Posted: 1/2/2007 3:57:27 PM EDT
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Alright, so I'm having trouble deciding which brand of watch to aquire as a graduation present. If y'all have em, could you post pics and/or reviews on either brand of watch? Thanks. Dan |
Get the Rolex. Then return it, get the cash, buy a Casio, and then buy about six ARs. |
Yeah you could do that too. |
Seiko Orange Monster Yeah, it isn't in the "Class" of an Omega or Rolex. However, it is well constructed and wears well. Plus, you won't feel too terrible when it gets scratched or stolen. If I see a Rolex on someone's wrist, I immediately assume it is fake. Then, I have to listen to them tell me how great their Rolex is for 30 minutes, or listen to them tell me how great their "FOLEX" is for 30 minutes... Also, you should be able to get the Seiko and about 15 Stag lowers for the same price... (But, if someone was going to force one of your 2 options onto me, I'd take to Rolex and put it in the safe...) |
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Guide to major brands: chronocentric.com/watches/brands.shtml I have an Omega. Best price/quality ratio on the market as far as I am concerned. |
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I have an Omega 39mm Aqua-Terra Railmaster. I love it. I can wear it with blue jeans to a tux. I use it as my dress watch, but often find myself wearing it with casual attire too. I also want an Omega Seamaster Pro in black. The SMP in black is sort of a compromise between the Blue/Bond Seamaster and the Planet Ocean. I can recommend an authorized dealer in the DC area if you decide you want an Omega. He also sells my other favorite brands of Hamilton and Tissot, which are very good bangs for the buck too. I'm seriously considering getting a Hamilton Aviation Chronograph as my next watch purchase. It's a poor mans Speedmaster. (some borrowed images) Railmaster:  Black SMP:  Planet Ocean:  Hamilton Aviation Chrono: 
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stop fooling around and get a Breitling Chrono Colt... www.breitling.com/en/models/aeromarine/chrono_colt/  ar-jedi |
| For what purpose do you want the watch? If it is to tell time, any cheap quartz will be more accurate than a manual. If it is for wanting to own a finely crafted timepiece, there are far better choices than Rolex and Omega. If it is so people will notice your watch and think "Wow, that guy has a Rolex/Omega. He must have money," then by all means, the Rolex. It is more widely recognized. |
I prefer that my watches look good  ETA: I unfortunatly don't actually have a TAG. While I may be VERY frivolous with my money I still can't bring myself to drop $700 on a watch. |
+1000, I've owned both and the Omega is an excellent timepiece. Ya, everybody knows what a Rolex is but it didn't feel as solid and didn't keep time as good as the Omega. |
I don't particularly like the gold and silver watches (rolex). I prefer all stainless/silver over gold. The black faced Omega is the best looking one of the bunch I think. I wouldn't mind a Maraton either (real tritium, durable). I had a plastic Maraton and lost it. One of the best watches I've ever owned.
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Having owned 3 Rolex's in my life I now have none. This is not because I don't like them; rather I want something better than a good marketing campaign. Facts are that Rolex is slowly getting a big head! They are squeezing out small dealers and forcing unwanted goods on them, but won't let them sell it at a discount. Further they are limiting parts availability so that if you want your watch fixed you must send it back to them. If you wend it back want to have one thing fixed and they notice a chip on the edge of the crystal they will force you to have it replaced if you want them to fix the original problem! That said here are the current watches I own. My daily wear a Omega Seamaster Pro Diver, dress watch an Omega Speedmaster Triple Date, my fathers old Seamaster from the 70's and a Fortis Fleiger a decent watch that can be had used for $5-650.  Selling a few of them to get a IWC Portuguese chronograph.   |
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Love the IWC. My next is going to be the white faced 5001. To the OP if you are really going to drop the money on a good watch go research some brands before you limit your choices. Both the Rolex and Omega are great but there are a lot more cool brands out there. |
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TAG is fine, I wear one... Wore another for 11yrs. Tag is sort of the mainstream, midgrade, production, luxury watch. If you are not paying for it, I would tell you to get a Rolex Sub, S/S, black face and bezel. I'm getting an IWC Spitfire crono soon and am hunting a Panerai. I've been doing a bit of research on Panerai after some members here pointed it out... Good fucking watch. They just don't make one the way I want it (I need timer functions, but I want a date as well) and they are freaking expensive. But man ! They look studly. |
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Not at all. Inexpesive watches serve their purpose. If you can get a few years or more out of a $30 purchase that's great. But as usual there are those who just don't understand why someone would spend several hundred or even several thousand dollars on a wristwatch. Allow me to try and explain, by using the following:
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I don't own any, but have always thought the Chase Durer line was pretty cool. Squadron Commander  USAF B-52 Weapons School (Rolexes and Omegas are still 'Kickass'.  )
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Here are some Panerai chronos with date. http://www.panerai.com/s_page.xpd?id_lingua=2&id_sezione=15&id_categoria=39 |
The PAM250 is the one I want... I never even noticed the date @ 5 O'clock !!!  My wallet now hates you.
