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The frenzied world of rare watches

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Re: The frenzied world of rare watches

#141

Post by randomcarbloke »

zucked wrote: post #13

I came into collecting modest watches around 2010. There was certainly a renewed interest in mechanical watches at the time, a lot of it being driven by things like MaleFashionAdvice on Reddit. I believe MFA had a significant hand in rescuing Seiko from obscurity with the SNK809 and SKX007. Old Seiko mechanical chronographs like the 6139 could be had readily for less than a thousand dollars. I had a beautifully resto…

You absolutely can get a sub for sub $10k, new (if you're willing to go on the waiting list and buy your dealer a bottle of something special), or old if you don't have a specific vintage in mind.

Re: The frenzied world of rare watches

#142

Post by randomcarbloke »

Alex3917 wrote: post #21

Watches are a good example of the fact that, past a certain point, the only thing you can really do with money is paying other people to do your hobbies for you. Like you could learn how to make mechanical watches yourself, but wait, no, why not pay someone else to take up that hobby for you. At the same time, if you actually like doing your own hobbies then money loses its utility pretty quickly.

I mean I can paint a picture but it's not going to be any good, and I don't think I'd want to put it on my wall.

My kids won't want it when I die either.

That's with <$100 of materials...would you spend thousands on precious metals when you have no idea how to run a watchmaking lathe? a truly handmade watch takes around 5,000 hours and that's if you know what you're doing.

Re: The frenzied world of rare watches

#143

Post by maigret »

anm89 wrote: post #120
maigret wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you never want something because it’s nice and inspiring? A sports car, a big Lego, a cap of your sport hero, a computer full of LED? Did you want this only to impress others? Have you had such a watch on your wrist and felt how it wore? Once you start learning about how those are built etc this becomes a small hobby that’s very nice to enjoy in all the trouble nowadays. Of course some wealthy people will buy tho…

Except I think very few people are impressed. I definitely have a vague negative association with people who wear watches. It's just some expensive show off fashion accessory that you have to lie about getting utility out of.

That's very true that few are impressed. 99% of people don't notice expensive watch, and for the 1% who do that sometimes lead to weird discussions. But I wouldn't say this is fashion. Actually many watch enthusiasts I know of are not people you'd call fashionable at all.

Re: The frenzied world of rare watches

#144

Post by Helitio »

randomhodler84 wrote: post #25

What is the allure of these things? They keep worse time that an ntp synced phone, have no internet connectivity and few features. It’s all conspicuous consumption, right? If you know, you know — a way to signal wealth without being too brazen.

It's about appreciation of the craft itself.

Those watches have a fundamental cultural value to us.

Keeping time is now very easy and cheap but those watches reflect the history of keeping time.

And there is a tremendous amount of craftsmanship in them. Older ones are only handmade and even modern watches from high class manufacturer are still made by watchmakers.

No one buys them if they don't care or don't have the money.

Those watches have a lot of personal skill embedded in them.

It reflects the opposite of mass production.

Feel free to look for good watchmaker docus on yt.

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