[Closed] 'Designer Watches' are they worth it?

There was an excellent thread on this topic a little while ago......

paying for the brand IMO.

paying for the brand IMO.

Traditionally, isn't the brand a brand for a reason?

oh dear lord, not again!

(to save you reading the rest, what will now ensue is an [s]argument[/s] discussion featuring several stw-ers with thousands of pounds worth of omega seamaters and various permutations of rolex, versus several stw-ers who swear by a £6 casio from Argos.)

Watch nerds seem to despise branded "designer" watches.

You'd be better off with a decent Seiko or similar "proper" brand timepiece for similar money.

C'mon Julian that thread started out as a weak troll and went on to hit +300 posts. It makes fantastic reading.

Ok so most of the brands you mentioned: Boss, Chanel, Armani etc are what would be defined as fashion watches. Personally I don't think they have the same clout as an IWC, Omega, Panerai, Bell & Ross etc.
As such, I wouldn't buy one as your essentially paying over the odds for a relatively simple cheap watch mechanism with the word Chanel (or whatever) written on it.
If you've got the money to do it then by all means by a proper watch from a respected watch manufacturer. There definitely over priced trinkets, but if you buy wisely then it'll last forever. I have an Omega my parents bought me for my 21st that looks as good now as it did when I got it 13 years ago... Its been worn everyday, been all over the world and I've come to rely on it.

oops.. sorry didn't realise there was another thread.. will do a search!

Get a Rolex Explorer Mk1 - end of thread...
Wiill be a good investment - maybe..

I wont use anything other than a Seamaster nowadays. I've had designer watches before and I've noticed that over the course of maybe two weeks, they can lose a couple of seconds. Doesnt sound like much, but when you work it out over 27 years (the amount of time I've had my seamaster), that works out to be alot of lost time.

My Omega, handed down from my great-great grandfather, who wore it as a sumbmariner in both the Boer War and WW2 (Desert Fox campaign), can only be criticised for the fact that it is actually better now than it was when it was new, despite needing the time corrected on a daily basis, an a £500 bi-annual service.

🙂

I buy the most expensive watch I can afford, purely so I can calibrate my Gadgetia Super Pro espresso machine more accurately - trust me, the several thousands of pounds I've invested in both are more than compensated for by the exquisite Creme Caramel Frapuccinos I produce. The other essential ingredient is soncically perfect hi-fi equipment blasting out 'Money For Nothing' by Dire Straits. Yes, people will argue that all those items are an extravagance, but what do they know? I buy Superstar sintered pads to balance the branding scales.

Wow an omega wris****cj in 1900.

BWD, you sound worryingly close to the Genesis monologue in American Psycho

BWD - 😆

My girlfriends mum treated me to a Rolex datejust, it's a limited edition one and more bling than I would have picked for myself (I'm not complaining) I used to have a Tag Heuer F1 that I had for over 12 years, it's still ticking away in my drawer, I like watches and wouldn't buy one purely for the name but I understand how some people do as a status symbol. Depends if your the kind of person who would buy a ferarri as you like driving/engineering/motorsport or because it's a ferarri.

LOLs at Dire Straits & high end hifi reference - funny because it's true.

LOLs at Dire Straits & high end hifi reference - funny because it's true.

I wonder if women argue about their chosen jewellery in the same way.

"Well Sandra, this bracelet has five Marquise Diamonds, all 2 carat and rated VG or Ex."

"Bah mine has six one-carat Cushion Diamonds in open claw settings, butted with emeralds and surrounding a central three carat Asscher Diamond"

"Listen girls, I got mine from Lizzy Dukes for a tenner. It has five cubic zirconia and it does the job just as well as your fancy pants expensive bracelets - though the strap does turn my skin green. "

that works out to be alot of lost time.

Designer watches are indeed shite. I am sort of a watch nerd and not really into dressy watches. Something like a rolex sub is the perfect allrounder as does dressy and tool with aplomb. Sinn watches are my vice though as they are superb value fir money.

I've got 2 watches - A Seiko diver's watch I bought in 1993 and an Omega Seamaster my then girlfrield bought for my 30th birthday.

If I had neither and had to buy myself a similar watch, I'd go out and buy today's equivalent of the Seiko which is about £300 I think. It's not fashion branded or a status symbol, just a good dependable watch that looks alright.

