Is it embarrassing to ask someone about their nice watch only to have them tell you it's fake? I felt embarrassed not for him either.
It was a fake seamaster on a NATO strap

 

On our cruise before Christmas mixture of Rolex, Audemars, Tag, Cartier’s, a few ICE and of course Omegas

 

nice watches in the wild? not often. There's one or two people where I work who have "the watch problem" but I rarely see anything better than a Fossil quartz chronograph or a "smart" watch out there... kinda sad really.

 

Samples: these guys ...



... their watches

 

Honestly, depending on the circumstances, I’d be inclined to declare any nice piece as a fake to a stranger. Perhaps I’m just a bit paranoid though.

 

When I travel to Europe I tend to see more luxury watches on wrists, especially Rolex. I feel there is that I'll that mentality of owning one good watch, even if it's your only watch.

When I travelled to Tokyo, I saw some really beautiful AP, AL&S out in the wild, metro, grocery stores, it was heaven!

 

I have a lot of wealthy clients and often see nice watches during my visits. Many times I would love to ask about the watch and get a closer look, but in the interest of keeping focused on business I rarely do.

 

All of the US airports are overfilled with Rolex subs... I've seen few speedmasters and some PAMs. One of my colleagues used to have GMT master and another one has a PO.
The latest thing I've spotted was a Seiko Pogue, almost NOS condition. I told him that he has nice Pogue, guy looked at me like : What???.
I said the watch, Seiko.... He goes: Oh yes, it was something with space program that made this watch popular and I bought it.... Me: Have a nice day))))).

 

Saw an Omega Seamaster “Commander” watch in the PATH system in downtown Toronto.

Still not a design I can get behind...

 

Oh gawd that’s beautiful! I’ve seen pictures of bullheads before and thought then odd. But now I want one! Thanks...

 

Here is what you do about that!

 

Just had to toss in the flannel with that beautiful watch didn't ya?

 

I had hilariously just put on that shirt to take the wifey out to a movie in Beaverton when I saw your post about flannel!

 

I was actually at a car show this morning and spotted a vintage Speedy bracelet on a Speedmaster. Told the guy “hey nice Speedy.” He told me it was his Dads from the 70’s. He took it off and showed it to me.

Looked at it 1171, step dial, moon back and everything correct. I told him it’s most likely sold from 71-73. Pretty mossy dial he seemed not care about the date and I said nothing about the moss He didn’t want to see my ghost bezel 76 .

 

Working at the airport for a few hours the other day, spotted a new polproff on a young guy, commenting on it. Quick chat, he works for the gas and oil game and on his way to work on a rig. Not that much of a watch guy but did notice I had a Speedmaster on.

Even younger guy at a clothing store picked my Speedmaster the other day as soon as I reached to grab a t-shirt. Had a few bespoke brands but a Speedmaster is on he's wish list. The watch he was wearing was quite nice but forget what it was

 

This is an interesting question. I very rarely see others wearing watches that I consider fine pieces, and I very rarely hear comments about the watches I wear. I think only once in the last several years has anyone commented on a watch, and it was a young guy, maybe 25 who pulled up beside me on a BMW motorcycle at about 50 mph. He was yelling something at me, and I thought maybe my gas cap cover was open or I had a brake light out. He pointed at his wrist, and I noticed he was wearing a Rolex Sub, and I was wearing one, too. I like seeing young guys and girls wearing nice watches. So many wear no watch at all these days.

 

I live in Hungary and work in a backoffice of a big American bank. I see a few modern Seamasters and a few Subs (interestingly(?) these are the only 2 that I spot time to time) and a hell lot of fashion watches and IWatches.

 

Saw this on the wrist of a salesman at the local electrical store the other day, nice wavy black dial on a not so common SMP. Nice to see a quality watch in the wild

 

I had another thread about a Speedmaster I spotted in the wild a few years ago (in case some haven't seen it before). There were several other examples shared in the thread.

 

I don’t see many in the wild, but I think I made one of our suppliers happy today.

Talking about aircraft wiring, he interjects “Is that one of the new Omegas lurking up your sleeve? I’ve been wanting to ask all morning.”

”Certainly is; it’s the Trilogy Railmaster”

“Ooo, can I have a look?”

Never had that happen before. Nice!


Update: I completely forgot to mention the really cool part of this story. Obviously one gets to chatting about watch likes, dislikes, grails etc in such situations and so we did, completely forgetting the original purpose of the day’s business; much to the amusement of the suppliers other colleagues. The discussion continued over coffee in a different location, where we bumped into one of my Rolex Sub owning colleagues, who of course was delighted to show off his 1680 Sub. So nothing unusual so far.

Then it happened: one of the suppliers (French) colleagues said his dad (deceased) also had “an old scratched watch a bit like that”.

“What do you mean, like that” I asked.

“Oh, well, sort of like your friends but older, from the ‘50s; I think that’s when he bought it. But it’s not worth much as it’s a bit scratched; it’s in a draw at home somewhere”.

“Did you check it’s value on Chrono24” I asked.

“Chrono-what?”

I got him to load the website, punched in Rolex, Submariner (no date) and checked all the 1950s dates. Then asked him to point out the one that looked most like his dad’s “scratched watch”.

He chose..........a...........


6538 Big Crown 4 liner Tropical dial

I’m sure suppliers are supposed to be making their customers happy, not the other way round.