Would you wear a dress watch on a regular/daily basis?

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Fix it and wear it Daisy! But I personally love watches and feel naked without one, so I’ll always advocate for wearing one!

it was given to me by my favourite aunty and uncle
thats why i fixed it the first time
the worst thing is they were desideing between the watch and the Swarovski train which i would have soooo loved so much more

also a work mate gave me a very nice everyday casio for my 21st
my watch i had through high school had just died
that casio lasted over 20 years and never missed a beat, i wore it 24-7 everywhere, not just the shower but swiming in the harbour, at work in a garden centre in the dirt and wet, then on my army basic, that thing was indestructable, it died after a very good and full if hard life, i replaced the leather starp and the bettery as needed
it was of the era when you got analogue and didigital on the same watch

see my aunty and uncle had given my mum a seiko watch for her 21st
i realize that isnt that flash a brand here on PS but it is here in NZ
anyway Mum's watch also needs fixed, my sisiter didnt want it so i took it
its a bit sad because it had packed up after mum moved to christchurch but she never got it fixed

Gary wears a modern seiko and it lost its luminosity because he hadnt been wearing it since he retired
it was quite hard to get parts (the dial?) as the watch place in town was weary of fakes -everdently its a problem
but i can assuer you none of those 3 watches are fakes ! all purchesed brand new

anyway my sister also got the same thing from them for her 21st but had a huge family falling out and she litterly threw it out when she was clearing out her home after it got totaled in the earthquake in Christchurch

i just couldnt do that with something that cost that much
i am thinking if mum's watch can be fixed ill give it to my aunty's grandaughter but to be honest ive kind of lost contact with them too because i kind of had to side with my sister at some point (that point being when mum died) and i got sick of the BS with a cousin who used to be my best cousin


the last time i wore mine was at my uncle's funneral 4 years before mum died and it had a flat bettery then
im just hoping as its a more modern battery it wont have leaked
i just need a job where im not so rough and wet on my hands

i should just find the train on trade me (NZ ebay) and buy it !

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I do want to make sure that whatever watch I get, I really use. I hate the idea of having something just taking up space in my wardrobe and denting my wallet in the process!

yes yes yes !!!

you know (not meaning to high jack your thread) but after i got all the way to Canada and home again (4 flights each way and very long layovers in airports) with no watch just my phone, i just gave up completly on the whole idea of a watch full stop

so yes if you are going to wear a watch perhaps it should be as a thing of beauty first and formost

of course right now i have no phone (still waiting on new phone to be sent out from samsung NZ via my provider) so i have no watch and no phone so do not ask me what the time is !
at work i use the oven clock !

 

[Lookinagain]

I don't think any of those are too much for everyday wear. I think the only watch I wouldn't wear daily, no matter how casually I was dressed, would be a watch with a band that was entirely diamonds. I don't have any watches like what you posted, as I tend to stick with more tailored, classic, pieces, but i wear my Baume & Mercier watches with diamond bezels all the time and never think that they are dressy.

 

[icy_jade]

Will suggest you pop by to ask the ladies on the VCA thread re: flipping and bracelet vs watch etc. Or maybe one of them can try and let you know too.

I think for such pricey purchases though, sometimes it’s just an irrational desire. Like there can be a million reasons why not but if your heart flutters when you try it on and you super love it then you will be able to live with the drawbacks.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I don't think any of those are too much for everyday wear. I think the only watch I wouldn't wear daily, no matter how casually I was dressed, would be a watch with a band that was entirely diamonds. I don't have any watches like what you posted, as I tend to stick with more tailored, classic, pieces, but i wear my Baume & Mercier watches with diamond bezels all the time and never think that they are dressy.

Thank you so much for the perspective! I agree that a watch made entirely out of diamonds would be a lot (but also out of my budget lol).

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Will suggest you pop by to ask the ladies on the VCA thread re: flipping and bracelet vs watch etc. Or maybe one of them can try and let you know too.

