The Watch Fanatic Thread

[huge 3,793]

13 hours ago, cabowabo said:

I’ve always wanted a fifty fathoms, but the 45mm size and price tag makes it unrealistic. This limited edition is sized right at 42.3mm, but the price tag will probably be north of $15k. 

This is where I am.  The LE is one of the only watches out there that I think about and would be "reasonable".  I tried on the 45 and couldn't pull it off.

[Prepuce of Doom 21,052]

Obviously belongs in the Affordable Watches thread, but for whatever it's worth, Swatch has recently given the Fifty Fathoms the bioceramic treatment like they did with the Moonswatch.

Case is 42.3 mm. 

https://www.swatch.com/en-us/bioceramic-scuba-fifty-fathoms.html

[huge 3,793]

5 minutes ago, Prepuce of Doom said:

Obviously belongs in the Affordable Watches thread, but for whatever it's worth, Swatch has recently given the Fifty Fathoms the bioceramic treatment like they did with the Moonswatch.

Case is 42.3 mm. 

https://www.swatch.com/en-us/bioceramic-scuba-fifty-fathoms.html

$400

Are they going to be sold out forever?

[dieucla98 2,942]

I'm so very close to buying the orange (Arctic Ocean) version - only concern being is it really a burnt orange or more OSU orange...

[Prepuce of Doom 21,052]

1 hour ago, dieucla98 said:

I'm so very close to buying the orange (Arctic Ocean) version - only concern being is it really a burnt orange or more OSU orange...

Please post a picture if you do.

I'm also considering one of those but don't live near one of the handful of stores that currently carry them, but I travel enough that I could eventually get to one if it's worth the effort. 

[gsoda3 3,245]

nvm i see it's been covered.

Edited October 3, 2023 by gsoda3

[dieucla98 2,942]

29 minutes ago, Prepuce of Doom said:

Please post a picture if you do.

I'm also considering one of those but don't live near one of the handful of stores that currently carry them, but I travel enough that I could eventually get to one if it's worth the effort. 

That's my exact boat - live in Austin, travel to DFW enough but really just FW so it's still a trek to get to the Swatch store there.

[52-80 19,142]

If youre just into the Fifty Fathoms aesthetics Seiko makes a few mechanical homages at 42mm. 

45mm is a monstrous size 

[satyanash 14,473]

23 minutes ago, 52-80 said:

If youre just into the Fifty Fathoms aesthetics Seiko makes a few mechanical homages at 42mm. 

45mm is a monstrous size 

Even better is the Bulova MIL-SHIPS. Created based on the same mil spec contract from 1957 that the original Fifty Fathoms was chosen to fulfill. Has the same naval heritage, plus stainless steel, sapphire crystal, choice of Miyota or Sellita movement, and 200m of water resistance. You can find them in the $500-$700 range at most stores/secondary markets.

Much better value than a $400 hunk of plastic bioceramic.

Edited October 3, 2023 by satyanash

[dieucla98 2,942]

On 10/3/2023 at 2:00 PM, 52-80 said:

If youre just into the Fifty Fathoms aesthetics Seiko makes a few mechanical homages at 42mm. 

45mm is a monstrous size 

It was the burnt orange + FF aesthetics + 42mm for me, in that order. 

[52-80 19,142]

Have a king seiko arriving this week. Not in love with the 20s/day movement but love the 37mm case and bracelet

[AUinHsv 579]

On 10/3/2023 at 2:17 PM, satyanash said:

Even better is the Bulova MIL-SHIPS. Created based on the same mil spec contract from 1957 that the original Fifty Fathoms was chosen to fulfill. Has the same naval heritage, plus stainless steel, sapphire crystal, choice of Miyota or Sellita movement, and 200m of water resistance. You can find them in the $500-$700 range at most stores/secondary markets.

Much better value than a $400 hunk of plastic bioceramic.

Anyone know what Bulova is using for luminescence?  Looks like aged Tritium but that really isn't an option these days. The website did not say

Edited October 11, 2023 by AUinHsv

[satyanash 14,473]

16 hours ago, AUinHsv said:

Anyone know what Bulova is using for luminescence?  Looks like aged Tritium but that really isn't an option these days. The website did not say

It's faux aged Super-Luminova, with a brown/tan tint meant to mimic the appearance of aged radium/tritium. It's becoming pretty common on vintage-inspired watches from Omega, IWC, Hamilton and the like.

[dieucla98 2,942]

18 hours ago, AUinHsv said:

Anyone know what Bulova is using for luminescence?  Looks like aged Tritium but that really isn't an option these days. The website did not say

Why can't you use Tritium anymore? Or can you use tritium tubes like Ball but not the applied indices like most watch lume?

