Well this Seiko looks like it would stand up to a bit of scrutiny.
So what frivolous things have you bought lately? Why?
- Thread starter GaleForceEight
- Start date
Scrappy
Legendary Knight
The law of diminishing returns is most definitely alive and well with watches.
Obviously a £20,000 Rolex will be better than a £200 Seiko.
But 100 times better?
No way!
A huge part of the decision to spend £20,000 on a watch must involve a large helping of..."Look at me!"...
For some yes that will be true, but the same could be said about buying a Mercedes convertible. But for many it will be an appreciation of the craftmanship, the engineering excellence, the sheer beauty, and the fact that quality watches can be a very good investment. Some of the Tudor watches that I brought and sold just a couple of years ago are now double the money.
One example, in 2016 I brought a NOS (hence truly mint) Tudor Chronautic watch from around 2005 for close to £1700. Now they are going for an average of £3000, the example below for more and no where near as good condition as mine was.
Scrappy
Legendary Knight
I guess it comes down to what makes the individual feel good?
Whether it's a ludicrously expensive suit, watch or car etc etc.
I just can't get excited about a £20,000 watch that essentially does exactly what a £200 watch does. I wouldn't take that mindset as far as purchasing a £5 Casio digital. But then again, one of those does exactly the same job a £20k Rolex does
Whether it's a ludicrously expensive suit, watch or car etc etc.
I just can't get excited about a £20,000 watch that essentially does exactly what a £200 watch does. I wouldn't take that mindset as far as purchasing a £5 Casio digital. But then again, one of those does exactly the same job a £20k Rolex does
Scrappy
Legendary Knight
I guess it comes down to what makes the individual feel good?
Whether it's a ludicrously expensive suit, watch or car etc etc.
I just can't get excited about a £20,000 watch that essentially does exactly what a £200 watch does. I wouldn't take that mindset as far as purchasing a £5 Casio digital. But then again, one of those does exactly the same job a £20k Rolex does
Exactly, each to their own, people appreciate different things. I don't understand why people spend millions on paintings that my dog could do better, but the world would be boring if everyone liked the same things and had the same opinions.
Doesn't this do the same job as a Mercedes SLK, only better cos its got more seats?
That about sums it up. My own favourite watch, which would be expensive to some but reasonable to others, does make me feel good when I wear it. Even though I know it is no more accurate than a cheap quartz one.
chas
Legendary Knight
You know me too well
In a word...NO!Dosn't this do the same job as a Mercedes SLK, only better cos its got more seats?
View attachment 23736
I know I'm gonna regret posting this next bit, but f#ck it, it's true
...As you know, I've owned dozens of different/unusual/head turning vehicles. But my Merc is the only production car I've owned that provokes a similar level of admiring looks & comments. Nobody takes photos or videos like they used to with the kit cars etc. But TBH that's a blessing cos often they were taking said images whilst driving near me!
Maybe it's my equivalent of a stupidly expensive watch?
Scrappy
Legendary Knight
I know it's wearing a Toyota badge. But it looks like the b@stard love child of a 1990's Saab convertible & a Honda Civic.
Or a Saab crashed into the back of a Civic without wearing a condom! And the cut n shut guy had a massive hangover! So he covered the poor welding with a stick on body kit from Peckham market
Scrappy
Legendary Knight
I know it's wearing a Toyota badge. But it looks like the b@stard love child of a 1990's Saab convertible & a Honda Civic.
Or a Saab crashed into the back of a Civic without wearing a condom! And the cut n shut guy had a massive hangover! So he covered the poor welding with a stick on body kit from Peckham market
Whatever it is its fuck ugly for sure!
Tricky Dicky
Legendary Knight
Talking of cars, I made the mistake of selling this about 14 years ago, bought it for 10k sold it for 13k (after spending around 4k) and the guy who I sold it to in Holland then sold it two years later for 23k, they are now worth in excess of 30k....hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Was it fitted with a Fast & Furious gearbox?..Talking of cars, I made the mistake of selling this about 14 years ago, bought it for 10k sold it for 13k (after spending around 4k) and the guy who I sold it to in Holland then sold it two years later for 23k, they are now worth in excess of 30k....hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Tricky Dicky
Legendary Knight
Nah! With 550bhp it only needed six, that all started with Bullit, if you watch it Steve Mcqueen changes up that Mustang about 8 times.
chas
Legendary Knight
In defence of the humble, cheap Seiko 5 I've just got one back from a service so it's been measured on a timegrapher. It gains 3 seconds a day.
To be certified as a chronograph a watch has to be within -4/+6 seconds per day.
Not bad for a 49 year old average movement. The good ones are pretty good too
To be certified as a chronograph a watch has to be within -4/+6 seconds per day.
Not bad for a 49 year old average movement. The good ones are pretty good too
Doc Strange
Legendary Knight
Scrappy
Legendary Knight
In defence of the humble, cheap Seiko 5 I've just got one back from a service so it's been measured on a timegrapher. It gains 3 seconds a day.
To be certified as a chronograph a watch has to be within -4/+6 seconds per day.
Not bad for a 49 year old average movement. The good ones are pretty good too
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Seiko watches, I have owned a few. I just go off on one when people try to suggest they compete with the luxury brands, when they simply don't, they are apples and oranges. Seiko 5 watches are great mechanical work horses, +3 seconds a day is very good, especially a watch of that age
MartytheMartian
Legendary Knight
Years ago I saw a programme on the goggle and it was about how they made the movements for Swiss watches. If I recall correctly they are assembled in the Cantons by workers who are paid by the piece and the watches are then sent to a Swiss government laboratory where they are graded and certified. If I remember rightly it's the accuracy grading that determines the value of the movement and therefore the value of the watch it will be fitted to. I suspect that Seiko are just as precise in the creation of their movements but they are made in a factory setting with salaried workers and so you are simply not getting the meticulously hand-crafted and tested kudos of a Swiss watch.
Of course nowadays the paperwork means more when it comes to a Swiss watch than anything else. I was talking to a pawnbroker in Glasgow years ago and he wouldn't touch a Rolex, Audemars Piquet, Breitling etc. without all the paperwork and a certainty that it was genuine as the higher end of the fake industry is so good that it's virtually impossible to tell them from the real thing.
Of course nowadays the paperwork means more when it comes to a Swiss watch than anything else. I was talking to a pawnbroker in Glasgow years ago and he wouldn't touch a Rolex, Audemars Piquet, Breitling etc. without all the paperwork and a certainty that it was genuine as the higher end of the fake industry is so good that it's virtually impossible to tell them from the real thing.
