What made you want the BB58? I see it as an alternative to the Submariner that people buy when they are waiting for Sub, can't afford one, or want to avoid the stigma of owning a Rolex. As you apparently don't fall into any of these categories, I find it curious that you chose to buy one.
Because he thought it was a well-built, attractive timepiece? It's questions like this that make we wonder what could possible cause, in your words, "the stigma of owning a Rolex." 🙄 The attitude is that everyone really wants a Rolex, and every watch purchase must be made to somehow fit into that paradigm. Good grief. Apparently, despite this gentleman being a man who simply appreciates watches and buys the pieces that speak to him, he is still going to be questioned about his choice in that light. Ridiculous. Tudor, Omega, JLC, Glashütte Original, et al are not "Rolex alternatives." They are hardly for people who "can't afford a Rolex." They're well-designed, well-executed watches with solid movements and excellent brand history. They each have their own design language and evolution.
It's precisely this attitude that contributes to the stigma, and puts a great brand that makes an excellent collection of watches in a bad light.
This is a very narrow comparison, not some vapid brand comparison you seem to be responding to. (Also, the stigma of owning a Rolex, at least in the context I was referring to, has nothing to do with other watch enthusiasts thinking it’s the be-all-end-all brand and much more to do with non-watch enthusiasts knowing it’s a very expensive luxury brand.) Now, what I find particularly obnoxious is getting this sort of response, i.e. talking about brands instead of watches, when one asks for thoughts regarding two particular watches - although I guess this somewhat unavoidable in a Tudor-Rolex comparison as, again, Tudor was literally established to offer cheaper alternatives to Rolex.
[...] Tudor has, in my opinion, long ago came out from under the shadow of Max's original intention. They no longer simply create the Toyota instead of the Lexus; their watches are not using the same cases, bracelets, and crowns with a different dial and movement. Perhaps I look too much at the details, since dive watches all have so much in common anyway, but when I look at a BB58 I just don't see a Rolex Submariner. The proportions, case, materials, surfaces, and color are a different character from the modern Rolex.