I think for such pricey purchases though, sometimes it’s just an irrational desire. Like there can be a million reasons why not but if your heart flutters when you try it on and you super love it then you will be able to live with the drawbacks.

Oh that’s a great idea! I don’t live near a VCA so I would have to travel to try it on etc. So if I know that the watch has certain “problems” I’d know what to expect from it and won’t be disappointed.

Buying is quite some time away - like a couple years - but let’s see! I guess like you said - I’ll know when I wear it!

 

[Mary Queen of Scotch]

The Serpenti looks a tad more uncomfortable due to the many loops (and what happens if you need to adjust the size say due to weight gain or loss) and the VCA may flip. Would those be deal breakers or are you fine?

Good point — it is not at all adjustable.

I bought my dream (discontinued) Serpenti Tubogas and it was too large. Reached out to Bulgari about resizing, and the after sales/repair specialists said there was nothing to be done.

Moreover, sizing is not consistent so it really is luck of the draw. Had to return it.

ETA:

Ditto @mjea — the Tubogas is not a dress watch (although, sure, the blinged-out, Liz Taylor approved, high jewelry Serpenti Secret watches are). The VCA fits more comfortably within the ladies dress watch catergory IMHO, while still being versatile. If you’d wear a guilloche Alhambra bracelet to Sunday brunch, why couldn’t you wear this?

Also agree that, w/r/t the Tubogas, no amount of pave will change the dressiness factor. A diamond-encrusted Yacht Master is still a sport watch, ya know?

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Life is a special occasion, so I always wear dress watches.

 

[LilAlex]

The tubogas id been eyeing is £15.5k, meaning that if I get that AND the guilloche I wanted, I save almost £4.5k:

As my salesman-FIL used to say: "You can't afford not to buy it!"

I think the Serpenti pave cuts down on the versatility and makes it much less of an everyday watch -- as is probably the case for anything with a square inch of pave.

But fancy still means every day. Someone we run into a lot wears her husband's cast-off Patek Nautilus (!). She wears it day-in and day-out and has done so for 15 - 20 years. It's taken so much abuse that it almost looks like she stores it in the garbage disposal. But she is a very casual dresser -- think Target and Costco. I think the rest of her jewelry is sterling. It never looks out of place. But in my mind, it is her "signature" watch. I'm sure 90% if not 100% of her mostly-rural, low-to-middle-income social circle has no idea what it is.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Good point — it is not at all adjustable.

I bought my dream (discontinued) Serpenti Tubogas and it was too large. Reached out to Bulgari about resizing, and the after sales/repair specialists said there was nothing to be done.

Moreover, sizing is not consistent so it really is luck of the draw. Had to return it.

ETA:

Ditto @mjea — the Tubogas is not a dress watch (although, sure, the blinged-out, Liz Taylor approved, high jewelry Serpenti Secret watches are). The VCA fits more comfortably within the ladies dress watch catergory IMHO, while still being versatile. If you’d wear a guilloche Alhambra bracelet to Sunday brunch, why couldn’t you wear this?

Also agree that, w/r/t the Tubogas, no amount of pave will change the dressiness factor. A diamond-encrusted Yacht Master is still a sport watch, ya know?

Oops, I didn’t realise the Serpenti isn’t adjustable! Damn. That puts a little bit of a damper on things.

When you put it that way (you’d wear a guilloche bracelet to brunch, so why not a watch) that makes a lot of sense. I feel the flipping would drive me utterly bananas though, if it flips. Will have to try that on to know, I think.

Does the guilloche watch with the leather strap read dress watch to you? If it does, then I guess it doesn’t matter whether I do guilloche bracelet + tubogas serpenti OR guilloche leather + tubogas serpenti; I’ll end up with one dress watch and one casual/ fancy-casual watch eventually.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

As my salesman-FIL used to say: "You can't afford not to buy it!"

