I got an honorable mention at GameFront for bashing Blizzard fanboys

[Lissa]

Here in N. America, from what I've seen at least not many people do.
I do because I happen to like watches. But in general most people nowadays seem to check the time with their cellphones. (The pocket watch returns in the form of a cellphone I guess.)

I've switched from cellphone to pocket watch. I'm not planning on getting big into watches. I just happened to find a manual-wind one that I really liked at a reasonable price. It has a lion on it. Rawr. I need waistcoats now.

Prior to this purchase I was gifted a wristwatch (Invicta brand) but it seems to be exceptionally large on my wrist. I find it makes my wrist sweat.

-Lemming

I can't wear watches (or even most jewelry) without getting a reaction so I used to wear pocket watches, usually by a clip attached to belt loops. The drawback to that was I would usually end up breaking the watches by having things hit them at work. When I finally got a cellphone, that's the only reason why I keep it on me at all times; I need a time keeping device of some kind and this is the only one I've had that's lasted for however many years now. I dread when my cheapy $10 phone kicks the bucket. I doubt any other phone I get to replace it will hold up half as well.

My suggestion, try and find one of the older Casio G'Z phones if you want a phone that can last. Pretty basic phone, but made extrememly tough. New ones are going for $200 with contract (I know, too much), but if you can find someone getting rid of theirs, you might be able to pick one up for a relative steal.

Edit: In fact (through BestBuy's Ebay site): 24 month contract and nothing more

[Treesh]

Here in N. America, from what I've seen at least not many people do.
I do because I happen to like watches. But in general most people nowadays seem to check the time with their cellphones. (The pocket watch returns in the form of a cellphone I guess.)

I've switched from cellphone to pocket watch. I'm not planning on getting big into watches. I just happened to find a manual-wind one that I really liked at a reasonable price. It has a lion on it. Rawr. I need waistcoats now.

Prior to this purchase I was gifted a wristwatch (Invicta brand) but it seems to be exceptionally large on my wrist. I find it makes my wrist sweat.

-Lemming

I can't wear watches (or even most jewelry) without getting a reaction so I used to wear pocket watches, usually by a clip attached to belt loops. The drawback to that was I would usually end up breaking the watches by having things hit them at work. When I finally got a cellphone, that's the only reason why I keep it on me at all times; I need a time keeping device of some kind and this is the only one I've had that's lasted for however many years now. I dread when my cheapy $10 phone kicks the bucket. I doubt any other phone I get to replace it will hold up half as well.

My suggestion, try and find one of the older Casio G'Z phones if you want a phone that can last. Pretty basic phone, but made extrememly tough. New ones are going for $200 with contract (I know, too much), but if you can find someone getting rid of theirs, you might be able to pick one up for a relative steal.

Edit: In fact (through BestBuy's Ebay site): 24 month contract and nothing more

Thanks for the suggestion. My phone is at least 3 years old and has survived being dropped from about 15 feet, being run over by a pallet jack, did have the front plate popped off at one point, but I just snapped it back on and away I went. =)

[eppie]

You raise an interesting observation here. Is it the location, generation, a combination of both and other factors maybe. But do people even notice what type of watch you're wearing in your part of the world?

Here in N. America, from what I've seen at least not many people do.
I do because I happen to like watches. But in general most people nowadays seem to check the time with their cellphones. (The pocket watch returns in the form of a cellphone I guess.)

But this was already the case before cell phones.
An expensive or interesting timepiece is too difficult to recognize for the majority of people and so it has never become a status symbol among the masses.
(where e.g. even people with very limited financial resources splash out 600 dollar for a new iphone.

So even among people with some more money to spend a bigger car is a much easier way to spend your money then to buy a serious watch.
But that is fine.....a watch you buy for yourself.

Anyway, when you look at the exclusive brands today, many of them were less exclusive 50 years ago. So you can find GP, Zenith, omega etc. watches from the 60s or 70s for a few 100 dollar in pretty good condition. And those are nice things to stumble upon.

[Hammerskjold]

But this was already the case before cell phones.
An expensive or interesting timepiece is too difficult to recognize for the majority of people and so it has never become a status symbol among the masses.

I'm going to slightly disagree here, at least with the 'never' part.
There was a time (nyuk nyuk) in the pre-quartz days where having -any- wristwatch, was a status symbol. I didn't personally live it, but my late grandparents did. Specifically, my grandfather was a travelling jewelry merchant, during the WW2 era.

Now before I give the false impression my grandparents were rich and old money, I have to say selling jewelry in the midst of a world war is probably pretty damn difficult. They wouldn't have survived if my grandmother was not the main breadwinner (working as a clerk in a major news magazine iirc) at the time.

He tried his best given the circumstances, and it was probably a huge stroke of luck\providence he made one amazing sale that made it possible to pay the hospital bill during the birth of my mother.

Now the reason I'm meandering on a personal anecdote here is to lead you, to another anecdote! In his later years, my grandfather took a liking to a mechanical watch my dad had, and my dad gave it to him. It wasn't until later I learned that he took a liking to the watch (and wore it everyday), because it reminded him of an era when even just having a watch on your wrist meant something.



Allright enough of my personal anecdote. I'm going to drop the -R- Bomb, Rolex.

