advertisement


The watch thread: pocket, wrist, sporty, showy? You name it!

-alan- said:
Can't argue with any of that tones. I've owned the same Sub since the late '90s, and bought into the brand ethos completely. The likes of older chaps such as you and I buying three Rolexs (Rolleii?) between us over nigh on half a century won't help them in the future though. The nub of the issue I guess is the risk that with all products - the market changes, and your offering starts to become less meaningful to buyers out there. My three grown-up offspring have little interest in cars, or motorbikes, and indeed less in watches of any kind. "Dad-Bling' was they term they annointed my small collection of carefully selected and much treasured time-pieces with :)

I'd like to see a company like Rolex thrive and prosper, because I'm a traditionalist at heart - and respect what they do. Not sure if the next lot coming after us will see it/them the same way alas.
Click to expand...
Thrive and prosper! Have you seen the waiting lists for stainless steel sports watches?
Rolex are constantly improving, upgrading their movements. Recent introduction is the Skydweller which is like rocking horse poo. I know many younger generation who know more about the current models than I do. Worldwide the demand is enormous so they must be doing a few things right. To be honest I much prefer their line up compared to Omega or Brietling who seem to introduce a new model every month.
 
-alan- said:
I'd like to see a company like Rolex thrive and prosper, because I'm a traditionalist at heart - and respect what they do. Not sure if the next lot coming after us will see it/them the same way alas.
Click to expand...

I suspect Rolex will. Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex's founder, wasn't a watchmaker, but he had a feel for good ideas, and a talent for publicising them. He bought into the idea of the wrist watch when it was strictly for ladies, sourcing small movements for his watches - and reaped the benefit of the boom in wrist watches caused by the First World War (officers in the trenches found them much more practical). The rotor selfwinder was known already, but Rolex made it wind in both directions. When Mercedes Gleitze swam the English Channel wearing a Rolex with the Oyster case, Rolex made sure that the world knew all about it. As did the world when a Rolex (admittedly not the sort of Rolex you'd wear on your wrist) descended to the bottom of the Challenger Deep on the outside of the bathyscaphe Trieste (pressure ca. 1 ton/sq.cm). And Edmund Hilary wore one on that first ascent of Everest.

These stunts are perhaps too vulgar for the likes of PP, but they sell watches - and there's no indication that Rolex has lost its founder's ideas. And Rolexes can keep going in conditions in which PPs and the like would have long since disintegrated. There can be no better accolade than Philippe Stern, CEO of PP, who expressed his admiration for Rolex. He said he'd love to see around their factory "but I'm sure they wouldn't let me in!"

I suspect there might be an element of Rolex flying the flag for the whole Swiss industry, thereby luring people into watches and widening their horizons to encompass the more complex masterpieces. A bit similar to the way that Fiat gave substantial under-the-counter help to Ferrari, as it saw saw Ferrari flying the flag for Italian cars.
 
tones said:
I suspect Rolex will. Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex's founder, wasn't a watchmaker, but he had a feel for good ideas, and a talent for publicising them. ... And Edmund Hilary wore one on that first ascent of Everest.
Click to expand...

Perhaps Hilary did wear a Rolex up Everest, but as you probably know, this 'fact' is debatable. There's competing evidence that Hilary actually wore a Smith watch (a British watch, no less), not a Rolex, up the summit but I guess we'll never know.

But Rolex, being the masters of subtle marketing, will convince you that Rolex was that watch.

And Rolex also implies in marketing that Hilary wore an Explorer for the expedition when in reality the watch in question was a different model.

p/s: I am not a Rolex hater, in fact I quite like their older models although not their recent watches.
 
hockman said:
Perhaps Hilary did wear a Rolex up Everest, but as you probably know, this 'fact' is debatable. There's competing evidence that Hilary actually wore a Smith watch (a British watch, no less), not a Rolex, up the summit but I guess we'll never know.

But Rolex, being the masters of subtle marketing, will convince you that Rolex was that watch.

And Rolex also implies in marketing that Hilary wore an Explorer for the expedition when in reality the watch in question was a different model.

p/s: I am not a Rolex hater, in fact I quite like their older models although not their recent watches.
Click to expand...
Good point. I had vaguely heard the Rolex v. Smiths story, but had never followed it up and your post persuaded me to look more closely at it. And this detailed investigation seems to show quite convincingly that you are correct:

https://www.outdoorjournal.com/feat...verest-in-1953-putting-a-controversy-to-rest/

I'm not sure that Hans Wilsdorf or Rolex ever read Mark Twain, but they clearly realised intuitively Twain's famous comment "never let the truth get in the way of a good story".
 
Got a few new watches

Here is one its a 34 year old Seiko 7C43-7010 Pro Diver
Considering its from 1986 it looks amazing even came with box and papers



 
Bazza, that's a great watch. I've been looking for one locally or when I visit Japan.

I love how the old Seiko quartz watches are largely under the radar and relatively not sought after even by most Seiko aficionados. While I am a fan of vintage mechanical watches, these days I mostly wear Seiko quartz. My absolute favorites are the 300m Tunas and the 7548 divers, and the 7c43 will be a worthy addition to my quartz stable.

Did you source yours directly from Japan?
 
bazza. said:
Got a few new watches

Here is one its a 34 year old Seiko 7C43-7010 Pro Diver
Considering its from 1986 it looks amazing even came with box and papers



Click to expand...
Ageless design. Looks great on that oyster bracelet. Love the all white hands that work so well with the dial. Congratulations on getting such a tidy example.
 
Durmbo said:
Ageless design. Looks great on that oyster bracelet. Love the all white hands that work so well with the dial. Congratulations on getting such a tidy example.
Click to expand...
Thanks Sir I'm well happy with it

hockman said:
Bazza, that's a great watch. I've been looking for one locally or when I visit Japan.

I love how the old Seiko quartz watches are largely under the radar and relatively not sought after even by most Seiko aficionados. While I am a fan of vintage mechanical watches, these days I mostly wear Seiko quartz. My absolute favorites are the 300m Tunas and the 7548 divers, and the 7c43 will be a worthy addition to my quartz stable.

Did you source yours directly from Japan?
Click to expand...

I was lucky and found a guy in Scotland who had it and really look after it he really knows his stuff when it comes to vintage Seiko
Here are my other ones

 
Just got this as a daily beater:

171105712.qKdazpTY.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top