fradac said:
first of all... companies roll out brand new and very original mechanical movements every year
second of all... tag has yet to produce a single specimen of that watch because they can't get it to work. it's back ordered for years.
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any watch afficianados or collectors around?
- Thread starter gwuMACaddict
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first of all... companies roll out brand new and very original mechanical movements every year
second of all... tag has yet to produce a single specimen of that watch because they can't get it to work. it's back ordered for years.
fradac said:
from what i have seen in the local stores near me, you can get a tag heuer for less than 600 dollars in some cases...unlike most other fine swiss watches
...but this one looks very expensive
i looked at seiko dive watches and chronographs today and most were way under five hundred, but they did have two really cool models in the 2500 dollar range
this tag heuer looks like a very top of the line type of model where price point is not a consideration...most makers have watches like this from what i have noticed
You know, I've always been fascinated by watches, but never really had enough money to buy any nice ones. I really want a pocket watch, but I can't find any that I like. Does anyone know were I can get a classic-looking pocket watch (preferably with Roman numeral numbers) for not too much? Thanks.
Macaddicttt said:
get an old mechanical at an antique show or watch shop... the old american brands (waltham, hamilton, illinois) made cheap, reliable watches. many with see-through backs so you can admire the inner workings. expect to spend around $150-as much as you want. really great deal actually...
Can anyone enlighten me on the 50th Submariner? How is it built and what's the deal with the movement and production line?
gwuMACaddict said:I have been collecting fine watches for going on 5 years now. Just wondering if anyone else got as exicted about fine watches as i do?
I like the arm candy too... My most recent purchase was from a Russian company called Fortis... They have some interesting stuff- good quality...
My everyday watches are a Swiss Army- it's so tough, yet stylish or a Fossil- not sure why I like the Fossil so much, but I do...
tazo said:I think watch people and calculator people are sorta alike. They all marvel at what each other's respective products can do...mine can play games..mine can surf the internet.
I retort with the following to people who talk about their watches, or their calculators:
*pointing to my cellphone* but can your watch or your cellphone make phone calls?
In 20years most Rolex will still tell you the time will your cell phone still be going in half that time? I very much doubt it.
globetrotter0 said:
Exact same movement as the regular Sub - Cal. 3135 - virtually identical dial too, but with larger luminous markers and hands. Oh, and an ugly green bezel and ugly price increase to match it too
Edit, added links for Rolex official pics
http://www.rolex.com/collections/oyster/pop_oyster_submariner1_02.html
http://www.rolex.com/collections/oyster/pop_oyster_submariner1_01.html
EGT said:
the best price i found was 1550 for an automatic...i wish rolex had something in that range, or omega
one watch dealer told me it's the rolex and omega names which makes them a tad bit overpriced compared to similar tutima, rado, or breitling watches
i just discovered some decently priced hamilton autos...under 400 dollars
absolut_mac said:
ha- no kidding. its a total joke. cant believe that rolex still gets away with price fixing... such crap
EGT said:
i've got one of their regular chronograph watches and love it- the blackbird is very cool with it's matte stainless steel finish!
Macaddicttt said:
I got this one in Switzerland last summer. It doesn't have numerals on it, but if it's good enough for the Swiss Railway, it should be for you!
http://www.worldlux.com/cgi-bin/showmodel.cgi?field0=Mondaine&field1=Pocket%20Watch&dept=WATCH&collect=
gwuMACaddict said:ha- no kidding. its a total joke. cant believe that rolex still gets away with price fixing... such crap
That's only because all the Rolex dealers are - to use Gov. Schwarzenegger's term - *girlie men* and have neither the guts nor the balls to take them to court on it.
Or maybe they're just making so much money from Rolex's successful marketing that they just don't care. Kind of like Dell and all those others making tons of money off MS crappy software
absolut_mac said:That's only because all the Rolex dealers are - to use Gov. Schwarzenegger's term - *girlie men* and have neither the guts nor the balls to take them to court on it.
Or maybe they're just making so much money from Rolex's successful marketing that they just don't care. Kind of like Dell and all those others making tons of money off MS crappy software
um... 'taking them to court on it' results in losing your lisence to sell the product. not exactly a positive outcome. and yes, i'm sure the retailers do enjoy their hefty markups.
I admit, I am a watch nut. I allways have been, and Im only 16. I allways get the "youve had more watches than the rest of the family combined" speech whenever I need a new one. Unfortunatly, as of late, cash has been tight, and I havent had a watch at all. Mainly because Id rather have no watch, than a crappy watch.
absolut_mac said:That's only because all the Rolex dealers are - to use Gov. Schwarzenegger's term - *girlie men* and have neither the guts nor the balls to take them to court on it.