In general I'd agree with you that most people nowadays, would probably not recognize or even look at what watch you're wearing. The exception being, I would say Rolex, specifically the Rolex Submariner. Aka probably the #1 most counterfeited\copied\homaged watch in the world.

Now I'm not saying this because I'm a Rolex fan, I actually kinda think the brand can attract a lot of dickbags and dickbaggery. (Having said that, I'm not one to deny the brand have quite the history and influence.)

And I've seen a lot of examples where people want a Rolex to signify that they've 'made it'. I've seen folks who are not that into watches, but knows the basic look of a Rolex Sub. I've seen folks who don't know what a mechanical watch is, but wants the 'best', 'GIMME ROLXE NOWZ PL0X !'

Now there are people who cares not a fig about what other people think, and just want a rollie brand watch for themselves. But IMO, they're probably in the minority.

(where e.g. even people with very limited financial resources splash out 600 dollar for a new iphone.

I'd say this jibes with my own experience as well. Not being an Apple hater, but I do think Apple marketing does play a part in their success.

I forgot what the name of the founder of Rolex, so I'll just make up a name and say Hans Wildorf Rolexicon probably would've approved of Apple marketing. Maybe a joint venture between the 2 brand, Applex. Or even better, Ropple! I think it's catchy name amirite guys? Guys? People?

/cricket chirps

So even among people with some more money to spend a bigger car is a much easier way to spend your money then to buy a serious watch.
But that is fine.....a watch you buy for yourself.

Again this seems to jibe with my own experience as well, though with the added hilarity that I've seen and dealt with people who can not afford the upkeep of a status car.

But I absolutely agree with your last sentence. Buying a watch or anything else mostly for the approval and attention of others, don't always work out the way people wish it would.

Anyway, when you look at the exclusive brands today, many of them were less exclusive 50 years ago. So you can find GP, Zenith, omega etc. watches from the 60s or 70s for a few 100 dollar in pretty good condition. And those are nice things to stumble upon.

Just curious, where do you go to hunt or even to just browse for these? The site\link to the Oris diver pic you gave was very interesting, and if I were to buy a watch nowadays chances are I'd go the innernetz route.

But I am amazed and not a little envious whenever I hear stories of someone stumbling on a great find in a brick and mortar location. "I found an amazing vintage watch on a garage sale\Goodwill store for 10-20$..."

[LavCat]

Again this seems to jibe with my own experience as well, though with the added hilarity that I've seen and dealt with people who can not afford the upkeep of a status car.

Then there are those of us who cannot afford the upkeep of our status watch.

[eppie]

Just curious, where do you go to hunt or even to just browse for these? The site\link to the Oris diver pic you gave was very interesting, and if I were to buy a watch nowadays chances are I'd go the innernetz route.

But I am amazed and not a little envious whenever I hear stories of someone stumbling on a great find in a brick and mortar location. "I found an amazing vintage watch on a garage sale\Goodwill store for 10-20$..."

Well, as I said before I am not a big collector that has 10s of watches.
And I am too scared of the internet for my age. So I have actually never bought anything second hand on internet via ebay or so. And with watches....the chance of getting a fake is so big.

In the south of Italy (where I have been living for a while) I found this very little shop in the center where an old guy was repairing watches himself. He had worked in Switzerland (maybe even ETA) and I think he was a pensioner now. He had an amazing amount of older watches there.
But he didn't sell them for 10 or 20 dollars or whatever.....so they were not real finds in that sense. But it is just very cool to see such an amount of these vintage watches all together.
Again they are nothing like modern high quality watches. Safire glass didn't exist yet etc. etc.

I agree with you on rolex. Good quality, true, but they are too flashy.

[Hammerskjold]

Well, as I said before I am not a big collector that has 10s of watches.

I'm not either. Well...ok I'd say I put a personal limit of around 7 max for mechanicals. I can only wear them on one arm, and I can wear a different one for each day of the week.

And I am too scared of the internet for my age. So I have actually never bought anything second hand on internet via ebay or so. And with watches....the chance of getting a fake is so big.

I haven't bought anything second hand from ebay either. Though I have bought new from sellers who happens to use e-bay as their storefront.

I usually look at both their ebay rating, and their rep on various watch collector forum. So far I haven't encountered any problems knock on wood. Out of my humble collection so far, I've only bought one watch from a brick and mortar store.

Granted if it's the bigger brand (read, more famous and $$$) yes the chances of scumbags trying to pass off a fake increases.

But in general, no need to fear the innernetz. Much information and sometimes hilarity can be found in watch enthusiast\collector forums.

In the south of Italy (where I have been living for a while) I found this very little shop in the center where an old guy was repairing watches himself. He had worked in Switzerland (maybe even ETA) and I think he was a pensioner now. He had an amazing amount of older watches there.

That's very cool. Nothing like that in my immediate area unfortunately.

But it is just very cool to see such an amount of these vintage watches all together.
Again they are nothing like modern high quality watches. Safire glass didn't exist yet etc. etc.

Yep. It's quite amazing the quality and features you can get for some price point nowadays. Unfortunately, I think the people who repair them like that gentlemen you mention, doesn't seem to be in an expanding field. (I hope he has an apprentice or something.)