Who's got a nice watch? Traditional watches only, no smartwatches please.

[Pilot Jones]

Do you know what I got my digits completely wrong, apologies. I have a SARB033, here it is:

I’m out of practise discussing mechanical watches and used to be a member of WUS for a few years. The SARB017 was a watch I had my eye on but never bought.

Oh you have a future classic on your hands my friend. This would have probably been my very first mechanical watch if my budget was a bit higher.

If I’m not mistaken, the SARB033 was just recently discontinued by Seiko and the entire watch community acted like they’d just lost a loved one.

Such an incredibly handsome watch. It’s reselling for quite a bit higher than it initially retailed for so you better hold on to it!

 

[Pilot Jones]

Grail watch incoming...

Love seeing folks finally snatch their grails. Can’t wait to see what you got! ?

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Oh you have a future classic on your hands my friend. This would have probably been my very first mechanical watch if my budget was a bit higher.

If I’m not mistaken, the SARB033 was just recently discontinued by Seiko and the entire watch community acted like they’d just lost a loved one.

Such an incredibly handsome watch. It’s reselling for quite a bit higher than it initially retailed for so you better hold on to it!

It’s been sat in a drawer and only worn twice in 3 years, owned for 5. It’s in mint condition and I still have the box, papers and import document from Japan. Hopefully if they are commanding a higher price now, this may be hunger in a decade or so. I’ll definitely hang on to it

 

[Pilot Jones]

It’s been sat in a drawer and only worn twice in 3 years, owned for 5. It’s in mint condition and I still have the box, papers and import document from Japan. Hopefully if they are commanding a higher price now, this may be hunger in a decade or so. I’ll definitely hang on to it

Currently you can easily sell it for about 600-700 quid, so that will definitely rise in a few years!

It was one of those sleepers that just didn’t get enough attention when it dropped, but the moment it was discontinued, everyone felt it.

 

[Miat]

The Quartz Crisis is one of the most dynamic chapters in watch history...elite watchmakers completely reinventing themselves overnight to stay relevant, moving the focus from technical perfection & fanciful design to clean-cut, brutalist luxury (with a little help from Gerald Genta of course).

Seiko is, in a way, directly responsible for the creation of watches like the AP Royal Oak, Patek's Nautilus and Vacheron Constantin's Overseas, just to name a few...now arguably some of the most iconic & sought after watches of all time.

The entire high-end sports luxury watch genre owes it's gratitude to the Quartz Crisis. Necessity truly is the mother of invention, and in this case the necessity was survival — the most primal need of them all.

Without quartz we would not have the Seiko Spring Drive, nor – arguably – the push to develop stuff like silicon 'escapements'.

 

[AustinIllini]

Finally arrived:

 

[Fried_Gold]

I went on a Seiko binge this year and bought 4 newer models to go with my Seiko gen 1 "orange monster" that I bought in 2009.

Seiko SKX781
Seiko Presage SRPC79J1
Seiko Prospex SPB117J1
Seiko SARB035
Seiko Prospex SPB155J1

 

[AustinIllini]

Picture of the Presage, please

 

[Fried_Gold]

Picture of the Presage, please

Sure, here’s my collection.

 

[AustinIllini]

I say this constantly, but the Presage line is brilliant. It is really "Baby Grand" Seiko

 

[Oblivion1337]

A few random.
Nomos metro date power reserve is my most fav.

 

[Fried_Gold]

I love NOMOS but I can't get past the overly long lugs.

 

[Miat]

Nice collection of Seikos. Never seen that last one before, but I like the colour combo. Like the Presage too, especially the hands and numerals.

 

[Pilot Jones]

Without quartz we would not have the Seiko Spring Drive, nor – arguably – the push to develop stuff like silicon 'escapements'.

True. It was incredibly groundbreaking.

Reminds me of when sound was introduced into "talkie" movies in 1929. It was an unprecedented technological development that was despised by purists of the form, but almost immediately completely revolutionized its field and many who belonged to the Old Guard shut shop because they simply couldn't keep up.

 

[Pilot Jones]

Finally arrived:
View attachment 1710568

Beautiful. Would love to get one someday!

Considering how Rolex always engages in severe artificial inflation for their more popular models, the Explorer & OP are a much better "bang for the buck" compared to the utterly overhyped (and imo, far less prettier) Submariners, Datejusts and Day-Dates.

 

[Pilot Jones]

Sure, here’s my collection.

always warms my heart to see someone with a beautiful Seiko collection

 

[AustinIllini]

Beautiful. Would love to get one someday!