I think the Serpenti pave cuts down on the versatility and makes it much less of an everyday watch -- as is probably the case for anything with a square inch of pave.

But fancy still means every day. Someone we run into a lot wears her husband's cast-off Patek Nautilus (!). She wears it day-in and day-out and has done so for 15 - 20 years. It's taken so much abuse that it almost looks like she stores it in the garbage disposal. But she is a very casual dresser -- think Target and Costco. I think the rest of her jewelry is sterling. It never looks out of place. But in my mind, it is her "signature" watch. I'm sure 90% if not 100% of her mostly-rural, low-to-middle-income social circle has no idea what it is.

I guess for trips to the grocery store and to work I still have my other two steel watches lol. None of these watches are work-appropriate imo. So it doesn’t in that sense need to be a beater watch, just something that if you saw your friend wear to dinner to a “nice” restaurant you wouldn’t think she’s lost her mind or is super overdressed.

Tbh I feel like I’m leaning towards the serpenti pave just from pictures because it feels like such a luxury, to have a full pave watch! It will all depend on how it looks on me ofc but I really love it.

 

[Mary Queen of Scotch]

Someone we run into a lot wears her husband's cast-off Patek Nautilus (!).

What kind of sicko casts off a Nautilus?!

 

[Bron357]

I collect watches, having had around 70 at “my worst”.
While I do love both watches, for different reasons, I feel the VCA watch is more wearable in different situations.
It looks like a bracelet as much as it does a watch and it seems more elegant and feminine than the serpent watch.
On a “day to day” basis Im now wearing an Apple Watch. However anytime I’m going out, I put on one of my fancy watches and I have quite a few. It was more fun when I was working, I’d wear a different one every single day much to the amazement of some people.
i have always had a “thing” for watches.

 

[LilAlex]

So it doesn’t in that sense need to be a beater watch, just something that if you saw your friend wear to dinner to a “nice” restaurant you wouldn’t think she’s lost her mind or is super overdressed.

In that case, it's almost hard to imagine a watch you couldn't wear for that purpose. If that's the criterion, fire away; you don't need any of our opinion.

What kind of sicko casts off a Nautilus?!

Well there is that!

"Back in the day," it was the only Patek "sport watch," or so he explained to me, and it was still up-and-coming. His was one of the very first (?). Now I think you can't get a used one for under $50K. I'm sure he paid a tiny fraction of that, new. It was also a different watch "time" and world where you did not need to be in the AD's good graces or even Rolodex (remember those?). He wears a steel Rolex now. But to his credit, he has not wasted a penny on unheated sapphires. I'm sure he thinks that at least his money-sink tells time .

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I collect watches, having had around 70 at “my worst”.
While I do love both watches, for different reasons, I feel the VCA watch is more wearable in different situations.
It looks like a bracelet as much as it does a watch and it seems more elegant and feminine than the serpent watch.
On a “day to day” basis Im now wearing an Apple Watch. However anytime I’m going out, I put on one of my fancy watches and I have quite a few. It was more fun when I was working, I’d wear a different one every single day much to the amazement of some people.
i have always had a “thing” for watches.

The comparison between the two is probably not fair imo since the aesthetic is soooo different. One is elegant and feminine, the other is bold and edgy. That’s why the struggle.

In that case, it's almost hard to imagine a watch you couldn't wear for that purpose. If that's the criterion, fire away; you don't need any of our opinion.

You’re right, Im just really confused because I love them both. Basically:

I saw the double wrap tubogas on an acquaintance and I just about lost my mind. I thought to myself that I’m definitely going to buy that one someday. Hadn’t yet seen it on myself, but I loved the thought/look of it.

Then I saw the VCA guilloche bracelet watch online and I flipped for it. I think the guilloche watch is/was edging out the double wrap tubogas for me but when I was looking up prices I noticed the pave serpenti and I think that is edging out the VCA guilloche bracelet watch, especially since the guilloche leather strap watch exists and is very pretty.

