Comments:
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 course you should embrace these 'lessons' as well. They hone your tastes and make you more certain of even bigger purchasing decisions in the future.
Regards,
Andrew
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
Always good to read these wise advices!
Thanks Robin... they will be useful for anybody!
Fx
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
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 hard way tends to contribute to quantity in the watch box :p
Cheers my friend
Robin
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 hard way tends to contribute to quantity in the watch box :p
Cheers my friend
Robin
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, colors, materials, etc. Now I find I am quite content to just own a few pieces from my favorite brands that really represent the essence of that brand.
The ride sure is enjoyable.
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.
Regards,
ED-209
Regards,
ED-209
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
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 course you should embrace these 'lessons' as well. They hone your tastes and make you more certain of even bigger purchasing decisions in the future.
Regards,
Andrew
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 for that
So long as white metal sports rolex amongst the few I listed above, I will be happy. As you can see I am not rushing this time as I still don't know exactly which one to go for so am taking my time on this one
Cheers
Robin
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 for that
So long as white metal sports rolex amongst the few I listed above, I will be happy. As you can see I am not rushing this time as I still don't know exactly which one to go for so am taking my time on this one
Cheers
Robin
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 10 seconds per day, even though it had been serviced a total of four times.
. . . the Perpetual Calendar.
This message has been edited by Dr No on 2014-02-23 11:23:10
So I started looking.
Omega wasn't really on my radar then; too similar to Rolex, and I wanted something different. I wasn't sure what I wanted, but I knew I didn't want another Rolex. (Sounds naïve now, doesn't it?). Believe it or not, a Blancpain was at the top of my list. Unfortunately, finding representation back then was difficult; there might've been one store that carried the brand.
So I started looking online. This was at a time when I didn't have a computer of my own, and the one I had access to was a highly compromised and agonizingly slow desktop. The first one that took hold of my imagination was the VC Overseas, which was then in its second iteration. Now, this was a watch! I searched and searched, finding one here and two there, with an average price of about $6K. This was a bit more than I was planning to spend. I was smitten, though, and found a local dealer that coincidentally carried Blancpain. I called, asked if the Overseas was available, and how much, and what colors was it available in, and are you sure it's that much, and can I see that one and a Blancpain, too , and where are you located, and . . .
. . . a few days after that call, there was an article in the LA Times about the resurgence of German watchmaking after reunification. The two manufacturers spotlighted were, of course, AL&S and G O. I might've been dimly aware at the time of Lange, but definitely had never heard of Glashütte Original. Hmmm, said I to myself . . . let's see what these guys are all about.
That's when it all started.
I fell for images on a computer screen of watches I'd never heard of, much less seen. Hour upon countless hour poring over this model and that. Senator Classic Panorama Dates. With Moon Phase. Navigators.
Saliva forming.
Senator Perpetual Calendars.
Oh, my.
Next: Karrees.
Karree Power Reserve. Karree Chronograph. Karree Chronograph with date? No, the date window spoiled the purity. Then . . .
. . . the Perpetual Calendar.
I was hooked.
Hours of online gazing, and my eyes kept coming back, over and over. This was to be my new watch, the replacement for my trusty but tardy Rolex.
I called the one dealer that was listed on the website, which happened to be in New York City. Jules answered the phone.
"Hi. Do you carry Glashoot Original?"
"Yes, sir, we do, and we're the only authorized dealer in the City." (I didn't think to ask if there were dealers in other cities, much less LA.)
"Do you have the Kar-ie perpetual calendar?"
"Oh, most certainly, sir."
"May I ask how much?"
"Fourteen thousand three hundred and fifty dollars, sir." (I gulped, perhaps audibly.)
[pause on my part]
"Do you have the Kar-ie chronograph?"
"Yes, we have that model as well, in silver."
"How much is that one?"
"Three thousand nine hundred and seventy dollars, sir."
"Can you get the one with the black and silver dial, just like the one on the website, without a date?"
"Yes, sir, but it will take a few weeks for delivery."
"Can you ship it insured?"
[pause on the other end of the line]
"Why, of course, sir. All watches are shipped insured."
"Ok, I'll take it!"
A few weeks later, a large double-boxed container arrived at my doorstep, and when it was unwrapped, I couldn't have been any more taken. The Karree chronograph was just perfect in every way. And so began the journey.
A few months later, I saw an ad in the LA Times for a sales event at the authorized dealer I'd called months before about the Overseas. To my surprise, Glashütte Original was listed as one of the brands carried. Naturally, I couldn't help myself, and went down to see the inventory of Glashüttes. That's when I got hooked, ordering a Senator Power Reserve on the spot.
Then came the Christmas sales event that year. I received an invitation in the mail. Of course, I had to go.
That's when I saw the Karree perpetual in the metal for the first time. When I looked at the chronograph on my wrist, and then back at the perpetual, I knew that I had to have it. It took over a year to finally land my dream watch, and it's still, in a purely objective sense, the favorite of my collection.
So what's the lesson to be learned here?
Get the one that speaks to you. In the end, you'll be glad you did. It'll save you in the long run.
This message has been edited by Dr No on 2014-02-23 11:23:10
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
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 fundamentally don't like
Words of wisdom.
Cheers,
Nilo
We can collate all these words of wisdom. ..
From everyone here and frame it
Thanks Nilomis
Cheers
Robin
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 such good advice when I was starting out! What saved me was a love for watches since a very early age when I could see but not touch. Fortunately, by the time I could afford to actually buy anything, a lot of them had already worked themselves out of my system. That early self-discovery (of my fickleness!) saved me a lot of money!!
The only thing I can add is that watches can be like pop songs: be careful if they're too catchy! Ever notice how the ones that immediately grab you become annoying and tiresome really quickly? I remember rushing out to buy the latest "must have" singles when I heard them on the radio (I must sound like a total dinosaur right now), convinced that it was a keeper. Thank goodness CDs (not THAT dinosaur!) are a lot cheaper than watches. So when you see the latest "novelty", remember it's called that for a reason. It's easy to mistake "catchiness" for love at first sight so beware; you've been warned... (",)
The only thing I can add is that watches can be like pop songs: be careful if they're too catchy! Ever notice how the ones that immediately grab you become annoying and tiresome really quickly? I remember rushing out to buy the latest "must have" singles when I heard them on the radio (I must sound like a total dinosaur right now), convinced that it was a keeper. Thank goodness CDs (not THAT dinosaur!) are a lot cheaper than watches. So when you see the latest "novelty", remember it's called that for a reason. It's easy to mistake "catchiness" for love at first sight so beware; you've been warned... (",)
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
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 time. I have usually found in fact that it is the watches that I didn't initially like that much, that I had to work hard to really 'understand', that I have en enduring love affair with.
But that is all part of the journey. Part of the pleasure of eventually owning that watch.
Patience truly is a virtue.
Andrew
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.