Reply With QuoteAnd yet he holds and voices strong, but ill-informed, views on them?Originally Posted by beechcustom
M.
And yet it's a common refrain from some on this forum that people only buy Rolex because it's a well-known brand and it impresses people.
Not only is this not true, I think it actually goes the other way. I don't tell most people about my Rolex obsession because I worry they'll think I'm an 80s Loadsamoney stockbroker type.
I wish they would make the exact same watches, but change the name to something people have never heard of. "What, this old thing? It's just a Wilsdorf & Davis. Nothing fancy."
And yet he holds and voices strong, but ill-informed, views on them?
M.
I like this approach. It gets to the heart of who are you buying these watches for? Are they for yourself or to impress others?
I think most people on here are buying for themselves, so who cares if someone thinks your watch looks cheaper than another or they don't like it. It's not for them, it's for you, and yours is the only opinion that matters here (well, maybe the wife's as well....)
Brilliant! I will use this in future. Bravo sir!
Absolutely!
I don't think (m)any here buy watches to impress others, but for their own pleasure/interest and the general feeling I get is that people post their new acquisitions/freshly refurbished watches because they know others will be interested in the watches themselves, but clearly some brands (TAG maybe it seems!) do impress some people!
M.
Not really. It was just a casual conversation that started when I asked how strong the magnetic fields were in the control room. He's far more interested in sci-fi and the new XFiles episodes.And yet he holds and voices strong, but ill-informed, views on them?
M.
Fair enough, I guess that's the problem with reading a snippet of conversation out of context
M.
In any event I'm pretty sure my watch got magnetised while I was in the control room. It's gone from +1 sec ond per day to -2mins :-(Fair enough, I guess that's the problem with reading a snippet of conversation out of context
M.
A studio engineer, I'm assuming sound, is that right?
If so there will be brands alright, and plenty of them, just not horological in nature
Really? Are you sure? if the brand is unimportant to you, why not buy homages and save a packet?
Or do you secretly like the attention, like celebrities moaning on about privacy, yet ready to pose at the the sniff of a pap
Because surely there isn't a difference in quality between the real deal and the homages. It's just the logo
I disagree, I think there is a difference in quality, and certainly a difference in history or to link to wine, terroir (if you believe in that type of thing)
It seems my attempt at sarcasm didn't quite work.
If she did the same to you with shoes/handbags/dresses would you fare any better?
It worked fine.
Try a smilie next time - bear in mind there are plenty on here who subscribe to your sarcastic view as the gospel of St. Veblen.
Many cats will die :(
Exactly!
There's no difference at all!!
All branding is, is marketing for the sheeple, emperor's new clothes, 1000's % mark-ups, peer pressure, wanting to show off, vanity, BS, for the gullible, the stupid, Veblen, etc. etc.
Or so I'm lead to believe by some of the 'wiser' members here
Oh, I do like that!
Guess it's a variation on Poe's law.
Last edited by meijlinder; 2nd March 2016 at 13:20. Reason: added link
Good try, but no sale...
Rather the opposite actually. My wife is perfectly capable of evaluating looks, quality, finish, etc. Therefore, perhaps, we should wonder if the only reason we pay more for a certain brand is because of the brand name.
i think it is at least part of the reason. I mean, show me the difference in quality or finishing between an Omega seamaster or an AP Royal Oak?
That's a a really, really bad example. The Royal Oak's finishing is superb; I have had two and, ohh I dunno, a dozen Seamasters. Have a Google for the Youtube video of how the RO bracelet is made for example. If you can't see or appreciate the difference in a largely hand made watch to a predominantly machine made watch, you really are in the wrong hobby.
But I think you've established this...
Evidently not.
My gf likes to pause the tv and ask "what watch is that?" and is delighted if I can accurately
spot it. Also enjoys skimming through the ads for fakes on gumtree and have me point out the tells as to why it's a POS and not a hidden gem from a dead uncles attic.
Ha you are correct! We were discussing what sound the bass player wanted and the Engineer instantly said "I'd use the AMPEG SVT Classic if I were you...."
Perhaps I should have said that those people like him, who appear to love what they do for a living, don't need materialism to make them feel good about themselves.
Yes - and they're different to yours, which is the point you're getting at! And only one brand at that, if we're counting...And yet he holds and voices strong, but ill-informed, views on them?
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
How do you know they're different to mine?
And TAG and Rolex makes two the way I count...
M.
Are you saying the only way to measure someone's (or someone's wife's!) ability to assess quality in any walk of life, is to have them compare luxury men's wristwatches?
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
You called them ill-informed; unless you're also saying that your own views are ill-informed :).
Rolexes are for old men? I think the average age of a Rolex owner, despite all the cognoscenti here, is quite a bit greater than the average TAG owner. So he may not be far off base. That's a comment more about the people who buy them, than the intrinsic quality of the brand as a product.
He then said that the only brand he'd heard of that he considered "worth something" (although worth what, in terms of product quality, admittedly it wasn't said) was TAG-Heuer. Given the scale of their advertising I'd have thought this was inevitable. If he's not aware of other brands, it's the fault of those other brands. Why does that hurt WIS so much, that not everyone did Double Hand-Winding on Thursday mornings at school and hasn't heard of their particularly personal favourite brand?
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
Well now your projecting your opinions regarding Rolex and TAG.
I would say Rolex are not 'just for old men' (if you're interested in this, look around at celebrity photos - Women and younger men wear them quite frequently - So I feel his view of Rolex is really quite wrong based on observation).
I don't really know enough about TAG to make a definitive statement, but as it was stated that he didn't need brands, I do wonder how he can be well informed enough to state that that is the 'only' brand 'worth something'...?