I opened it out to see what everyone’s opinions are - if everyone prefers the VCA it probably is for a reason, and if I find myself mentally disagreeing with everyone I probably should listen to myself and get the serpenti!

At the moment, I’m still finding myself easily swayed, so I have clearly not made up my mind yet!

 

[LilAlex]

So I guess it comes down to whether you want to support Richemont or LVMH

 

[icy_jade]

Personally I like the VCA more - probably the aesthetics but… just putting it out there if it’s an option to just go for the actual jewelry - like getting an Alhambra bracelet AND a watch with manual/automatic movement?

A part of me feels that paying so much for a quartz watch isn’t quite… worth it. Like… for that price I kind of expect a proper watch mechanism with sun/moon phases, dual time, etc etc.

Of course it ultimately boils down to what makes you happy.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Personally I like the VCA more - probably the aesthetics but… just putting it out there if it’s an option to just go for the actual jewelry - like getting an Alhambra bracelet AND a watch with manual/automatic movement?

A part of me feels that paying so much for a quartz watch isn’t quite… worth it. Like… for that price I kind of expect a proper watch mechanism with sun/moon phases, dual time, etc etc.

Of course it ultimately boils down to what makes you happy.

There’s definitely a valid argument to be made for an automatic/manual watch. I like watches primarily for the aesthetics though so I think I’d be fine with a quartz watch that I like the look of.

I think I need to go try these on, but the next time I’ll be in a place with a VCA is close to a year from now, so I have plenty of time to stalk Instagram for inspo!

 

[AprilBaby]

I’ve been looking at high-end watches lately, particularly Cartier. Somehow I just can’t give up my Apple Watch.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I’ve been looking at high-end watches lately, particularly Cartier. Somehow I just can’t give up my Apple Watch.

Somehow I never got into the Apple Watch! I got it as a gift some time ago and never wore it. Ended up giving it away.

 

[Tonks]

I like watches. My dream wish list had like 7 watches on it and the idea was to have watches at all differing levels of formality. But I’ve fallen in love with a very expensive watch (by my standards) which is a dressy, jewelry watch. It’s the sweet Alhambra guilloche bracelet watch - this one:




I figure if I cull my wishlist down I can swing it, cost wise. I’d essentially then just have 3-4 instead of the 7 I wanted (one full steel, one steel but with diamonds, one blingy YG, and maybe one steel+RG far off in the future).

But is this a watch I can wear relatively “regularly”? Even if not to work or something, but out with friends, to lunch, to casual weddings, birthday parties, for dinners etc. Or is it too much and will be something I should save only for really formal occasions, eg a formal wedding?

That is a gorgeous watch and I am most definitely a watch person as well as a VCA person so I don’t think you can go wrong!

A couple things to consider.

—Both the hands and the face of the piece are gold. That can make legibility a major challenge. I had a Rolex Datejust 26 mm as my first nice watch (fairly sure the face was larger than the one on this but not sure) and that sucker was nigh on impossible to read because the hands and the face were the same color. Champagne face and gold hands.

—I’m not sure how old you are, but consider that your vision will likely change as you get older. A couple of weeks ago (I’m in my 40s), my up close vision, which has been slowly going, just WENT. Boom. Hello, reading glasses. I have been wearing 40 mm face men‘s watches for a while and now I am extra glad. I suspect I could still tell time without reading glasses for a while, but at some point if this keeps up? Ugh. At any rate, larger faces are more legible as you age.

—For that price you can get (if you are willing to wait) a dressy but perhaps more functional for daily wear (could wear in the pool, etc) Rolex in an assortment of styles. Perhaps that option isn’t for you but I thought I’d throw it out there.

