO.
Had wanted one of these since the late 90's but the association with bling and rappers has totally put me off owning one.
Still love them though.
I’ll try anything except watches >47mm diameter and <35mm. See my back catalogue.
(I really like the modern Ploprof btw).
Anything simple through to grande complications is not ruled out.
But to answer the question. Probably the AP Royal Oak, three hander in steel. I did lust after one not so long ago, but passed on a deal. Realised it’s too close to my VC 4500V
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 6th March 2022 at 13:29.
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
I tend to end up buying what I really like, would stay in my head and could fester for years before I pull the trigger. More often than not driven by seeing one in the wild. For example IWC Pilot Chrono, always liked but the 43mm and non in-house held me back. So when they released the 41mm with in-house there was nothing holding me back on that one and I’m delighted with it now.
Fifty fathoms. Proper ledgend diver but can’t get on with the size.
Last edited by Middo; 6th March 2022 at 17:09.
The IWC 36MM Pilot Watch special edition for The Rake. I love everything about it, but a bronze watch is not for me.
Yes. Ploprof is another one I really like, but as I wear watches on my right wrist, the crown would dig and be uncomfortable. So not for me.
Snap. I don’t currently own a single Swiss watch, and I baulk at the - to me - ludicrous prices asked now for watches which, up until recently, we’re freely available and for a fraction of the prices they now command. Rather spoiled it for me and I suspect a lot of others.
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Is that really true. All but one of my watches are Swiss and all affordable in the grand scheme of things. But I’m buying used and staying away from the high end.
Omega Speedmaster. Had loads and always sell eventually. Love to look at them then never wear it.
Breitling aerospace. Had loads and always sell eventually. Love to play with them then never wear it.
Tag heuer Models excluding Monaco. Had loads and always sell eventually. Reminiscing I think, then never wear it.
Omega Seamaster. Had a few etc etc…..
I’m Going to stop typing now.
I have loved the idea of the IWC Portugueser Chrono - maybe the perpetual calendar or one of the blue hand ones.
Have thought they look awesome for about 20years, but I am far too much of a blunt tool to wear one.
I would end up chopping logs with it on and just turning it into a beater.
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I have the perpetual calendar. Definitely a watch for an occasion and not everyday. But it does feel special. Mine cost me the current market price of a ceramic sub. It’s a crazy world we live in.
I would advice you to try one on. I went for the limited run 42.2m rather than 44mm which was pretty big
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I think it is the new moonwatch or cartier Santos for me. I like them, I think they are great underrated watches but I don’t think long term I would wear them. I have a set idea about my final collection and I don’t think they would be in it
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😂
Far too many!
I never got on with the Speedmaster. The only ones I’ve kept and wear are the Speedy Tuesday, and the new 2021 update of the standard moonwatch (I’m sure the sapphire version would be just as good if not better), but the update definitely works for me in a way that the earlier watches just didn’t.
It's just a matter of time...
I like the look of a steel Daytona, but I doubt I'd ever be inspired to get one.
Love the idea of a Breitling Bentley, but the actual styling always a puts me off.
Love the story and the heritage of the Omega Flightmaster, but I think the case shape would wreck my head.
Anything from Breitling
I love the look of some of their watches but they are all horribly overpriced (yes you can get a big discount but that almost makes it worse). I also have the horrible feeling that any Breitling you buy ages very quickly.
Think I would rather just get a Tag for about half the price.
Pretty much anything over 40-41mm (at the moment).
But more specifically any Schofield. Absolutely love everything about them except I know I won't wear one because of the size.
Me too. Was sorely tempted last year when one came up on SC and was not snapped up immediately, but for once rationality won out over impulse.
I had never heard of them before, thanks for the pointer.
Very distinctive pieces.
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