Does Anybody Really Care What Time It Is? Leica Sells Watches

[filmtwit]

I'd rather have the Rolex stainless base model (no date) even if they were the same price. But $6,000 vs. $14,000 makes that an REALLY easy choice in my view - not that I'd pay 6 grand for a watch!

IN either case, you're buying the brand and a piece of jewelry. IF you want a nice solid watch, go Japanese. If you want something between the two, try Omega or Tudor (the other Rolex).

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

IN either case, you're buying the brand and a piece of jewelry. IF you want a nice solid watch, go Japanese. If you want something between the two, try Omega or Tudor (the other Rolex).

Even the Japanese companies have some very pricey watches. Most Seikos aren't terribly expensive, but they also make the Grand Seiko line, with Rolex-level pricing. Their 55th Anniversary model is $10,500!

https://www.grand-seiko.com/us-en/collections/slgh009g


Citizen, Japan's other major watch company, owns Bulova. Most Bulovas are, like most Citizens and most Seikos, are not ultra-pricey, but they recently introduced a line of watches using the old Bulova Accutron name. Stainless steel versions are $3650, a high price for a Japanese watch....but check out the gold version at nearly $20,000!

https://www.accutronwatch.com/products/2es7a001

 

[james.liam]

Chris, based on the website, that place only sells 18 models of Rolex. I suspect those are just base models.
Because Rolex makes way more than just 18 models. I just went to rolex.com and clicked on the Mens watches and stopped counting the watches after 10 pages of them.

BTW- Rolex's generally run anywhere from $6500-$120,0000.

Crazy thing is that a blinged-out Rolex is easier to come by than the stainless steels 'base' model and not just because of the price. Any Rolex with gold accruements has less collector appeal than stainless and appreciates proportionately less.

 

[Emile de Leon]

Definitely never wanted a Rolex..had a Seiko for years..

 

[filmtwit]

Even the Japanese companies have some very pricey watches. Most Seikos aren't terribly expensive, but they also make the Grand Seiko line, with Rolex-level pricing. Their 55th Anniversary model is $10,500!

https://www.grand-seiko.com/us-en/collections/slgh009g


Citizen, Japan's other major watch company, owns Bulova. Most Bulovas are, like most Citizens and most Seikos, are not ultra-pricey, but they recently introduced a line of watches using the old Bulova Accutron name. Stainless steel versions are $3650, a high price for a Japanese watch....but check out the gold version at nearly $20,000!

https://www.accutronwatch.com/products/2es7a001

I've owned about half dozen Seiko divers of various types in life (seiko 5 to the Submariner). Always good, inexpensive watches that took a great big beating before I had to replacement them, but about 10 years ago I tried my first Swiss Watch and haven't gone back. The reason wasn't that one was better than the other (movement or toughness), but the end design and comfort of the Swiss watches won me over.

 

[james.liam]

I got a Rolex for my 60th b-day....So I was on YT and saw this one..a new model..this was 6 years ago..and I thought..hmmm..
Maybe its time..so I bought it at discount for $4200-.
But..just today..
I was astonished to see the prices on used versions of this recently discontinued model..were going for a lot more what I bought it for just 6 years ago..

For my 30th Bday, my dad surprised me with a GMT ("Pepsi can" bezel).
Out of curiosity, I recently checked the prices and they're now selling used for 7 times what my late father paid for it.
It's all academic since it will, in the fullness of time, go to my son.

 

[Emile de Leon]

Vintage Rolex Pepsi..!
Now thats a valuable collectors watch!

 

[filmtwit]

Vintage Rolex Pepsi..!
Now thats a valuable collectors watch!

The only Rolex I would buy if I had the money, and then would still need twice that.

 

[Guth]

IN either case, you're buying the brand and a piece of jewelry. IF you want a nice solid watch, go Japanese. If you want something between the two, try Omega or Tudor (the other Rolex).

I know next to nothing about watches or the watch market, but essentially it sounds as if they are very much like cameras and the camera market. The more I read of this thread, the more Leica's decision to enter the watch market makes sense to me.

 

[raydm6]

Rolex's, Omegas, Grand Seikos et. al. are not even close to the top of the watch food chain - and not even in the same league (although there is some overlap) - as Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Sohne, De Bethune, F.P. Journe, H. Moser & Cie, Jaeger LeCoultre, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron & Constantin and others. These watches cater to a whole different demographic as other luxury items do. Some of the prices are stratospheric (like over $500,000 USD). I don't get it, but I don't knock it. It's all relative. If your net-worth is in the hundreds of millions or more, well...

An example: https://www.europeanwatch.com/watch/...num-41017.html

F. P. Journe Centigraphe Souverain Platinum / Platinum Bracelet Salmon Dial RARE (41017)

FP Journe Centigraphe Souverain Salmon Dial, incredibly rare piece and believed to be only 1 of 3 total examples produced with a salmon dial, 950 platinum case on a matching platinum bracelet with a double deployant clasp, manual wind FP Journe caliber 1506 movement, 80-hour power reserve, foudroyante display at 9 o'clock, chronograph can time intervals of 1/100th of a second making it possible to time an object moving at 360,000 km/hr, rare salmon dial with blued Journe hands, white subdials with black and red Arabic numerals and red hands, sapphire crystal, display back, diameter 40mm, thickness 10.5mm. serial 3XX - CT, Like New with original box and papers dated March of 2014. (41017)
$675,000

FREE Global Fedex Priority shipping

Email us about this watch Trade for this watch

Check out some of their prices, workmanship, and descriptions here:
https://www.europeanwatch.com/

 

[boojum]

Rolex's, Omegas, Grand Seikos et. al. are not even close to the top of the watch food chain - and not even in the same league (although there is some overlap) - as Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Sohne, De Bethune, F.P. Journe, H. Moser & Cie, Jaeger LeCoultre, Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron & Constantin. These watches cater to a whole different demographic as other luxury items do. Some of the prices are stratospheric (like over $500,000 USD). I don't get it, but I don't knock it. It's all relative. If your net-worth is in the hundreds of millions, well...