[AUinHsv 579]

5 hours ago, dieucla98 said:

Why can't you use Tritium anymore? Or can you use tritium tubes like Ball but not the applied indices like most watch lume?

Long story but you can - just not like it was in 80's. IIRC the issue is not using tritium - it was disposing of the dial ten years later. To avoid dealing hazardous waste a lot of manufacturers went to Luminova. One or two still do tritium with tubes which I guess you can dispose of.

[Bevo&Pevo 5,120]

Ball still uses it quite a bit. 

[Brew 3,049]

Has Breitling made a change in their watches or am I off in thinking they were quite a bit more expensive several years back? Did they just come out with a cheaper automatic line? I’m looking for another white face / blue band and have looked at this SuperOcean a couple of times. The pricing seems less than what I remember from past looking.
 

Also, really like the looks of the Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope but I’m kind of looking for something other than another Omega I think.

Edited October 18, 2023 by Brew

[Sam Lin 3,550]

Omega >> Breitling every day of the week, and twice on Wednesday.

[Pescado_Rojo 19,413]

When I bought my Squale 60 Atmospheres, it came on the black rubber strap and I ordered a leather strap and a blue rubber strap with it. The blue strap was on back order and just showed up last week. I never loved the color of the leather strap, so I hit it with a couple coats of neatsfoot oil. I think it turned out pretty good. 

[Mittens 8,254]

 

[Pescado_Rojo 19,413]

Beverly Hills Watch Dealer Arrested by FBI for Running an Alleged Ponzi Scheme

Quote

Anthony Farrer, 35, was charged with mail fraud and wire fraud over his alleged consignment scheme. The businessman, who ran a watch company called the Timepiece Gentleman, told potential clients that he would sell their watches and take a commission but often kept all the money, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

“Rather than selling the watches and remitting the funds back to the watch owners, Farrer appears to instead sell the watches and keep the proceeds for himself,” wrote Justin Palmerton, an FBI agent, in an affidavit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California.

If convicted, Farrer faces up to 20 years in prison and is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. His next court date is Dec. 14.

Farrer stole about $3 million from at least 20 victims, according to Palmerton. Numerous victims of Farrer spoke with The Times for the October article, including one man who said he lost his life savings to Farrer.

 

[fattyflattie 4,639]

4 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

Beverly Hills Watch Dealer Arrested by FBI for Running an Alleged Ponzi Scheme

 

Apparently dude was a real piece of shit even before this news broke.  Some of the other YouTube/insta watch dealers were dragging him pretty hard when this first broke.  He always gave off douche vibes, now confirmed. 

[cabowabo 4,484]

 

[HoustonHorn 1,062]

Surprised he wasn't arrested years ago. The guy is a scam artist. He started in Dallas. Quite honestly anyone who chose him to sell their watches probably is too dumb to actually tell the time on a watch and should get a digital Mickey Mouse watch.

[HoustonHorn 1,062]

I'll post this here too.

Minutes and Hours Watch show is this weekend. Free admission at the Ao5 At Gallery in the Arboretum. Nearly 40 brands. Should be a good show if you have some time to kill before the game or on Sunday. Hit the link for tickets.

Mostly microbrands at this show but there are a few brands that are a little pricier like Crude and Treiber. Crude are actually pretty damn cool and unique.

Treiber will have a prototype of their new release based on the 300SL Gullwing. Having seen the first watch based on the 57 Chevy, he's a great designer Desi excited to see the prototype.

Lots of really cool microbrands there too.


https://www.lamicrolux.com/

[ChickenNuggets 1,623]

On 10/17/2023 at 8:56 PM, Sam Lin said:

Omega >> Breitling every day of the week, and twice on Wednesday.

Not sure about the dive watches, but Breitling's B01 and manual wound variant B09 movement is one of the best mass-produced chronographs on the planet. In-house, column wheel, vertical clutch with 72 hours power reserve. 

If memory serves, Omega's moon watch uses a lemania base, cam-operated, and like less than 50 hours reserve. 

The only chronograph in my collection atm is a Breitling Re-issue of their 1959 chronograph. Too busy for some, but the slide rule on the bezel makes for a great party trick. 

 

EDIT: the question I guess was about the Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope which I didn't know about but looked up. It has a great movement in-house Omega movement - 9908.

Edited November 10, 2023 by ChickenNuggets

[gsoda3 3,245]

That's quite the busy face

[AUinHsv 579]

And that's quite an understatement

[cabowabo 4,484]

Been almost 2 months since the last post. Unacceptable.
Anyway, I’m really digging this Longines HydroConquest GMT.

Edited January 7 by cabowabo

[Atxracer 797]

Got this about 6 months ago intended as a “wear on nice days” kinda watch.  i like it so much I pretty much only wear this one or an Apple Watch nowadays. 
 