I wont use anything other than a Seamaster nowadays. I've had designer watches before and I've noticed that over the course of maybe two weeks, they can lose a couple of seconds. Doesnt sound like much, but when you work it out over 27 years (the amount of time I've had my seamaster), that works out to be alot of lost time.

Given that you presumably alter the time twice a year for daylight savings then (assuming it always drifts in the same direction at the stated rate of two seconds in two weeks) the maximum error you'd be faced with would be around 31 seconds.

Terrifying. That's a problem that is easily worth spending thousands of pounds to solve. 🙄

Traditionally, isn't the brand a brand for a reason?

Yes, they make expensive, in most cases quality clothes. Watch Brands such as Omega, Rolex etc make expensive, quality watches, I wouldn't buy a Rolex coat.

The posh makes are overpriced too. If you're not bothered about the name on the dial there are plenty of high quality makes that use the ETA2824 automatic movement a la Omega & Oris but don't have the reputation and charge much less. Sinn (who make Bell & Ross watches), Glycine, Doxa, Eterna, Lemania etc. Big problem is they're only available on the net so you can't get a look at them and I'll admit I haven't been taken enough looking at a screen to chance it yet. I'd love a Sinn U1 though, Loddrik. Where do you get yours from?
My best watches, modern & vintage all came from auctions, boot sales & autojumbles.

branded designer watches like chanel, hugo boss etc are a complete waste of money

they are no better than a cheap casio or seiko

I think if you want a really good expensive watch you have to look at watchmakers line Tag, Rolex, Patek Phillipe, Omega, Breitling etc

Lots of money to be made in watches if you know what you are doing, specially at the moment with low savings returns.

Yet you still can't get more accurate than an atomic/radio synching watch made by someone like Casio.

just get a fake.

http://www.****/home/moslive/article-1019598/An-idiots-guide-buying-fake-Rolex.html

Look a knob and spend less

Most designer watches are quartz and as such they probably lose less time than the more expensive proper watch brands. It really depends on what you want from a watch.

It really depends on what you want from a watch.

This may be a little controversial but...

...tell the time?

It really depends on what you want from a watch.

Ah but Matt, if you accept that for some people a bike can be more than a means of getting from A to B (or A to A for most of us), that a car can be more than a means of transport, that a piece of fabric can be more than a means of keeping you warm and decent, that food can be more than sustenance then what's wrong with saying that a wris****ch can be more than a means of keeping time?

Surf-Mat - Member
Yet you still can't get more accurate than an atomic/radio synching watch made by someone like Casio.

An atomic watch??? 😯

Hang on, I'll just start my count down timer for this boiled egg...

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[img] [/img]

Look a knob and spend less

lol

I think the "tell the time" element of a watch is less important these days given that most people carry a mobile phone everywhere they go, so don't really need a watch anyway. Yeah, a good watch should keep good time, but most people probably buy on what it looks like and brand cachet than actually how much of a precision piece of kit it is.

Yes, an atomic watch.

thepurist - well a fairly cheap digital watch will do way way more than a big bucks Omega/Breitling/whatever and probably be more accurate 😉

I know the main reason people get flashy watches - and it took a while to realise.

It's something on you at all times that's a bit "shouty" You may have left your 911 outside, your big boat may be at the marina, your huge house might be miles away but fear not, the flashy watch shows that you are well and truly loaded at all times.

In many cases though, the car, boat, big house, etc don't actually exist... 😉

Cheap Casio keep perfect time and are extremely robust.

Anything else is a fashion item.

D4declivity - Member
The posh makes are overpriced too. If you're not bothered about the name on the dial there are plenty of high quality makes that use the ETA2824 automatic movement a la Omega...

How do folk KNOW this or that Sunn watches are good value? Been in the industry or something...or just read it in magazines/forums?

auctions, boot sales & autojumbles.

What on god's green earth is an autojumble.

FFS.

look at www.timefactors.com for good value watches... Also look at Sinn.

Tag are overpriced - it is what the company stands for - when they took over Audiolab they put new front panels on and hiked the prices up.

If you get a mechanical watch be prepared for servicing costs and loss of accuracy.

Swatch own a large chunk of the watch market, many brands and most movement makers.

A sieko divers watch would be a good compromise, or an omega quartz seamaster. Or if you want mechanical an omega speedmaster is worth a look.

wearing a watch causes stress and depression.