If it helps, what I evaluate for a daily watch piece:
—how much can I abuse it and have it still look good? Are there materials that require special care?
—Can it hold up to water? Hand washing with soap, dishwashing, etc?
—Can I wear it in a pool or the ocean on vacation (usually this would mean screw-down crown)? What is the depth rating? Can I dive with it?
—Is it an automatic movement so I won’t have to fuss with batteries? (Though some people would prefer batteries to winding).
—Does it have a date function/do I want one?
—What additional complications do I want in a watch for everyday? (For example, my Sub has a timing bezel that I use constantly. Some people like a GMT function in their daily watches if they travel a lot. Others appreciate a moon phase).

Hope this is helpful!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

That is a gorgeous watch and I am most definitely a watch person as well as a VCA person so I don’t think you can go wrong!

A couple things to consider.

—Both the hands and the face of the piece are gold. That can make legibility a major challenge. I had a Rolex Datejust 26 mm as my first nice watch (fairly sure the face was larger than the one on this but not sure) and that sucker was nigh on impossible to read because the hands and the face were the same color. Champagne face and gold hands.

—I’m not sure how old you are, but consider that your vision will likely change as you get older. A couple of weeks ago (I’m in my 40s), my up close vision, which has been slowly going, just WENT. Boom. Hello, reading glasses. I have been wearing 40 mm face men‘s watches for a while and now I am extra glad. I suspect I could still tell time without reading glasses for a while, but at some point if this keeps up? Ugh. At any rate, larger faces are more legible as you age.

—For that price you can get (if you are willing to wait) a dressy but perhaps more functional for daily wear (could wear in the pool, etc) Rolex in an assortment of styles. Perhaps that option isn’t for you but I thought I’d throw it out there.

If it helps, what I evaluate for a daily watch piece:
—how much can I abuse it and have it still look good? Are there materials that require special care?
—Can it hold up to water? Hand washing with soap, dishwashing, etc?
—Can I wear it in a pool or the ocean on vacation (usually this would mean screw-down crown)? What is the depth rating? Can I dive with it?
—Is it an automatic movement so I won’t have to fuss with batteries? (Though some people would prefer batteries to winding).
—Does it have a date function/do I want one?
—What additional complications do I want in a watch for everyday? (For example, my Sub has a timing bezel that I use constantly. Some people like a GMT function in their daily watches if they travel a lot. Others appreciate a moon phase).

Hope this is helpful!

Omg thank you so much for the long post! I appreciate it a lot!

1) legibility is a great point that I sort of only belatedly considered. I just love the guilloche face (at least in pictures) and I know I want some watch that has that face in my collection, but I have never seen it in person so I don’t know how difficult it would be to tell time. I am currently in my late 20s but I have a history of weak eyes in the family. I may need to take my mom along when I buy! But this would suggest that I may be better off with the guilloche leather strap watch because even if the face becomes impossible to read as I age, it would be on the less expensive watch that at that time I could either sell or pass on to a kid or something. The serpenti, which is the other watch I am considering, has RG hands on a dark face OR RG hands on a pave face; and in both cases; the dial is bigger than the VCA for sure; so it should be more legible.

2) I think I’m pretty set on these options for now, because I already have two watches that are steel / steel with a little bit of bling. One is a Tag Heuer and one is Cartier. I’m not a Rolex person for some reason, I don’t know why. I think “daily” was probably the wrong word to use, what I meant was something I could use “regularly” - dinners, brunches, parties, meeting friends; not just for super formal events like weddings. For something like work and errands, I would stick to my steel watches regardless of what I buy. I don’t wear a watch while working out, showering, swimming etc.

3) I think I definitely want a watch that isn’t super delicate. It’s fine if the dial is delicate because I can probably do a good job of protecting the face, but I’d like the bracelet/strap to be somewhat “robust”. Thinking about it like that, the VCA watch seems like a bad idea since it has guilloche and MOP motifs, and those are both delicate.

4) I don’t plan to submerge it, but yeah it should be able to handle basic hand washing etc. So no need to swim/dive with it, but I do want to be able to wear it to dinner and wash my hands after!