Or maybe they're just making so much money from Rolex's successful marketing that they just don't care. Kind of like Dell and all those others making tons of money off MS crappy software
you're missing the point: rolex is not in the watch business, they're in the luxury business...there is a difference. you maintain a product's price point to reinforce the perceived value of the product, much like apple does. to compete on price mingles your product with all the other discounters...it's a one way race to the bottom.
my $10.00 timex keeps the same time as my rolexes, if not better. the timex doesn't need to be reset if its not worn for a few days, it's indiglo feature is much better than luminous markers and it has a plethora of functions that no rolex has. so the question is, why would anyone spend more than $200.00 on a watch....because we're suckers for perceived value. we like luxuries...cars, clothes, viking stoves...whatever.
the law of diminishing returns can rarely compete with human emotions.
3rdpath said:
You are 100% correct. But keep in mind that while price fixing may be legal in Switzerland and other European countries, or at least deliberately ignored by their governments, it is not legal here in the USA.
Therefore, if they want the privilege of doing business in the USA, they must abide by our laws or they should be fined and kicked out.
By the way, Rolex does a pretty good job of maintaining their products perceived value - just look at the demand for them and their resale value. So there is no need for them to resort to illegal means in order to achieve their desired goal.
gwuMACaddict said:
Only if they lose the case. If they win, not only will they receive a huge payout from Rolex, but if Rolex dumped them as a dealer, it would be seen a case of revenge which would then result in further penalties.
But, as I implied above, the dealers really like Rolex's pricing policies, because it means that they are not obligated to give discounts, and they know that those dealers who do, will not remain dealers for too long
absolut_mac said:
with all due respect, you are very wrong.
setting a MSRP for a product is not price fixing. rolex only controls the market for rolex...there are a multitude of other manufacturers of watches available. i also believe that price fixing usually involves the collusion of competitors to set an artificial price.
by your definition Apple is also guilty of price fixing.
I have been repairing & selling watches for the last 28 years, and have found that the quality of the Rolex to be excellent, I just serviced a Rolex Red Submariner Ref.1680 made in 1972 the owners father had purchased this watch new and had used it for 32 years and had now given it to his son, and yes the watch looked its age, the case and band were scratched and worn as was the crystal, the movement was dirty and the oil was dry. The dial was perfect which just shows how hermetic the Oyster case is. After the restoration this Sub looked great and kept reasonable time. There is no other watch company that comes close to making a such a resistant watch, yes I do love Omega and longines but Rolex is in a class of its own!
The Red Rolex Sub cost around the $300 in 1972 today this watch has a actual resale value $3800 today.
The Red Rolex Sub cost around the $300 in 1972 today this watch has a actual resale value $3800 today.
3rdpath said:
Nobody was talking about the MSRP, because virtually every manufacturer of every product suggests one.
Price fixing is when manufacturers or distributors penalize dealers because they choose to sell the products below MSRP, or below a target price set by them in order to artificially maintain a high price.
A classic example of the above taken to its extreme - and no, Rolex is not in the same category - is the DeBeers diamond cartel. That crystalized piece of coal is only worth so much thanks to DeBeers total and complete monopoly of the diamond market.
Most car manufacturers, watch distributors/manufacturers etc openly engaged in this practice until a few high profile cases in the past decade or two hit them where it hurts most. So now even those companies that still engage in this practise, do it in such a way so as not to open themselves to price fixing law suits.
That's one of the reasons that US drug companies are crying foul about distributors importing their US manufacturered drugs from Canada and vastly undercutting their artificially high prices.
PigDog said:
Check out the quality of the Elgin, Hamilton and Waltham watches from the 1920's/1930's and compare them to Rolex watches from the same period. There is absolutely no comparison.
The difference is that the Swiss adapted - although very painfully - to the onslaught of cheap Japanese quartz watches, the Americans didn't.
The Rolex watches of today are very well made and keep excellent time for a mechanical movement. Sure they are overpriced for what they are, but that expensive marketing campaign that inflates their retail price, pays dividends when/if you decide to sell your Rolex 10 or 20 years later. While no watch is an investment per se, Rolex watches consistently hold their resale value better than virtually every other brand - excluding the special Patek Philippe watches that collectors are so fond of.
absolut_mac said:
the first comerically available quartz watch didnt appear until 1969, when it was offered by seiko. so i have NO idea what you're talking about when you say the 1920's had anything to do with the swiss mechanical era of that time. The first comercially available automatic mechanical chronograph hadn't even been released yet.
i still contend that rolex price fixes to a degree and that this alone is the ONLY reason for the high resale vaule...