Designer watches from the big fashion brands are often made in generic chinese factories, they use cheap quartz movements and are fairly low quality, they sell via looks and brand association rather than quality. The resale value of a watch in this sector is close to zero and can cost hundreds of £.

Mechanical watches from famous watch brands are manufactured to a higher standard and are usually made in switzerland or japan can cost from anywhere from a hundreds to thousands. They're serviceable and when looked after will outlive their owners so can be passed to the next generation. These watches may also rise in value over time unlike their cheaper fashion counter parts.

Both types of watches will do the job of telling the time and looking nice perfectly well so it comes down to you what you want out of a watch.

To answer the question no they are not this is true of the branded craap like gucci and stuff like IWC Bolex etc too.

In material terms they are not
In functional terms they are not
from any prespective they are simply not worth the money even the niche makers of ltd editions would have a job selling them on actual value..

I have several and I don't know what's wrong with me, I just wanted a watch other people didn't have vanity or something I suppose

I had the cash spare and bought a stupidly expensive watch...what? It's waterproof to 3000M which I reckon will come in dead handy at some point!

Vintage Rolex Milgaus would do for me. I make do with an Oris though.

Watches are really a mans only jewellery, I'd spend as much as I could afford no problem.

Either have a proper watch (Rolex, Breitling, Oris etc etc) or a cheapy. Don't do the inbetween D&G junk.

Owning a preimum brand watch has drawbacks. Lots of people will tell you that thier Seiko is better and tell you facts about how better it is or how much deeper they can dive. Also people will tell you what a good fake it is and how to the untrained eye it would be convincing but that they are experts and can't detect the subtle differences, but don't worry they won't tell anyone your secrets safe. I'm a simple soul, i don't want a flash car, nor a flash house, I don't want the best of everything, but I do like watches. I like the idea of a small piece of engineering and hertiage in a watch.

Damo +1 on the milgaus

derek_starship, An autojumble's a glorified boot sale for middle aged blokes with beards and anoraks to hunt through boxes of filthy old car parts and where often other nerdy stuff like watches or bikes are sold.

You can buy a decent fake for a just over tenner. More cash on bikes then. Do the maths.

'kin hell

I wear a cheapo Nautica when getting wet, a Seiko sports chromometer thingy on the bike, snow, rock etc, a Pequignet for work (looking at it now to check the spelling - LOL)and I've a Jaeger le Coultre for "going out" purposes.

Sad or what d'ya think ?

got a few bikes too .. (trying to save face, no pun intended)

I think the "tell the time" element of a watch is less important these days given that most people carry a mobile phone everywhere they go,

Indeed. My rather old mobile has the time in big numbers as its 'screensaver' but it seems to gain about 7 minutes a month! 😕

Oh and 'atomic time' is to do with the utterly accurate rate of decay of some radioctive particles or something isn't it? So you base you super-accurate clock on the decay of some nasty radioactive agents. I don't think that to benefit from this you actually need to have them on your wrist though. 😯

I recently bought a fairly expensive - by my standards at least - Casio Edifice Gold label watch (i'm a sucker for bling). Last month i accidentally belted it on a rock and chipped the face. Sapphire glass too.

Same thing always happends when i buy expensive sunglasses too. I should really stop bothering.

I buy the most expensive watch I can afford, purely so I can calibrate my Gadgetia Super Pro espresso machine more accurately - trust me, the several thousands of pounds I've invested in both are more than compensated for by the exquisite Creme Caramel Frapuccinos I produce. The other essential ingredient is soncically perfect hi-fi equipment blasting out 'Money For Nothing' by Dire Straits. Yes, people will argue that all those items are an extravagance, but what do they know? I buy Superstar sintered pads to balance the branding scales.

Ha ha! 😆 Brilliant!

The function of a watch is to tell the time, and maybe the date and act as a stopwatch sometimes. Beyond that, they are jewellery. Watches are available from £1.99 to whatever. Just have a look around, and buy the one you like the most, which you can afford. Simple.

'Designer brand' watches are very tacky imo, but then I think so are flashy Rolexes and the like. 'Designer' ones are no different to 'sports' brands ones like Animal and that though; cheap workings inside flashy branded cases. Most stuff is overpriced anyway.