5) automatic vs quartz doesn’t bother me, I know automatics are usually preferred because they’re the better craftsmanship but I’ll be honest, I like watches pretty much only for aesthetic reasons. Quartz is fine as long as the watch won’t break on me anytime soon. If I change my mind once I get older I can buy an automatic watch then.

6) I actually don’t like complications in a watch. I like them to be simple. The only thing I want them to do is tell me the time and look pretty while doing it! I don’t even like having a seconds hand - if I want to time something with precision I’ll use my phone! I find the date/moon/time zone stuff kind of clutters the face (this is just my personal, unpopular opinion) so even with the automatic watches I gravitate to the ones that just simply tell time.

Honestly the more I think about it, the more I’m leaning towards the Serpenti, which was the less popular one on this thread! And yet I started the thread wanting the VCA. I have time to change my mind though, since I won’t buy until I’ve tried them all on.

I think I’ve pretty much decided that I’m going to do one of the watches soon though! Time to stop buying random bling and start saving haha.

Thank you so much!!

 

[Tonks]

Omg thank you so much for the long post! I appreciate it a lot!

1) legibility is a great point that I sort of only belatedly considered. I just love the guilloche face (at least in pictures) and I know I want some watch that has that face in my collection, but I have never seen it in person so I don’t know how difficult it would be to tell time. I am currently in my late 20s but I have a history of weak eyes in the family. I may need to take my mom along when I buy! But this would suggest that I may be better off with the guilloche leather strap watch because even if the face becomes impossible to read as I age, it would be on the less expensive watch that at that time I could either sell or pass on to a kid or something. The serpenti, which is the other watch I am considering, has RG hands on a dark face OR RG hands on a pave face; and in both cases; the dial is bigger than the VCA for sure; so it should be more legible.

2) I think I’m pretty set on these options for now, because I already have two watches that are steel / steel with a little bit of bling. One is a Tag Heuer and one is Cartier. I’m not a Rolex person for some reason, I don’t know why. I think “daily” was probably the wrong word to use, what I meant was something I could use “regularly” - dinners, brunches, parties, meeting friends; not just for super formal events like weddings. For something like work and errands, I would stick to my steel watches regardless of what I buy. I don’t wear a watch while working out, showering, swimming etc.

3) I think I definitely want a watch that isn’t super delicate. It’s fine if the dial is delicate because I can probably do a good job of protecting the face, but I’d like the bracelet/strap to be somewhat “robust”. Thinking about it like that, the VCA watch seems like a bad idea since it has guilloche and MOP motifs, and those are both delicate.

4) I don’t plan to submerge it, but yeah it should be able to handle basic hand washing etc. So no need to swim/dive with it, but I do want to be able to wear it to dinner and wash my hands after!

5) automatic vs quartz doesn’t bother me, I know automatics are usually preferred because they’re the better craftsmanship but I’ll be honest, I like watches pretty much only for aesthetic reasons. Quartz is fine as long as the watch won’t break on me anytime soon. If I change my mind once I get older I can buy an automatic watch then.

6) I actually don’t like complications in a watch. I like them to be simple. The only thing I want them to do is tell me the time and look pretty while doing it! I don’t even like having a seconds hand - if I want to time something with precision I’ll use my phone! I find the date/moon/time zone stuff kind of clutters the face (this is just my personal, unpopular opinion) so even with the automatic watches I gravitate to the ones that just simply tell time.

Honestly the more I think about it, the more I’m leaning towards the Serpenti, which was the less popular one on this thread! And yet I started the thread wanting the VCA. I have time to change my mind though, since I won’t buy until I’ve tried them all on.

I think I’ve pretty much decided that I’m going to do one of the watches soon though! Time to stop buying random bling and start saving haha.

Thank you so much!!