I didn't actually state my opinion of either brand, so you can't know what my views are (or how well informed) - If someone is going to make statements, they need to be prepared for people to expose them as hollow...
His opinion is his, but I don't think you've made a case for it being anything other than ill-informed...
I could say "Mercedes make shit cars that only sales rep drive", it might be my opinion, but it won't make it true...
M
Last edited by snowman; 2nd March 2016 at 15:00.
Then we'll have to disagree. Celebrity sightings are not how I would choose to assess the demographic of Rolex ownership; it's not a slight on Rolex owners that on average I believe them to be older than TAG-Heuer owners, but I'd still put money on it.
"Rolexes are for old men" is a pejorative way of putting it, though, possibly to be expected from the younger age bracket for whom rudeness is now so commonplace that it appears to be rubbing off on the rest.
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
Thanks for making me see that I'm in the wrong hobby.
However, I own a RO offshore and a few seamasters as well (though not dozens), and I honestly cannot see any quality difference.
Perhaps I'm as visually impaired as my wife is.
I had no idea there was such an "us vs them" thing between watch-nerds and non-watch-nerds. It's rather surprising, and a little bit disappointing, to be honest.
Goodness knows what the watch nerds will think about it.
Let alone the #watchnerds...
Really?
Can I politely suggest a
Specsavers appointment ASAP
There isn't, it's just certain WIS lording their superior horological knowledge over 'the plebs', as if it was important, trying to feel like BIG people, a watch power trip if you will.
And what angers up their blood is that the majority simply, if they like watches at all, buy on brand, looks, price or a combination of the three and don't care what's inside or how it was made
To be honest (and I consider myself a watch nerd of sorts), I buy on looks and price more than manufacture. If I think a watch is ugly (or I can't afford it) then the movement and manufacture is entirely academic: I'm not going to buy it! An appreciation of what goes into a piece of haute horlogerie is right and proper though, IMO.
Brand is a difficult one. There are brands I gravitate towards (Omega), brands whose products I just don't especially like the look of, but generally I'll buy more on other interest factors. At root though, this is all highly subjective and I'm never going to tell someone they're wrong for buying a particular watch. I might not want one myself, but that's not relevant to their decision.
Sure you're not bringing some of your own issues to the discussion?
I thought that's what a Rolex was for? ;-)
I thought that's what a Grand Seiko was for? ;-)
Exactly!
But why feel stupid at all? If you bought the watches according to your personal preferences and for your personal satisfaction, then who cares if a non-watch person can't tell which is the most valuable. It just doesn't matter. You could have fun pointing out which really are most and least valuable and then carry on enjoying wearing them.
Not all non- watch nerds can be lumped together.
Some are more discerning than others.
It is a well-known 'fact' (Atleast according to Invicta wearers ) that Invictas invite the most positive watch related comments and are chick magnets.
ROFL! Presumably (hopefully) he is not a mechanical engineer.
It does seem to be the case that in many instances it is watches that we WISs sneer at that most appeal to non-WISs. This is, of course, why brands like Invicta are so successful. They know what sells to the non-WIS mass market.
Last edited by markrlondon; 2nd March 2016 at 22:52.
Non- watch nerds reactions to different brands-
Invictas- Oooh and Aaahs
Rolex - Hmmm or is it real?
Seikos- yuck! A Seiko??
Orient- so much better than a Planet Ocean
Breitling- Nice! What brand is it?
Patek/ALS/JLC- nice Michael Kors
Tag- Dude, you have arrived!
Hehe
I'm a little puzzled at your continued defence of this bloke. His opinions are personal but clearly not based on much knowledge.
Celebrities wearing a watch doesn't determine the overall demographic, but it does undermine his view that only old men wear Rolexes, don't you agree?
I can see why someone with little or no experience of watches might think TAG are a premium brand, but that's like saying McDonald's is one of the best restaurants because they advertise a lot
...
Once again, why do you feel his views are NOT I'll informed? Do you agree that TAG are the only watches 'worth something'?
Liking TAGS or Rolex is a personal taste thing, but to discount either out of hand without any first hand experience can't be anything BUT I'll informed, can it?
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
To be fair to my new sound engineer pal, whose done a fantastic job on my new music project by the way, I would imagine the demographic data of Rolex ownership unequivocally supports his suggestion that Rolex are owned by the older Gentleman. I'd be interested to see any credible data that disputes this.
Yep, I'm sure, just my opinion on observations I have made, there is no them and us outside of WIS-Land, as the majority of folk have more important things on their mind then what watch someone is wearing.
As a status symbol (and not just financial) I think for some that's just in the wearer's head, most people I know couldn't care less what someone's wrist trinket is worth or who made it.
I buy mine often on a whim, because I want to and can, couldn't give a flying f**k if anyone likes it or not or what they think of me for buying, it's not for them, it's for me
Last edited by nunya; 3rd March 2016 at 00:04.
http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...t=38193&page=5
http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=246184
An average person may not have an expendable income enough to be able to afford a Rolex at a younger age.
Hence, it may not be a function of age but economics.
I have seen plenty of what I consider to be young people sporting a Rolex.
Youngsters from certain demographics are more likely to be aware of Rolex and what it means in terms of watch ownership.
Mercedes is more a car for an older age group then Rolex is a watch for them.
Also true to one degree or another for all brands? And especially for brands which cost an awful lot more than £49.99
Do any under 40 year olds own a Rolex? Yes of course they do. Do they make up the majority of Rolex owners. I would imagine not. So my sound engineer pal probably has a point don't you think?
PS - I'm certainly not a Rolex hater!!!!
Posting Permissions
