jrwong23 (aka watchthebin)
[Moderator]
14255
Lesson I learned when I was a newbie
Impatience and fear leads to the dark side of the force.... or so the jedi masters taught us.
Back in 2011 when I first became interestes in serious watches, I was looking at my first serious watch. A Rolex easily came to mind and it was to be a Rolex submariner which to most newbies like me is one of the most iconic Rolex.
I wanted an all steel back dial version (the Sub C) with date. Unfortunately back then, it was quite new and I was told I had to wait for months.
Being a newbie with no support group from PPro (I didnt even know watch forums existed then), no collector friends and no regular ADs I could trust, I fell for the wrong advice of "don't wait too long else price will increase", "two tone Subs are better value with gold and better discounts", "steel Subs are overpriced compared to two tone or gold ones", etc....
I quite like the blue dial Sub but the all white gold Sub Smurf was simply too expensive for me back then. I made the mistake of settling for a two tone blue Sub, which whilst a lovely watch, was not really my taste as I don't two tone bracelets nor Yellow gold (Exception of Breguet La Tradition which has a unique warm hue to the color of its yellow gold).
After 2 years or so of wearing it and meanwhile getting more watches, I realize I don't love my two tone blue submariner anymore and recently sold it. It was a mistake I made as a newbie due to fear and impatience (I couldn't wait for a steel Sub which I would have kept I am sure).
Just sharing my newbie experience here.
Not saying the two tone blue Sub is not nice. It's very nicely made but for me, the bicolor bracelet and yellow gold should have stopped me from buying it in the first place.
Key lessons I learned:
1. Don't be impatient. Don't settle for something we dont like just because we can't wait.
2. Don't be afraid of so called price increases....
3. Join a community of collectors to seek counsel
4. Never buy a watch with key elements of design cues we fundamentally don't like
Here's sharing a picture of my two tone blue sub for memory's sake. Also comparing with my friend's steel sub with no date (ceramic bezel) - I like the all steel version alot more now.
Cheers
Robin
This message has been edited by jrwong23 on 2014-02-21 19:09:18 This message has been edited by jrwong23 on 2014-02-21 19:14:02
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Lesson I learned when I was a newbie
Impatience and fear leads to the dark side of the force.... or so the jedi masters taught us. Back in 2011 when I first became interestes in serious watches, I was looking at my first serious watch. A Rolex easily came to mind and it was to be a Rolex sub...
Always good to read these wise advices!
Thanks Robin... they will be useful for anybody! Fx
we all learn as we go along
I am so glad we now have the new members forum so I can confidently share my past mistakes without feeling shy. :) Thanks Fx for the encouraging note to all of us Cheers Robin
Great words Robin.
I think we all learn things and evolve as collectors. Patience is certainly a key to reasonable collecting. Thanks for the great post here.
Patience is indeed key
Else we might settle for 2nd or 3rd best and then sell them later like I did! :) Recently dylan posted on quality vs quantity (for his grail lange dato) and most people responded quality is more important in a collection. Impatience as I had learned the h...
I learned that same lesson Robin.
There was a time my collection was almost to 10 pieces (which I consider a lot). It is half that now but the pieces are more special and enjoyable. There was a time where I sought to "cover all the bases" with my pieces. Different metals, complications, c...
Lessons learned
Good advice for newbies, thanks for sharing these lessons that you learned when you were starting out in watches. I think most people start with Rolex as their first serious watch. And then tastes change as you learn more and add more to your collection. ...
Rolex is a good start
But like you mentioned, we need to understand our taste and hone our collection over time. I am still learning on that front! :) Cheers Robin
Will you come back to that basic steel Submariner one day?
Thanks for sharing your experience. It's good advice for all of us. And also a reminder not to be disappointed if you miss out on a specific watch. Even iconic pieces like the Dufour Simplicity come onto the market every year. Patience pays off. But of co...
I have yet to confirm what basic steel sports modern Rolex I like
Thanks Andrew for your comments. The basic steel sub is still on my radar although other steel sports Rolex such as the Bruiser and blue dial yatchmaster are also appealing. The all white gold smurf is also something I like but will need to save up more f...
I've more than a few to share, Robin, including one . . .
. . . quite similar to yours. I was fascinated by watches from childhood, but never actively involved until '01, when my '86 Rolex AirKing was due for another service. It was 15 years old by then, and had never run to my satisfaction: it always lost about...
Get the one that speaks to you...
Indeed very good advice Art. Totally agree! Thanks for sharing your story. It's a good one to share with all collectors, new and experienced both. Cheers Robin
Your key lessons should be put on a frame ...
1. Don't be impatient. Don't settle for something we dont like just because we can't wait. 2. Don't be afraid of so called price increases.... 3. Join a community of collectors to seek counsel 4. Never buy a watch with key elements of design cues we funda...
We can collate all these words of wisdom. ..
From everyone here and frame it :) Thanks Nilomis Cheers Robin
Some lessons have to be learnt...
...the hard way. I guess it's a rite of passage; working our way through the brands and obsessing over various different ones until we finally figure out what we want/like. Agree with everything that has been said and can only wish I could have received s...
Yep I recall this conversation we had my friend
About novelties and how they may wear off. Words of wisdom indeed. Patience and waiting will help ensure we get watches that we will like on a long term. Those that continue to haunt us as we wait and wait will be the ones to get! :) Cheers Robin
The slow burn or ...
... enjoy the journey. I completely agree with your observations about the immediately attractive watch. I am very wary of the annual watch fairs and the hype that surrounds new watches. I purposely wait to see what my reaction will be in 6 or 12 months t...
What a great post!
And great tips too for the new watch collector. Can I add one or two? :) 1. In the end go with your heart. The value in the watch is the ownership. 2. Seek out the company of others who share your passion.