Question you have to ask yourself (punk), is; do you want a watch purely to tell the time, as a piece of jewellery, or an indication of your economic status?

My girlfriends mum treated me to a Rolex datejust

Does she have any other (unattached) daughters? 🙂

The posh makes are overpriced too. If you're not bothered about the name on the dial there are plenty of high quality makes that use the ETA2824 automatic movement a la Omega...

How do folk KNOW this or that Sunn watches are good value? Been in the industry or something...or just read it in magazines/forums?

Good question. I've been into watches a long time so it's part experience, part reputation, part perceived wisdom. I couldn't tell you exactly where I've heard that those makes are OK but I'm sure I have. Sinn seem good value compared with other watches using the same movement, especially compared with Bell & Ross, whose watches are made by Sinn and for their 'reputation' for quality. Some of that quality is demonstrable. Depth ratings to 1000m or temperature ratings from -45 to +80 centigrade for example, even if it is completly pointless for wearing down the pub.
Today I'm wearing a worthless 'Romex' made to promote Rome snowboards. It's fallen apart a couple of times but I like it.

A decent fake for a tenner!!

Oh and 'atomic time' is to do with the utterly accurate rate of decay of some radioctive particles or something isn't it? So you base you super-accurate clock on the decay of some nasty radioactive agents. I don't think that to benefit from this you actually need to have them on your wrist though

Mine receives a signal sent 6 times a night and calibrates itself. Loads of watches do the same and most of them are pretty inexpensive. I use my watch to set all other clocks/watches/bike computers in the house/car. I can't see any expensive watch being more accurate than that.

A decent fake for a tenner!!

Spend as much as you can afford - think of all the riveting conversations you have to to look forward to.
"have you got the right time?"
"it's 10:24:37, no, wait, it's 10:24:52, no, hold on it's.."

amazing. think of all the trains you're not going to miss because you turned up .00025s late - ah bollox, missed it, maybe you shoudn't have wasted that .35s checking the time to make sure you weren't late.

life's too short to worry about time - then again, you need a decent watch to know how much you should be worrying

D4declivity, had a few U1s and got a U2 at the moment. Only two uk dealers for Sinn - Chronomaster and Jura Watches. TZ UK is a good place to pick up a used one. U1 is a definite future classic, or should that be 'klassic'...

If I was spending a few hundred quid or so I'd get a Seiko SBBN007 'Tuna' without question.

BluePalomino - Member
You can buy a decent fake for a just over tenner. More cash on bikes then. Do the maths.

You can by a shite fake for a tenner, excluding the price of flights to NYC's Canal St to pick one up.

Meanwhile on the watch forums the debate continues: "Should I spend thousands on a push bike?"
A: No, you can get a decent Full Suss from Tesco for £59.00, replace the stickers with eBay copies, Santa Cruz Blur for the frame, Fox for the forks and Hope for the hubs. It'll do the same thing and most people will never know the difference. More cash for watches then"

Dunno D4devlivity, blue palamino said you can get them. I'd sooner a simular priced highstreet watch over a fake, anyone seen those MR2's that are chavved up to look like Ferarri F355's?

If I was spending a few hundred quid or so I'd get a Seiko SBBN007 'Tuna' without question.

I have an Omega Seamaster and a Panerai which I am very happy with but I have to say that premium watches are a bit of a con. When I was buying the Panerai earlier this year and searching around I found out from a number of jewellers that the mechanisms for watches such as Omega, TAG, Panerai and nearly every other make are all made in a couple of factories in Switzerland and are not made by the aforementioned brands. I was actually quite gutted about his as I always though that by buying an Omega you are getting all their knowledge and craftsmanship.

To be honest a £30 Swatch watch is probably just as reliable as a Omega and doesn't need a service every few years but once you have a premium watch there is a funny type of addiction that overtakes you. You also become a real watch snob!

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=penis%20compensator

back to the OP then ,I guess the answer is "no, they're not worth it"

as others have said above, you wouldn't buy a D&G branded bike would you ?

No, you can get a decent Full Suss from Tesco for £59.00

Not the same thing at all, since a Tesco special won't to the same job as a decent bike at all - it'll be far worse to ride and will break. Cheap watches do the exact same thing as expensive ones.