I’m so glad that was helpful. Truthfully I never would have thought about legibility prior to my same face/same hands experience OR my welcome-to-your-40s experience. I did try on a guilloche 5 motif bracelet in July and will put a photo here in case it is helpful. It was *stunning.* It was also far more reflective than I had imagined, so my advice would be to see that one in person before deciding on it as a watch face.

The Serpenti is a total classic as well. I’ve always wondered how it feels on. If you try it, please post photos! You asked upthread if you would feel funny in it as you aged, and my answer to that is to wear what you love and don’t worry about age norms. To me that piece is a newer classic and you could age with it.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I’m so glad that was helpful. Truthfully I never would have thought about legibility prior to my same face/same hands experience OR my welcome-to-your-40s experience. I did try on a guilloche 5 motif bracelet in July and will put a photo here in case it is helpful. It was *stunning.* It was also far more reflective than I had imagined, so my advice would be to see that one in person before deciding on it as a watch face.

The Serpenti is a total classic as well. I’ve always wondered how it feels on. If you try it, please post photos! You asked upthread if you would feel funny in it as you aged, and my answer to that is to wear what you love and don’t worry about age norms. To me that piece is a newer classic and you could age with it.

The guilloche is stunning! I do see what you mean though, that reading the time may be impossible.

I’d be happy to share pics once I go try it on! Will be a while away though.

I’m glad you think I could age with it. If I’m really really honest I think the serpenti suits my aesthetic more than the Alhambra bracelet. The latter is so delicate and feminine - I find it stunning but I don’t know if it’s really me. I dress very feminine and structured but I like bold accessories usually. But it’s so gorgeous and more of a crowd pleaser imo.

Ugh I’m going to flip flop for the next year! But thanks so much you really helped.

 

[Mary Queen of Scotch]

But to his credit, he has not wasted a penny on unheated sapphires. I'm sure he thinks that at least his money-sink tells time .

As my favorite Hodinkee writer puts it: “jewelry with a job.”

Beginner's Guide: A Complete Newbie Overdoses On Patek Philippe

In order to understand watches, I knew I had to understand Patek. So I went to Geneva for a tour of the brand's mothership museum. Lesson one: Don't show up late to a place that's all about timekeeping.

www.hodinkee.com

 

[LilAlex]

I am currently in my late 20s...

You can wear anything!

If you were going to have "weak eyes" (is that a thing?), you would have them now. We all lose accommodation (the ability to see things close up) as the lens stiffens with age -- it happens sooner in some than others but not on your list of worries in your 20s!

Spouse is twice your age and has a SS dive watch ("ladies" size face). I always offer to set the date for her and she says, "It doesn't matter; I can't read it anyway!"

5) automatic vs quartz doesn’t bother me, I know automatics are usually preferred because they’re the better craftsmanship but I’ll be honest, I like watches pretty much only for aesthetic reasons. Quartz is fine as long as the watch won’t break on me anytime soon. If I change my mind once I get older I can buy an automatic watch then.

I thought this, too. Spouse got me a tank of a stainless steel dive watch for an early milestone (forget which) -- big brand but not a Rolex. It was the bottom of the line and quartz. I still wear it daily 20+ years later. Exactly one "watch person" recognized it at a social function and said, "Oh, you have a _______ !" But then he saw it was a quartz and the conversation ended abruptly. At the time, I didn't even know that one quick peek at the second hand will give it away -- because I had never seen an automatic. So there is some difference in cachet.

Quartz will eventually die. Around year 18, I had to send it back to the manufacturer for "repair" of the movement. After a few phone calls or emails, I finally got them to say "Yeah, we just threw the old movement away and popped in a new one." I was told to expect ~ 20 years from quartz and that pretty much fit.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

You can wear anything!

If you were going to have "weak eyes" (is that a thing?), you would have them now. We all lose accommodation (the ability to see things close up) as the lens stiffens with age -- it happens sooner in some than others but not on your list of worries in your 20s!

