Superficial Christmas Gift Questions
- Thread starter IrvineCommuter_IHB
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Stuff It_IHB
New member
I have a Frank Muller (well known for making complex watches). Instead of a 12 hour clock it has a 24 hour clock which makes it hard to tell the time when you have had a few beers.
Used to own a rolex but it looked like a pimps watch. Patek is by far the best but out of my price range.
If you are going to buy a decent watch then it has to be one of the well established swiss makes like Jaeger or Cartier and not one of the 'designer' watches e.g. mont blanc
Used to own a rolex but it looked like a pimps watch. Patek is by far the best but out of my price range.
If you are going to buy a decent watch then it has to be one of the well established swiss makes like Jaeger or Cartier and not one of the 'designer' watches e.g. mont blanc
biscuitninja_IHB
New member
<p>Gepetoh, </p>
<p> I own a few ... 3 Rolex's (1x GMT, 2x 50's Oysters), 1 AP, 1 IWC, 1 Tudor, 1 Panerai and about 5 Omega (3 Constellations, 1 Deville and 1 Seamaster), and of course the Breguet. Then there are a few other watches not worth mentioning. </p>
<p>My next acquisition will probably be a nice little Omega Speedmaster or a 18kt white gold
Constellation. We will see, I got my eye set on another set of apartments (to cement my status as slum lord! ).</p>
<p>Also have you ever though about Ball watches? They are mostly man watches, but I think you could probably find something nice.</p>
<p>Its a collection just like everything else and with some smart shopping they never really lose their value. If you're looking at a few i'd recommend a few places that great deals. Good luck</p>
<p>-bix</p>
<p><a href="http://www.watchzone.com">www.watchzone.com</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.planetwatches.com">www.planetwatches.com</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.abouttime.com">www.abouttime.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p> I own a few ... 3 Rolex's (1x GMT, 2x 50's Oysters), 1 AP, 1 IWC, 1 Tudor, 1 Panerai and about 5 Omega (3 Constellations, 1 Deville and 1 Seamaster), and of course the Breguet. Then there are a few other watches not worth mentioning. </p>
<p>My next acquisition will probably be a nice little Omega Speedmaster or a 18kt white gold
Constellation. We will see, I got my eye set on another set of apartments (to cement my status as slum lord! ).</p>
<p>Also have you ever though about Ball watches? They are mostly man watches, but I think you could probably find something nice.</p>
<p>Its a collection just like everything else and with some smart shopping they never really lose their value. If you're looking at a few i'd recommend a few places that great deals. Good luck</p>
<p>-bix</p>
<p><a href="http://www.watchzone.com">www.watchzone.com</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.planetwatches.com">www.planetwatches.com</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.abouttime.com">www.abouttime.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
gepetoh_IHB
New member
<p>"If you are going to buy a decent watch then it has to be one of the well established swiss makes like Jaeger or Cartier and not one of the 'designer' watches e.g. mont blanc"</p>
<p>The "designer" company that has been around for 100 years happens to make their own watches. In Switzerland by swiss master watchmakers. Mont Blanc is pretty far removed from "designer". Franck Muller began making watches in 1983, and while he is a master watchmaker himself, I would hardly call them "established". It is kind of amusing that a Franck Muller owner would label Mont Blanc as "designer" though.</p>
<p>My brother has a Movado and it's very nice. I wish they made automatic though, I don't think they do.</p>
<p>The "designer" company that has been around for 100 years happens to make their own watches. In Switzerland by swiss master watchmakers. Mont Blanc is pretty far removed from "designer". Franck Muller began making watches in 1983, and while he is a master watchmaker himself, I would hardly call them "established". It is kind of amusing that a Franck Muller owner would label Mont Blanc as "designer" though.</p>
