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Frustration?! Do you even know what you're wearing?

  1. DocHolliday Oct 5, 2014

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    Being almost border-line obsessed with some of the time pieces I get the pleasure of seeing, nothing drives me more crazy when somebody's wearing great classic looking time piece and doesn't know a single thing about it. I complemented his piece which was the Rolex Green Ceramic "Hulk". He said and I quote " Oh ya I won it at a company convention. Not a big watch guy, but hey its a Roli!" My brain almost exploded on the spot. This is not his watch. Just a great piece. PB190080.JPG
     
  2. speedbird Oct 5, 2014

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    It's like with cars, some folks just don't care.
     
  3. cicindela Steve @ ΩF Staff Member Oct 5, 2014

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    Maybe you could trade him a nice black one:)
     
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  4. yande Oct 7, 2014

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    I never comment on Rolex's, as from experience, a majority seem to be air heads, and the others bought them in Bali, but at least the latter will talk about their watch!! Then again, there was this nicely dressed mid 20 year old girl in my shop, wearing a Pepsi, and I had to say something. Her Dad had died, and she now wore his watch. That was a nice personal moment, talking with her and her mother about her father and his watch. One of those moments when you realise the important history, memory and feeling that a watch, especially a good watch, can carry..... for generations.
    I see hundreds of wrists every weekend.. I'll pick my mark and comment on an Omega occasionally. Even had a customer say "nice watch you have," last Sunday. That's a rarity. Perhaps they too, summed me up!
     
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  5. msp1518 Oct 7, 2014

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    I rarely comment on someone's watch. If it's a Rolex or Omega they tend to not know a thing about it. It's kind of embarrassing, really. So I just keep my mouth shut.
     
  6. X350 XJR Vintage Omega Aficionado Oct 7, 2014

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    Yeah, how many Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes AMG, BMW M drivers out there only have them because its the most expensive one they could find, really sad.

    Case in point, this stupid twit should never have been allowed anywhere near a 600+ horsepower car...

    lindsay_lohan_car_crash.jpg
     
  7. cicindela Steve @ ΩF Staff Member Oct 7, 2014

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    Pfft, buff right out :thumbsup:
     
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  8. yande Oct 8, 2014

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    Yep,, take my German brother in law. (Being German, driving a Mercedes, you'd think, at least he's have an idea..) He has one of the ugliest, most expensive Mercedes you can buy. He came down a few months back, and I asked him if his car was a 6 cylinder or an 8 cylinder? (I knew I had to state cylinder, otherwise he would think I was talking about seating..)

    He looked at me with a bemused look on his face, and simply shrugged. He's too proud to admit he didn't know. He drives an expensive Mercedes, and has no need to explain such trivial matters with the little folk! And he drives like a maniac.. Full of rage and never in the wrong..
     
  9. DocHolliday Oct 10, 2014

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  10. George.A Oct 13, 2014

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    I really like my watches (some I almost love), but I do not feel this means I should know anything or everything about them. What I'm trying to say is that, while I do agree with the idea that if you know more about a certain piece you can better appreciate it, knowing more is not a prerequisite for appreciating and enjoying that piece. You can still appreciate a nice watch without knowing it has 28800bph or that it's from 316 steel and not from 904 steel.

    Also, "The Hulk" is a nice watch and everything, but it's not the rarest Rolex. If that guy would have had a MilSub and said something like "it's just a Roli", then I would have been genuinely shocked :) .
     
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  11. NT931 Oct 13, 2014

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    It depends on the brand I think. A colleague of mine was dead pleased when I complimented him on his Nomos Tangente, as it's a very nice brand. Ditto for JLCs - I recently spotted a Reverso 976 on another colleague at a dinner and since I was wearing my Reverso Duo we had a very interesting JLC-themed conversation indeed. Same for Grand Seikos too. And Ochs and Junior. And definitely for vintage watches!

    I guess there are some brands which are less "commercially appreciated" for want of a better phrase but liked by WIS like us - and starting a conversation based on those brands has made for some fun conversations, at least for me.
     
  12. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Oct 13, 2014

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    I think expecting that everyone who owns nice things would be as passionate about them as we are is setting yourself up for disappointment. The vast majority of luxury (or in the case of Rolex mid-level) watches are not sold to collectors.

    If I see a Rolex on someone's wrist, the chances they are a WIS is much smaller than if I saw a JLC on someone's wrist. In fact with the Rolex I would rarely start up a conversation with someone wearing one...I know I would be disappointed.

    A real life example of that was during our trip to New Orleans this summer. I had 3 watch related interactions with people on that trip. One Rolex, one Omega Speedmaster, and one involving Panerai. The Rolex guy I asked him about the watch (was at a trade show there and my wife was talking to this company about products, so I just made conversation with someone at the booth while I waited) and he said he bought it because it was "supposed to be a good watch." He went on to tell me it had never been serviced, it would not stay wound by the rotor, so he wound it by hand every morning to keep it going. I told him it really needed to be serviced, but he didn't seem to care. It was a TT Sub with the blue dial. I consider this a typical Rolex wearer in many ways...

    The Omega I was walking by the river and a young kid (maybe 16) walked by and said "Hey nice Speedy!" and raised his arm - I was wearing mine on a strap and he was wearing one on a bracelet. The fact he spotted it just in the few seconds we were passing each other as we were both walking tells me he knows watches.

    The Panerai's were at the airport. One guy in line had one on and I said "Nice PAM." He seemed confused at first until I pointed to his watch - he didn't seem to be a WIS, but a family behind him in line then said "We all have them too!" and they all held up their wrists and they were all wearing PAM's. The mother said "We are a Pamily!" So they seemed to know their watches for sure.

    Cheers, Al
     
  13. yande Oct 13, 2014

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    Being a Pam owner, I liked that happy ending... :thumbsup:

    New Orleans...I'd love to experience that.....
     
  14. George.A Oct 13, 2014

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    The ending with "We are a Pamily!" is awesome! :)