Spouse is twice your age and has a SS dive watch ("ladies" size face). I always offer to set the date for her and she says, "It doesn't matter; I can't read it anyway!"



I thought this, too. Spouse got me a tank of a stainless steel dive watch for an early milestone (forget which) -- big brand but not a Rolex. It was the bottom of the line and quartz. I still wear it daily 20+ years later. Exactly one "watch person" recognized it at a social function and said, "Oh, you have a _______ !" But then he saw it was a quartz and the conversation ended abruptly. At the time, I didn't even know that one quick peek at the second hand will give it away -- because I had never seen an automatic. So there is some difference in cachet.

Quartz will eventually die. Around year 18, I had to send it back to the manufacturer for "repair" of the movement. After a few phone calls or emails, I finally got them to say "Yeah, we just threw the old movement away and popped in a new one." I was told to expect ~ 20 years from quartz and that pretty much fit.

Oh what I meant by "weak eyes" was that everyone in my family got glasses in their late 20s and early 30s. I don't currently need them yet, but I know I'll get them in a few years. It's the one where you can see far away but not close up, I don't remember what that's called.

I know that automatics are more prized, I just personally think of watches as another piece of jewelry! I like watches but I'm not really a "watch person" in the strictest sense of the word. I would someday like a simple, uncomplicated, does nothing but tell time, vintage automatic (or even cooler, manual winding) watch from a high-end watch brand, like AP or Patek, because the idea is super cool to me, but that's a "good to have" rather than a "must-have".

As long as they're willing to pop in a new movement it's fine by me! 20 years is a pretty decent length of time. My mom has a Cartier quartz watch that's had 30 years and is still ticking perfectly fine, though. It's impressive.

(So much blasphemy today)

 

[LilAlex]

Oh what I meant by "weak eyes" was that everyone in my family got glasses in their late 20s and early 30s. I don't currently need them yet, but I know I'll get them in a few years. It's the one where you can see far away but not close up, I don't remember what that's called.

Ah. That is a thing -- you are correct. Sounds like it's the regular ol' age-related loss of accommodation (presbyopia) -- but earlier than most. I mean I don't know the age range but that sounds a little early and you're probably right to factor it in. Submariner it is, then.

Along those lines, I got a used (I mean "pre-owned") dress watch a few years ago with some complications and the first day I wore it to work or somewhere, I looked down and was so disappointed. I just could not tell what time it was. And then I realized it was one of those times when the hands were perfectly superimposed.

 

[Mary Queen of Scotch]

Here’s my post-rosé hot take that I certainly won’t regret tomorrow:

Quartz = IUD

Set it and forget it for X years before you need to replace it with a new one.​

Mechanical = Natural Family Planning

Works always and forever — except when it doesn’t — and, cripes, you must be diligent.​

Both are perfectly valid choices. Depends how much time you like to spend thinking about, uh, horology.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Ah. That is a thing -- you are correct. Sounds like it's the regular ol' age-related loss of accommodation (presbyopia) -- but earlier than most. I mean I don't know the age range but that sounds a little early and you're probably right to factor it in. Submariner it is, then.

Along those lines, I got a used (I mean "pre-owned") dress watch a few years ago with some complications and the first day I wore it to work or somewhere, I looked down and was so disappointed. I just could not tell what time it was. And then I realized it was one of those times when the hands were perfectly superimposed.

Did you mean Serpenti, in the first sentence?

Also, that’s quite funny, that you caught your watch hands perfectly superimposed! I struggle reading the time in these watches even when the hands are far apart!

Here’s my post-rosé hot take that I certainly won’t regret tomorrow:

Quartz = IUD

Set it and forget it for X years before you need to replace it with a new one.​

Mechanical = Natural Family Planning

Works always and forever — except when it doesn’t — and, cripes, you must be diligent.​

Both are perfectly valid choices. Depends how much time you like to spend thinking about, uh, horology.

That analogy certainly explains a lot about my watch preferences