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The movement in a Rolex and Omega runs about $300 or so. Hand made watches are much much more expensive. And as you add complications, the price goes up exponentially. |
+1 on the Moonwatch. Don't know if I'd say the Seamaster is prettier. I do like the subdued nature of the Moonwatch. Very clean and uncluttered for a chronograph.  Photo is not of my Moonwatch. |
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aside from what the cheap-watch apologists will say here is my take: I own an Rolex GMT Master II and an Omega speedmaster professional moon watch. the moon watch version is only available in mineral crystal because it is unchanged from the 40yr old NASA issue watch. you CAN get a saphire crystal on the speedmaster. it just wont be a moon watch. Rolex GMT Master II was $4400 at A.H. Riise in St. thomas Omega Speedmaster was $2000 at Little Switzerland in St. Maarten the Omega is every bit the quality of the rolex but it lacks the exclusivity of the rolex marque. this is why Rolex watches are considered investments. a Rolex watch actually APPRECIATES in value. this is not true with the omega or any other watch i am familiar with. a word on movements: only 3 companies in switzerland still make their own movements. Rolex, Omega, and ETA(swatch) so if it aint a Rolex or an Omega its a Swatch. now thats overly simplistic as ETA makes movements from $10 quartz watches all the way up to the quality and reliability of a Rolex.they even make COSC certified movements for Breitling and others. the best bang-for-the-buck swiss watch is by far Invicta. an Invicta 9937 is a near exact copy of a Rolex Submariner and nearly the same quality but 1/10th the price. it is not COSC certified and it wont appreciate in value but it is a damn good watch for $400 executive summary: as a graduation present i would recommend the Rolex. presumably the recipient will keep it and treasure it forever and when he hands it down to his kids, or his grand kids it will be worth more than what you paid for it. edited to add: the seiko orange monster is a VERY high quality watch. many of the high end seiko's rival their swiss counterparts the orange mosnter just looks a bit gaudy for dress-up. |
You information on movements in incorrect. For one, Omega is part of the Swatch group. If you go to the homepage of TimeZone.com, you will find at the top photos from tours of two Swiss watch companies: Chopard and Girard-Perregaux, both of which are shown making movements from scratch. You can also find other tours wherein they visit other Swiss watch companies that make their own movements: Philippe Dufours, IWC, etc. Patek-Philippe also makes movements in-house. |
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I've got both!!! I inherited my dads Rolex Oyster and I have an Omega Seamaster… The Rolex is ultimately 'tougher' but costs far more to fix if you break it. Both watches are effectively unbreakable though, my Omega was on my wrist when it was run over in an auto accident, my wrist broke, the watch just shrugged it off with a few scratches. Which do I prefer? The Omega looks more 'professional' and not so bling… however, my day to day wear now is a Seiko Pilots watch Andy |
Then buy this from me. It is on the EE. TUTIMA |
My feelings exactly. To be honest, though, I never wanted the Rolex. First, I like the look of the Omega better, and second, even though a Rolex is more expensive, you see a hell of a lot more of them thanks to their advertising and I wanted something different. My Omega Seamaster was a law school graduation present, and I could have had the Submariner if I had asked. The thought never crossed my mind. |
man i tell ya im always behind the 8 ball on stuff like this. If i saw that critter a month ago i prob would have grabbed it.( just bought a titanium sea master)  |
| Rolex watches are like a commodity but I wouldn't consider them an investment. What my jeweler friend said was that you could nearly universally get 50% of their retail value in a pawn shop. My figures might be off but the principle is that they are recognized to have a certain value all over the world much like gold. |
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Contrary to what has been posted here, Rolex watches do not appreciate. Rolex makes almost a million (1,000,000) watches a year. They are not rare. Rolex watches may not depreciate as much as others, but they certainly do not appreciate. Buy a new Rolex Submariner date for $5150 and it will be worth about $4200 when you try to sell it. Maybe slightly higher than $4200 or slightly lower, but not higher than what you paid for it. If you want a watch that may actually appreciate, you have to get into the high end hand made watches. Rolex is not hand made. An example of a high end watch that MAY appreciate would be a Patek Phillipp. |