An example


Check out some of their prices, workmanship, and descriptions here:
https://www.europeanwatch.com/

We are edging curiously close to the emperor's clothes. Veblen and his conspicuous consumption seem inescapable.

 

[raydm6]

...and, if you had over $31 Million, you could have bid on this:
https://www.gq.com/story/patek-phili...xpensive-watch

Actually, new, I believe these are around $2.5 Million. You do have to marvel at the artistry and engineering.

The Grandmaster Chime

The Grandmaster Chime is the most complicated Patek Philippe wristwatch ever made. It boasts twenty complications, a reversible case and two independent dials and six patented innovations.

The development, production and assembly process covered a staggering 100,000 hours.

 

[David Hughes]

I know next to nothing about watches or the watch market, but essentially it sounds as if they are very much like cameras and the camera market. The more I read of this thread, the more Leica's decision to enter the watch market makes sense to me.

I don't think there's a connection between sense and the market for anything; if there was a lot of firms would have closed down years ago and their CEO's would be begging in the street...

In the interests of balance, here's a couple that cost a pound or so in a charity shop years ago:-



I bought my wife the one on the left for some reason and she retaliated with the one on the right. I changed the strap to make it a little more butch.

What's interesting is that all our watches are set exactly right in October when we go back to GMT and left for 5 months until set again for summer time. Regardless of the price paid or make they only differ by a minute or two over about 5 months. One of the cheap ones above lost about 40 seconds over 5 months and that puts it into the chronometer class; or is it the chronograph class? So paying more doesn't mean getting more in terms of time keeping. And if you look at it in terms of usefulness then - like cars and cameras and so on - you can get a lot that you want for very little cash. Leaving you more cash for important things...

Regards, David

 

[ptpdprinter]

So paying more doesn't mean getting more in terms of time keeping. And if you look at it in terms of usefulness then - like cars and cameras and so on - you can get a lot that you want for very little cash. Leaving you more cash for important things...

Watches have little if anything to do with telling time.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Watches have little if anything to do with telling time.

Most of what we buy and own is less about its ostensible use, and more about the "statement" we believe we are making. Corporate capitalism is less about meeting needs than it is about creating "needs". You are what you own!
This coming from someone who owns two (very unnecessary) Leicas. I plead guilty.

 

[jsrockit]

Stainless steel versions are $3650, a high price for a Japanese watch....but check out the gold version at nearly $20,000!

https://www.accutronwatch.com/products/2es7a001

I'm not a watch guy at all... I have my $199 Apple Watch and a Bell and Ross style ripoff my brother put together for me because I'd never pay for the real thing. However, that is $20,000 worth of beauty to me! If I came across a ton of $, you found my watch.

 

[ptpdprinter]

I'm not a watch guy at all... I have my $199 Apple Watch and a Bell and Ross style ripoff my brother put together for me because I'd never pay for the real thing. However, that is $20,000 worth of beauty to me! If I came across a ton of $, you found my watch.

"With this luxury watch on your arm, you won’t need to say a word to make a statement."

For $19,600, it sure seems like a lot of effort to get it to work.

"Power saving function: To ensure power saving, the second hand automatically stops at 12 o'clock after 5 minutes of non activity. Your timepiece continues to keep time, the hour hand and the minute hand keep moving. When you would like to see the second hand's motion, please swing arm fully up and down for 3 to 5 seconds. Once powered, the second hand gradually returns to the current second indication and the power save function is canceled."

I think I would have just left off the second hand.

 

[jsrockit]

"With this luxury watch on your arm, you won’t need to say a word to make a statement."

For $19,600, it sure seems like a lot of effort to get it to work.

"Power saving function: To ensure power saving, the second hand automatically stops at 12 o'clock after 5 minutes of non activity. Your timepiece continues to keep time, the hour hand and the minute hand keep moving. When you would like to see the second hand's motion, please swing arm fully up and down for 3 to 5 seconds. Once powered, the second hand gradually returns to the current second indication and the power save function is canceled."

I think I would have just left off the second hand.

Well, I'm firmly in the a watch like this isn't to tell the time category. I simply think it is a beautiful object. If I had money to waste, I'd like that watch. In the mean time, I'll stick to digital.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

"With this luxury watch on your arm, you won’t need to say a word to make a statement."

For $19,600, it sure seems like a lot of effort to get it to work.

"Power saving function: To ensure power saving, the second hand automatically stops at 12 o'clock after 5 minutes of non activity. Your timepiece continues to keep time, the hour hand and the minute hand keep moving. When you would like to see the second hand's motion, please swing arm fully up and down for 3 to 5 seconds. Once powered, the second hand gradually returns to the current second indication and the power save function is canceled."

I think I would have just left off the second hand.

I'm visualizing that raised arm gesture. That would have gotten the stuffing knocked out of you in the neighborhood I grew up in. We were not in the socio-economic bracket at which these watches are aimed.

 

[JeffS7444]

I know people who can and do enjoy luxury products of this sort, and one quality they have in common is that they know how to set priorities and stick with them! They're not the ones idly buying random crap on Prime Day.