RowerJosh
2
Help A Newbie
All:
Another quartz-wearing know-nothing has been bitten by the mechanical bug! When I was on vacation during the holiday, I saw a collection of UNs in a jeweler's window and fell in love. Image, foolish me had never heard of a Ulysse Nardin, but the image of those watches wouldn't leave my head. Ever since, I have been gobbling up everything I can find on fine mechanical watches in general and UNs in particular. In spite of all the wonderful watches in the world, UNs still appeal to me most. So now it is time to actually invest in my first fine mechanical watch and I beg all of you experienced folks to shower me with your wisdom as I leap into this lovely new world:
1. First, thanks for a great UN site -- the pics, the technical and aesthetic discussions, the history and new developments, and Marcus' fine moderating are all terrific and very useful!
2. I am drawn to the UN Marine watches, particularly the Marine Annual Chronograph, Maxi Marine Chronometer and Maxi Marine Chronograph. Although I can afford any one of these watches now (in stainless), are there any advantages to waiting until I save up for a precious metal case version of these watches or a more complicated UN model? Or is the whole idea that any UN is a fabulous watch and we first and foremost buy the model that most appeals to our eye?
3. I know many of you also own other fine mechanical watches. Is UN a good first watch or are there reasons for a first-time purchaser to consider another brand? What other brands/models do you own and recommend?
4. I have a smaller wrist. For you other small-wristed UN fanatics out there, do you find you can comfortably wear a 43mm Maxi Marine or are the 40/41mm models a better fit?
5. I notice that many of you have both braclets and straps for your UNs. How easy is it to swap out straps and braclets on a UN? How easy is it to size straps and bracelets or is this a job for a jeweler? lf strap-swapping is something that even a clumsy guy can handle, do I need special tools and instructions to change straps and if so, where can the tools/instructions be found? Are UN straps better than after-market straps?
6. The fun part . . . . shopping! I have several questions on this subject. Recognizing the Forum rules, please feel free to respond to these questions by direct e-mail (I want to stay on Marcus' good side my first time out)!
a. Should I buy from an AD or are there trustworthy internet discounters out there?
b. Are there advantages to having an original UN warranty as opposed to a reputable internet discounter's warranty?
c. If I buy from an AD, can I expect to get a better price than the published UN price list? If yes, is there a typical AD discount?
d. Are there particular ADs or internet discounters that you recommend or that should be avoided?
e. Should I consider a preowned UN and if yes, what are trustworthy sources for preowned UNs and other fine watches? What kind of discount off list price should I expect to receive if I purchase a preowned UN in mint or excellent condition?
Okay, I have gone on long enough. Please feel free to answer some or all of the above questions, or to ignore me completely. Thanks for your patience and in advance for your responses and assistance!
Regards, Josh
Help A Newbie