A better analogy would be comparing a Specialized Pitch Pro with a gold-plated diamond encrusted Specialized Pitro Pro. If anyone turned up on the trails with one of those they'd get laughed at.

derek_starship, An autojumble's a glorified boot sale for middle aged blokes with beards and anoraks to hunt through boxes of filthy old car parts and where often other nerdy stuff like watches or bikes are sold.

Dogging then?

Swatch group own Omega among other brands. You won't find the same mechanics in a £30 swatch. I love the look of the Panerai range

I have to admit to being a bit of a watch (s)nob. I have a conservative collection of Omegas - no really expensive ones - the dearest was my Seamaster 150 at £1k. Chanel, Gucci, DKNY et al are fashion houses and have nothing to do with watch making. IMHO, those who buy a pricey watch from one of these "suppliers" is a competent fool.

I have just added another watch to my collection. It's a bit of a tangential choice but I like it:

[img] http://static4.firstclasswatches.co.uk/imagemagic.php?img=nabLz8%2BmZuDWpJiql6ismdjcopvlx6lpbGVlZpqVo2tnp5KfpJw%3D&w=572&h=1000&page=popup [/img]

And for the record - Brabantia make the best breadbins. Karl Lagerfeld would be shit at them.

derek_starship, An autojumble's a glorified boot sale for middle aged blokes with beards and anoraks to hunt through boxes of filthy old car parts and where often other nerdy stuff like watches or bikes are sold.

Dogging then?

So I hear. There's nothing else for the traders to do when the punters have gone home.

Either get a £100 quid watch you like, or spend some money on a decent (well known) brand IMHO. The middle ground is a dangerous place.

If you buy a niche one like the Sinn etc. mentioned above you'll just end up trying to bore people that it's the same internals as a Omega, blah, blah blah, blah blah.

In car terms, it's like buying a Nissan GT-R. Yes, technically it maybe be a better spec than a 911, carbide ceramic titanium cupholders, 15000bhp, 8 turbos etc. but in the end of the day a) that girl you're trying to impress will be bored witless and b) it's still got a Nissan badge on it.

If you have to explain something it's not worth it.

Some of us don't need others to know how much we paid for a watch though. Unless you buy a rolex, most premium brands are made of 316 steel which IMO is just too soft and dents too easily. I love sinn because the technology makes it a far more durable watch. Most of the watch buying public have no idea who Sinn are, I am in no hurry for that to change. If that's what's important to you then a breitling or panerai would be suitably overpriced and flashy for your needs (at least panerai now have an in house movement which is more than can be said for the low grade ETAs breitling charge a fortune for...).

Breitling are now selling watches with a manufacture movement in the new Chronomats, although they do command a slight premium over their usual blingy offerings... about £3k extra if I remember correctly.

They are still selling ETA based watches for a lot of money as well though.

2nd for timefactors. I think it is a bit funny,a load of people who would NEVER buy something just cos it said Chris King on it debating whether expensive watches are a waste of money.To the OP If it is a diver you want,google Ocean7 and Helson,both up and coming watchmakers.I have an Ocean7 LM and it is as good as my Seamaster (plus o7 are not the evil empireof atchmakers,unlike Omega)

.I have an Ocean7 LM and it is as good as my Seamaster

"Good" in what way - both tell the time properly?

Err no,in terms of the movement used within,finishing quality, Lume etc.

duckman - Member
Err no,in terms of the movement used within,finishing quality, Lume etc.

The watch I'm wearing today has a see through case and I must say all the gubbins in there looks very nice, all engraved and whatnot, ticking away doing whatever it does.

There is something about a mechanical device assembled by hand, engraved and hopefully in someway having a human element in it's construction that I like and am happy to pay for. The guy that made mine is on the end of the phone if required, builds the cases and so on from scratch and does all the engraving and regulation himself. It's worth it to me, also mine was made to my spec, customised if you like, there are no others like it it's one of a kind from a run of 200, in a world where you can buy anything if you have a few quid I have something unique, stupid and sad I know but there it is.

I have a unique bike too and I'm sure we can all identify with that or we'd all be on specialized (I like specialized)..

Sometimes it just about not being in the herd, although I fully accept I'm in the herd of idiots who buy expensive watches!

Cynical-al I expect you can tell the quality of the said watch. If you consider it value is down to your own agenda and views, but the build quality between a premium watch and a highstreet one is evident. Why do people expect you to have to justify your watch?