<p>My brother has a Movado and it's very nice. I wish they made automatic though, I don't think they do.</p>
biscuitninja_IHB
New member
<p>Gepetoh, </p>
<p> Montblanc does make automatic watches... they just aren't very cheap and are quite rare. For me, i'd rather spend the money on a Omega or anyone of the other nice watches. BUT I must say a nice Tungsten Carbide watch with ceramic diamond crystal would be swank and you would probably not hurt anytime soon. </p>
<p>I'd pick up a WatchTime magazine and have a gander.</p>
<p>-bix</p>
<p> Montblanc does make automatic watches... they just aren't very cheap and are quite rare. For me, i'd rather spend the money on a Omega or anyone of the other nice watches. BUT I must say a nice Tungsten Carbide watch with ceramic diamond crystal would be swank and you would probably not hurt anytime soon. </p>
<p>I'd pick up a WatchTime magazine and have a gander.</p>
<p>-bix</p>
gepetoh_IHB
New member
<p>Bix,</p>
<p>My next watch, I want an IWC. I am of the opinion that from a pure quality standpoint they are the best. Of course that opinion is purely subjective, and have no basis to back that up. My in-laws have Omega Constellations and they are just okay. I think I just don't like the looks of them. </p>
<p>Those are a lot of watches. Do you have one of those 20-watch winders? That would require a table in itself!</p>
<p>My next watch, I want an IWC. I am of the opinion that from a pure quality standpoint they are the best. Of course that opinion is purely subjective, and have no basis to back that up. My in-laws have Omega Constellations and they are just okay. I think I just don't like the looks of them. </p>
<p>Those are a lot of watches. Do you have one of those 20-watch winders? That would require a table in itself!</p>
biscuitninja_IHB
New member
<p>Awgee, </p>
<p> Its my mechanical engineering side of me. I love machines and just love the purity/quality/elegance of most older watches (which is what I own, i don't like newer watches unless they are very rare...). Everybody is different, people collect experiences, i like to collect watches and other things (as well as experiences).</p>
<p>Gep,</p>
<p> I have about 36 watches but I only keep a two watch winder one in the queue and one in backup. The Omegas are at a minimum 30 years old, so they are not the newer versions. For me the prettiest watch i have is a tossup between the AP with mother of pearl face (open heart) and oval (with Porno scene!). The other one is the Breguet, its just a rose gold 3 dial with sub hours and sub seconds. Both are very plane but very, very pretty watches. Cost... well we won't go into that. But, I will say, 99.999999% of the people don't notice. They'll notice my buddies Breitling and Submariner, but the real expensive watches... they go almost unnoticed.</p>
<p>goodluck</p>
<p>-bix</p>
<p> Its my mechanical engineering side of me. I love machines and just love the purity/quality/elegance of most older watches (which is what I own, i don't like newer watches unless they are very rare...). Everybody is different, people collect experiences, i like to collect watches and other things (as well as experiences).</p>
<p>Gep,</p>
<p> I have about 36 watches but I only keep a two watch winder one in the queue and one in backup. The Omegas are at a minimum 30 years old, so they are not the newer versions. For me the prettiest watch i have is a tossup between the AP with mother of pearl face (open heart) and oval (with Porno scene!). The other one is the Breguet, its just a rose gold 3 dial with sub hours and sub seconds. Both are very plane but very, very pretty watches. Cost... well we won't go into that. But, I will say, 99.999999% of the people don't notice. They'll notice my buddies Breitling and Submariner, but the real expensive watches... they go almost unnoticed.</p>
<p>goodluck</p>
<p>-bix</p>
jwbrown77_IHB
New member
I know Patek Phillipe has been around forever. A pocket watch from around 1905 was profiled on the Antiques Roadshow a few years back and was worth 100,000 bucks.