[52-80 19,142]

On 11/10/2023 at 10:20 AM, ChickenNuggets said:

The only chronograph in my collection atm is a Breitling Re-issue of their 1959 chronograph. Too busy for some, but the slide rule on the bezel makes for a great party trick. 

I bet 9/10 owners dont even know how a chronograph works

[Pescado_Rojo 19,413]

14 hours ago, Atxracer said:

Got this about 6 months ago intended as a “wear on nice days” kinda watch.  i like it so much I pretty much only wear this one or an Apple Watch nowadays. 
 

Literally my exact grail. Gorgeous 

[alphahydro 334]

little over 20 years ago, you could call up Philippe Dufour, ask him to put your name on a handwritten list, and he'd assemble a watch for you when he got to your name on the list.  I don't think he had email.  You literally had to call him.  And the list was a couple years long. 

i really wanted to put my name on the list for the platinum/silver dial duality, but i couldn't talk myself into it (I think the list was 2-3 years when I first started thinking about it and maybe 4-5 years by the time I was ready to pull the trigger).  frankly, i don't think i knew you could get it with a black dial.  if i had known that, it might have pushed me over the edge. 

Anyway, after waffling for a bit, I compromised with myself and decided to settle on ordering the simplicity instead.  but i really didn't like the dial of the simplicity that much.  anyway, i literally woke up early one day so I could call him during business hours in Switzerland, dialed his phone number in my phone, practiced what i was gonna say, and at the last second I decided not to hit send on my phone.  i knew he was legit, but it annoyed me that i was gonna have to wait a couple years to get the simplicity, i wasn't a huge fan of the dial, what if he died, etc.  So I never hit send. 

i really wish i had placed that order. lol.  actually, i wish i had bucked up and ordered the duality.

turns out he only made 9 dualities, and i think only 1 with the black dial. SMH.  A rose gold dial duality (1 of 3) sold for over $4MM.  (FML)

anyway, 20 years later, i decided i'd give it another shot to work with a solo watchmaker, but you can't get on PD's list anymore, so i decided to work with pascal coyon (at least you can email Pascal, but it's the same deal, you get on a list and hope for the best).  Pascal (along with his wife and daughter) basically polishes and assembles each watch in his work area.  and he'll let you customize the watch (though, frankly, it's not that fun to customize).   I think the original goal was like 1 year to make the watch and it's already been 2 years since I ordered.   

Below is the black enamel dial watch i have on order and the black dial duality that i really, really, really wish i had ordered back the day. 

(also, sidenote, back when i was at UT, Urwerk was just getting started.  they had a shitty website, and I almost emailed them and told them i'd redo their website for a ur-101. but i decided i didn't want to upset them. lol.). anyway, moral of the story is i wish i had yolo'd more when i was younger). 

 

[HoustonHorn 1,062]

Sucks about the Dufour, what an amazing piece that would have been.

Coyon makes incredible watches though, so not a terrible consolation prize. Other than the value of the watch compared to the Dufour.

[alphahydro 334]

lol.  yeah, it's actually a strange thought experiment, but would you keep or sell that dufour if you were the first purchaser? 

i would want to keep it (I was going to buy it to commemorate an important event, and it would be cool to own and pass down such a rare watch). 

Otoh, i'd feel stupid insuring a watch for $5MM. 

 

[gsoda3 3,245]

lol.  yeah, it's actually a strange thought experiment, but would you keep or sell that dufour if you were the first purchaser? 
i would want to keep it (I was going to buy it to commemorate an important event, and it would be cool to own and pass down such a rare watch). 
Otoh, i'd feel stupid insuring a watch for $5MM. 
 

If you're using mm to represent million you'd be insane to keep it.

[alphahydro 334]

17 hours ago, gsoda3 said:

On 1/14/2024 at 11:21 AM, alphahydro said:

lol.  yeah, it's actually a strange thought experiment, but would you keep or sell that dufour if you were the first purchaser? 
i would want to keep it (I was going to buy it to commemorate an important event, and it would be cool to own and pass down such a rare watch). 
Otoh, i'd feel stupid insuring a watch for $5MM. 
 

If you're using mm to represent million you'd be insane to keep it.

yeah, the watch that i would/could have purchased for ~40k might now sell at auction for ~$5 million. 

the main reason for keeping it, i would think, is it's an opportunity to own and pass down something very rare and unique that i would otherwise never buy.  extra special because i would have bought it as a commemorative keepsake. 

downsides would be - 

• other uses for the money
• if collectible items like this are at peak values right now, might be a good time to sell.

of course, if you leaned that way, you prolly would have sold it a long time ago. 

curious if anyone here thinks they would keep a watch under those circumstances. 