Considering how Rolex always engages in severe artificial inflation for their more popular models, the Explorer & OP are a much better "bang for the buck" compared to the utterly overhyped (and imo, far less prettier) Submariners, Datejusts and Day-Dates.

There are a number of problems, but the whole thing has come to a head with the pandemic. Production is down 35% and ADs are pretty much abusing the "wait list" system because Rolex, while wanting to sell to any and every possible customer, does not mandate AD behavior.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

@UltraInstinct: Thanks for sharing your collection: Love the Presage (and I'm also partial to the white faced model with the Dauphine hands). Well wear.

 

[Pilot Jones]

There are a number of problems, but the whole thing has come to a head with the pandemic. Production is down 35% and ADs are pretty much abusing the "wait list" system because Rolex, while wanting to sell to any and every possible customer, does not mandate AD behavior.

Absolutely. You best believe that if I'm carrying ~$10,000 in my pocket, that will go straight to either JLC, Grand Seiko, Longines or Omega, instead of pining away after a Submariner.

I have way too much self-respect to be begging Rolex ADs and purchasing multiple OPs to buy my way onto fictional wait-lists.

I don't collect watches as status symbols. I collect them because I adore the technical, aesthetic and even philosophical aspects of horology. Rolex has a vital place in the history of watchmaking, but it is currently an insult to everything that the ethos of watch collecting stands for.

 

[Pilot Jones]

@UltraInstinct: Thanks for sharing your collection: Love the Presage (and I'm also partial to the white faced model with the Dauphine hands). Well wear.

I'm with you on that. I've always been a sucker for Dauphine Hands (arguably my favorite)...throw that on a nice cream-colored dial and you got a stunner on your wrist.

 

[Fried_Gold]

@UltraInstinct: Thanks for sharing your collection: Love the Presage (and I'm also partial to the white faced model with the Dauphine hands). Well wear.

I'm with you on that. I've always been a sucker for Dauphine Hands (arguably my favorite)...throw that on a nice cream-colored dial and you got a stunner on your wrist.

Ah the illustrious Seiko SARB035.

 

[Pilot Jones]

Ah the illustrious Seiko SARB035.

The SARB line is truly something special. What a phenomenal one-two punch of quality product & stellar value proposition by Seiko.

Never seen a single SARB that I didn’t think was at the very least gorgeous, if not utterly breathtaking.

 

[AustinIllini]

Absolutely. You best believe that if I'm carrying ~$10,000 in my pocket, that will go straight to either JLC, Grand Seiko, Longines or Omega, instead of pining away after a Submariner.

I have way too much self-respect to be begging Rolex ADs and purchasing multiple OPs to buy my way onto fictional wait-lists.

I don't collect watches as status symbols. I collect them because I adore the technical, aesthetic and even philosophical aspects of horology. Rolex has a vital place in the history of watchmaking, but it is currently an insult to everything that the ethos of watch collecting stands for.

The annoying part is OPs won't do it anymore. Since the 2020 models, they are now closer to the "Steel sports" category. The AD is going to try to get you to spend $20,000 on a sky-dweller

I have to add, it's also annoying that Omega is just trying to race towards Rolex prices now. They have all the stock in the world but their prices are artificially inflated to compete with Rolex. It's awful.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I'm with you on that. I've always been a sucker for Dauphine Hands (arguably my favorite)...throw that on a nice cream-colored dial and you got a stunner on your wrist.

My Omega Deville has a cream face and Dauphine hands.

And yes, I am an absolute sucker as well for Dauphine hands, I simply love them.

 

[Pilot Jones]

The annoying part is OPs won't do it anymore. Since the 2020 models, they are now closer to the "Steel sports" category. The AD is going to try to get you to spend $20,000 on a sky-dweller

I have to add, it's also annoying that Omega is just trying to race towards Rolex prices now. They have all the stock in the world but their prices are artificially inflated to compete with Rolex. It's awful.

Dear god, that's terrible LOL

I don't think the Datejust and Day-dates are particularly ugly, but the Sky Dweller is downright hideous. What an unflattering, clustered mess of a dial. You couldn't pay me to wear one.

I love Omega, but I have been slowly noticing the change in them too unfortunately. They're really milking the Moonwatch Special Editions a bit much nowadays as well. I feel like Omega never side-stepped the public perception of it being Rolex's closest rival and instead of not caring about it, they are actively trying to "win" the battle.

It's so unnecessary and unflattering. I hope they come to their senses and don't completely jump the shark. Omega has always been known as a brand with a lot of integrity & character...would be an absolute shame to flush that down the toilet.