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buy a stainless Daytona for $6000 and throw it on ebay. watch it climb to 5 digit prices. my dad bought a SeaDweller from AAFES after the gulf war for $2900. He recently sold it for $3600. Before that he had a President that he made about $500 on after 5yrs of ownership. if you bought a 50th anniversary watch you WILL make money. If you buy a Daytona you WILL make money. Word has it that Rolex is soon to change the font on the bezel of all the sport models to match that of the yachtmaster. if that happens expect values of watches with the original bezels to appreciate considerably. it really depends on which models you buy. if you are fool enough to get a $4000 watch encrusted in another $20,000 worth of gold and gemstones expect to lose money. the less bling the better off you will be. also: im not all pretentious watch faggery. the only watch i brought with me on my deployment is a Traser P6500 which is the traser version of the luminox "navy seal" watch. the traser is a bit more faithful reproduction of the original SandY 650 and it has a GMT bezel instead of a 60min timer like the luminox. this watch is just as accurate, durable and bombproof as the rolex. it just aint pretty. |
Humm, I purchased my two tone submariner a couple of years ago and I know I can sell it for the same price I paid for it.. So you don't know what your talking about!! It is a timepiece for you to keep and not sell right away this includes your Philippe.. Anytime you buy something new, you will always get a lower price if you try to sell it right away.. I wonder what the depreciation on your Philippe (and it is not Phillipp) would be if you tried to sell a new $25,000+ watch which has Dealer markup of 15% or more. You can do the math.. Suffer a $4000-9000 or more loss when you sell that watch?? Additionally, you have to find a Philippe Dealer to buy it, there are very very few.. You better be by a major city and you will be lucky if you get 85% of the purchase price.. And if your not by a major city, you will have to send your watch to them and hope you get your money.. Not many dealers are gonna shell out money unless they are gonna make a profit on a used watch and they will not pay you your purchase price for your watch.. Rolex on the other hand, has many many markets in the US.. Another thing, a submariner is a dive/dress watch.. I wonder if you would go diving in your Philippe? As for the jeweler friend statement, He is a idiot if he told you to go to a pawn shop to sell a Rolex or any other timepiece.. He should know there is a market for any high end timepiece. Ask him what would happen if you took diamonds to a pawn shop I bet they dont bring 50% of their value.. Anything you take to a pawn shop, you will be lucky if you get 30% of the value of the item. You buy a Rolex as a timepiece for the long term (to keep it).. You wont make money on it, but it will keep it's value.. Buy a $6000 car and see what it is worth in a couple of years. The one thing that is guaranteed with a Rolex is the fact that there prices go up yearly which helps in the resale market.. Now these are used watch prices. Look at the Stainless Steel Submariner.. I remember that you could buy them anywhere for under $1500. Now they are over $3000 18k/SS Rolex Submariner market was $2500- 3000 now $3900 - 5000. Now these prices reflect ownership of 8-10 years. So you guys reallly dont know what talking about.. The real negative on a Rolex watch is getting the watch serviced which is recommended every couple of years.. It is not the purchase price or depreciation ! Rolex Routine Service Prices: Rolex Service center (texas or New York)$400+ (plus shipping) If you can find a local Rolex trained Jeweler, $150+.. And then think about the cost of doing the service on a Philippe ! |
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Where I live we have a local Patek dealer. We don't have a local Rolex dealer. The closest is Minneapolis area. Rolex has reduced it's number of authorized dealers in the last few years. They have also raised the prices on their entire line regularly. This is the reason why the prices appear to go up. Rolex is just raising the price of their product. If you go to Rolex's web site, they don't even maintain a list of AD's. What's up with that??? Sorry, but comparing a Rolex to a Patek is laughable. If you want to start learning about watch brands, start here: www.chronocentric.com/watches/brands.shtml Edit: You buy a Stainless Submariner date for $5150 and when you walk out the door it is worth about $3800. They lose value just like any other consumer product. They are NOT an investment. Buy one because you like the brand or how it looks or that not many people around you have them, but don't think they are an investment at all. |
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the MSRP for a stainless daytona is $6600 or therabouts. the mark up you paid was dealer premium. he charged you that because he could. stainless daytona have a 2yr waiting list at most authorized rolex retailers and the bigger ones in the carribean like A.H Riise and Bared wont even take a waiting list. $9300....you got screwed. at least in my book because i wouldnt pay a penny over MSRP. the reality is that $9300 was a decent deal because while way more than MSRP you paid well below market value. you could probably get $11k for that stainless daytona at the drop of a hat. |