[fattyflattie 4,639]

No, I would take the 5,000,000.  

But I’m not at the 40k piece stage yet, either.  So, ymmv. 

[52-80 19,142]

13 hours ago, alphahydro said:

yeah, the watch that i would/could have purchased for ~40k might now sell at auction for ~$5 million. 

the main reason for keeping it, i would think, is it's an opportunity to own and pass down something very rare and unique that i would otherwise never buy.  extra special because i would have bought it as a commemorative keepsake.

$5M buys many other commemorative keepsakes

 

[HoustonHorn 1,062]

I'd like to say I'd keep it but that is a lot of money.

[conVINCEd 21,469]

At that price you really can’t wear it.  

[52-80 19,142]

 

4 hours ago, conVINCEd said:

At that price you really can’t wear it.  

real question is would you declare it on taxes or let it slip by

(collectibles are 28% on net gain)

[alphahydro 334]

yeah,  the taxes would be brutal.   

i was talking with a friend and she said she would see if anyone would loan money against it, if so she would die with it and let her heirs get a step up in basis. lol. 

[ChiTownDoc 21,139]

On 1/7/2024 at 7:17 AM, Atxracer said:

Got this about 6 months ago intended as a “wear on nice days” kinda watch.  i like it so much I pretty much only wear this one or an Apple Watch nowadays. 
 

Meteorite?  Have the platinum day date meteorite and beat it to hell.  Absolutely love that thing.  Seeing prices creep back up a bit too across the board.  Assuming these follow BTC to some extent…

[66BUFF 2,562]

On 1/17/2024 at 10:00 PM, ChiTownDoc said:

Meteorite?  Have the platinum day date meteorite and beat it to hell.  Absolutely love that thing.  Seeing prices creep back up a bit too across the board.  Assuming these follow BTC to some extent…

Pics?

[ChiTownDoc 21,139]

27 minutes ago, 66BUFF said:

Pics?

At my place in Miami.  I’ll grab some.  Especially the w the beating showing.  Ha

[Atxracer 797]

On 1/17/2024 at 10:00 PM, ChiTownDoc said:

Meteorite?  Have the platinum day date meteorite and beat it to hell.  Absolutely love that thing.  Seeing prices creep back up a bit too across the board.  Assuming these follow BTC to some extent…

Yes. Love that one too.  I never wear the panda any more so considering trading it in on something similar.  Well, it plus a couple fun coupons.   

[Gladeite 375]

Was at Russell Korman yesterday getting a link taken out and BS a little with the sales lady.  The Rolex watches they have on display are not theirs.  They are rep watches from Rolex so customers can see different models.  They change them out frequently.  They do not have any in stock that you can purchase.  You get on a waiting list and pay retail whenever that comes in.  My 118 series day/date is trading at $34,600.  Plain rose gold/stainless date is $15,000.  Platinum chronograph $77,500.  They are waiting for their first shipment of preowned and reconditioned Rolex watches.  Told me Rolex is getting into this space in a big way and expects to dominate the resale game.  

[huge 3,793]

On 1/19/2024 at 11:29 AM, Gladeite said:

Was at Russell Korman yesterday getting a link taken out and BS a little with the sales lady.  The Rolex watches they have on display are not theirs.  They are rep watches from Rolex so customers can see different models.  They change them out frequently.  They do not have any in stock that you can purchase.  You get on a waiting list and pay retail whenever that comes in.  My 118 series day/date is trading at $34,600.  Plain rose gold/stainless date is $15,000.  Platinum chronograph $77,500.  They are waiting for their first shipment of preowned and reconditioned Rolex watches.  Told me Rolex is getting into this space in a big way and expects to dominate the resale game.  

That bodes well for almost no one.

[ITHorn 800]

On 1/19/2024 at 11:29 AM, Gladeite said:

Was at Russell Korman yesterday getting a link taken out and BS a little with the sales lady.  The Rolex watches they have on display are not theirs.  They are rep watches from Rolex so customers can see different models.  They change them out frequently.  They do not have any in stock that you can purchase.  You get on a waiting list and pay retail whenever that comes in.  My 118 series day/date is trading at $34,600.  Plain rose gold/stainless date is $15,000.  Platinum chronograph $77,500.  They are waiting for their first shipment of preowned and reconditioned Rolex watches.  Told me Rolex is getting into this space in a big way and expects to dominate the resale game.  

I have heard similar. Watches of Switzerland in Plano is becoming a Rolex AD when the new location opens at the end of the year. I was in the shop trying on a Pelagos 39 and the salesman was heavily implying they'd be getting plenty of inventory (new and used) when they open up. I'm sure some of that was him trying to close a sale on the Tudor and motivate me to spend to get higher on whatever "list" is created upon opening.