biscuitninja_IHB
New member
<p>Look up Breguet and the Marie Antionette watch. Talk about history!</p>
<p>-bix</p>
<p>-bix</p>
caycifish_IHB
New member
<p>Awgee,</p>
<p>I just went to that eBay auction. It's official. People are crazy. </p>
<p>I mean, dood and I spend a pretty penny on theater tickets each year, but $500-$1000 per seat for ONE experience is unacceptable. Especially for children.</p>
<p>However, I am glad you got the tickets for what I guess is a reasonable cost, and I applaud your decision to give your children an experience they will remember forever instead of an object that will eventually be tossed in a closet or drawer. When I was 14, and my sisters were 12 and 9, our parents gave us tickets to see the touring company of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Pantages in LA for Christmas. I still remember it to this day, but I couldn't tell you what else I got that year.</p>
<p>I just went to that eBay auction. It's official. People are crazy. </p>
<p>I mean, dood and I spend a pretty penny on theater tickets each year, but $500-$1000 per seat for ONE experience is unacceptable. Especially for children.</p>
<p>However, I am glad you got the tickets for what I guess is a reasonable cost, and I applaud your decision to give your children an experience they will remember forever instead of an object that will eventually be tossed in a closet or drawer. When I was 14, and my sisters were 12 and 9, our parents gave us tickets to see the touring company of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Pantages in LA for Christmas. I still remember it to this day, but I couldn't tell you what else I got that year.</p>
Trooper_IHB
New member
I have a Movado. I bought it 5 years ago as a treat to myself due to a promotion... purchased with some of my tax return money. Love it, keeps great time, simple and clean. $800 out the door. It'll last me 20 more years and will be the only watch I ever spend that much money on.
effenheimer_IHB
New member
I am thrilled with Movado styling. I am not thrilled with the two year warranty (rather short compared to the rest of the industry). I bought something else.
nirvinerealtor_IHB
New member
<p>IC,</p>
<p>Michele Watches are very hip and elegant; thus very popular with the young ladies. For only $1,300 you can get a stunning diamond studded one from Nordstrom.</p>
<p>Michele Watches are very hip and elegant; thus very popular with the young ladies. For only $1,300 you can get a stunning diamond studded one from Nordstrom.</p>
effenheimer_IHB
New member
Do you get any ironclad guarantees as to the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.google.com/search?q=%22conflict+diamonds%22">source</a> of those diamonds?
reason_IHB
New member
<p>I bought myself a fairly expensive watch a few years ago. Wore it for the first 2 years. And now it's just in the dresser drawers. Too darn heavy. </p>
<p>And no, I didn't buy it to show it off. As a matter of fact, I have always wore under long sleeves. Just a nice feeling knowing I have such a nice piece of machinery.</p>
<p>And no, I didn't buy it to show it off. As a matter of fact, I have always wore under long sleeves. Just a nice feeling knowing I have such a nice piece of machinery.</p>
Irvine Soul Brother_IHB
New member
You can always tell the new money by the real expensive watches. Do what I'm going to do: get a quality fake with a citizen eco-drive. No one will be able to tell. Then, its fun to tell people. And the people who are most pissed off about the existence of fakes? The people who have most of their status wrapped up in their stuff.
My Ferrari will also be fake. If you want a good cheap adventure, go to the Knott's kit car show which is every April. The fake cars are so amazing. As one guy said to me, "There is a large part of the population that not only couldn't even tell a bad kit from the real thing, but doesn't even know about the existence of kits: they're called 'women'."<img src="http://www.kitcar.com/KitCarsForSale/f355-ardalic-ga.jpg" alt="Fake F355: Cost: 17k" />
My Ferrari will also be fake. If you want a good cheap adventure, go to the Knott's kit car show which is every April. The fake cars are so amazing. As one guy said to me, "There is a large part of the population that not only couldn't even tell a bad kit from the real thing, but doesn't even know about the existence of kits: they're called 'women'."<img src="http://www.kitcar.com/KitCarsForSale/f355-ardalic-ga.jpg" alt="Fake F355: Cost: 17k" />
Irvine Allergy Dr_IHB
New member
I would agree with above posts listing Patek and AP as the most "luxurious" of watch brands. Unless your wife travels in certain social circles or is a watch enthusiast/collector, she is unlikely to know many of those brands outside of Rolex/Omega, etc. As to why people spend so much on timepieces, I think there are several particular reasons: 1) You have too much money and need to burn some. 2) You have money but not enough to burn, but want to appear to be able to burn it. 3) You think watches are the best and most acceptable form of "man jewelry". 4) You enjoy watches as beautiful expressions of mechanical engineering. 5) You couldn't think of another gift at Xmas/Bday/Vday/anniversary. I think I've fallen into 3, 4, and 5 at times. 
Nice F355 kit, btw.
Nice F355 kit, btw.